07-15-2008, 11:10 AM
GENTRY - Northwest Arkansas fishermen celebrated the long-awaited completion of the access to SWEPCO Lake last month.
<br>The popular fishing lake in northwest Arkansas is a largemouth bass fisherman's paradise. The lake is cooling facility for a power-generating plant of Southwestern Electric Power Company and its warm water year round has brought bass action to anglers during even the coldest periods of the year.<br>
<br>Because of the year-round warmwater conditions, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission stocked the lake with Florida strain largemouth bass. Increasing angler use created a need for a larger access and parking lot.<br>
<br>SWEPCO Lake and the power plant were built in 1978 and are owned by SWEPCO, Carroll Electric Co-op Corporation and Ozarks Electric Co-op Corporation. The lake is used to cool water from a coal-fired electric plant. The three companies allowed public fishing on the lake, built a boat ramp, and donated land and access to the AGFC.<br>
<br>Construction started in fall 2007. The access had a one-lane ramp and 11,000 square feet of parking. Most anglers had to park across the road in a field. The finished access included a double-wide ramp, 23,000 square feet of asphalt parking lot, and handicapped-accessible fishing pier and courtesy dock. Total cost of the project was $194,000.
<br>The popular fishing lake in northwest Arkansas is a largemouth bass fisherman's paradise. The lake is cooling facility for a power-generating plant of Southwestern Electric Power Company and its warm water year round has brought bass action to anglers during even the coldest periods of the year.<br>
<br>Because of the year-round warmwater conditions, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission stocked the lake with Florida strain largemouth bass. Increasing angler use created a need for a larger access and parking lot.<br>
<br>SWEPCO Lake and the power plant were built in 1978 and are owned by SWEPCO, Carroll Electric Co-op Corporation and Ozarks Electric Co-op Corporation. The lake is used to cool water from a coal-fired electric plant. The three companies allowed public fishing on the lake, built a boat ramp, and donated land and access to the AGFC.<br>
<br>Construction started in fall 2007. The access had a one-lane ramp and 11,000 square feet of parking. Most anglers had to park across the road in a field. The finished access included a double-wide ramp, 23,000 square feet of asphalt parking lot, and handicapped-accessible fishing pier and courtesy dock. Total cost of the project was $194,000.