Tunica Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tunica Lake |
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 Tunica Lake
Location in Arkansas
Tunica Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lee County, Arkansas Tunica County, Mississippi United States |
| Coordinates | 34°39′00″N 90°29′39″W / 34.650032°N 90.494303°W |
| Type | Oxbow lake |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 15 mi (24 km) |
| Surface area | 2,500 acres (1,000 ha) |
| Surface elevation | 157 ft (48 m) at normal pool |
Tunica Lake is a cool body of water located in both Lee County, Arkansas and Tunica County, Mississippi. It's also known as Tunica Cutoff. This lake is a special type called an oxbow lake. The border between Arkansas and Mississippi actually runs right through the middle of this long, curvy lake!
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How Tunica Lake Was Formed
Tunica Lake is an example of an oxbow lake. These lakes are created when a river changes its path. Imagine a river flowing in a big, U-shaped bend. Over time, the river might cut a new, straighter path across the narrow part of the "U". When this happens, the old bend gets cut off from the main river. It then forms a separate, curved lake, which is what we call an oxbow lake.
The Mississippi River's Old Path
Before 1942, the mighty Mississippi River flowed differently. It used to curve east into Mississippi. It would flow along the area where Tunica Lake is now. Back then, this curvy part of the river was known by names like "Fox Island Bend" and "OK Bend".
Building the Cutoffs
In 1933, the United States Army Corps of Engineers started a big project. They began building special channels called "cutoffs" along the lower Mississippi River. They planned to make 13 of these.
Cutoffs had been built before this time. They were very helpful for ships. Ships could use these new, shorter channels to avoid long, U-shaped bends in the river. This made travel faster and easier for boats carrying goods.
The Hardin Cutoff
Tunica Lake was created when one of these cutoffs was built. It was called the "Hardin Cutoff". This channel was dug across a piece of land called "Hardin Point peninsula". This happened in 1942. The Hardin Cutoff was the very last one built during that time. Once the new channel was open, the old river bend became Tunica Lake.
Life Around Tunica Lake
All the towns and communities right near Tunica Lake are located in Mississippi.
Austin, Mississippi
The town of Austin used to be right on the east bank of the old "Fox Island Bend". In 1884, there was a big flood when a nearby levee broke. After the floodwaters went away, steamboats couldn't land in Austin anymore. A huge sandbar had formed between the town and the Mississippi River.
Fox Island Community
North of Austin, you'll find a community called "Fox Island".
Northern Lake Community
At the very northern end of Tunica Lake, there's a small community. It has cozy cottages and places for people who love to fish. You can find bait shops there, an RV park for campers, and four boat ramps to launch your boat.
What Makes Tunica Lake Special
Tunica Lake has some unique features that make it a great spot for nature and recreation.
The Shoo Fly Bar Channel
At the south end of Tunica Lake, there's a small channel. It's called "Shoo Fly Bar". This channel connects the lake directly to the Mississippi River. This connection is super important! It allows fish that are ready to lay eggs (spawning fish) to swim into Tunica Lake. It also lets people with recreational boats easily go from the lake to the big river.
Because of this channel, the water levels in Tunica Lake change with the seasons. When the Mississippi River's water level goes up or down, Tunica Lake's water level does too.
Fish in the Lake
Tunica Lake is home to many different kinds of fish! You can find fish like bowfin, bream (also known as bluegill), buffalo, and channel catfish. There are also common carp, crappie, drum, and flathead catfish. Other fish include gar, green sunfish, largemouth bass, white bass, and yellow bass. It's a great place for fishing!
Fishing Rules and Access
You can legally fish in Tunica Lake with either an Arkansas or a Mississippi fishing license. However, most cars and recreational boats can only get to the lake from the Mississippi side.
