Ouachita,

4) Remmel Dam to I-30 at Malvern (6 miles)

Gauge Information

River Description

Nice paddle from Remmel Dam with easy shuttle on Hwy 270. Continuous release of 200-500 cfs is enough to make it down the river with some scraping. Normal generation is 3500-4000 CFS.

Put-in: Below Remmel Dam. Access from Hwy 270 at Jones Mill between Malvern (I-30) and Hot Springs.

Take-out: Near the I-30 bridge. Can take-out on river left just below the Rockport Ledge upstream of the I-30 bridge. Take the Malvern exit on I-30(East on Hwy 270). Turn right on River Creek Road, next to McDonalds. Follow the road as it curves right (between Wal-mart and strip mall) and crosses a small creek. Turn left onto South River Creek Road and follow to the stop sign at the end. Turn right and follow this road upstream and under the I-30 bridge until you see the boat ramp on the left.

Improvements to the River Park: A new boat ramp and parking area are provided downstream from the upper ledge on river left. Eventually the road and parking will be paved and restroom and changing facilities and additional trails will be provided.

Or take out on river right below the I-30 bridge at the Tanner Street access. It can be accessed by traveling (South)West on I-30 and take the first exit after the crossing the Ouachita River Bridge (you can see the Rockport Ledge upstream to the right). Turn left and cross over I-30 and take a left at the next intersection. Park at the end of the road at the concrete baricades where the old Tanner Street Bridge was. A short trail leads to the river.

The run is primarily moving class I water with some pools. The Rockport ledge is Class II and can be run about anywhere. However, some of the chutes may flip, pin or swamp a canoe.

Beware of the far river right side at the ledge. The narrow chute to the right of the house-sized boulder is home to the "Lion's Den" aka "Tiger's Jaw". The ledge drops 2+ feet into a sticky hole with rocks blocking the exit requiring quick Class III skills.

Downstream, the river exits the Ouachita Mountains and flows through the farmland of Southern Arkansas. Current subsides and rapids disapper. Several access points are available for the many remaining miles to Lake Jack Lee and is reported good for fishing.

Releases generally start mid-day on summer days, check the entergy website on how to get notified of the generation schedule. Entergy Hydro Page

SUMMER WEEKENDS!
From Memorial day weekend through Labor day weekend, Entergy plans to release a minimum of 3600 CFS from Remmel Dam from about noon (12:00pm) until about 3:00 PM. Local rains and/or a high demand for energy could increase the duration. Typical releases are 6-10 hours in normal years.

There are a few hotels and several restaurants in the Malvern area, most of which are on HWY 270. Nearest camping is 15-20 minutes away at Lake Catherine State Park.