Accomplishment

Report 2002

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

101 East Capitol Avenue

Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Arkansas Conservation Partnership (ACP) prohibit

discrimination in all their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age,

disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all

programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information

(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten

Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and

TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

January 1, 2003

Dear Member of Congress and Friend:

The Arkansas Conservation Partnership began in 1992 as a unified approach to solving

natural resource problems. The partnership is comprised of the:

• Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts

• Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts Employees

• Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils

• Arkansas Forestry Commission

• Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

• University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service

• University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

• U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service

The Conservation Partnership is committed to using the strengths of each organization. It

promotes the protection and conservation of natural resources through voluntary implementation

of conservation practices, applied technical assistance, and cost-share incentives through

conservation districts. This locally-led partnership empowers every rural and urban citizen to

contribute in protecting and conserving Arkansas’ soil and water resources.

As conservation leaders we want every Arkansan to know that we are committed to

continuing this effort and the job of natural resource conservation in The Natural State.

This report is intended to provide information about conservation activities throughout

Arkansas. In this report, conservation activities are divided by congressional district with the

current status of state and federal projects noted. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate

to call any Arkansas Conservation Partnership member. Directories are provided at the end of

this report.

Bill Rainwater

President, AACD

J. Randy Young

Executive Director,

ASWCC

Kalven L. Trice

State Conservationist,

NRCS

Carolyn Holcomb

President, AACDE

Dr. Ivory W. Lyles

Associate Vice

President

for AgricultureExtension, CES

Dr. Jacqueline W.

McCray

Dean/Director,

UAPB-CEP

LeRoy Dangeau

President, AARC&D

John Shannon

State Forester, AFC

Arkansas

Conservation

Partnership
Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Table of Contents

Page

First Congressional District

Introduction 1-1

Natural Resources Conservation Service Projects 1-3

Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and Development Council Projects 1-15

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission Projects 1-20

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts (Contributions) 1-28

Second Congressional District

Introduction 2-1

Natural Resources Conservation Service Projects 2-3

Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and Development Council Projects 2-9

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission Projects 2-13

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts (Contributions) 2-20

Third Congressional District

Introduction 3-1

Natural Resources Conservation Service Projects 3-3

Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and Development Council Projects 3-7

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission Projects 3-11

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts (Contributions) 3-20

Fourth Congressional District

Introduction 4-1

Natural Resources Conservation Service Projects 4-3

Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and Development Council Projects 4-14

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission Projects 4-18

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts (Contributions) 4-25

Statewide Activities

Natural Resources Conservation Service Projects 5-2

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission Projects 5-13

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts (Contributions) 5-23

Directories

The Arkansas Conservation Partnership Leadership A-1

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission A-2

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts Officers and Area Presidents A-3

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts Chairpersons A-4

Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils A-8

Natural Resources Conservation Service A-10
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Congressional District
Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

First Congressional District

Table of Contents

Page

Introduction 1-1

Census of Agriculture Data 1-2

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Bayou Meto 1-3

Big Slough Watershed 1-4

Boydsville Lake 1-5

Buffalo River Tributaries Watershed 1-6

Departee Creek Watershed 1-7

Eastern Arkansas Region Comprehensive Study--Grand Prairie Reevaluation 1-8

Fourche Creek Watershed 1-9

Hog Tusk Comprehensive Community Watershed Development 1-10

Northeast Arkansas Irrigation Conservation Project 1-11

North Prairie County Irrigation Project 1-12

Poinsett Watershed (Structural) 1-13

Farm Bill Programs 1-14

Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and Development Council Activities 1-15

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Water, Wastewater, Solid Waste, etc., Funded Projects 1-20

Nonpoint Source Projects Currently Being Funded 1-25

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts (Contributions) 1-28
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

First Congressional District

Introduction

Farmers in the First Congressional District (26 counties and 17,154 square miles) continue to

raise concerns about future sources of irrigation water. Traditional crops such as rice, cotton and

soybeans are the predominant agricultural crops produced within the District. Irrigation water is

a necessity for continued agricultural production in this area of Arkansas.

Ground water decline is the most critical natural resource issue in the region. Ground water

continues to decline at alarming rates. The declines have been in excess of one foot per year and,

in some cases, more than two feet per year in Arkansas, Craighead, Cross, Jackson, Lonoke,

Poinsett, Prairie, St. Francis and Woodruff counties. Areas in six counties of central and eastern

Arkansas were designated Critical Ground Water Depletion Areas by the Arkansas Soil and

Water Conservation Commission.

Three regional irrigation water districts have been approved by the state and include the Bayou

Meto, North Prairie County and White River irrigation districts. The Memphis District of the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has the authority to move the Grand Prairie Irrigation Project to

construction. The design of the pumping plant is complete. The Natural Resources Conservation

Service has planned, surveyed and designed approximately $34 million of on-farm conservation

practices. On-farm construction activities are underway and approximately $7 million in federal

cost-share payments have been made for completed practices. The Arkansas Conservation

Partnership works cooperatively with the Corps of Engineers, Memphis and Vicksburg Districts,

to provide assistance and search for solutions to this most critical resource issue.

Programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives

Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program continued to

assist in the preservation and proper management of natural resources in 2002.
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Conservation Activities 2002 Report

First Congressional District

Census of Agriculture Data

Land in Farm Acres, Numbers of Farms/Average Acres, Total Acres of

Cropland and Irrigated Acres

County Land in

Farm Acres

# of

Farms

Average

Acres

Total Acres

Cropland

Irrigated

Acres

Arkansas 426,363 518 823 375,526 308,540

Baxter 10,532 492 21 39,589 62

Clay 323,578 611 530 296,145 176,079

Cleburne 117,435 710 165 54,952 274

Craighead 363,253 754 482 335,232 221,658

Crittenden 319,824 259 1,235 304,202 95,840

Cross 343,634 382 900 317,066 223,337

Fulton 227,794 737 309 92,098 120

Greene 262,827 733 359 229,540 116,388

Independence 283,126 1,044 271 154,375 15,398

Izard 187,863 703 267 80,112 264

Jackson 335,099 461 727 294,515 154,802

Lawrence 293,576 661 444 238,241 112,479

Lee 279,643 273 1,024 262,839 102,209

Lonoke 390,705 89 4,390 327,025 209,562

Mississippi 489,158 462 1,059 480,157 162,589

Monroe 235,812 245 962 211,137 128,099

Phillips 361,185 323 1,118 345,592 131,053

Poinsett 401,266 570 704 374,979 274,028

Prairie 301,851 420 719 257,472 178,631

Randolph 265,771 694 383 163,067 47,333

Searcy 188,275 614 307 69,024 262

Sharp 173,598 618 281 68,959 904

St. Francis 289,882 328 884 244,322 102,577

Stone 142,453 601 237 56,052 334

Woodruff 284,731 239 1,191 255,216 159,122

Totals 7,299,234 13,541 761 5,927,434 2,921,944

Information from 1997 Census of Agriculture Data
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

First Congressional District

Bayou Meto

Cooperative with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis and Vicksburg

districts, and the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: Protection of ground water resources in eastern Arkansas by providing a sustained

water supply for irrigation, fish farming and the enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat.

Current Status: The Natural Resources Conservation Service, in cooperation with irrigation

and conservation districts and the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission,

completed the initial on-farm portion of the plan. The Corps of Engineers is nearing completion

of planning for the irrigation delivery system, flood control and drainage analysis. The Natural

Resources Conservation Service made approximately $460,000 of Environmental Quality

Incentives Program financial assistance available to individuals within this area during 2002 and

expects continued use of this program by farmers during 2003.

Funds Needed: $10 million in financial assistance is needed each year after the plan is

approved to assist farmers with on-farm conservation practice installation. Approximately $1.2

million is needed in technical assistance to use the financial assistance. Total estimated project

cost is more than $318 million, including the delivery system.

Benefits: The project provides an adequate water supply for 431,000 acres of cropland.

Additionally, 55,000 acres of cropland will be flooded in the fall and winter for waterfowl.

Scheduled Completion Date: The on-farm portion of the resource management plan for this

area was completed and delivered to the sponsors in FY97. The final plan target date is directly

related to Corps of Engineers and Natural Resources Conservation Service funding and staffing.

Sponsor: Bayou Meto Regional Irrigation Water Distribution District

Counties: Arkansas, Jefferson, Lonoke and Prairie

Contacts: State Conservationist Kalven Trice (501) 301-3110

Assistant State Conservationist,

Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501)301-3139

State Conservation Engineer Tony Stevenson (501) 301-3141

Irrigation District Executive Director Gene Sullivan (501) 676-7420

Irrigation District Chairman Gary Canada (501) 842-2555

Conservation District Directors:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Arkansas Johnny Holzhauer Vacant (870) 946-3331, ext. 104

Lonoke Neal Anderson Doug McClellan (501) 676-5116, ext. 119

Prairie Don Vaught Kennard Willams (870) 255-3573, ext. 115
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Big Slough Watershed

Description: The project is a revision of an old PL 83-566 watershed project plan that

addresses floodwater damages to approximately 17,000 acres of cropland. Several stretches of U.

S. Highway 49 and the urban community of Piggott also receive damages. Erosion and

sedimentation problems occur on the eastern landscape of Crowley's Ridge and the drainage

ditches located in the floodplain. An Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared.

Current Status: Planning efforts continue this fiscal year.

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

meet the state's request for watershed planning and implementation funds. Funds in the amount

of $125,000 were requested for FY03 to continue planning, including hydrology, hydraulic, and

economic analysis. In FY04, $60,000 is needed to complete the project plan supplement.

Benefits: The revised plan provides flood protection to productive agricultural land and to the

incorporated areas of Greenway, Piggott and Rector, which have approximately 10,000 citizens.

Scheduled Completion Date: Completion of the draft plan is scheduled for March 2005.

Sponsors: Big Slough Watershed Improvement District

City of Greenway

City of Piggott

City of Rector

Clay County Conservation District

Greene County Conservation District

St. Francis Drainage District of Clay and Green Counties

Counties: Clay and Greene

Contact: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Conservation District Chairmen:

County Chairman Conservationist Phone

Clay Richard Simmons Randy Lemmons (870) 598-2287, ext. 104

Greene Alvin Samuel Harold Strickland (870) 236-8586, ext. 104
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First Congressional District

Boydsville Lake

Description: The proposed 5,500-acre impoundment would provide an economic boost from its

recreational activities as well as provide some flood protection to the Cache River basin.

Current Status: The Phase I feasibility investigation funded by the state was completed in

1997. The study reported on highways, impacts on roads, land rights values, potential size,

utilities and cemeteries; and developed alternatives for each element. The University of Arkansas

and the Cooperative Extension Service provided studies of economic impacts and projected

regional development. Arkansas State University completed a countywide poll determining

majority support for the project. Sponsors contracted a consulting firm to further the studies and

for promotional guidance and support. Arkansas State University studied potential economic

benefits and provided a very positive report for the project. In 1999 and 2000 the sponsors

secured appropriations to have the dam location cored for engineering and soils analysis

resulting in a possible relocation of the structure. In 2001 the structure was proposed to be

moved upstream to seek a more stable soil for construction. An analysis was completed in 2002

and a draft report is due to the Sponsors early this year. The County Chamber of Commerce

leaders continue to pursue all avenues for funding the project.

Funds Needed: Planning: $500,000; Construction: $30 million

Benefits: This lake will greatly increase the quality of life and economy of Clay County.

Scheduled Completion Date: Design: December 2003; Construction: December 2008

Sponsors: Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Boydsville Lake Association

Clay Conservation District

Clay County Chamber of Commerce

County: Clay

Contacts: Assistant State Conservationist,

Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation

 Commission Earl Smith (501) 682-3979

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation

 Commission Ken Brazil (501) 682-3980

Boydsville Lake Committee Chairman Ron Benson (870) 595-3591

Conservation District Director:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Clay Richard Simmons Randy Lemmons (870) 598-2287 x 113
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First Congressional District

Buffalo River Tributaries Watershed

(The Buffalo River was designated America's first national river in 1972.)

Description: This PL 83-566 watershed plan addresses nonpoint source pollution through costsharing for on-farm land treatment. The plan, developed by an interagency team, addresses

concerns from an ecosystem approach. The Buffalo River attracts more than one million visitors

annually.

Current Status: The project was authorized August 1995 and long-term contracts with

landowners and purchases of conservation easements began then. In FY02, $85,269 was

available for contracts. In FY03, $500,000 was requested for contracts.

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

meet the state's request for watershed implementation funds. During FY04, $979,000 in financial

and technical assistance is needed.

Benefits: The Buffalo River Tributaries Watershed Project (Authority PL 83-566) is

Arkansas' first PL 83-566 Water Quality Project. When implemented it will protect the

recreational use of the Buffalo River.

