Dam operators post the next day's generation schedule each afternoon. Knowing when generators are running — and when they're off — is the difference between a great day on the water and a wasted drive to a blown-out river.
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The Beaver Tailwater flows below Beaver Dam near Eureka Springs, Arkansas, in the beautiful Ozark Mountains. This short but productive tailwater holds rainbow and brown trout in cold water that maintains suitable temperatures year-round. The fishery is a local favorite and offers excellent trout fishing in a scenic Ozark setting.
Tailwater rivers below hydroelectric dams are controlled fisheries — the river's character changes completely depending on whether the dam is generating power. When generators run, water rises, currents accelerate, and wading conditions range from difficult to dangerous. When generation stops, the river drops to a low-flow state ideal for wade fishing.
Dam operators post the next day's generation schedule each afternoon — but finding that schedule means navigating agency websites and PDFs that aren't designed for anglers. TailwaterAlerts translates that data into a clear, hourly email you can read in 30 seconds.
The USACE posts generation schedules on their website, typically between 2 and 4 PM CT for the following day. You can check the USACE schedule directly, or sign up below and TailwaterAlerts will email you a formatted, easy-to-read version the moment it posts.
When generators are running at Beaver Dam, the tailwater rises quickly and wading becomes dangerous. The schedule is set by the Southwestern Power Administration a day in advance and changes daily. Low-flow windows — when generation is off — offer the safest wading and typically the best fishing. Checking the schedule beforehand takes the guesswork out of planning your trip.
TailwaterAlerts checks the generation schedule every 5 minutes starting at 1 PM CT. The moment the schedule posts, you get an email with a color-coded hourly breakdown and the best wading window highlighted. One email per day. Free. No app required.
Your river is pre-selected below. Add others if you fish multiple tailwaters.
This is free and always will be. If it saves you a wasted drive, buy me a coffee.