Is Otter Lake safe to swim?

As of July 20, 2026, Otter Lake in Chicot County, Arkansas carries a swim caution. Satellite imagery measured 70,447 cells/mL of blue-green algae on July 19, 2026, elevated but below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold. Rainfall over the past week totaled 0.5 in, which can wash bacteria and nutrients into the water.

How this read is built

Otter Lake is a lake in Chicot County, Arkansas covering about 0.5 sq mi, the 65th-largest of the 69 lakes SwimZone monitors in Arkansas. Satellite imagery measured 70,447 cells/mL of blue-green algae on July 19, 2026, elevated but below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold.

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms are most common from midsummer into early fall, when the water is warm, calm, and rich in nutrients from runoff. They can produce toxins that make people sick and can be rapidly fatal to dogs, so skip water that looks green, scummy, or like spilled paint, and keep children and pets out of it.

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Otter Lake has reached blue-green algae advisory levels in 6 of them, most recently in September 2025. This is a lake that blooms most summers. Its highest recorded reading was 931,071 cells/mL in September 2022.

Is it safe to swim in Otter Lake right now?

Otter Lake carries a swim caution today. Satellite imagery measured 70,447 cells/mL of blue-green algae on July 19, 2026, elevated but below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold. Conditions can change quickly with wind, heat, and rain, so check the posted signs and look at the water before you get in.

Does Otter Lake have blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)?

Low levels. Satellite monitoring measured 70,447 cells/mL at Otter Lake on July 19, 2026, below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold. Keep an eye out for surface scum, which can concentrate quickly.

Can dogs swim in Otter Lake?

Use caution. Blue-green algae at Otter Lake are elevated (70,447 cells/mL on July 19, 2026). Dogs are far more sensitive to cyanobacteria than people, so keep them out of the water and away from surface scum.

How often does Otter Lake have blue-green algae blooms?

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Otter Lake has reached blue-green algae advisory levels in 6 of them, most recently in September 2025. This is a lake that blooms most summers. Its highest recorded reading was 931,071 cells/mL in September 2022.

How many Arkansas lakes and beaches are unsafe for swimming today?

Today, 20 Arkansas waters are above a safe-contact threshold and 3 more warrant caution, out of 72 monitored waters SwimZone tracks in the state.

How is Otter Lake's water quality measured?

SwimZone builds this read from EPA CyAN satellite imagery for blue-green algae, official beach and fecal-bacteria advisories where a program monitors Otter Lake, and a recent-rainfall overlay, all refreshed daily. It was last updated July 20, 2026.