Lake ConwayTop story
Lake Conway's dam gates close Dec. 2 so the refill can begin
The lake's renovation leads to a Dec. 2 refill
- Early 2023The commission began draining Lake Conway.
- Jan. 2025The commission began removing condemned structures from the lake.
- Dec. 2The commission will close the dam gates so the refill can begin.
Sources: KATV, arkansasonline.com
If you live on Lake Conway or fish it, mark Wed., Dec. 2. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will close the gates to the dam's auxiliary structure that day so the lake can begin refilling. About 170 people heard it Monday night at Mayflower High School, and AGFC officials confirmed the date for the refill.
Nick Feltz, the AGFC's regional fisheries supervisor, said the drought kept the lakebed so dry that "any gains we were going to make have been accomplished." Owners of condemned structures still have time to remove them, and Feltz warned that "It will still take substantial rain to fill the lake once the gates are closed."
- Lake size: 6,700 surface acres, created in 1948
- Structures: more than 900 on the lake, 175 condemned
- Removed so far: about 80, starting in January 2025
Stocking has started. Feltz said about 200,000 golden shiners went in last week, with fathead minnows, bluegill and redear planned this winter. Gamefish typically wait 6 to 8 months, and boat lane marking will finish once the water is up.
Crews widened lanes, set poles and stocked shiners
- 50 feet
- width of the widened boat lanes
- Over 1,000
- permanent poles marking boat lanes
- 200,000
- golden shiners stocked last week
Sources: KATV, arkansasonline.com
