Lake Conway's gates are set to close Dec. 2, marking the start of the long-awaited refill after years of construction on the Arkansas lake. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission announced the timeline at a public meeting Monday at Mayflower High School, where officials laid out how much work remains and what anglers can expect once water starts coming back.
According to KATV, closing the gates will begin the refilling process, though rainfall will determine how quickly water actually returns to the lake. The renovation has now lasted three years, and AGFC officials say the lake's water-control structures are functional, with infrastructure work below the waterline mostly complete.
AGFC Deputy Director Ben Batten said the project is ahead of schedule. Nick Feltz, the AGFC fisheries supervisor at the Mayflower Field Office overseeing the Lake Conway renovation, said a drought lasting essentially 14 months had enabled the project to make progress: “Being in a drought for essentially 14 months has enabled us to really cover some ground,” according to an update posted on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission website. Contractors used the dry conditions to carve out 28 miles of 50-foot-wide boat lanes throughout the lakebed, the agency said.
A Five-Year Plan Still on Track
The renovation first hit its three-year mark within a planned five-year timeline back in September, per an earlier report from the same station. Contractors benefited from the dry weather, which allowed them to work on the passive spillway structure and auxiliary dam without interruptions, the agency's update noted at the time.
The water-control structures are functional, and most below-waterline infrastructure work is complete. Feltz also said landowners are well past the original deadline for completing repairs on their boathouses and shorelines, and urged them to finish before the gates close. Nick Feltz cautioned Lake Conway property owners not to count on continued drought giving them more time for repairs because rain could raise the water quickly after gate closure.
What Anglers Are Watching For
Michael Grandjean, who lives at Adams Lake Landing and moved there specifically for the fishing, said he used to fish every day before construction began. Adams Lake still retains some water and fish, but reaching what remains now requires wading through mud. Despite the inconvenience, Grandjean said he supports the improvements underway at Lake Conway.
Batten acknowledged the toll the project has taken on the community, saying residents and anglers have made real sacrifices throughout construction. Once refilled, the lake's normal water level will remain unchanged, and AGFC will skip its routine winter drawdown as part of the transition to new operations.
New Spillway and a Passive Control System
The renovation includes a new primary spillway along with an auxiliary structure with gates reserved for future management drawdowns and maintenance. Officials say the lake will be run as a passive water-control system going forward, a shift the agency described in its own construction update. Other improvements include expanded boat lanes, repaired and additional boat ramps, new fish habitat, and upgraded access areas.
A pedestrian bridge has also been installed where the old dam's catwalk once stood, preserving walking access to Belle Slough. Work will continue on parking improvements, courtesy docks, lighting and amenities for bank anglers, officials said.
Fishing Won't Bounce Back Overnight
Refilling the lake does not mean fishing will immediately return to its previous condition, AGFC cautioned. The agency said it stocked more than 200,000 golden shiners last week in areas with enough remaining water, aiming to help establish a food supply for sport fish once they're introduced.
Sport fish stocking could begin as early as late spring or early summer 2027 if water conditions cooperate, and officials say Lake Conway could have a reasonably fishable population by fall 2028. Fishing will initially be catch and release, with officials saying they could consider earlier limited harvest opportunities if monitoring shows the fish population can support it. Batten said full fishing limits should return no sooner than around 2030, with harvest generally expected to resume that summer.
Deadlines for Lakefront Property Owners
Separately, AGFC has set rules for landowners whose docks and boathouses were affected by the renovation. The agency extended the deadline for repairing permitted structures to Dec. 31, 2025, according to an Arkansas Game and Fish Commission notice. Owners whose condemned structures were removed will not be approved to rebuild anything until 2030, the agency said.