Scheduled Completion Date: 2005 or later, depending on funding.

Sponsors: Buffalo Conservation District

Crooked Creek Conservation District

Newton County Soil and Water Conservation District

County: Searcy

Contact: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Conservation District Director:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Searcy Mark Halsted Sid Lowrance (870) 448-3184, ext. 102
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First Congressional District

Departee Creek Watershed

Description: The Natural Resources Conservation Service has developed a PL 83-566

watershed plan that addresses flood damages to approximately 12,600 acres of cropland. It also

includes wetland protection and restoration through the use of conservation easements, a

floodwater retarding structure, selective snagging, and fish and wildlife features including

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission facilities.

Current Status: The sponsors borrowed $25,000 to form an improvement district and have

started collecting taxes. An implementation plan/Environmental Impact Statement (plan/EIS) has

been developed. The sponsors signed the plan January 25, 2000. The plan/EIS has been at OMB

for review and transmittal to congress since February 2002. The project requires congressional

approval.

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

meet the state's request for watershed planning funds. For PL 83-566 technical assistance and

financial assistance, $1.85 million is needed to install the project.

Benefits: Preserve 944 acres of wetlands; reduce average annual flood damages by $179,000;

provide recreation lake for fish and wildlife; and trap 6,594 tons of sediment annually.

Scheduled Completion Date: The plan is complete.

Sponsors: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Departee Creek Watershed Improvement District

Independence County Conservation District

Jackson County Conservation District

Counties: Independence and Jackson

Contact: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Conservation District Directors:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Independence Charles Osborne Bill Ulmer (870) 793-4164, ext. 109

Jackson Lewis Jones Lori Williams (870) 523-8986, ext. 104
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Eastern Arkansas Region Comprehensive Study -

Grand Prairie Reevaluation

Cooperative project with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District, and

the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: The project's objective is to combine on-farm conservation measures and on-farm

irrigation storage reservoirs with an irrigation canal network to deliver surface water throughout

the project area and to meet crop water needs and preserve the alluvial and Sparta aquifers.

Current Status: The Memphis District of the Corps of Engineers has the authorities to move

this project to construction. The design of the pumping plant is complete. The Natural Resources

Conservation Service has planned, surveyed and designed approximately $34 million of on-farm

conservation practices. On farm construction activities are underway and approximately $12

million in federal cost share payments have been made for completed practices.

Funds Needed: Available funding for implementation of on-farm measures is $2.5 million for

FY03 through FY05. Annual funding at the $10 million level for on-farm conservation measures

and $1 million in technical assistance is needed during the next five years in order to fully

implement the on-farm conservation program.

Benefits: The project provides supplemental irrigation water to approximately 240,000 acres

of cropland. Additionally, 38,000 acres of cropland will be flooded to provide a fall and winter

feeding and nesting area for waterfowl.

Scheduled Completion Date: 2010

Sponsor: White River Regional Irrigation Water Distribution District

Counties: Arkansas, Lonoke, Monroe and Prairie

Contacts: State Conservationist Kalven Trice (501) 301-3110

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

State Conservation Engineer Tony Stevenson (501) 301-3141

White River Regional Irrigation Water

 Distribution District, Executive Director John Edwards (501) 673-8836

Conservation District Directors:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Arkansas Johnny Holzhauer Joe Wilson, Acting (870) 946-3331, ext. 104

Lonoke Neal Anderson Doug McClellan (501) 676-5116, ext. 119

Monroe Don Davis Larry Hunt (870) 747-3431, ext. 105

Prairie Don Vaught Kennard Williams (870) 255-3573, ext. 115
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

First Congressional District

Fourche Creek Watershed

Description: This PL 83-566 flood control project consists of 19 floodwater-retarding

structures and one multipurpose floodwater retarding structure. It provides flood protection to

approximately 17,500 acres of cropland in Arkansas and Missouri and provides public recreation

benefits.

Current Status: Site 21 is the one remaining floodwater retarding structure to be constructed in

Arkansas.

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

meet the state's request for watershed implementation funds.

Benefits: The project provides flood protection for agricultural land.

Scheduled Completion Date: 2008

Sponsors: Fourche Creek Watershed Implementation District

Randolph County Conservation District

County: Randolph

Contact: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Conservation District Director:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Randolph Frank Ellis Ben Starr (870) 892-3325, ext. 108
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

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First Congressional District

Hog Tusk Comprehensive Community

Watershed Development

Description: The Hog Tusk Drainage Watershed Project is located in the southwestern portion

of Lee County. The project's objective is to provide channel capacities and flood prevention and

protection in the 16,000-acre floodplain on 11.5 miles of existing ditches.

Current Status: Funding in the form of loans and grants has been made available by Rural

Economic and Community Development to construct this project. Natural Resources

Conservation Service has completed the surveying, hydrology and hydraulic analysis, and

design. The contract has been awarded and construction has begun.

Funds Needed: Adequate funding is available to construct this project.

Benefits: Flooding will be reduced on 9,924 acres of cropland. The project will also improve

farm productivity and income, employment, industrial development and infrastructure for

marketing distribution.

Scheduled Completion Date: Construction is expected to take approximately one year.

Scheduled completion for construction is November 2002.

Sponsor: Hog Tusk Drainage Improvement District

County: Lee

Contacts: Hog Tusk Drainage District Chairman Johnny Dozier (870) 768-4414

State Conservation Engineer Tony Stevenson (501) 301-3141

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Field Operations Ken Housh (870) 972-4714

Conservation District Director:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Lee W. H. Gerrard Angela Gibson (870) 295-5211, ext. 114
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Northeast Arkansas Irrigation Conservation Project

Description: Applications for federal assistance under the land treatment provisions of PL 83-

566 have been received for two separate watersheds, the L’Anguille River and Bayou DeView.

The ASWCC will prioritize the two water conservation projects with regard to other projects.

The two watershed areas total 288,000 acres, including approximately 226,000 irrigated acres.

Western Poinsett and Craighead counties are included in an area designated as a Critical

Groundwater Designation Study Area by the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation

Commission. The Study Area has experienced serious declines in groundwater levels due to

irrigation water withdrawals.

Current Status: There is a great deal of concern in the project watersheds that landowners

have been and will continue to experience critical problems with irrigation water. The Arkansas

Soil and Water Conservation Commission continues to study the area. Farmers in Craighead and

Poinsett counties have participated in EQIP for groundwater conservation. They received EQIP

funds in the amounts of averaging approximately $280,000 per year in FY 1999 through FY

2001. In FY2002, approximately $221,000 of EQIP funds were obligated in new contracts to

conserve groundwater.

Funds Needed: An additional $400,000 in funding is needed for FY03 and FY04 for

additional data collection, data analysis, surveying and preliminary engineering designs for onfarm work. Funding of $8 million per year is needed for on-farm conservation practice

construction when the project is authorized.

Benefits: Monetary benefits will be derived from the continued production of irrigated crops.

Additionally, each fall and winter, significant areas of cropland will be flooded for waterfowl

and other migratory birds.

Scheduled Completion Date: It will require approximately two years to complete a plan for

each project, provided planning funds are available.

Sponsors: Craighead Conservation District

Poinsett Conservation District

Counties: Craighead and Poinsett

Contacts: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

State Conservation Engineer Tony Stevenson (501) 301-3141

Conservation District Directors:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Craighead Bill Adams Randy Ferguson (870) 972-4671, ext. 115

Poinsett Anderson Weld Bob Forrest (870) 578-2444, ext. 114
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First Congressional District

North Prairie County Irrigation Project

Description: This irrigation project area was developed to preserve and protect ground water

resources in North Prairie County. Stabilizing the local economy, it provides a sustainable water

supply for irrigation, fish farming and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat.

Current Status: The irrigation district received a $50,000 grant from the State of Arkansas to

begin studies. The irrigation district, in partnership with the conservation district, hired a district

technician who prepared resource information and land use data for accelerating planning efforts.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service has completed the preliminary water needs analysis

and is in the process of preparing the draft plan. A delivery system layout is complete.

Funds Needed: An additional $300,000 in funding is needed for FY03 to prepare the final

plan/environmental assessment and for additional, surveying, designing and specification

preparation leading toward completion of the engineering designs. Funding of $2 million is

needed for on-farm construction beginning in FY04 and continuing until completion. Additional

funding will be required to construct the delivery system.

Benefits: This project supplies water for 75,000 acres of cropland. Additionally, each fall and

winter, 15,000 acres of cropland will be flooded for waterfowl and other migratory birds.

Scheduled Completion Date: Completion is dependent upon obtaining additional funding.

The irrigation district has partnered with the Prairie County Conservation District to complete

Phase I of the planning. This draft plan is nearing completion.

Sponsor: North Prairie County Regional Irrigation Water District

County: Prairie

Contacts: State Conservationist Kalven Trice (501) 301-3100

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

State Conservation Engineer Tony Stevenson (501) 301-3141

Irrigation District Chairman Patrick Mullen (870) 256-3055

Conservation District Director:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Prairie Patrick Mullen Joe Moore, Acting (870) 255-3573, ext. 115
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Poinsett Watershed (Structural)

Description: This project calls for construction of 36 floodwater retarding structures and 19

miles of channel work for flood protection of 10,452 acres of agricultural land.

Current Status: Four channel improvement contracts were completed for a water control

structure and ten miles of channel at a cost of $2,954,060. (All land rights and permits for the

channel improvement are secured.) Construction is complete on 31 of the 36 planned dams. In

FY01, a contract was awarded for the fifth channel contract at a cost of $1,626,331. This contract

is scheduled for completion in June 2003.

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

support the state's request for implementation funds. In FY03, approximately $600,000 of

financial assistance was requested for potential contract segment #5 modifications and channel

segment #6 contract. In FY04, approximately $600,000 of PL 83-566 funds are needed for Site

14.

Benefits: Prevent flood and sediment damage on agricultural land.

Scheduled Completion Date: 2008

Sponsors: Craighead County Conservation District

Poinsett County Conservation District

Poinsett Watershed Improvement District

Counties: Craighead and Poinsett

Contacts: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Field Operations Ken Housh (870) 972-4714

Project Engineer Ken Ziegler (870) 972-4659

Poinsett Watershed Improvement,

 District Chairman David Clines (870) 935-8315

Conservation District Directors:

County District Director Conservationist Phone

Craighead Bill Adams Randy Ferguson (870) 972-4671, ext. 115

Poinsett Charles Glover Bob Forrest (870) 578-2444, ext. 114
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Farm Bill Programs

Environmental Quality Incentives Program - 2002

District Participants

Funded

Dollars Funded Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

First 609 $2,764,233 1,618 $11,128,832

Statewide 1,127 $6,837,387 2,787 $17,689,860

Forestry Incentives Program - 2002

District Funds

Obligated

Contracts

Funded

Acres

Treated

First $31,944 45 1,698

Statewide $599,195 305 7,197

Wetlands Reserve Program - 2002

District Participants Acres in

Program

Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

First 183 60,177 259 $63,439,083

Statewide 261 122,947 283 $89,568,046

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program - 2002

District Participants Dollars Funded Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

First 36 $301,962 224 $863,857

Statewide 84 $465,002 342 $1,243,627
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Resource Conservation and Development Activities

Arkansas River Valley RC&D - Conway, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Montgomery,

Polk, Pope, Scott, Sebastian and Yell counties

Central Arkansas RC&D - Faulkner, Garland, Hot Spring, Lonoke, Monroe, Perry, Prairie,

Phillips, Pulaski and Saline counties

East Arkansas RC&D - Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Greene, Lee, Mississippi, Poinsett,

St. Francis and Woodruff counties

Northwest Arkansas RC&D - Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Newton,

Searcy and Washington counties

Ozark Foothills RC&D - Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence,

Randolph, Sharp, Stone, Van Buren and White counties

Southeast Arkansas RC&D - Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha, Drew,

Grant, Jefferson and Lincoln counties

Southwest Arkansas RC&D - Calhoun, Clark, Columbia, Dallas, Hempstead, Howard,

Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, Ouachita, Pike, Sevier and Union counties

The Central Arkansas RC&D Council completed the initial four contracts of the Phillips

County Community Improvement Project, a $2.8 million appropriation aimed at enhancing storm

water drainage within four low-income communities in Phillips County. Through contractual

savings the Central Arkansas RC&D Council had $500,000 in discretionary funds remaining

which will be used for further drainage work in Lakeview, West Helena, Lexa, and Elaine.

Construction should begin April 2003, and be complete by October 2003.

