Sparkman to Tate's Bluff

[Minna Ulmer]

Anyone heard of a dam release on Ouacita River from Sparkman to Tates Bluff? A guy here in el dorado goes to it, 10 mi float and fast.

[Roger]

Minna, looking at a Gazetteer, the Ouachita runs by Sparkman a few miles to the west. Looks like something called Vaiden Road out of Sparkman is the access. Tate's Bluff is right on the river just due south and looks to be ten miles estimated. Looks like best shuttle would be to go back to Sparkman and take Highway 7 south to CR 86 and turn right to go to Tate's Bluff.

Thinking maybe one might see the river rise and fall due to the releases from Lake Catherine even down this far. But no dam in that area that I am aware of.

[Minna Ulmer]

Thanks so much,Roger! Right now it looks like the releases would b 3600 csf from 3-6pm on weekends an holidays.Friend says its fast cause the river gets narrow. Do any adventuresome souls want to investigate/float this w me Sat/Sun? Im saving Mon(labor day) for Lil Mo,assuming Narrows releases like last year.

[Minna Ulmer]

Thanks so much,Roger! Right now it looks like the releases would b 3600 csf from 3-6pm on weekends an holidays.Friend says its fast cause the river gets narrow. Do any adventuresome souls want to investigate/float this w me Sat/Sun? Im saving Mon(labor day) for Lil Mo,assuming Narrows releases like last year.

[Roger]

Trip report, please! Minna, how long have you lived in El Dorado?

[Minna Ulmer]

Roger,I have been in El Do 25 years.Didnt "get out much" till recently,as my 5 kids have grown up now.

[Jim Krueger]

Hey Minna,

I thought I'd comment here too since this general area has been my home for so many years :) In addition to my farm at Joan, Marlo and I have about 150 acres on the Ouachita about 15 miles upstream of the Sparkman access. Marlo's property is the remains of a once much larger family farm that bordered the Ouachita river some 7 or 8 miles downstream of Arkadelphia.
During college years, I once floated the Ouachita from Arkadelphia to Camden on one Spring Break, it was a wonderful 60+ mile adventure but most sun-burned and tired boys at the end :)
If you should ever float from Sparkman to Tate's Bluff, Rogers directions are the one's to use. On Hwy. 7, about 1/2 mile South of Sparkman, there is a G&F sign indicating Dallas County Access to Ouachita River, about 4 miles away. When the road gets to the river it turns upstream a quarter mile or so to the G&F ramp. Just downstream of the ramp is where the road crosses the Ouachita, it then becomes what the locals refer to as the Kansas road. This bridge here is locally referred to as either the Vaden bridge or Nix's Ferry.
At the other end of the float, at Tates Bluff, there is another G&F access, turn off Hwy. 7 at the Ouachita/Dallas county line on CR 86 to reach Tates Bluff. I have gone to Tates Bluff many times over the years and paddled my kayak up the Ouachita or Little Missouri rivers a mile or two to fish&swim.
This float should indeed be a fairly handy one to Eldorado. I like floating the river here either at generation flow or not but if you don't catch the water up it will be a pretty long float. I just love the scenery, fishing, and swimming. Since this area is more than 50 miles below Remmel dam so I can't offer the best estimate when all that water ebbs and flows since I haven't been down there in the last several years. Have fun if you go, maybe I can join you sometime.


Best Regards
Jim

[mikeark]

I agree with Jim. We floated Sparkman to the bridge at Tate's Bluff last fall. Did not check as to dam release. There were some long slow pools and,of course, the wind was 15 to 20 mph out of the south. But it was convenient to El Dorado and an easy hard-surfaced shuttle route. Would love to try again if we could depend on a decent flow.

[Minna Ulmer]

Thanks Jim an Mikeark,I am goin to try an figure this out.

[mikeark]

Should Narrows Dam release this weekend, what class water flow could we expect on the Lil Mo.? Where would we put in? Out?

[Jim Krueger]

Mileark,

According to Swepco's schedule, they will be releasing (all three generators) from 1pm to 8pm on Friday Sept. 3rd. Many of us who paddle the Little Mo. for these releases do so on the five mile stretch just below the dam. It's a great float but is class II-II+ with swift, cold water, very nice on a upper 90s-100 degree sunny day. Hope this helps.There are no releases on this Saturday or Sunday.
If you are asking in relation to paddling on the Little Mo. in the vicinity of it's confluence at Tate's Bluff, then I can not offer much useful information.
From Murfreesboro to Tate's Bluff the river is really meandering and looks to be 70+ miles in length. There are only about three public access points, with the last section being what looks like 20-30 miles between Whelen Springs and Tate's Bluff. I have a sneaking feeling that many parts of the lower river are rife with strainers and may be dangerous at full generation. Having said this, the Lower Little Mo, is probably a very scenic, remote, bottom-land type float.

Jim

[Minna Ulmer]

SCOUTING REPORT
I spent yest checking Sparkman to Tate's out.The takeout has a nice big G&F ramp at far side of big bridge which provides lots of shade below. Has a big clean gravel beach area w areas of pools of water for swimming.The river was obviously low but moving fairly well.Also still deep!Saw lil mo converging flowing in too. Talked to locals who said it "is always moving like this"!That was at tates.
Then went to the put in area S of Sparkman.First I checked out the smaller bridge at this end.Log jam under bridge but I think passable,if not just put in below bridge.I found a spot.Drove to nice G&F put in which had a shallow spot but after that flowing ok.
MY THOUGHTS
There is moving water here in the midst of the drought.
It is peaceful,rustic,few nice people here an there.
I would really like to float it if I could get a partner or 2.Mayby some of our El Do/South AR paddlers,or anyone interested.

[AR-Nimrod]

Minna,

When are you wantin to do this? My bunch might be interested. We can discuss at Rendezvous?

[Minna Ulmer]

I was wondering when yall would respond. It looks fine for us in my opinion. C u @ vous!