scuba diving in beaver lake

Situated in one of the most beautiful regions of Arkansas, Beaver Lake offers great diving conditions. Generally the closer you are to the north end, the better the visibility. The Damsite North Park (one of the clearest sites) is accessible by land and is open from 7am to 10pm daily. The bluffs here feature ledges which stair-step to deeper water. Depths can range from ankle deep to over 100 feet. If you have a boat, then you can dive a number of excellent sites. Beaver also has thermoclines. That warm 84 degree surface temp may drop to the low 50 degrees at 70-80 feet!​

Generally, Beaver boasts excellent visibility for a freshwater lake. Of course the vis is dependent on temperature, seasonal rainfall, wind, and boat traffic. Typically we see spring visibility as good as 25-30 feet, with the summer vis dropping to 15-18 feet in the shallower depths. That’s when deeper diving pays off, although you need a colder water wetsuit. The deep vis usually stays very good throughout the warmer months.

All divers, whether shore or boat based are required to have a dive flag. If you are camping, check out the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reserve a site in advance.

Beaver Lake stats

Location: Northwest Arkansas
Size: 28,370 acres
Length: approximately 70 miles
Shoreline: about 487 miles
Maximum Depth: 205 ft at dam

Beaver Lake has 12 Corps of Engineers recreational parks. Most of these offer camping facilities with restrooms, electrical hookups, boat launch access, and a number have full marinas at the park.

For more local information call SportsCo at (479)751-0636 or (479)751-7330.