The Central Arkansas RC&D Council opened the Delta Resource Information Center in April

2002. The mission of the DRIC is to aid the delta in providing technical assistance in the

development of economic, social, and natural resources of the delta region of the Mississippi

River. Thus far the DRIC has provided computer training to over 85 individuals within Phillips

County. The DRIC is also in the process of inventorying existing business and industry within

four counties of the delta in search of additional value added industries for the area. The DRIC is

also in the process of restoring over 2,000 acres of wetlands in the delta through the Emergency

Watershed Protection Program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The East Arkansas RC&D Council received seven grants totaling $551,816 plus donations of

$3,300. The council adopted three new projects and made several fund searches.

Council wide and local projects include the Rural Fire Protection Program, L'Anguille River

Water Quality Project, Hog Tusk Drainage Project, Shady Grove Water Extension Project and

others.

The L'Anguille River Water Quality Project covers all or parts of five counties in the East

Arkansas RC&D Council area. Conservation Buffer Technology will be used in an effort to

control the sedimentation going into the river with the overall goal of reducing the Total

Maximum Daily Load buildup in the stream. This is the first step of many that will need to be
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taken in order to protect the integrity of the river. This project is being implemented by a local

steering committee with assistance from the Arkansas Soil and Water Commission, Natural

Resources Conservation Service, local conservation districts, Arkansas State University

Agriculture Department, and the East Arkansas RC&D Council.

Work has begun on the Hog Tusk Drainage Project, which is located in Lee County. This is a

much needed drainage project that will protect both agriculture land and family homes from

floodwaters. Work on this project will resume in the spring of 2002.

The East Arkansas RC&D Council continues to act as a facilitator in local community projects,

believing that local people, carrying out local projects, is the ideal way to accomplish local goals.

The Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council continues to promote Ecotourism as one strategy for

rural economic development through distribution of its 144-page Ecotourism Development Manual.

This past year they co-sponsored and participated in a regional "Tourism Conference and Trade

Show" held in McAlester, Oklahoma.

With an estimated 460 tons of hazardous wastes going into Northwest Arkansas landfills each year,

the Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council and its many partners, are pursuing innovative ways to

collect, properly use and/or dispose of many of these wastes. One such effort is the “Household

Hazardous Wastes Collection Program.” This program is based on the sound, common-sense

premise that the best way to dispose of many common household chemicals is to use them in

accordance with their label directions. After collection events, untainted, usable products are

available for free pickup by home gardeners and others who need and will properly use them. The

paint rack has been very popular with artists, churches and scouts and other youth groups. A licensed

hazardous waste management company securely stores banned, contaminated and any otherwise

unusable chemicals until an economical quantity is collected. The chemicals are then safely shipped

to the appropriate disposal facility.

The Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council participated in the "Make a Difference Day" Child -

Health Safety Fair held in Harrison, Arkansas Oct. 27, 2001. The council's exhibit included an

Enviroscape model and demonstration and depicted how healthy land and water resources tie in to,

and help create and maintain, healthy communities.

The Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council is encouraging all counties in its area to form "County

Hometown Health Improvement Coalitions". Counties that have done so are already working in

cohesive and active groups to promote healthy behaviors and addressing the root causes of death and

illnesses. Some of the accomplishments of these coalitions include Youth Risk Behavior Surveys,

presentation of Youth ASSETS Materials and Seminars, Domestic Violence Workshops, Eating

Disorder Materials distribution and Seminars, and Community Youth Forums for Young Adults.

Also conducted were information and education seminars on Surface and Ground Water Quality

Issues and Concerns, and Dr. Victor DeNoble-Anti Tobacco Seminars.
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The Northwest Arkansas and Ozark Foothills RC&D councils have been working together

through many partnerships to find uses for sawdust and other woody residues. As a follow-up to the

Wood Pellet Stove Project and the Commercial Pellet Furnace Project, a Department of Energy grant

for $1.2 million will be administered by the Foundation for Organic Resource Management to

research and develop a woody biomass furnace specifically designed for poultry houses.

With coordination and assistance from the Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council, research and

demonstration plantings of genetically superior Eastern Black Walnut Trees were established on the

University of Arkansas’ Research Farm at Fayetteville and at the Agricultural Research Service’s

South Central Family Farm Research Center at Booneville, Arkansas. This study will focus on nut

production and demonstrate how Eastern Black Walnuts can fit into an agroforestry system to

diversify and enhance farm income. A field day was held at the University of Arkansas site in

Fayetteville in October this year.

All nine counties within the Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council area are now participating in

the statewide Rural Fire Protection Program. Through this program, which is designed to assist

rural volunteer fire departments that are ISO Class seven and above, countywide Master Fire

Plans are developed. Then follow-up funding is provided to help the participating departments

develop and improve their water supply and delivery systems. As these departments implement

their Master Fire Plans, they increase their ability to protect life and property. In many cases, the

improvements resulted in lowered ISO ratings which, in turn, resulted in lower fire insurance

premiums. Through the RFPP, $561,988 has been awarded to fire departments in the Northwest

Arkansas RC&D Council area to date. Council representatives met with all of the county rural

fire associations, providing each an activity report and update on RFPP and explaining new laws

and provisions affecting rural fire departments. Each was also provided a copy of Governor Mike

Huckabee’s Report on Rural Fire Protection. More than 175 copies of the Governor’s report

were provided to fire chiefs, county judges, conservation district boards and other local leaders.

The Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council received an 80 percent matching grant from the

USDA Forest Service's and Arkansas Forestry Commission's "Economic Action Program" for a

$36,000 water feasibility study for Newton, Searcy, Northern Johnson and Northern Pope

counties. This feasibility study, to be completed in 2002, goes beyond the traditional water needs

study to address and analyze the economic benefits of meeting the water needs for adequate fire

protection as well as the potable water needs for human consumption. This ties in well with our

existing efforts to improve our rural fire departments’ emergency fire fighting capabilities

through the RFPP.

The Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council continues its support of the Searcy County Regional

Water District in its efforts to construct a water supply lake on upper Bear Creek.

The Ozark Foothills RC&D Council continued to assist the 117 fire departments in the council

area to implement master fire plans. The council assisted the counties in securing $96,000 in grants

to go to area fire departments to improve water supply and delivery. The improvements have enabled

several fire departments to achieve lower classification and lower insurance rates for the district.
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Ozark Foothills RC&D Council continues to be involved with projects aimed at improving the

management of privately owned forestland. In the eleven counties that make up the council there

are more than 2.5 million acres of private forestland owned by more than 30,000 landowners -

averaging approximately 70 acres per landowner. The council developed a partnership with

Arkansas Forestry Commission, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service,

Arkansas Forestry Association, Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission, NRCS and

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission with the eleven conservation districts to develop

landowner education and technical assistance projects.

The council is in the second year of implementing three forest landowner education projects. The

Ozark Foothills Forest Landowner Education Project covers Jackson and Randolph counties and

parts of the other nine counties in the council area. The council received $199,500 in grant funds

from USDA Rural Development. The council also assisted the Cleburne County Conservation

District in securing a $157,000 grant from the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation

Commission to implement the Little Red River Forest Landowner Education Project, which

cover parts of Cleburne, Stone, Van Buren and White counties. These two projects are joined by

the Strawberry River Forest Landowner Education Project, which cover parts of Fulton, Izard,

Lawrence and Sharp counties and was funded last year for $103,000. All of these are three-year

projects that will include many landowner education activities. To date over 2,500 landowners

have attended landowner workshops and over 300 have requested the development of Forest

Stewardship Plans.

Ozark Foothills RC&D Council has partnered with Ozark Woodland Owners Association in

planning and implementing the first North Arkansas Forestry Conference. The conference will

be held in March 2003 at the University Of Arkansas Community College at Batesville. Forest

products industry, state and federal agencies, forest landowners, educators and others are invited

to a four day event to further the wise management of the forest resources of north Arkansas.

OWOA received a grant from the US Forest Service to hold the event. 

Ozark Foothills RC&D Council also assisted the Ozark Woodland Owners Association

(OWOA) in securing a $20,000 grant from the U.S. Forest Service to conduct a landowner

survey. OWOA has completed the survey and are in the process of writing the report. The report

will be available at the North Arkansas Forestry conference to be held in March 2003 in

Batesville.

Ozark Foothills RC&D Council assisted the Ozark Woodland Owners Association (OWOA) in

developing a project to look at the economic impact of the forest products industry in the Ozark

Foothills RC&D Council Area. The University of Arkansas School of Forest Resources in

Monticello are in the process of doing the study. The results will be presented at the North

Arkansas Forestry Conference in March 2003 in Batesville.

Ozark Foothills RC&D Council received a $80,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy

and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission to assist a group of Jackson County

farmers conduct a feasibility study on the use of rice straw for the production of “ethanol”. The
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sponsors have successfully determined that rice straw can be harvested in adequate amounts to

feed an ethanol plant. The final report will be completed in March 2003.The project sponsors

will continue to look at the possibility of developing a market for rice straw for energy.

The Ozark Foothills RC&D Council continued to assist Northeast Arkansas RC&D Council

and The Nature Conservancy in the development of a project aimed at reducing sediment in the

Cache River. The project is aimed at reducing sediment coming from cropland adjacent to the

Cache River and its tributaries, including man-made drainage ditches. Standard, inexpensive

water control structures will be the primary conservation practice promoted to the area farmers.

Many agencies and organizations agreed to work together to improve this stream.

In 2001, Ozark Foothills RC&D Council continued plans to build its own office building. The

council completed acquisition of some commercial property in Batesville on which it plans to

build offices for the council and others. The property is valued at $40,000 and was donated by a

local businessman.

The Southeast Arkansas RC&D Council adopted five new projects in 2002, including Tarry

Community Park, West-Saline Rural Water Extension project, Jordan Park Swimming Pool

Renovation project, Monticello Swim Team Pool project, and the Lacy-Ladelle Volunteer Fire

Department Station/Community Center project.

The Southeast Arkansas RC&D Council also assisted with various grant searches and

applications, and provided technical assistance for grant applications for the Tarry Community

Park, Lacy-Ladelle VFD, and the Drew County Conservation District. Grant searches were made

for all projects as well as for local individuals needing help.

In Cleveland County the Southeast Arkansas RC&D Council has been working closely with a

group of individuals trying to obtain rural water. Most of the individuals in the West-Saline

Water Extension project are elderly and, because of health reasons, cannot work on their wells,

especially during the winter months. The council is working with this group to secure rural water

from either the West-Saline Water Association or the Kingsland Water Association.

The Southeast Arkansas RC&D Council worked closely with the Lacy-Ladelle VFD to assist

them in their organization and establishment. In 2002, the VFD was officially organized. They

have already received two fire trucks through the Arkansas Forestry Commission and are trying

to secure a third. There are approximately 15 individuals who have received training and have

become certified fire fighters. The council is currently assisting the VFD with securing funding

for the main fire station/community center.

The Southeast Arkansas RC&D Council continues to participate in the Rural Fire Protection

Program. In 2002, 11 volunteer fire departments received funding through this program for a

total of $45,274.00 in Southeast Arkansas. In addition, new master fire plans were developed for

the Southeast Lincoln County Fire Department and the Wells Bayou Fire Department.
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Water, Wastewater, Solid Waste, etc., Funded

Projects

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

1. Bayou Meto Irrigation District, Arkansas, Jefferson, Lonoke and Prairie counties; information

and education program for 2000 and 2001, and funds for planning and preliminary design.

$ 40,450 – grant and loan from ASWCC

$600,000 – grant from Legislature – Act 1691 of 2001

2. Brookland, Craighead County; new water well and distribution system improvements.

(recently completed).

$431,000 - loan from ASWCC

$50,000 – deferred loan from ASWCC (remainder of funds to be used for infiltration

investigation of sewage collector system)

$239,200 – grant from USDA, RD (well and storage tank construction)

$9,258 - other sources

3. Crawfordsville, Crittenden County; extension of rural water service, rehab of existing storage

tank, and looping of water lines for fire protection. (better capacity and pressure).

$185,000 – loan from ASWCC

4. Crawfordsville, Crittenden County; new collector sewers for the Vincent area. Sewage

treatment will be provided by Crawfordsville.

$579,000 – grant from ADED

$ 51,500 – deferred loan from ASWCC

5. Community Water, Cleburne County; to provide water to the Silver Ridge area and areas north

of Greers Ferry Lake. (Complete).

$103,000 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$463,818 – loan from USDA, RD

6. Community Water System, Lonoke and White Counties; planning, engineering and

construction of treatment plant upgrade and transmission lines. (this project is also located in

the Second Congressional District).

$35,000,000 – loan from ASWCC (DWSRF)

$ 400,000 – grant from ASWCC (Legislative Act 1691 of 2001)

$ 750,000 – grant from ASWCC (Legislative Funds of 1999)

7. Crittenden County SID No. 3; new collector sewers for the Midway area.

$1,109,104 – grant from ADED

$ 100,000 – loan from ASWCC
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8. Cross County Rural Water System; water service for about 17 rural homes in St. Francis and

Cross Counties.

