Bull Shoals Dam Now Open for Tours
Tours of Bull Shoals Dam in north-central Arkansas are now being offered through the Bull Shoals-White River State Park in Lakeview. Thanks to an agreement with the Corps of Engineers, the public has the opportunity to stand in the bowels of the massive concrete dam holding back the 45,440-acre Bull Shoals Lake, a heady sensation if you think about it too much.
The dam is 2,256 feet long. The fifth largest concrete dam in the nation, it took more than 2.1 million cubic yards of concrete to construct it. According to the tour guides, that same amount of concrete would make a road six inches thick and 20 feet wide from Bull Shoals to Disney World in Orlando. And, the eight generators can produce 390 million watts of electricity, which is enough to supply the energy needs of a city like Orlando. With all eight units running, more than 9 million gallons of water flow per minute into the White River below.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction on the dam in 1947, completed it in 1951 and dedicated it with the help of President Harry S. Truman on July 2, 1952. While the primary purpose of the dam is for flood risk management, hydroelectric power generation is an added benefit as is the cold-water habitat it created below the dam. The White River is one of the premier trout fisheries in the United States.
The needs of the electrical customers determine when the Corps is generating power and releasing water into the river, the guides explained. Before the turbines start, a loud horn sounds to alert fishermen that the water will be rising. Tours of the Bull Shoals Dam are offered at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday; at 10 a.m. on Wednesday and Friday, at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday; and at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. The fee is $2.50 for adults and $1.50 for children 6 to 12. Some restrictions apply – you need to be able to walk up and down steps, for example. Contact Bull Shoals-White River State Park at 870-445-3629 .
Located above and below the dam, the park stretches along the riverside and lakeshore. It features campsites along or near the river, including two Rent-A-Camp and two Rent-An-RV units. Other park facilities include picnic areas, standard pavilions, playgrounds, and hiking and mountain bike trails. Situated on a high point, the park visitor center offers sweeping views of the White River, Bull Shoals Dam and Bull Shoals Lake. The center contains an exhibit hall, theater, lobby, gift shop and video presentations. More information can be found online at www.ArkansasStateParks.com.
Courtesy of leisuregrouptravel.com
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