Is the water on? Beaver Dam generation right now.
Checking live Beaver Dam generation…
This is a dam-controlled tailwater: when Beaver Dam generates, the river rises fast and turns cold and powerful, and it is wadeable when the units are off. Always confirm generation before you wade or launch. The chart above is the day-ahead SWPA generation schedule so you can see what is coming; the live status is the latest turbine release from the USACE Beaver Dam gauge.
Beaver Tailwater.
The Beaver tailwater is the very top of the White River - the cold, clear water that comes out of the bottom of Beaver Dam near Holiday Island, just north of Eureka Springs. It is the closest true tailwater to Northwest Arkansas, an easy day trip, and a year-round cold-water trout fishery in a region where most creeks run warm and rain-fed.
The single most important thing to understand here is that this river does not care about rain - it cares about the dam. When Beaver Dam is generating power, cold water pours through the turbines and the river comes up fast, strong and cold; when the units are off, it drops to a low, clear, wadeable trickle. So “is it floatable?” really means “is the dam generating?”
That is why this page shows the live Beaver Dam generation instead of a rain gauge. Read it before you go: units off means wade-and-fish and easy paddling on low water; units on means a cold, pushy drift that rises quickly - great for a drift-boat trout float, but no place to be caught wading. Always confirm the day-ahead generation schedule.
Fishing and floating the Beaver tailwater.
The Beaver tailwater sits between Holiday Island and Beaver, an easy hop from Eureka Springs and NWA.
- From Holiday Island (~5 min). The community right at the tailwater, with the closest access and trout dock.
- From Eureka Springs (~20 min). The tourist-town hub for lodging, dining and guides.
- From NWA (~1 hr). The closest tailwater to Fayetteville and Bentonville - an easy day trip for cold water when the rivers run low.
- From Beaver / Beaver Town (~10 min). The little White River village downstream at the historic swinging bridge.
Local trout guides and docks around Holiday Island run drift-boat trips and rent gear. There is no rain-dependent “season” here - the fishery is year-round; the variable is the daily generation schedule.
Where to put in.
The Beaver tailwater is short. Access clusters just below the dam near Holiday Island and downstream toward the town of Beaver. Match your plan to the generation: wade the low water when units are off, or drift when they run. Always confirm the schedule first.
Beaver Dam to Houseman Access Trout drift
The upper White drift below Beaver Dam - cold, clear trout water. Float it as a drift when the dam is generating; wade and fish the shoals when the units are off. Short, scenic, and cold year-round.
Holiday Island trout water Fishing
Wade and bank access around Holiday Island for rainbow and brown trout when generation is off - one of the closest cold-water trout fisheries to NWA.
Trout docks and guides around Holiday Island and Eureka Springs run drift-boat trips and rent tackle. This is a guide-friendly tailwater - a local guide will time the float to the generation schedule for you.
Where to camp.
RV parks, cabins and campgrounds cluster around Holiday Island and Eureka Springs, minutes from the tailwater.
A no-motor city lake with a campground and trails a short drive away - a flatwater option and a scenic base.
Cabins, lodges and rooms nearby.
The Victorian tourist town has abundant B&Bs, cabins and hotels - the natural base for a tailwater trip.
Cabins and vacation rentals right at the tailwater for early-morning trout access.
Trout-focused cabins and resorts along the upper White cater to anglers.
Where to base from, where to eat.
Holiday Island At the water
Small-community dining and a store near the tailwater - grab supplies before you fish or float.
Eureka Springs Hub
A deep bench of restaurants, cafes and breweries in the historic downtown, 20 minutes away.
Other things to do
- Eureka Springs. A historic Victorian resort town - galleries, springs, and one of the most walkable downtowns in the Ozarks.
- Beaver “Little Golden Gate” bridge. The historic one-lane suspension bridge over the White at Beaver, just downstream.
- Beaver Lake. The big clear reservoir just above the dam - coves for paddling and swimming.
Plan a safe trip.
Seasons
- Year-round fishery. Cold tailwater trout fishing does not shut off with the seasons - the variable is the daily generation, not the calendar.
- Summer. The best time to come for cold water when the rain-fed rivers are low and warm - just watch the generation.
- Low-water (units off) windows. Best for wading and easy paddling - often overnight and midday on low-demand days; check the schedule.
- High-generation days. Hot-weather power demand means more generation and higher, faster water - better for a guided drift than wading.
Hazards & safety
- Dam generation, not rain. The river rises fast and hard when Beaver Dam starts generating, with little warning at the water. Always check the day-ahead SWPA schedule and the live status above before you wade or launch.
- Cold water year-round. Bottom-release tailwater is cold in every season - dress for immersion; hypothermia is a real risk if you go in.
- Fast rise while wading. Never wade far out when generation is possible - a release can cut off your exit. Move to shore at the first sign of rising, muddy or faster water.
- Short reach into Table Rock. The tailwater is short before it slows into Table Rock Lake backwater - plan take-outs accordingly.
- Confirm the schedule. Schedules can change and water may be released for non-power reasons - treat the tailwater as capable of rising at any time.
Frequently asked.
What determines if the Beaver tailwater is floatable?
Beaver Dam generation, not rain. When the dam generates power, cold water floods the tailwater and it becomes a strong, cold drift; when the units are off, it drops to a low, clear, wadeable flow. Check the live generation status and the SWPA day-ahead schedule before you go.
Is there a USGS gauge on the Beaver tailwater?
Not a live discharge gauge - the flow is the dam release, so this page reads the live turbine release from Beaver Dam (USACE) instead. The nearby USGS site at Busch reports stage only. The generation feed is the honest “is it running” signal.
Can you trout fish the Beaver tailwater?
Yes - it is a cold-water rainbow and brown trout fishery year-round, and the closest one to NWA. Wade and fish the shoals when generation is off; drift-boat it when the units run.
How is this different from the White River page?
This is the very top of the White, right below Beaver Dam. The other White River guide covers the famous tailwater far downstream below Bull Shoals Dam near Cotter. Both are dam-controlled trout tailwaters; this one is much closer to NWA.
How far is the Beaver tailwater from NWA?
About an hour from Fayetteville or Bentonville to the Holiday Island area - the closest tailwater trout water to Northwest Arkansas.