$44,599 – grant from ASWCC

9. Des Arc; Prairie County; extension of sewage collection service to two areas in the northwest

part of the City. Development of a water well, expansion of the water treatment plant and

improvements to the distribution system.

$705,000 – bond fund loan from ASWCC (wastewater project)

$1,331,070 – bond fund loan from ASWCC (water project)

10. Guion, Izard County; connection to Pleasant Grove Water Association for a new water

source to replace a surface water influenced well and make emergency repairs to the water

service pump. (Mountain View is the water source.) (complete).

$77,250 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$7,313 – grant from ASWCC

$200,000 – grant from USDA, RD

11. H.A.C.T Regional Wastewater Treatment District, Lonoke County; initial start-up expenses

such as tools, equipment, etc. for the wastewater system for Humnoke, Allport, and Coy.

$60,000 – grant from ASWCC (about 78% of the funds has been expended).

12. Hardy, Sharp County; water and sewer line extensions to serve additional customers.

(complete).

$103,000 - deferred loan from ASWCC

$1,896,000 – funds from USDA, RD

13. Highland, Sharp County; construction of a sewage collection and treatment system for the

city.

$1,600,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

$1,781,300- grant from USDA, Rural Development

$1,046,200 loan from USDA, Rural Development

14. Horseshoe Bend, Izard County; development of a new well. (complete).

$353,200 – loan from ASWCC

15. Horseshoe Lake, sewage collection and treatment system. (complete). (warranty inspection

is scheduled).

$210,000 – bond loan from ASWCC

$1,452,665 – grant from ADED

16. Knobel, Clay County; construction of improvements to the wastewater treatment plant.

(complete).

$28,325 – loan from ASWCC
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17. Lafe, Greene County; new sewer lines and treatment system. ( complete, except for final

inspection).

$25,000 - loan from ASWCC

$530,260 - grant from other sources

18. Leachville, new well, pump station and treatment plant improvements (construction is

complete; however, litigation is continuing).

$450,875 – bond loan from ASWCC

19. Leachville, new water storage tank (Memorandum of Agreement is executed).

$850,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

20. Madison, St. Francis County; 25% local match for EWP project, which will protect the City’s

wastewater plant.

$112,500 – grant from USDA, NRCS

$ 38,625 – grant from ASWCC

21. Manila; Mississippi County; construction of improvements to water treatment facility and

sandblast and paint the water storage tank.

$300,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

22. Manila; Mississippi County; construction of improvements to wastewater treatment plant and

sewage collection system. (recently bid).

$1,200,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

23. Marshall, water treatment plant improvements. (under construction).

$93,627– loan from ASWCC

$93,627 – grant from ASWCC

24. Maynard, Randolph County; waterline extensions and tie to Lawrence County RWDD for

additional supply. (Part B waterline extensions, is complete. Part A, pump station- construction

should start soon).

$59,997.50 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$32,187.50 – grant from ASWCC

25. Melbourne, Izard County; development of a new well and necessary water lines to tie well

into water system. (almost complete).

$508,700 – loan from ASWCC

26. Morningstar Water Association, Searcy County; Rock Creek water line extensions (project

has been advertised twice. Still needs $22,000 to cover bid overruns).

$58,710 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$58,710 – 20-year loan from ASWCC
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27. Mountain Home; Baxter County, rehabilitation and upgrade of water treatment facility.

$15,000,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

28. Mountain Home; Baxter County, extension of sewage collection lines to eastern part of the

City. (recently completed).

$154,500 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$1,817,979 – local funds

29. Nature Conservancy, Woodruff County; purchase of wetlands for preservation.

$7,780,000 – loan from ASWCC

30. Oxford, Izard County; construction of a public wastewater system, including treatment plant.

(Bids recently received. Bids were out of the money; solution pending).

$103,000 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$1,159,380 – grant from ADED

$190,200 – loan from USDA, RD

$576,000 – grant from USDA, RD

31. Phillips County Sewer Facility Board; construction of a rural community wastewater system

for Lexa, Barton, Walnut Corner and adjacent areas. (Under construction).

$ 288,400 - deferred loan from ASWCC

$1,083,915 – CWSRF grant from ASWCC

$ 191,280 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

$1,970,000 – loan and grant from USDA, Rural Development

32. Rector, Clay County; construction of drainage ditches. (Under construction). (ASWCC funds

have been expended).

$250,000 - deferred loan from ASWCC

$250,000 - grant from ASWCC

$26,352 - local city funds

33. Rector, Clay County; construction of intermittent sand filters to provide further treatment of

sewage at the wastewater treatment plant. (Under construction).

$75,000 – loan from ASWCC

34. Searcy County Regional Water District; water supply lake, treatment plant and transmission

line to Marshall. This $11.2 million project will be a water supply for all of Searcy County south

of the Buffalo River. Three water systems in Searcy County have higher than permissible

radium levels in the water. This source water project will replace the well supplies for these

three systems. Corps of Engineers has been sued by certain environmental groups opposed to the

project. 404 Permit issued by the Corps. 404 Permit recently abolished by the Corps. Litigation

is continuing.

$15,450 – deferred loan from ASWCC to pay costs of a sales tax election in Searcy Co.

Other funding (USDA, RD) is pending.
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35. Sewer Improvement District No. 4 of Mountain Home; Baxter County; extension of collector

sewer lines with an interceptor sewer. (Loan is closed. Under construction).

$1,410,000 – loan from ASWCC

36. St. Charles, Arkansas County; new wastewater system. (complete).

$103,000 - deferred loan from ASWCC

$910,500 - Rural Development

$12,500 - local funds

37. Sunset, rehabilitation of two grinder pump stations for wastewater system. (under

construction).(pumps installed; however controls are not complete).

$57,165 – grant from ASWCC

$57,165 – deferred loan from ASWCC

38. Van Buren County Water Association, Pope, Searcy and Van Buren counties; waterline

extensions to Alread, Witts Springs, Welcome Home and adjacent rural areas. (under

construction).

$ 412,000 - loan from ASWCC

$1,477,600 - loan from Rural Development

$3,353,400 - grant from Rural Development

$2,500,515 - grant from ADED

39. Walnut Ridge, sewage collection line extensions north of the City. (recently bid).

$400,000 – loan from ASWCC

$900,549 – grant from ADED

40. White River Irrigation District, Arkansas, Lonoke, Monroe and Prairie counties: (funds for

planning, preliminary design and construction of on-farm storage reservoirs).

$14,557,800 – loan and grant from ASWCC

41. Wynne, Cross County; construction of Water Treatment Plant. (some work is under

construction).

$6,500,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

42. Wynne, Cross County; rehabilitation of the wastewater treatment plant. (complete).(In

project performance).

$5,000,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

For more information, please contact:

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

David Meador (501) 682-3978
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Nonpoint Source Projects Currently Being Funded

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Sharp – Project 98-1600 - Strawberry River Demonstration Farm: Demonstration of pasture

and riparian zone management practices in the Strawberry River Watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $75,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-03 Non-Federal Funding: $15,000

Poinsett – Project 97-600 - Tailwater Recovery Demonstration: Demonstration of tailwater

recovery as a conservation practice to reduce sedimentation and nutrient enrichment of Delta

streams.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $170,294

Scheduled Completion Date: 10-31-03 Non-Federal Funding: $129,569

Fulton, Izard, Lawrence, and Sharp – Project 98-1500 - Strawberry River Forestry

Project: Information/Education program for forest land owners concerning forestry Best

Management Practices and use of professional foresters.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $103,060

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $84,565

Fulton, Izard and Sharp – Project 00-600 - Strawberry River Watershed: Technical

assistance for livestock producers in the Strawberry River Watershed concerning pasture

improvement practices.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $300,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-03 Non-Federal Funding: $226,316

ADEQ, Fulton, Izard, Sharp, and Lawrence – Project 00-1200 - Strawberry River NPS

Source Inventory: Assessment of water quality in the Strawberry River and identification of

potential sources of pollution.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $250,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $190,000

St. Francis – Project 01-950 - No-Till Incentive: Technical assistance within the L’Anguille

River watershed to reduce sediment entering the L’Anguille River through the use of Best

Management Practices.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $30,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-03 Non-Federal Funding: $20,000

Jackson – Project 01-600 - Cache River Sediment Prevention Project: Technical and

financial assistance to reduce sediment loss from row crop agriculture through the use of erosion

control Best Management Practices and riparian area management.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $250,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 01-31-04 Non-Federal Funding: $460,600
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Craighead, Cross, Poinsett and St. Francis – Project 01-400 – Ducks Unlimited L’Anguille

Watershed Partners Project: Technical and financial assistance to reduce sediment loss from

row crop agriculture through the use of water control structures.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $171,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 02-28-04 Non-Federal Funding: $204,390

Fulton, Izard and Sharp – Project 01-800 - Strawberry River Agricultural Watershed

Project – Reach 2 (Piney Fork): The project objective is to implement conservation plans on

16,170 acres of pasture and in the Piney Fork Watershed. Needs for animal waste Best

Management Practices for both dairy and poultry will be addressed, as well as practices to reduce

sedimentation from unpaved county roads.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $300,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-04 Non-Federal Funding: $226,316

Craighead, Cross, Lee, Poinsett and St. Francis – Project 01-500 - L’Anguille River Water

Quality Project: Develop a locally led watershed action strategy, provide technical and financial

assistance for implementation conservation practices.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $150,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-03 Non-Federal Funding: $113,158

Fulton – Project 01-1900 – Alternate Watering: Demonstrate alternative watering methods for

cattle other than direct access to streams and establish riparian buffers along stream corridors.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $298,800

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-04 Non-Federal Funding: $74,700

Sharp – Project 01-2400 – Lower Spring River: Technical and financial assistance to

implement Best Management Practices to protect riparian areas and improve pastureland within

the lower Spring River watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $155,200

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $41,667

Izard – Project 01-2100 - Strawberry River Hydromulcher: Demonstrate the use of

hydromulching as an erosion control practice for rural roads within the Strawberry River

watershed.

Current Status: Final Report Pending Federal Funding: $51,250

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-02 Non-Federal Funding: $12,813

Cleburne, Stone, White, and Van Buren – Project 99-1200 – Little Red River Forestry

Landowner Education Project: Educate landowners about Best Management Practices and

encourage them to see professional assistance in the development of forestry stewardship plans.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $157,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-04 Non-Federal Funding: $126,494
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Monroe – Project 02-200 – Big Creek Tailwater Demonstration: Technical and financial

assistance for farmers in the Lower White River Watershed. Demonstration of the effective

use/reuse of surface waters thus minimizing sediment-laden runoff.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $153,150

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-2005 Non-Federal Funding: $100,501

Craighead – Project 02-1000 – Buffalo Island Drainage District: Technical and financial

assistance for farmers to reduce sediment from leaving agricultural fields and entering drainage

ways.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $305,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 09-30-2006 Non-Federal Funding: $300,000
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Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts

Contributions

Conservation Districts Local State Other Total

Arkansas County CD $8,381 $32,157 $91,925 $132,465

Baxter County CD 4,000 10,543 9,567 24,111

Buffalo CD (Searcy County) 202,360 40,128 36,586 278,075

Clay CD 10,000 26,542 7,332 33,875

Cleburne County CD 8,891 102,850 5,042 116,783

Craighead CD 5,000 17,927 47,117 70,045

Crittenden CD 12,530 29,118 22,305 63,953

Cross County CD 25,318 25,973 2,257 53,549

Fulton County CD 6,450 114,300 6,879 127,629

Greene County CD 10,500 27,726 29,268 67,495

Independence County CD 12,550 12,043 10,084 34,678

Izard County CD 3,139 160,514 22,097 185,751

Jackson County SWCD 1,276 44,510 44,304 90,092

Lawrence County CD 4,850 23,265 26,969 53,084

Lee County CD 11,871 19,517 19,775 51,164

Lonoke County CD 29,284 27,656 44,867 102,807

Mississippi County CD 5,000 14,543 43,775 63,319

Monroe County SWCD 6,000 14,723 22,081 42,805

Phillips County CD 5,104 12,011 15,647 32,762

Poinsett CD 16,804 28,557 34,807 80,168

Prairie County CD 18,251 13,358 71,780 103,389

Randolph County CD 8,950 16,551 14,903 40,404

Sharp County CD 5,695 63,960 7,440 77,096

St. Francis County CD 12,325 34,643 26,404 73,373

Stone County CD 7,696 23,828 20,849 52,373

Woodruff County CD 11,305 15,929 33,364 60,599

Totals $453,530 $952,872 $717,424 $2,111,844

(CD = Conservation District)

(SWCD = Soil and Water Conservation District)
2nd Congressional District
Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Second Congressional District

Table of Contents

Page

Introduction 2-1

Census of Agriculture Data 2-2

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Buffalo River Tributaries Watershed 2-3

Little Red River Irrigation Project 2-4

Little Red River Watershed (Land Treatment) 2-5

Point Remove Wetlands Reclamation and Irrigation Project (Earmarked EWP) 2-6

South Fourche Watershed (Structural) 2-7

Farm Bill Programs 2-8

Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and Development Council Activities 2-9

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Water, Wastewater, Solid Waste, etc., Funded Projects 2-13

Nonpoint Source Projects Currently Being Funded 2-19

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts (Contributions) 2-20
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Second Congressional District

Introduction

The Second Congressional District contains a mixture of metropolitan, suburban and rural people

and land types. In 1995, almost 29 percent of the District's population lived outside incorporated

areas. Another 14 percent lived in 52 cities and towns of less than 10,000 people. Water use

varied greatly in these locations.

