White River Webcam – Trout Water Below Bull Shoals Dam

The White River Webcam looks out from the riverside lawn at Copper John’s Resort in Lakeview, Arkansas, across a stretch of cold trout water known well beyond the Ozarks. Big shade trees frame the shot, a canopy porch swing stands on a concrete pad in the middle of the grass, and a few patio chairs face the water by the bank. Beyond them the river runs wide and gray-green under a wooded hillside on the far shore. The camera sits about 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) south of Bull Shoals Dam as the crow flies, and the resort runs it so anglers can check the river level before heading out. The water can rise or drop within hours as the dam releases change, and a thin mist can drift across the cold surface.

About the White River at Lakeview

Copper John’s Resort has been taking in anglers and families since 2006. It lies on River Road, about 400 meters (a quarter mile) past Bull Shoals-White River State Park and roughly 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) from the boat ramp at the dam. The resort has five camper cabins, ten furnished cabins along the bank, two-bedroom cottages with riverside decks, a lodge with its own boat dock and 50 full-hookup RV sites, and it stays open all year. The camera is the resort’s own, set up to give a live look at the river levels.

Everything about the river here is shaped by Bull Shoals Dam. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began building it in June 1947 and finished in July 1951. The dam stands 78 meters (256 feet) high and runs 688 meters (2,256 feet) across the valley, and its eight generating units have a combined capacity of 380 megawatts. Behind it lies Bull Shoals Lake, about 18,400 hectares (45,440 acres) of water that reaches 62 meters (204 feet) deep near the dam.

The water released from the dam comes from deep in the lake, so the river below it runs cold all year: around 10 C (50 F), and between about 7 and 11 C (44 and 52 F) depending on how much power is being generated. That cold tailwater supports a nationally known rainbow and brown trout fishery along roughly 160 kilometers (100 miles) of the lower White River. The resort also lists cutthroat and brook trout among the fish caught off its bank.

Weather and Climate on the White River at Lakeview

The closest long-term climate record comes from Mountain Home, about 18 kilometers (11 miles) to the east. Winters are cool rather than harsh. January averages a high of 7.7 C (45.8 F) and a low of minus 3.3 C (26.1 F), and the area sees about 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) of snow in a typical year. With the leaves down, the far bank shows through the trees, and on cold mornings the dam water is warmer than the air above it, which can send mist curling off the surface.

Spring warms quickly, with April highs around 20.9 C (69.7 F), and the hardwoods on both banks fill back in to form the green canopy that frames the view all summer. July averages 31.9 C (89.4 F) by day and 20.4 C (68.8 F) at night, while the river itself stays close to 10 C (50 F). October is mild, at 21.8 C (71.3 F) by day and 8.9 C (48.0 F) at night, and the first yellow leaves start to show in the trees on the right of the frame. Rain is spread through the year, adding up to about 1,292 millimeters (50.9 inches).

Things to Do Near the White River at Lakeview

Bull Shoals-White River State Park begins a short way up River Road. The 296-hectare (732-acre) park was created in 1955, once the dam was complete, and its trout dock rents boats, motors and canoes and sells fishing supplies. The Big Bluff Trail is a 2.7-kilometer (1.7-mile) hillside semi-loop with an overlook above the White River, and park interpreters lead guided lake and river cruises through the year for a small fee.

The park’s James A. Gaston Visitor Center is named for Jim Gaston of Lakeview, longtime owner of Gaston’s White River Resort. It has an exhibit hall, a johnboat theater, a gift shop and an observation tower looking over the White River, Bull Shoals Dam and Bull Shoals Lake. Above the dam, the lake has about 1,190 kilometers (740 miles) of rocky shoreline and holds bass, catfish, crappie and bream. Back on the river, kayakers and paddleboarders float down from the dam toward the boat slips, spotting trout through the clear water on the way.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

More cameras from the Arkansas Ozarks and other trout country to keep an eye on.

• Cotter Webcam
• Harrison Webcam
• Snake River Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the White River Webcam located?

The camera is at Copper John’s Resort on River Road in Lakeview, Baxter County, in north central Arkansas. It overlooks the White River about 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) south of Bull Shoals Dam and roughly 18 kilometers (11 miles) west of Mountain Home.

What can you see on the White River Webcam?

The resort’s riverside lawn with a canopy porch swing, patio chairs and large shade trees in the foreground, then the White River and the wooded hillside on the far bank. A date and time stamp runs along the top of the picture.

How cold is the White River below Bull Shoals Dam?

Around 10 C (50 F) for most of the year. Depending on power generation at the dam, it ranges from about 7 to 11 C (44 to 52 F), cold enough for trout even in the middle of summer.

Why does the river level keep changing on the camera?

The flow is set by Bull Shoals Dam, which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers runs for hydroelectric power and flood control. When the turbines run, more water comes down the river, and when generation stops the level falls back. That is exactly why the resort points a camera at the water.

What is the weather like in Lakeview, Arkansas?

Lakeview has four clear seasons. Going by the Mountain Home record nearby, January averages 7.7 C (45.8 F) by day and minus 3.3 C (26.1 F) at night, while July averages 31.9 C (89.4 F) by day and 20.4 C (68.8 F) at night. About 1,292 millimeters (50.9 inches) of rain falls in a year.

What trout can you catch in the White River at Bull Shoals?

Rainbow and brown trout are the backbone of the fishery, kept going by the cold water released from the dam. Copper John’s Resort also lists cutthroat and brook trout among the species caught here.

Is there a state park near Copper John’s Resort?

Yes. Bull Shoals-White River State Park is about 400 meters (a quarter mile) up River Road. It has a trout dock with boat and canoe rentals, campsites, the Big Bluff Trail and the James A. Gaston Visitor Center overlooking the dam.

Source: Copper John’s Resort