Aug. 1, 2017
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will lower the water level of Sugarloaf Lake following the Labor Day Holiday (Sept. 5, 2017). The drawdown will lower the lake’s water level by 3 to 5 feet and should last until mid-winter.
Drawdowns are important tools for fishery management because they congregate baitfish away from dense shoreline cover, so sport fish may feed upon them. This increases the growth rates of sport fish such as bass and crappie.
Drawdowns also allow landowners to complete AGFC-approved land-use projects around the lake. Landowners with lots adjacent to AGFC property are reminded that you must have an approved permit application (available in the AGFC Land Use Policy at https://www.agfc.com/en/enforcement/land-use-policy) before beginning construction of any new structures on AGFC property. During the drawdown, no vehicles or heavy machinery are allowed on the lake bottom.
In the future, drawdowns will be conducted at Sugar Loaf Lake on a five-year rotation, with the next drawdown scheduled for 2022.
If you have questions or wish to obtain a printed copy of the AGFC Land Use Policy, please call the Russellville Regional Office at 1-877-967-7577 and ask to speak with Frank Leone.