Little Red River (Arkansas) facts for kids

The Little Red River is a river in Arkansas, about 102 miles (164 km) long. It flows through several counties in north-central Arkansas, including White, Van Buren, Searcy, Stone, and Cleburne counties. This river is known for its beautiful scenery and great fishing, especially for trout!

A Look Back in Time: The Little Red River's History

During the American Civil War, an important event called the Battle of Whitney's Lane happened near a town called Searcy. This battle took place right by the banks of the Little Red River.

Where is the Little Red River?

The Little Red River actually starts as three smaller streams, or "forks," in the mountains. These are called the South Fork, the Middle Fork, and the Devils Fork. Before Greers Ferry Lake was built, these three forks joined together near Sugar Loaf Mountain.

The River's Forks

• South Fork: This fork begins in the Ozark National Forest near Scotland in Van Buren County. It then flows into Greers Ferry Lake near Clinton.
• Middle Fork: This fork starts close to the South Fork, near Tilly in Van Buren County. But it flows north into Searcy County. From there, it turns east into Stone County, then south to meet Greers Ferry Lake in Cleburne County.
• Devils Fork: This fork begins in the northeast part of Cleburne County. It flows southwest to join Greers Ferry Lake near Ida.

Greers Ferry Lake and the River's Start

The three forks all flow into the northern part of Greers Ferry Lake. This lake is split into two sections, connected by a narrow area called The Narrows. The Little Red River officially starts flowing again from the Greers Ferry Dam at Heber Springs.

The river then flows until it meets the White River in White County, Arkansas.

How Much Water Flows?

The Little Red River has a lot of water flowing through it! On average, about 1,830 cubic feet (which is like a big box of water) passes by every second near Dewey, Arkansas.

Life Below the Dam

The river flows as a single channel from the Greers Ferry Dam all the way to where it joins the White River near Georgetown. The area near the river's end is part of the Henry Gray/Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Area.

Changing Water Levels

The amount of water in the lower parts of the river can change a lot. This happens because cold water is released from the dam at Greers Ferry when they make electricity. These changes can make it tricky for people using boats on the river.

The riverbed itself is interesting. Some parts have rocky rapids, while others have big boulders or slow, deep pools of water.

Fishing for Trout

The part of the river right below the Greers Ferry Dam is famous for its amazing trout fishing! The US Fish and Wildlife Service has a special place there, called a hatchery, where they raise and release many adult trout regularly.

The Little Red River was once home to the world-record brown trout! This huge fish weighed over 40 pounds (18.3 kg) and held the record from 1992 until 2009.

Fish and the Cold Water

Because very cold water flows from under the dam, many fish that like warmer water don't live there anymore. For a while, some parts of the river had very few fish. Even though trout love the cold water near the dam, other native fish like largemouth bass, crappie, and bream might not return to their old numbers.

However, people are trying to bring back other popular fish. They are working to reintroduce fish like walleye and smallmouth bass to the river near Searcy. These fish were chosen because walleye taste great, and smallmouth bass are known for being fun to catch!

Accessing the River

It can be hard for people to get to the river between Pangburn and Searcy. But there's hope that new companies in the area might help find more places for everyone to enjoy the river. They want to work together to make sure the river stays healthy and accessible.

Cleaning Up the River

A person named Carl Garner, who managed the Little Red River and Greers Ferry Lake, wanted to clean up the trash along the waterways. He didn't have much money for a cleanup crew. But his efforts led to something amazing: the Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day, which is now promoted by Keep America Beautiful!