Joe Hardin Lock & Dam 03 water level — Arkansas
Joe Hardin Lock & Dam 03 in Arkansas was last measured at 182.41 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 7:00 AM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.6 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−0.6 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Jun 23, 2026 — a 20-day window — downsampled for display.
Data: USGS Water Services (waterservices.usgs.gov) and USACE CWMS Data (cwms-data.usace.army.mil), retrieved 2026-08-31. Both public domain (a work of the U.S. Government, 17 U.S.C. §105).
Source: USACE SWL/LD03-Headwater, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 1968 .
The dam behind Joe Hardin Lock & Dam 03
Joe Hardin Lock & Dam 03 is held back by Joe Hardin Lock and Dam (also recorded as Pool 3; Lock & Dam 3) , a concrete structure , standing 45 ft high and running 6,720 ft along its crest , built across ARKANSAS in Jefferson County , near GILLETT . It was completed in 1968 , and is owned by USACE - Little Rock District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CESWL.
Its recorded primary purpose is navigation — the pool is held inside a narrow band to keep a navigable depth, so large swings are rare by design . It also serves navigation;recreation.
It is founded on soil, with a concrete core. Its spillway is gated, so the operator can hold the pool above the spillway crest and meter what leaves. The spillway opening is 1,080 ft wide.
NID classes it significant hazard potential: a failure would be expected to damage property and infrastructure rather than cost lives. It is a consequence rating, not a condition rating.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 3,670 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 50,400 acre-ft against a normal storage of 46,400 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 291,600 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record AR00168 , filed by US Army Corps of Engineers — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USACE CWMS Data and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
Other gauges at this site
A second gauge reports at this same structure. Its readings are listed here rather than on a separate page, because it measures the same water.
| Gauge | Source | Elevation | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lock & Dam 03 - Lock Chamber | USACE SWL/LD03-Lock_Chamber | 176.71 ft (NGVD29) | — |
How Joe Hardin Lock & Dam 03 compares nearby
3 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also falling right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lock & Dam 03 - Lock Chamber | AR | 176.71 ft | 0 km |
| Lock & Dam 04 - Lock Chamber | AR | 195.41 ft | 23 km |
| Emmett Sanders Lock & Dam | AR | 195.87 ft | 23 km |
| Garrett Bridge | AR | 149.71 ft | 33 km |
| Dam 02 | AR | 162.87 ft | 39 km |
| Ar Post Canal Lock 2 | AR | 162.85 ft | 43 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Joe Hardin Lock & Dam 03?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 7:00 AM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 182.41 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Joe Hardin Lock & Dam 03 full right now?
- Its managing agency does not publish a %-of-conservation-pool-full figure for this lake, so we show the bare level rather than estimate one.
- Where does this data come from?
- From USACE SWL/LD03-Headwater, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Arkansas
See every lake tracked in Arkansas, or read the methodology behind these figures.