Except for many farmers in the District, most residents living in the metropolitan areas and

suburbs were unaware of water quantity problems until recently. Water quality and quantity are

critical issues for the entire state. To address these issues, the Arkansas Conservation Partnership

initiated and/or developed various water and land projects to address the natural resource

problems in the area's eight conservation districts.

As the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (1996 Farm Bill) started

rolling out, provisions of this historic piece of legislation began affecting how farmers would

stay in business. Conservation district directors were charged to convene work groups of local

residents in each district to assess the current natural resource concerns and needs. The Farm Bill

changed conservation perspective from state and federal identification of conservation needs, to

local identification.

During the work group meetings, members of the Arkansas Association of Conservation

Districts and Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission expressed their concerns about

the following issues:

 Act 562 of 1995 creates the Wetland Mitigation Bank, allowing for the creation,

purchase, restoration and enhancement of wetlands by the state.

 Act 561 of 1995 creates state tax credit incentives for the creation and restoration of

private wetlands and riparian zones.

 Nonpoint source pollution abatement/water quality

 Surface water projects, mainly in the district

These are some of the priorities of the region that are being addressed through local, state and

federal programs, initiatives and efforts.

Programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives

Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program continued to

assist in the preservation and proper management of natural resources in 2002.
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Second Congressional District

Census of Agriculture Data

Land in Farm Acres, Numbers of Farms/Average Acres, Total Acres of

Cropland and Irrigated Acres

County Land in

Farm Acres

# of

Farms

Average

Acres

Total Acres

Cropland

Irrigated

Acres

Conway 162,732 729 223 96,363 6,744

Faulkner 211,467 1,111 190 120,064 3,268

Perry 72,711 391 186 45,380 5,333

Pulaski 110,830 421 263 77,266 20,462

Saline 50,225 329 153 26,451 438

Van Buren 132,417 578 229 61,675 429

White 394,294 167 2,361 267,983 51,073

Yell 188,480 826 228 106,620 5,191

Totals 1,323,156 4,552 479 801,802 92,938

Information from 1997 Census of Agriculture Data
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Second Congressional District

Buffalo River Tributaries Watershed

(The Buffalo River was designated America's first national river in 1972.)

Description: This PL 83-566 watershed plan addresses nonpoint source pollution through costsharing for on-farm land treatment. The plan, developed by an interagency team, addresses

concerns from an ecosystem approach. The Buffalo River attracts more than one million visitors

annually.

Current Status: The project was authorized August 1995 and long-term contracts with

landowners and purchases of conservation easements began then. In FY02, $85,269 was

available for contracts. In FY03, $500,000 was requested for contracts.

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

meet the state's request for watershed implementation funds. During FY04, $979,000 in financial

and technical assistance is needed.

Benefits: The Buffalo River Tributaries Watershed Project (Authority PL 83-566) is

Arkansas' first PL 83-566 Water Quality Project. When implemented it will protect the

recreational use of the Buffalo River.

Scheduled Completion Date: 2005 or later, depending on funding.

Sponsor: Van Buren Conservation District

County: Van Buren

Contact: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Conservation District Director:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Van Buren Dyke Johnson vacant (501) 745-5161, ext. 102
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Second Congressional District

Little Red River Irrigation Project

Description: This project includes southern and eastern areas of White County - approximately

80,700 acres, of which 34,400 acres are currently irrigated. The project, which includes the

northern portion of the central Arkansas critical ground water decline area, will help stabilize the

local economy by providing a sustainable water supply for irrigation, fish farming and

enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat.

Current Status: The Little Red River Regional Irrigation Water District was formed to lead

this effort. The irrigation district received some funding from the State of Arkansas to begin

studies. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has completed the Phase I Feasibility Study for the

project. The Natural Resources Conservation Service received funding of $375,000 to begin the

planning and data collection during FY02. A local irrigation district has been formed to lead this

effort. The irrigation district, in partnership with the conservation district, provided a district

technician for a year to prepare resource information and land use data, accelerating planning

efforts. The Natural Resources Conservation Service will complete the water needs analysis,

prepare the on-farm portion of the plan, and develop a preliminary delivery system layout by

September 2003.

Funds Needed: An additional $100,000 in funding is needed for FY03 to complete the project

plan, and for surveying and preliminary engineering designs. Annual funding of approximately

$4 million is needed for construction beginning in FY04 through completion.

Benefits: This project supplies water for 34,400 acres of cropland. Additionally, each fall and

winter a large portion of cropland will be flooded for waterfowl and other migratory birds.

Scheduled Completion Date: Completion is dependent upon obtaining additional funding.

Sponsor: Little Red River Regional Irrigation Water District

County: White

Contacts: State Conservationist Kalven Trice (501) 301-3110

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

State Conservation Engineer Tony Stevenson (501) 301-3141

Local Irrigation District Chairman Elvis Vaughn (501) 268-5866, ext. 109

Conservation District Director:

County Director Conservationist Phone

White Elvis Vaughn Dennis Mobley (501) 268-5866, ext. 109
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Little Red River Watershed (Land Treatment)

11th Year of Installation

Description: The watershed covers 80,700 acres, of which 34,400 acres of irrigated cropland

are experiencing productivity declines due to a steady reduction in available irrigation water

from ground water sources. The project calls for accelerated technical and financial assistance

for the installation of land treatment measures to manage irrigation water. This PL 83-566 water

conservation project provides cost-share on approved on-farm conservation practices that will

reduce declining available ground water on 25,000 irrigated acres.

Current Status: Began in April 1991. In FY02, $688,207 was available for new contracts. For

FY03, approximately $650,000 in financial and technical assistance was requested for new

contracts.

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

meet the state's request. In FY04, $300,000 in financial and technical assistance is needed.

Benefits: Will reduce the decline of available ground water, thus sustaining the present level

of agriculture productivity and allowing a seriously depleted resource to regenerate for future

use.

Scheduled Completion Date: 2004, depending on funding.

Sponsor: White County Conservation District

County: White

Contact: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Conservation District Director:

County Director Conservationist Phone

White Elvis Vaughn Dennis Mobley (501) 268-5866, ext. 109
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Point Remove Wetlands Reclamation and Irrigation

Project (Earmarked EWP)

Description: This multi-objective project provides irrigation water to 14,000 acres of cropland

and winter water for a wildlife management area.

Current Status: The Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission made available

$150,000 of state funding in FY98. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Ducks

Unlimited as a portion of this project have completed a large water control structure. The Natural

Resources Conservation Service completed Phase IA of the project in December 2001. Phase IB

is under construction. Anticipated completion date is December 2003. Design of Phase II was

completed in FY02.

Funds Needed: An additional $4 million in financial and technical assistance is needed to

install all planned measures. Sponsors continue to search for funds. On-farm conservation needs

are being identified by NRCS. Funding needs for on-farm work have not yet been determined.

Benefits: The project provides an adequate surface water supply for wetland reclamation,

cropland irrigation, and fish and wildlife habitat enhancement.

Scheduled Completion Date: Dependent on funding.

Sponsors: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Conway County Conservation District

Point Remove Wetlands Reclamation and Irrigation District

Pope County Conservation District

Counties: Conway and Pope

Contacts: State Conservationist Kalven Trice (501) 301-3110

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

State Conservation Engineer Tony Stevenson (501) 301-3141

Point Remove Irrigation District John Berkemeyer

or Robert Cruthers (501) 354-8361

Conservation District Directors:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Conway Billy Deaver Ron Day (501) 354-2000, ext. 109
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South Fourche Watershed (Structural)

Description: This PL 83-566 project provides flood protection on agricultural lands and

provides a municipal and industrial water supply. Planned structural measures consist of seven

floodwater-retarding structures and one multipurpose water supply structure.

Current Status: A construction contract for $1,988,882 for Site 5, Phase I in Perry County, is

complete. A Site 5, Phase II contract was completed in FY99 at a cost of $256,278. One site

remains to be built.

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

meet the state's request for funding.

Benefits: This project provides flood protection of cropland. The project is currently

providing a municipal water supply for Perryville and surrounding communities.

Scheduled Completion Date: Unknown. Awaiting land rights and funding for last site.

Sponsors: City of Perryville

Fourche Lafave Watershed Improvement District

Perry County Conservation District

Saline County Conservation District

Yell County Conservation District

Counties: Perry, Saline and Yell

Contact: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Conservation District Directors:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Perry (Conway SC) Billy Growns Joe Tapp (501) 327-6509, ext. 110

Saline Dr. Richard Simmons Myron Taylor (501) 778-2251, ext. 104

Yell James Mitchell Stan Garner (501) 495-2441, ext. 107

(SC = Service Center)
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Second Congressional District

Farm Bill Programs

Environmental Quality Incentives Program - 2002

District Participants

Funded

Dollars Funded Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

Second 85 379,454 262 1,521,814

Statewide 1,127 $6,837,387 2,787 $17,689,860

Forestry Incentives Program - 2002

District Funds

Obligated

Contracts

Funded

Acres

Treated

Second 119,604 49 1,920

Statewide $599,195 305 7,197

Wetlands Reserve Program - 2002

District Participants Acres in

Program

Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

Second 28 21,351 36 7,141,853

Statewide 261 122,947 283 $89,568,046

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program - 2002

District Participants Dollars Funded Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

Second 9 42,479 27 124,520

Statewide 84 $465,002 342 $1,243,627
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

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Second Congressional District

Resource Conservation and Development Activities

Arkansas River Valley RC&D - Conway, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Montgomery,

Polk, Pope, Scott, Sebastian and Yell counties

Central Arkansas RC&D - Faulkner, Garland, Hot Spring, Lonoke, Monroe, Perry, Prairie,

Phillips, Pulaski and Saline counties

East Arkansas RC&D - Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Greene, Lee, Mississippi, Poinsett,

St. Francis and Woodruff counties

Northwest Arkansas RC&D - Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Newton,

Searcy and Washington counties

Ozark Foothills RC&D - Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph,

Sharp, Stone, Van Buren and White counties

Southeast Arkansas RC&D - Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha, Drew,

Grant, Jefferson and Lincoln counties

Southwest Arkansas RC&D - Calhoun, Clark, Columbia, Dallas, Hempstead, Howard,

Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, Ouachita, Pike, Sevier and Union counties

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D Council is a sponsor of the Point Remove Wetlands

Reclamation and Irrigation Project in Pope and Conway counties. Point Remove is a 32,000-

acre, water conservation and wildlife management project that will help restore wetlands wildlife

habitat in the area and provide irrigation water for approximately 11,000 acres. This is a

cooperative effort with the improvement district, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Ducks

Unlimited, local people, Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission, and NRCS. As part

of the project, Ducks Unlimited constructed a water management weir, at an estimated cost of

$260,000. Phase 1A of the water delivery system has been completed by NRCS. Work on Phase

1B will be completed in the summer of 2003. Estimated cost of the project is $8 million.

134 fire departments in the Arkansas River Valley RC&D Area are participating in the Rural

Fire Protection Program. The state has made approximately $6 million available to improve fire

protection in rural areas. The project emphasizes water supply and delivery for fire protection.

The first step in the program is to develop master fire protection plans for all counties wishing to

participate. Funds are then made available to address the needs identified in the plans. Those

counties participating are improving their ability to protect life and property. 150 of 740 rural fire

departments have reduced their ISO rating. These improvements have resulted in insurance

premium savings of over $22 million annually, with potential savings near $250 million

annually.

Each year the Arkansas River Valley RC&D sponsors an FFA field day at the Booneville

Fairgrounds. Over 800 students from 40 schools compete in horticulture, forestry, Soils, crops,

livestock, dairy cattle, poultry, and other areas. Awards are given in each area. This is a

cooperative effort that involves volunteers several local, state, and federal agencies, along with

about 50 local volunteers. The field day is growing each year, with schools from as far away as

Gurdon to the south and Bruno-Pyatt to the north attending.
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Second Congressional District

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D Area received 2 grants totaling $4,000 for the

Milltown/Washburn Community Building. These funds were pooled with local contributions to

match a $15,000 State Office of Rural Services Grant for the construction of a community

building. Milltown and Washburn are unincorporated communities in Sebastian County. 

