Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine
| Lake Hamilton | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location |
Garland County, Arkansas, United States |
| Coordinates | 34°25′57″N 93°05′19″W / 34.4325°N 93.0887°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Ouachita River |
| Primary outflows | Ouachita River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 7,200 acres (2,900 ha) |
| Lake Catherine | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | Garland / Hot Spring counties, Arkansas, United States |
| Coordinates | 34°26′39″N 92°54′48″W / 34.4442°N 92.9134°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 1,940 acres (790 ha) |
Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine are a pair of man-made lakes around Hot Springs, Arkansas. The two lakes have greatly improved the tourism in Hot Springs. Both Lakes were created by Arkansas Power & Light (now a subsidiary of Entergy).
Lake Hamilton is a 7,200-acre (2,900 ha) reservoir near Lake Hamilton, Arkansas and Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is located on the Ouachita River, one of Arkansas's most popular rivers. It is formed from Carpenter Dam which was named after Flavius Josephus Carpenter. The dam is over 1,000 feet (300 m) long and 100 feet (30 m) high, and has a hydroelectric power generation facility and completed in 1931. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
Along with Lake Catherine and Lake Ouachita, Lake Hamilton is one of the lakes that helps make Hot Springs a boon for tourism. The lake was created in 1932, mainly to generate hydroelectricity, but now it also serves as a recreational getaway. Much of the lake is surrounded with resorts, restaurants, and motels. Parasailing, boating, fishing, and waterskiing are popular on Lake Hamilton, and the rest of the lakes around Hot Springs. A 400 passenger riverboat called the Belle of Hot Springs offers cruises on Lake Hamilton. Garvan Woodland Gardens, a 210-acre (85 ha) botanical park is also accessible by boat.
Lake Hamilton was named after Hamilton Moses who later became President and Chairman of the Board for Arkansas Power and Light.
On May 1, 1999, an accident involving the tourist boats on Lake Hamilton resulted in the deaths of thirteen persons. Former State Senator Jim Keet, the 2010 Republican gubernatorial nominee, was boating with his family at the time of the tragedy. Ironically, four years earlier, Senator Keet had co-sponsored a bill that added several new water safety rules to the Arkansas code, including the requirement that children wear life preservers on most boats. However, the provision did not apply to DUKW ("duck") boats, the kind involved in the tragedy, which sank with barely thirty seconds of warning.
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