Navigating Low Water on Arkansas Lakes and Rivers
Shifting Hazards Across the Lake
When reservoir levels drop, areas you ran at full throttle all summer can suddenly hide dangerous obstacles. Tree stumps, shallow humps, and rocky points that usually sit safely below the surface may now be exposed or lurking inches under the water. Slow down to give yourself extra reaction time when navigating outside the main river channel.
Lower water also compresses boat traffic into tighter lanes, especially around creek mouths and islands. Keep an eye out for oncoming traffic and mind your wake.
Watch the Depth
Keep an eye on your depth finder to know exactly how much clearance you have left. Many GPS-enabled depth finders allow you to adjust contour maps to match current lake levels. While adjusting your map offsets is helpful, always rely on your live sonar readings to avoid hitting high spots that might not appear on a digital map.
Trim Up
Keep the motor trimmed up when you’re idling through coves, around secondary points and outside the main channel of rivers. Rocks, stumps and other obstacles can reach out and grab the lower unit of your outboard if it’s tucked underneath the boat instead of at a slight upward angle.
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CUTLINES:
MOTORING SHALLOW
Keep your outboard trimmed up when navigating shallow water to prevent catching on stumps or high spots. AGFC photo.
WARNING SIGNS
Be sure to read signs at boat launches each time you visit to see if any warnings are present. AGFC photo.
RAMP CLOSURE
Some ramps may have only a portion of their width usable during extremely low water. AGFC photo.
BACKING IN
Pay attention to the person launching ahead of you and take your time backing in to avoid catastrophe. AGFC photo.
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