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D received a donation of commercial property for the Petit

Jean Regional Foundation. This property was held until the foundation obtained its 501(c)3

status, then transferred to the foundation. A manufacturer that is expected to employ 50 to 100

people in Franklin and Logan counties is now occupying the property. With the proceeds used to

benefit local non-profit activities.

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D council assisted community leaders and public officials,

concerned about the area's economic future form the SEBASCOTT Economic Development

Council. This is a community organization that serves Sebastian and Scott Counties. The

Arkansas River Valley RC&D helped Sebascott develop a strategic plan for the area. The

process encouraged all citizens of the area to participate in setting goals and actions to improve

the quality of life in their communities. The Strategic Plan has been completed and is being

implemented. Some of the projects that have resulted from this process are Water system

improvements for Hartford. This project was completed this year. A $225,000 inter-modal

transportation (ICT) grant for main street improvements in Mansfield. Another grant is expected

next year. Extending water and Natural Gas service to about 100 rural homes in North Scott

county. The water lines and gas lines were laid in the same trench, reducing construction costs.

Incidentally, this was the first city water in rural areas of Scott County. Water lines were

extended to a youth facility south of Mansfield, this also serves 60 families along the way.

Extending water service to about 600 previously unserved homes in the south Sebastian area. To

cover most all of the previously unserved families in the water district.

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D Council is assisting with planning and coordination of the

Logan-Scott County rural water supply project. This is an estimated $18 million cooperative

project between Booneville, Waldron, Mansfield, and rural water districts in Logan and Scott

counties to develop a regional water supply. A feasibility study funded by the cities and the

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission found development of Upper Petit

Watershed Site #3 is the most cost effective alternative. The city of Waldron has a critical water

shortage and Booneville is working to address their situation before it becomes an emergency.

Approximately 90 percent of Scott County’s rural areas are without good quality water. This

project will provide treated water to these rural areas.

The Central Arkansas RC&D Council is working on the Camp Ouachita National Historic

District. This project allows for the restoration of Camp Ouachita in Perry County. Senator

Blanche Lincoln secured $365,000 through Save America’s Treasures for restoration of the

Great Hall. Other funders include Arkansas Highway Department, $400,000; Arkansas Dept. of

Rural Services, $100,000; Private donations $6,000. The Central Arkansas RC&D Council is

in the process of securing bids for the restoration of the Great Hall. Restoration of the Great Hall

should be complete by October 2003.
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The Ozark Foothills RC&D Council continued to assist the 117 fire departments in the council

area to implement master fire plans. The council assisted the counties in securing $96,000 in grants

to go to area fire departments to improve water supply and delivery. The improvements have enabled

several fire departments to achieve lower classification and lower insurance rates for the district.

Ozark Foothills RC&D Council continues to be involved with projects aimed at improving the

management of privately owned forestland. In the eleven counties that make up the council there

are more than 2.5 million acres of private forestland owned by more than 30,000 landowners -

averaging approximately 70 acres per landowner. The council developed a partnership with

Arkansas Forestry Commission, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service,

Arkansas Forestry Association, Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission, NRCS and

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission with the eleven conservation districts to develop

landowner education and technical assistance projects.

The council is in the second year of implementing three forest landowner education projects. The

Ozark Foothills Forest Landowner Education Project covers Jackson and Randolph counties and

parts of the other nine counties in the council area. The council received $199,500 in grant funds

from USDA Rural Development. The council also assisted the Cleburne County Conservation

District in securing a $157,000 grant from the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation

Commission to implement the Little Red River Forest Landowner Education Project, which

cover parts of Cleburne, Stone, Van Buren and White counties. These two projects are joined by

the Strawberry River Forest Landowner Education Project, which cover parts of Fulton, Izard,

Lawrence and Sharp counties and was funded last year for $103,000. All of these are three-year

projects that will include many landowner education activities. To date over 2,500 landowners

have attended landowner workshops and over 300 have requested the development of Forest

Stewardship Plans.

Ozark Foothills RC&D Council has partnered with Ozark Woodland Owners Association in

planning and implementing the first North Arkansas Forestry Conference. The conference will

be held in March 2003 at the University Of Arkansas Community College at Batesville. Forest

products industry, state and federal agencies, forest landowners, educators and others are invited

to a four day event to further the wise management of the forest resources of north Arkansas.

OWOA received a grant from the US Forest Service to hold the event. 

Ozark Foothills RC&D Council also assisted the Ozark Woodland Owners Association

(OWOA) in securing a $20,000 grant from the U.S. Forest Service to conduct a landowner

survey. OWOA has completed the survey and are in the process of writing the report. The report

will be available at the North Arkansas Forestry conference to be held in March 2003 in

Batesville.

Ozark Foothills RC&D Council assisted the Ozark Woodland Owners Association (OWOA) in

developing a project to look at the economic impact of the forest products industry in the Ozark

Foothills RC&D Council Area. The University of Arkansas School of Forest Resources in
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

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Monticello are in the process of doing the study. The results will be presented at the North

Arkansas Forestry Conference in March 2003 in Batesville.

Ozark Foothills RC&D Council received a $80,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy

and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission to assist a group of Jackson County

farmers conduct a feasibility study on the use of rice straw for the production of “ethanol”. The

sponsors have successfully determined that rice straw can be harvested in adequate amounts to

feed an ethanol plant. The final report will be completed in March 2003.The project sponsors

will continue to look at the possibility of developing a market for rice straw for energy.

The Ozark Foothills RC&D Council continued to assist Northeast Arkansas RC&D Council

and The Nature Conservancy in the development of a project aimed at reducing sediment in the

Cache River. The project is aimed at reducing sediment coming from cropland adjacent to the

Cache River and its tributaries, including man-made drainage ditches. Standard, inexpensive

water control structures will be the primary conservation practice promoted to the area farmers.

Many agencies and organizations agreed to work together to improve this stream.

In 2001, Ozark Foothills RC&D Council continued plans to build its own office building. The

council completed acquisition of some commercial property in Batesville on which it plans to

build offices for the council and others. The property is valued at $40,000 and was donated by a

local businessman.
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

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Second Congressional District

Water, Wastewater, Solid Waste, etc., Funded

Projects

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

1. 145th Street SID; Pulaski County, upgrade of wastewater treatment facility. Abandon north

treatment plant. (under construction).

$600,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

2. Bauxite, Saline County; new wastewater collection and treatment system. (under

construction).

$280,025 - loan from ASWCC

$25,750 - deferred loan from ASWCC

$1,535,000 - grant from ADED

3. Beebe, White County; construction of interceptor mains, will eliminate some pump stations.

(MOA signed. Under design).

$1,600,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

4. Belleville, Yell County; sewer collection system, tie into the Havana wastewater system for

treatment.

$154,500 - deferred loan from ASWCC

$936,500 – funds from USDA, RD

$985,000 – grant from ADED

5. Bigelow; Perry County, develop new well and construct improvements to water treatment

plant. (recently completed).

$112,064 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$700,000 – grant and loan from USDA-RD

6. Bigelow, Perry County; sewage collection and treatment system.

$400,000 – loan from ASWCC

$2,520,260 – grant from ADED

7. Broadmoor Recreational Improvement District No. 2; Pulaski County, re-construct emergency

spillway. (low bidder would not accept award; project award still pending).

$25,750 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$46,556 – grant from ASWCC

Up to $10,000 – grant from ASWCC

8. Cantrell Road Municipal Property Owners’ Improvement District No. 252 of Little Rock,

Arkansas, Pulaski County; construction of sewage collection lines in an area near State Highway

10 West.

$160,100 – loan from ASWCC
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9. College Station Suburban Improvement District, Pulaski County; sewer collection system, tie

into the city of Little Rock. (complete, except for repairing contractor’s poor construction

activity. Solution is pending).

$103,000 - loan from ASWCC

$149,350 – grant from ASWCC

$107,500 - loan from RD

$2,618,684 - grant from RD

$500,000 - grant from ADED (repaving of streets)

10. Community Water System, Lonoke and White Counties; planning, engineering and

construction of treatment plant upgrade and transmission lines. (this project is also located in the

First Congressional District).

$35,000,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

$ 750,000 – grant from ASWCC (legislative funds of 1999)

$ 400,000 – grant from ASWCC (Legislative Act 1691 of 2001)

11. Conway County Regional Water Distribution District; extend water service to Ada Valley

and Petit Jean Mountain.

$257,500 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$978,000 – grant from ADED

$753,200 – loan from USDA, RD

$861,800 – grant from USDA, RD

$250,000 – other funds

12. Damascus; Faulkner and Van Buren Counties; connect to Community Water System for

alternative water source. (Schedule I almost complete. Waiting on bond closing for Schedule II,

master meter and pump station.)

$279,000 – loan from ASWCC

$265,740 – deferred loan from ASWCC

13. Danville, Yell County; construction of a new wastewater treatment plant. (complete; in

project performance).

$1,500,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

14. East End Improvement District #1; Saline County; waterline extensions (recently completed).

$60,255 – loan from ASWCC

15. Enola-Mt. Vernon Public Water Authority, Faulkner County; new water storage tank and

upgrades of pump stations. (under design).

$580,000 – loan from ASWCC
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16. Faulkner County Public Facilities Board; wastewater collection and treatment facility on

northwest shore of Lake Conway (Preston Area). (under design).

$ 320,000 – loan from ASWCC

$ 7,725 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$2,338,935- grant from ADED

17. Ferndale Cutoff Suburban Improvement District, Pulaski County; water distribution system.

(design is pending).

$1,500,000 - loan from ASWCC

18. Jacksonville; Pulaski County; extension of sewage collection lines to the rural area of

Valentine/Wooten Roads and State Highway 161. Sewage will be treated by the City of

Jacksonville. (obtaining easements).

$51,500 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$1,050,000 – grant from ADED

19. Kanis and Denny Roads Suburban Water Improvement District No. 349, Pulaski County;

Arkansas; waterline extensions west of Chenal Parkway (project is delayed pending settlement of

litigation).

$2,494,000 - loan from ASWCC

$ 257,500 – deferred loan from ASWCC

20. Little Red River Irrigation District, White County; surface water diversion and piped

distribution system.

$250,000 - grant from ASWCC (preliminary planning, etc.)

$32,000,000 - funds needed for construction (pending).

21. Little Rock #4; Pulaski County, rehabilitation of sewage collection lines (Complete and in

project performance status).

$12,000,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

22. Little Rock #5, Pulaski County; rehabilitation of Adams Field wastewater treatment plant.

$20,000,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

23. Little Rock #6, Pulaski County; rehabilitation of sewage collection lines.

$14,000,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

24. Maumelle; Pulaski County, construction of triple box culvert for flood prevention. (Phase I

recently completed).

$46,865 – loan from ASWCC 

$46,865 – local funds
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25. Maumelle Suburban Improvement District No. 500, Pulaski County; wells, storage tank,

clarifier, filters and lime press. (recently completed; anticipate other work being added to the

project).

$4,436,115.33 - loan from ASWCC

26. Maumelle, Pulaski County; Phase II of flood control project; construct drainage swales for

flood prevention. Loan Agreement executed. (engineer working on plans and specifications).

$48,925 – 20-year loan from ASWCC

27. Mayflower; Faulkner County, construction of new wastewater treatment plant. (under

construction).

$1,000,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

28. McRae; White County, rehabilitation and painting of water storage tank, construction of well

house and replacement of a water line. (complete except for water line).

$87,550 – loan from ASWCC

29. Northeast White County PWA; water transmission from Searcy to Bald Knob, Russell and

Bradford.

$400,000 – loan from ASWCC

$1,749,000 – loan from USDA, RD

$1,330,100 – grant from USDA, RD

30. North Little Rock; Pulaski County, construction of sewage collection lines to serve the Rixey

area. (obtaining easements for sewer lines).

$198,850 – bond loan from ASWCC

$7,210 – grant from ASWCC

$2,506,921 – grant from ADED

31. North Little Rock #4; Pulaski County, rehabilitation of the Faulkner Lake and White Oak

Bayou wastewater treatment plants. (under construction).

$10,000,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

32. North Pulaski Waterworks; Faulkner County; extend public water lines to an area that

presently has private water wells, which are contaminated. (complete; in project performance).

$885,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

33. Ola; Yell County, rehabilitation of leaking sewage collection lines and rehabilitation of rockreed filters. (recently completed).

$154,500 – loan from ASWCC

$224,300 – grant from USDA-RD
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34. Old River Irrigation, Drainage and Water District, Pulaski County; irrigation project to

maintain normal water levels in Old River Lake. (under design).

