Lake Maumelle, the reservoir that supplies drinking water to roughly 500,000 people across Central Arkansas, has dropped to a historic low as severe drought grips the region. The lake sits about 12 feet below normal, a decline steep enough to strand fishing boats at the dock even as the utility that manages it says there's no need to panic over the tap.
Central Arkansas Water public affairs officer Doug Shackelford confirmed the dramatic drop but stressed it hasn't crossed into emergency territory. “Lake Maumelle is at a historic low, but not low enough to warrant water rationing,” Shackelford said, according to Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. As reported by KATV, the low water has limited access for fishing boats across the lake.
Guides Sidelined for Months
Eric Watts, owner and operator of Natural State Guide, said he has not taken a customer onto Lake Maumelle in about three months because of the low water, according to KATV. The receding water has disrupted his guide business by limiting access to launch points and coves.
Both reservoirs serve as water-supply sources for the Little Rock and North Little Rock metropolitan areas. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, they also support recreation and fish and wildlife habitat.
A Deepening Rainfall Deficit
The drought driving the decline is not a recent blip. Central Arkansas's rainfall deficit exceeds 15 inches compared with the 30-year normal, the National Weather Service told KATV. The agency's Little Rock forecast office has separately noted that below-normal rainfall has hit nearly every month so far this year, piling up deficits across the state, per the National Weather Service.
A slightly wetter pattern is expected during the first week of November, though the station's report notes it may bring only limited relief. That mirrors warnings from elsewhere in the state's water system earlier this year. Entergy Arkansas lakes manager Blake Hogue said in May that the region might need 10 to 20 inches of rain to climb out of the severe drought, according to an Entergy Arkansas statement. That same month, Entergy temporarily paused recreational water releases from Remmel Dam, citing severe to extreme drought conditions, while noting the river system would still receive the minimum flow required to meet environmental requirements. Lake Ouachita, a separate reservoir in the Entergy system, was running about 2.5 feet below its target level at the time.
A History of Drawdowns, But Not This One
Central Arkansas Water has intentionally lowered Lake Maumelle in the past for reasons other than drought. The utility began a winter drawdown in 2022 to combat Hydrilla, an invasive aquatic species, according to Central Arkansas Water.
Rainfall Shortfall and Past Drawdowns
The rainfall deficit was already substantial earlier in the year: in April 2026, Little Rock’s six-month shortfall was over a foot, according to KARK. The National Weather Service later told KATV that Central Arkansas’s deficit exceeded 15 inches compared with the 30-year normal.
Central Arkansas Water says its November 1, 2022, drawdown was an intentional effort to combat Hydrilla, unlike the drought-related decline now reported at the lake, according to the utility’s drawdown information.
That management effort is distinct from the current decline, which KATV reported is driven mainly by drought, though a dam-maintenance drawdown also lowered the lake further. As THV11 reported, the shrinking waterline has revealed portions of the lake bed and items lost over time. For now, Central Arkansas Water's message to customers is watchfulness rather than alarm.
