Lake Whittington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lake Whittington
Lake Whittington Location in Arkansas Show map of Arkansas Lake Whittington Location in Mississippi Show map of Mississippi Lake Whittington Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Bolivar County, Mississippi Desha County, Arkansas United States
Coordinates	33°39′44″N 91°04′13″W / 33.662353°N 91.070273°W / 33.662353; -91.070273
Type	Oxbow lake
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	12 mi (19 km)
Surface area	2,300 acres (930 ha)
Surface elevation	118 ft (36 m) at normal pool

Lake Whittington is a cool oxbow lake located in the United States. It sits right on the border between Bolivar County, Mississippi, and Desha County, Arkansas. Imagine a lake that used to be part of a big river, but then got cut off! That's an oxbow lake.

The border between Arkansas and Mississippi actually runs right through the middle of this long, curving lake. It's about 12 miles (19 km) long and covers an area of 2,300 acres (930 ha).

Before 1938, the mighty Mississippi River flowed in a big curve here. It went east into Mississippi, followed the path of what is now Lake Whittington (then called "Bolivar Bend"), and then continued its journey south.

How Lake Whittington Was Formed

Lake Whittington is an example of how rivers can change over time. It was created by a process called a "cutoff."

The Mississippi River's Changing Path

Rivers like the Mississippi often flow in big, looping curves called "meanders." Sometimes, the river takes a shortcut across one of these loops. This shortcut is called a cutoff.

In 1933, the United States Army Corps of Engineers started building 13 cutoffs along the lower Mississippi River. These cutoffs helped ships travel faster by making the river straighter.

Lake Whittington was formed when the "Caulk Neck Cutoff" was built. This happened between 1937 and 1938. The cutoff created a new, straighter path for the Mississippi River. The old bend was left behind, forming Lake Whittington.

Island No. 76: A Historical Spot

There was once an island called "Island No. 76" in the old river bend, just north of the town of Bolivar. During the American Civil War, this island was used by the Union Army. It was a place where freed slaves lived and worked, cutting wood for ships.

In 1865, a Union transport ship named James Watson got stuck on the island and caught fire. Sadly, 24 people died in this accident. Today, this island is known as "Goat Island."

Life Around the Lake

Lake Whittington is a quiet place with some interesting features.

Accessing the Lake

The town of Bolivar, Mississippi, is the only community right on the lake. In the past, there was a public spot called Neblett's Landing where people could get to the lake year-round. However, this spot is now owned by a private club and is closed to the public.

You can still get to the lake in other ways:

• Through two small channels that connect to the Mississippi River. You can only use these when the river's water level is just right.
• From Little Man's Landing, which is usually open only during the summer months.

Many cottages and hunting lodges are built along the Mississippi side of the lake. There's even a private airport with a grass runway called Catfish Point Airport at the south end of the lake.

Fish and Wildlife

Lake Whittington is home to many kinds of fish and plants.

Connecting to the Mississippi River

A small channel at the south end of the lake connects it to the Mississippi River. This connection is important because:

• It allows fish from the Mississippi River to swim into Lake Whittington to lay eggs.
• It lets boaters travel between the lake and the river.
• The lake's water level changes with the Mississippi River's level. When the river is low in the fall, Lake Whittington might even split into three separate pools of water.

Fish Species in the Lake

You can find many different types of fish in Lake Whittington, including:

• Bream (like bluegill)
• Buffalo
• Channel catfish
• Common carp
• Crappie
• Drum
• Flathead catfish
• Gar
• Green sunfish
• Largemouth bass
• Minnows
• Silversides
• Sunfish
• White bass
• Yellow bass

The main plant growing in the water is duckweed.

Fishing Safely

It's important to know that the lake has been reported to have something called Largemouth Bass Virus (LMBV). To keep other fish healthy, you should not move fish from this lake to other places. Also, it's a good idea to clean your boat's livewells with bleach after fishing here.

You can legally fish in Lake Whittington with either an Arkansas or a Mississippi fishing license. However, most cars and boats can only get to the lake from the Mississippi side.