$225,000 – loan from ASWCC

35. Pangburn, White County; water line extensions.

$193,000 – loan from ASWCC

36. Point Remove Wetlands and Irrigation Improvement District, Conway and Pope Counties,

irrigation system for parts of Pope and Conway Counties, east and southeast of Atkins (Under

construction).

$150,000 - grant from ASWCC

$450,000 – loan from ASWCC

$231,905 – interim loan from ASWCC

$5,000,000 – grant from USDA, NRCS

37. Pleasant Oaks Sanitary Sewer Improvement District No. 31 of Saline County, Arkansas;

rehab wastewater plant.

$410,000 – loan from ASWCC

38. Quad County Public Facilities Board of Hot Spring County; Grant, Saline, Hot Spring and

Garland Counties; interim loan for $1.0 Million connection fee to Malvern for purchase of

treatment plant site and $500,000 for engineering and right-of-way expenses; $20 Million for

construction of transmission line, pump stations and storage tanks. (litigation and local politics

in Saline County may delay or stop this project). (This project is also located in the Fourth

Congressional District.) (Also, still waiting on 404 Permit from the COE.)

$1,500,000 – 2 year interim loan from ASWCC ($535,000 expended for land purchase).

Up to $20,000,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

39. Runyan SID No. 211; Pulaski County, rehabilitation of wastewater treatment plant and

grinder pump stations. (under construction).

$1,623,600 – loan from ASWCC

40. Salem SID #10; Saline County, rehabilitation of sewage collection system and wastewater

treatment plant. (negotiations have been ongoing with the City of Benton for almost a year for a

tie to Benton’s collection system, which would eliminate the necessity to rehab the wastewater

treatment plant).

$304,000 – loan from ASWCC

41. Salem Public Water Authority, Saline County; construction of the two million gallon Zuber

Road water storage tank and service to 70 homes in Springhill Acres (Memorandum of

Agreement scheduled to be approved by new board).

Up to $2,000,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC
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42. Sardis WA Public Water Authority, Saline County; new source of water for Sardis

customers; construction of a water storage tank, and water line extensions.

$4,000,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

43. Suburban SID No. 239, Phase II, Pulaski County; sewer system extension. (under

construction; claim has been settled).

$2,315,000 - loan from ASWCC

44. Sweet Home, Higgins & Red Oak Sewer Facilities Board; Pulaski County, construction of

sewage collection lines. Will pump to Wrightsville for treatment. (obtaining easements for

construction).

$154,500 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$2,671,000 – loan and grant from USDA, RD

45. Toad Suck PFB, Perry County; construction of a water storage tank. (almost complete).

$130,300 – loan from ASWCC

46. Toad Suck PFB, Perry County; water transmission line from Perryville and a new water

storage tank.

$625,000 – loan from ASWCC

47. Van Buren County Water Association, Pope, Searcy and Van Buren counties; waterline

extensions. (under construction).

$412,000 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$1,477,600 - loan from Rural Development

$3,353,400 - grant from Rural Development

$2,500,515 - grant from ADED

48. West Point - Georgetown Regional Wastewater Treatment District, White County;

Wastewater collection system. Sewage to be pumped to and treated by Kensett. (project is

almost complete. Users have started installing service lines to system).

$235,000 - loan from ASWCC

$3,695,400 - grant from ADED

49. Wooster; Faulkner County, water line extension project. (under construction).

$206,000 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$200,000 – grant from Act 1691 of 2001

$511,500 – loan from USDA, Rural Development

For more information, please contact:

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

David Meador (501) 682-3978
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Nonpoint Source Projects Currently Being Funded

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Van Buren – Project 00-500 - Upper Little Red River Education Project: Assessment, public

awareness and information/education program in the Greers Ferry Lake Watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $117,100

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-21-03 Non-Federal Funding: $88,338

Conway – Project 00-1000 - Lake Brewer: Technical and financial assistance for farmers in

the Brewer Lake and Cadron Creek Watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $200,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-03 Non-Federal Funding: $129,497

Pulaski – Project 00-1100 - Rock Creek Assessment: Assessment of the impact of urban NPs

on stream water quality.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $57,034

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $43,026

Van Buren – Project 01-1400 – Proper Cattle Heavy Use Area Design and Management

Project: Demonstrate Best Management Practices and the most recent technology in cattle heavy

use areas.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $96,997

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $72,813

Pulaski– Project 02-800 – Fourche Creek Watershed Recovery and Restoration: Technical

assistance, demonstration, and education for residence in the Fourche Creek Watershed. This

project also serves as a training area for those working professionally in the NPS management

field to view and learn proper BMP implementation procedures and techniques.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $264,695

Scheduled Completion Date: 09-30-2005 Non-Federal Funding: $336,055
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Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts

Contributions

Conservation Districts Local State Other Total

Conway County CD $18,747 $81,984 $1,206 $101,937

Faulkner County CD 21,040 15,278 4,948 41,216

Perry County CD 4,710 49,157 12,566 66,432

Pulaski CD 15,000 25,626 62,619 103,245

Saline County CD 0 11,700 3,931 15,631

Van Buren County CD 18,965 38,499 26,717 84,170

White County CD 11,520 54,056 22,056 87,581

Yell County CD 14,286 83,584 59,298 157,168

Totals $104,268 $359,884 $193,341 $657,380

(CD = Conservation District)
3rd Congressional District
Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Third Congressional District

Table of Contents

Page

Introduction 3-1

Census of Agriculture Data 3-2

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Buffalo River Tributaries Watershed Project 3-3

Point Remove Wetlands Reclamation and Irrigation Project (Earmarked EWP) 3-4

Farm Bill Programs 3-5

Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and Development Council Activities 3-6

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Beaver Tailwater Restoration and Habitat Improvement Project 3-10

Water, Wastewater, Solid Waste, etc., Funded Projects 3-11

Nonpoint Source Projects Currently Being Funded 3-16

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts (Contributions) 3-19
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Introduction

Livestock is the heart of the agricultural economy in the Third Congressional District. The

District's farming operations are heavily focused in the animal production industry including

dairy, poultry and swine operations. Arkansas is the number one broiler producing state in the

nation, growing more than 1.2 billion birds annually, many of which are grown in this District.

This critical component of Arkansas' economic viability has some challenges to overcome that

include continued stress on the region's water resources and animal waste management. The

Arkansas Conservation Partnership emphasizes proper animal waste management to aid

livestock and poultry producers to meet their environmental challenges.

In response to requests for technical assistance from many of the dairy, poultry and swine

producers in the District, conservation district and Natural Resources Conservation Service

personnel assisted many producers prepare conservation plans that address animal waste and

nutrient management. Producers are implementing these plans to protect the quality of the

region's valuable water resources.

The Arkansas Conservation Partnership also gave high priority to education and the training of

livestock and poultry producers. Training sessions were provided for the District's livestock and

poultry producers.

The USDA Plant Material Center, located outside of Booneville, is looking for new plants and

ways to use plants to reduce erosion and sedimentation and improve water quality while

providing food and shelter for wildlife and livestock and improving soil productivity.

Provisions in the 1996 Farm Bill empowered conservation district directors to convene local

work groups of residents in each county to identify critical natural resource needs. The Federal

Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (1996 Farm Bill), calls this activity Locallyled Conservation. Every conservation district in the Third Congressional District participated.

Programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives

Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program continued to

assist in the preservation and proper management of natural resources in 2002.
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Census of Agriculture Data

Land in Farm Acres, Numbers of Farms/Average Acres, Total Acres of

Cropland and Irrigated Acres

County Land in

Farm Acres

# of

Farms

Average

Acres

Total Acres

Cropland

Irrigated

Acres

Benton 296,543 2,323 128 168,089 683

Boone 257,698 1,259 205 116,341 179

Carroll 242,482 1,032 235 105,428 148

Crawford 138,811 806 172 78,007 4,006

Franklin 171,391 783 219 86,214 310

Johnson 114,549 606 189 65,605 1,611

Madison 282,114 1,203 235 124,770 422

Marion 139,553 495 282 53,429 25

Newton 108,680 521 209 37,316 132

Pope 152,100 917 166 85,429 1,945

Sebastian 114,950 724 159 64,021 209

Washington 334,667 247 1,355 174,878 874

Totals 2,353,538 10,916 296 1,159,527 10,544

Information from 1997 Census of Agriculture Data
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Buffalo River Tributaries Watershed Project

(The Buffalo River was designated America's first national river in 1972.)

Description: This PL 83-566 watershed plan addresses nonpoint source pollution through costsharing for on-farm land treatment. The plan, developed by an interagency team, addresses

concerns from an ecosystem approach. The Buffalo River attracts more than one million visitors

annually.

Current Status: The project was authorized August 1995 and long-term contracts with

landowners and purchases of conservation easements began then. In FY02, $85,269 was

available for contracts. In FY03, $500,000 was requested for contracts.

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

meet the state's request for watershed implementation funds. During FY04, $979,000 in financial

and technical assistance is needed.

Benefits: The Buffalo River Tributaries Watershed Project (Authority PL 83-566) is

Arkansas' first PL 83-566 Water Quality Project. When implemented it will protect the

recreational use of the Buffalo River.

Scheduled Completion Date: 2005 or later, depending on funding.

Sponsors: Buffalo Conservation District

Crooked Creek Conservation District

Newton County Soil and Water Conservation District

Pope County Conservation District

Counties: Marion, Newton, Pope and Searcy

Contact: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Conservation District Directors:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Marion(M. Home SC) Burpee Burlson Buster Bodenhamer (870) 425-3527, ext. 106

Newton (Harrison SC) Frank Breedlove Margaret Lonadier (870) 741-8600, ext. 133

Pope John Berkemeyer Mickey Evans (501) 968-3497, ext. 106

(SC = Service Center)
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Point Remove Wetlands Reclamation and Irrigation

Project

Earmarked EWP

Description: This multi-objective project provides irrigation water to 14,000 acres of cropland

and winter water for a wildlife management area.

Current Status: The Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission made available

$150,000 of state funding in FY98. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Ducks

Unlimited as a portion of this project have completed a large water control structure. The Natural

Resources Conservation Service completed Phase IA of the project December 2001. Phase IB is

under construction. Anticipated completion date December 2003. Design of Phase II was

completed in FY02.

Funds Needed: An additional $4 million in financial and technical assistance is needed to

install all planned measures. Sponsors continue to search for funds. On-farm conservation needs

are being identified by NRCS. Funding needs for on-farm work have not yet been determined.

Benefits: The project provides an adequate surface water supply for wetland reclamation,

cropland irrigation, and fish and wildlife habitat enhancement.

Scheduled Completion Date: Dependent on funding.

Sponsors: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Conway County Conservation District

Point Remove Wetlands Reclamation and Irrigation District

Pope County Conservation District

Counties: Conway and Pope

Contacts: State Conservationist Kalven Trice (501) 301-3110

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

State Conservation Engineer Tony Stevenson (501) 301-3141

Point Remove Irrigation District John Berkemeyer

or Robert Cruthers (501) 354-8361

Conservation District Director:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Pope John Berkemeyer Mickey Evans (501) 968-3497, ext.10
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Farm Bill Programs

Environmental Quality Incentives Program - 2002

District Participants

Funded

Dollars Funded Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

Third 306 1,864,919 647 2,907,784

Statewide 1,127 $6,837,387 2,787 $17,689,860

Forestry Incentives Program - 2002

District Funds

Obligated

Contracts

Funded

Acres

Treated

Third 83,405 44 932

Statewide $599,195 305 7,197

Wetlands Reserve Program - 2002

District Participants Acres in

Program

Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

Third 1 46 2 299,230

Statewide 261 122,947 283 $89,568,046

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program - 2002

District Participants Dollars Funded Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

Third 30 77,531 19 60,434

Statewide 84 $465,002 342 $1,243,627
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Resource Conservation and Development Activities

Arkansas River Valley RC&D - Conway, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Montgomery,

Polk, Pope, Scott, Sebastian and Yell counties

Central Arkansas RC&D - Faulkner, Garland, Hot Spring, Lonoke, Monroe, Perry, Prairie,

Phillips, Pulaski and Saline counties

East Arkansas RC&D - Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Greene, Lee, Mississippi, Poinsett,

St. Francis and Woodruff counties

Northwest Arkansas RC&D - Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Newton,

Searcy and Washington counties

Ozark Foothills RC&D - Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph,

Sharp, Stone, Van Buren and White counties

Southeast Arkansas RC&D - Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha, Drew,

Grant, Jefferson and Lincoln counties

Southwest Arkansas RC&D - Calhoun, Clark, Columbia, Dallas, Hempstead, Howard,

Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, Ouachita, Pike, Sevier and Union counties

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D Council is a sponsor of the Point Remove Wetlands

Reclamation and Irrigation Project in Pope and Conway counties. Point Remove is a 32,000-

acre, water conservation and wildlife management project that will help restore wetlands wildlife

habitat in the area and provide irrigation water for approximately 11,000 acres. This is a

cooperative effort with the improvement district, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Ducks

Unlimited, local people, Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission, and NRCS. As part

of the project, Ducks Unlimited constructed a water management weir, at an estimated cost of

$260,000. Phase 1A of the water delivery system has been completed by NRCS. Work on Phase

1B will be completed in the summer of 2003. Estimated cost of the project is $8 million.

