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Arkansas | Ouachita Mountains
Ouachita RiverRemmel Dam to Ouachita River Whitewater Park
About 5.9 miles from Remmel Dam to Rockport Whitewater Park. This rating follows recreational floating conditions, with 3–4 hours allowed on a confirmed release. Low-flow whitewater kayaking is a separate decision. Check Entergy's current release timing and plan the ledge and left-bank exit before I-30.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch below Remmel Dam and take out at Ouachita River Whitewater Park for the 5.9-mile Rockport / Malvern float, typically three to four hours on a recreational release. Check Entergy's current release schedule and same-day weather before launching. Move left as I-30 comes into view and plan the take-out before Rockport Ledge and fast current make a return ferry difficult.
Access map
Put-in
Remmel Dam tailrace / below-dam river accessThe put-in coordinate is a practical Remmel Dam gauge/access-area anchor, not a survey-grade boat-ramp point. Use Entergy signs and the posted gate/parking layout to find the active launch.
Take-out
Ouachita River Whitewater Park / RockportThe Remmel Dam gate closes nightly at 10 p.m.; retrieve vehicles before the gate closes and do not depend on overnight access.
Road shuttle
Stage the take-out at Ouachita River Whitewater Park, 904 Riverview Drive in Malvern, then drive back toward the Remmel Dam access. Entergy says the floating entrance is a boat ramp near the dam through the gate just past the operations entrance at 170 Remmel Dam Road, and its safety page also lists Ouachita River Access Below Remmel Dam at 489 McGuire Road. Follow current signs, gates, parking marks, and any Entergy access changes on arrival.
Additional access notes
- Entergy says some navigation apps may misroute users near Remmel Dam. From I-30, use Exit 98B / Highway 270 toward Hot Springs and confirm the signed dam access in daylight.
- At the take-out, Entergy says to move to the left bank when the I-30 bridge comes into view. The boat ramp is on the left after the rapid but before the bridge; missing it can leave paddlers fighting current back upstream.
More route and safety guidance
- Rockport Ledge and nearby chutes can flip, pin, or swamp boats near the take-out; scout and skip if the group cannot manage whitewater hazards.
- Move to the left bank when the I-30 bridge comes into view and make the signed take-out before conditions force a difficult upstream ferry.
More trip guidance
Before you go
Plan around the Remmel release and exit
This rating follows recreational floating. The lower-flow whitewater range is a different decision; release timing, travel time and the Rockport take-out still need to work together.
Match the rating to recreational floating
Entergy says below 3,200 cfs may be too low for an enjoyable float and above 4,000 cfs is not recommended for floating. The 3,500–4,000 cfs target follows AW’s normal-generation description. Lower kayakable flows do not establish the same float experience. A reading in the target band does not verify how long generation will continue.
Check the current operating notice
Entergy’s published summer pattern is not a reservation for your trip date. Check its lake and flow news and the live Remmel gauge before driving, especially outside the usual Memorial Day–Labor Day recreational season.
Leave time before the release ends
Entergy describes a three-to-four-hour float and advises starting at least two hours before recreational flow ends. Stops and slower groups need more margin because water can drop quickly after generation stops.
Inspect the Whitewater Park finish first
The planned exit is at 904 Riverview Drive. Entergy places the left-bank ramp after the rapid and before I-30, with current that can carry paddlers past it. Identify the exit before setting the shuttle.
Guides and maps checked . We have not inspected this trip in person. Check with the launch manager for current access and closures.
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.
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Conditions
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Weather
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
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Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Ouachita River at Remmel Dam above Jones Mill, AR. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
Look for recent access, obstruction and hazard observations. Context photos may show a different part of the river.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Guides and maps checked 2026-10-20. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Ouachita River at Remmel Dam above Jones Mill, AR |
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| Preferred range | 3,500 cfs to 4,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 3,200 cfs |
| High threshold | 4,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Entergy recreational-floating limits; AW normal-generation target |
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NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official float logisticsRemmel Dam to Whitewater Park
Entergy says weekend summer floaters bring tubes, kayaks, and canoes to Remmel Dam and exit at Ouachita River Whitewater Park in Malvern, with the access gate just past the Remmel Dam operations entrance and the exit at 904 Riverview Drive.
- Gauge check during route review · June 1, 2026USGS 07359002
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
- Threshold modelRecreational floating: 3,200 / 3,500–4,000 / 4,000 cfs
The model uses Entergy's low-float reference and above-4,000 floating warning, with AW's normal-generation description as its target. AW separately lists 500–5,000 cfs for whitewater and describes scraping at 200–500 cfs. Those lower kayakable levels are not a general float recommendation. This score does not confirm the release schedule or clear Rockport Ledge.
- Rating activity and release durationRecreational floating; release must be confirmed
Entergy advises starting at least two hours before recreational flow ends, while describing a 3–4-hour float. Confirm a workable departure, daylight, stops and landing margin for the group. Its current plans can change without notice, so a high current reading or a summer calendar pattern alone does not establish the trip window.
- Whitewater reach match5.9 mi Class I-II
American Whitewater identifies Remmel Dam to I-30 at Malvern as a 5.9-mile I-II reach on the Ouachita River, with Rockport Ledge near the take-out and a warning that some chutes can flip, pin, or swamp canoes.
- Access coordinatesRemmel gauge/access area 34.426111, -92.890833; Whitewater Park 34.39427, -92.84158
The put-in coordinate is the USGS/AW Remmel Dam gauge/access-area anchor adjacent to Entergy's below-dam access instructions. Mapcarta/OpenStreetMap places Ouachita River Whitewater Park at 904 Riverview Drive with coordinates 34.39427, -92.84158.
- Dam-release safetyGate hours, release changes, and cold tailwater
Entergy warns release plans can change without notice, the Remmel Dam gate closes nightly at 10 p.m., no-parking zones are marked at the dam, and the take-out current can push paddlers past the Whitewater Park ramp if they miss the left-bank exit.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- Entergy Remmel Dam float guidance
- Entergy hydro lake and flow news
- Entergy hydro public safety addresses
- American Whitewater Remmel Dam to I-30
- American Whitewater reach-specific flow range — separate whitewater context
- USGS 07359002 Ouachita River at Remmel Dam
- USGS 07359002 legacy current conditions
- Ouachita River Whitewater Park map record
Other routes nearby
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