Boating paused on Randolph County lake for “up to two years”

POCAHONTAS, Ark. (KAIT) - A Randolph County lake could be off limits to boating for up to two years due to maintenance.

The City of Pocahontas said last week that Baltz Lake would be closed to boating “until further notice.”

City employees are performing maintenance on the lake’s levee to ensure its structural integrity for years to come.

“We’ve had an issue with the back of the dam and the levee where it was undermining and becoming a hazard. We’re having to drain the lake to fix the problem,” City Street Supervisor Jeremy Wicker said.

The work will take some time to complete.

“It’ll take about two years from start to finish. We’ve started on it, but you’ve got to think of the weather and other projects that we’ve got going on,” Wicker explained.

City employees will also clean up a portion of the lake while boating is restricted.

Those who swim in the lake should avoid the area of the lake’s levee, as the city says it’s “extremely dangerous.”

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