Arkansas water quality?

surfman · Post by **surfman** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 4:14 pm

please take a second to give me some info.
I live in south Texas and we have many great fishing lakes, but nearly all are dangerously poluted! The state advises not to eat the fish even from the Gulf!
The biggest threat is lakes used to cool "coal fired electrical plants" which are responible for over 90% of mercury poisoning in the U.S. in fish! I have checked the Arkansas govt sites to see what coal burning polluters you guy have, and there are a few. but less than most states.
I want to move to Arkansas to fish clean water, but need to know which lakes are not fed by polluted rivers( ie.coal fired elec plants or industrial runnoff. I'm not some inviormental guy, just a fisherman who wants safe fish. If you know any spring fed lakes, drop me a line.
Thanks for any advice you can give about a good lake to live near.

johnnie crain outdoors · Mon May 01, 2006 5:50 am

Surfman,
Nearly all of Arkansas' fish are good to eat. The water quality is fantastic especially in the Northern reaches of the state. Ouchita, Bull Shoals, Table rock are all clean water lakes that I would even drink out of if needed and have. Beaver lake is also good. Visibility in these lakes is often over fifteen feet or maore, they are clear and clean. I know you would love it there. Good luck, Johnnie

carl · Post by **carl** » Tue May 02, 2006 5:29 pm

About two years ago the IL Dept. of Public Health declared ALL waterways, and lakes poluted with Merc. in IL. Most of the Coal plants have scubbers on them now, the rest of the contamintion comes from Asia. Even the clear lakes have adivsories. Since I'm a catch and release guy, I just don't understand the guys who catch and eat cat fish. Most of the contamination is in the sediment. Carl

johnnie crain outdoors · Wed May 03, 2006 12:59 am

You know Carl, in Iowa, catfish are king. People here love those slimy whiskered fish and eat them by the ton. I'm curious how long they will live. Most of our pollution comes from farm run-off such as manure and fertilizer-UGGHH!

RW-reeler · Post by **RW-reeler** » Thu May 04, 2006 1:17 pm

Most of are waters have been put on lists that suggest that we limit our intake of fish. Check with the state fisheres dept. and you should get that info. I lived in Tx. for a long time and they had warnings for both freash and saltwater consumtion but you would need to eat much more than a few servings a week to pass the amount.
Hope this help.

RW

RW-reeler · Post by **RW-reeler** » Thu May 04, 2006 1:23 pm

Hey gang. I will be fishing through your post and the magazines and book for a few months. I will be having shoulder replacement surgery in June it looks like. I have been trying to put it off but the time is here. They say I should be able to recover and fish by the end of the season, just in time to get a little work in and put the boat up. Catch some big ones and tell us about it.
Have a good summer out there and have fun.

RW

carl · Post by **carl** » Thu May 04, 2006 6:02 pm

Sorry to hear that, good luck. Carl

johnnie crain outdoors · Fri May 05, 2006 5:14 am

RW Hope all goes well and you'll be like them baseball pitchers, better than ever. Johnnie