134 fire departments in the Arkansas River Valley RC&D Area are participating in the Rural

Fire Protection Program. The state has made approximately $6 million available to improve fire

protection in rural areas. The project emphasizes water supply and delivery for fire protection.

The first step in the program is to develop master fire protection plans for all counties wishing to

participate. Funds are then made available to address the needs identified in the plans. Those

counties participating are improving their ability to protect life and property. 150 of 740 rural fire

departments have reduced their ISO rating. These improvements have resulted in insurance

premium savings of over $22 million annually, with potential savings near $250 million

annually.

Each year the Arkansas River Valley RC&D sponsors an FFA field day at the Booneville

Fairgrounds. Over 800 students from 40 schools compete in horticulture, forestry, Soils, crops,

livestock, dairy cattle, poultry, and other areas. Awards are given in each area. This is a

cooperative effort that involves volunteers several local, state, and federal agencies, along with

about 50 local volunteers. The field day is growing each year, with schools from as far away as

Gurdon to the south and Bruno-Pyatt to the north attending.
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The Arkansas River Valley RC&D Area received 2 grants totaling $4,000 for the

Milltown/Washburn Community Building. These funds were pooled with local contributions to

match a $15,000 State Office of Rural Services Grant for the construction of a community

building. Milltown and Washburn are unincorporated communities in Sebastian County. 

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D received a donation of commercial property for the Petit

Jean Regional Foundation. This property was held until the foundation obtained its 501(c)3

status, then transferred to the foundation. A manufacturer that is expected to employ 50 to 100

people in Franklin and Logan counties is now occupying the property. With the proceeds used to

benefit local non-profit activities.

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D council assisted community leaders and public officials,

concerned about the area's economic future form the SEBASCOTT Economic Development

Council. This is a community organization that serves Sebastian and Scott Counties. The

Arkansas River Valley RC&D helped Sebascott develop a strategic plan for the area. The

process encouraged all citizens of the area to participate in setting goals and actions to improve

the quality of life in their communities. The Strategic Plan has been completed and is being

implemented. Some of the projects that have resulted from this process are Water system

improvements for Hartford. This project was completed this year. A $225,000 inter-modal

transportation (ICT) grant for main street improvements in Mansfield. Another grant is expected

next year. Extending water and Natural Gas service to about 100 rural homes in North Scott

county. The water lines and gas lines were laid in the same trench, reducing construction costs.

Incidentally, this was the first city water in rural areas of Scott County. Water lines were

extended to a youth facility south of Mansfield, this also serves 60 families along the way.

Extending water service to about 600 previously unserved homes in the south Sebastian area. To

cover most all of the previously unserved families in the water district.

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D Council is assisting with planning and coordination of the

Logan-Scott County rural water supply project. This is an estimated $18 million cooperative

project between Booneville, Waldron, Mansfield, and rural water districts in Logan and Scott

counties to develop a regional water supply. A feasibility study funded by the cities and the

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission found development of Upper Petit

Watershed Site #3 is the most cost effective alternative. The city of Waldron has a critical water

shortage and Booneville is working to address their situation before it becomes an emergency.

Approximately 90 percent of Scott County’s rural areas are without good quality water. This

project will provide treated water to these rural areas.

The Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council continues to promote Ecotourism as one strategy for

rural economic development through distribution of its 144-page Ecotourism Development Manual.

This past year they co-sponsored and participated in a regional "Tourism Conference and Trade

Show" held in McAlester Oklahoma.

With an estimated 460 tons of hazardous wastes going into Northwest Arkansas landfills each year,

the Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council and its many partners, are pursuing innovative ways to
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collect, properly use and/or dispose of many of these wastes. One such effort is the “Household

Hazardous Wastes Collection Program.” This program is based on the sound, common-sense

premise that the best way to dispose of many common household chemicals is to use them in

accordance with their label directions. After collection events, untainted, usable products are

available for free pickup by home gardeners and others who need and will properly use them. The

paint rack has been very popular with artists, churches and scouts and other youth groups. A licensed

hazardous waste management company securely stores banned, contaminated and any otherwise

unusable chemicals until an economical quantity is collected. The chemicals are then safely shipped

to the appropriate disposal facility.

The Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council participated in the "Make a Difference Day" Child -

Health Safety Fair held in Harrison, Arkansas Oct. 27, 2001. The council's exhibit included an

Enviroscape model and demonstration and depicted how healthy land and water resources tie in to,

and help create and maintain, healthy communities.

The Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council is encouraging all counties in its area to form "County

Hometown Health Improvement Coalitions". Counties that have done so are already working in

cohesive and active groups to promote healthy behaviors and addressing the root causes of death and

illnesses. Some of the accomplishments of these coalitions include Youth Risk Behavior Surveys,

presentation of Youth ASSETS Materials and Seminars, Domestic Violence Workshops, Eating

Disorder Materials distribution and Seminars, and Community Youth Forums for Young Adults.

Also conducted were information and education seminars on Surface and Ground Water Quality

Issues and Concerns, and Dr. Victor DeNoble-Anti Tobacco Seminars. For its work in this arena, the

Boone County Hometown Health Improvement Coalition was honored as an "Outstanding

Organization" in the state of Arkansas in 2001.

The Northwest Arkansas and Ozark Foothills RC&D councils have been working together

through many partnerships to find uses for sawdust and other woody residues. As a follow-up to the

Wood Pellet Stove Project and the Commercial Pellet Furnace Project, a Department of Energy grant

for $1.2 million will be administered by the Foundation for Organic Resource Management to

research and develop a woody biomass furnace specifically designed for poultry houses.

With coordination and assistance from the Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council, research and

demonstration plantings of genetically superior Eastern Black Walnut Trees were established on the

University of Arkansas’ Research Farm at Fayetteville and at the Agricultural Research Service’s

South Central Family Farm Research Center at Booneville, Arkansas. This study will focus on nut

production and demonstrate how Eastern Black Walnuts can fit into an agroforestry system to

diversify and enhance farm income. A field day was held at the University of Arkansas in

Fayetteville in October this year.

The Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council sponsored the formation of the Beaver Lake

Watershed Partnership. This new organization’s purpose is to bring together all regional interests

and promote cooperative and science-based efforts to maintain and improve the water quality of

the Beaver Lake Watershed while sustaining a viable economic environment. The BLWP has
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become an active participant as one of five sites in Arkansas working with the Environmental

Alliance for Senior Involvement on an EPA Region 6 grant for Source Water Protection. The

BLWP is working to establish a Volunteer Monitoring Program on Beaver Lake. Representatives

from the BLWP also participated on the Steering Committee that planned the 3rd Annual White

River Basin Forum, held in Springfield, Mo., Nov. 2001.

All nine counties within the Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council area are now participating in

the statewide Rural Fire Protection Program. Through this program, which is designed to assist

rural volunteer fire departments that are ISO Class seven and above, countywide Master Fire

Plans are developed. Then follow-up funding is provided to help the participating departments

develop and improve their water supply and delivery systems. As these departments implement

their Master Fire Plans, they increase their ability to protect life and property. In many cases, the

improvements resulted in lowered ISO ratings which, in turn, resulted in lower fire insurance

premiums. Through the RFPP, $561,988 has been awarded to fire departments in the Northwest

Arkansas RC&D Council area to date. Council representatives met with all of the county rural

fire associations, providing each an activity report and update on RFPP and explaining new laws

and provisions affecting rural fire departments. Each was provided a copy of Governor Mike

Huckabee’s Report on Rural Fire Protection. More than 175 copies of the Governor’s report

were provided to fire chiefs, county judges, conservation district boards and other local leaders.

The Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council received an 80 percent matching grant from the

USDA Forest Service's and Arkansas Forestry Commission's "Economic Action Program" for a

$36,000 water feasibility study for Newton, Searcy, Northern Johnson and Northern Pope

counties. This feasibility study, to be completed in 2002, goes beyond the traditional water needs

study to address and analyze the economic benefits of meeting the water needs for adequate fire

protection as well as the potable water needs for human consumption. This ties in well with our

existing efforts to improve our rural fire departments’ emergency fire fighting capabilities

through the RFPP.

The Northwest Arkansas RC&D Council continues its support of the Searcy County Regional

Water District in its efforts to construct a water supply lake on upper Bear Creek.
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Beaver Tailwater Restoration and Habitat

Improvement

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: The principal objective of the project is to repair damage to the Beaver tailwaters

of the White River by building a floodwater release from Beaver Lake. The project, once

completed, will restore the river to its position of importance as an area for prime trout fishery.

The comprehensive program addresses restoration of the streamside environment, stream

morphology and habitat improvement.

Current Status: Ongoing. An interim report was published in December 1994. Federal

$53,216; Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission $14,811; Arkansas Game and Fish

Commission $32,000; and TVA $10,000.

Funds Needed: $0 additional

Benefits: Restoration of the river and the river environment to a quality cold-water fishery

will sustain an increased trout population and replenish a permanent population by natural

spawn.

Scheduled Completion Date: Ongoing

Sponsors: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Contact: Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation

 Commission Team Leader Ron Redman (501) 682-3915
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Water, Wastewater, Solid Waste, etc., Funded

Projects

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

1. Beaver; Carroll County; well, storage tank and water lines for the Town. (under design).

$ 86,520 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$232,000 - loan from ASWCC

2. Benton-Washington County Regional Public Water Authority (Gateway, Garfield & Lost

Bridge); water transmission line from "Two-Ton's" treatment plant to Gateway, Garfield and

Lost Bridge systems.

$ 323,420 - deferred loan from ASWCC

$ 517,500 - loan from ASWCC

$1,176,728 - loan from USDA, RD

$ 30,000 - local funds

3. Benton County Rural Development Authority:

a. Area 2; extension of water service to central Benton County including Highfill and the

Regional Airport. (connection with Two-Ton.)(Under construction).

$1,090,255 - loan from ASWCC

$ 877,560 - deferred loan from ASWCC

$1,060,000 - loan from RD

$ 37,500 - local funds

$1,000,000 – Highfill – loan from USDA, RD

$ 216,300 – additional deferred loan from ASWCC

b. Scenic Highway 12 extension (water source from Madison County Rural Water

Association) (Construction should start soon on Phase I, Coppermine area.)

$4,184,816 – loan from ASWCC

$ 226,600 – deferred loan from ASWCC

4. Bentonville #3; Benton County, rehabilitation of wastewater treatment facility (Under

construction – waiting on final inspection).

$5,500,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

5. Bentonville #4, Benton County; construction of a new wastewater treatment facility.

$24,000,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

6. Branch; Franklin County; wastewater collection and treatment system for Town. (under

construction).

$ 113,300 – loan from ASWCC

$1,109,914 – grant from ADED

$ 414,000 – loan and grant from USDA, RD
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7. Cave Springs; Benton County; water extensions to serve three areas in Cave City. (under

construction).

$541,643 – fund loan from ASWCC

$529,014 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$100,830 - local funds

8. Centerton; Benton County, extension of sewage collection lines (Schedule A) and the

replacement of older lines with inflow and infiltration problems (Schedule B). (Under

construction. Schedule A is complete and Schedule B is underway)..

$1,151,000 – loan from ASWCC

9. Centerton; Benton County, extension of water lines into rural areas outside of the City limits.

(lawsuit has been settled; under design).

$2,293,000 – loan from ASWCC

10. Centerton, Benton County; 2nd master meter and transmission line to “Two-Ton” water

source. (under design).

$193,000 – loan from ASWCC

11. Cotter; Baxter County, rehabilitate the Cotter/Gassville wastewater plant. (under

construction).

$850,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

12. Deer Community Water Association; Newton County; emergency connection to

Mockingbird Hill Water Association and to Nail-Swain Water Association, filters for the 5

existing shallow wells, development of a deep well, and a water treatment plant. (filter system

and emergency connection to Mockingbird Hill Water Association is complete. Remainder of

work is pending).

$ 206,000 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$1,032,800 – loan from USDA, RD

13. Elkins; Washington County; construction of a water storage tank. (recently completed).

$296,907 – fund loan from ASWCC

14. Eureka Springs; Carroll County; repairs to Leatherwood Dam. (project has been bid and

awarded. Waiting on Notice to Proceed.)

$103,000 – grant from ASWCC

$365,000 – loan from the private bond market

$183,655 - local funds
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Third Congressional District

15. Fayetteville; Washington County, construction of a new wastewater treatment plant in the

western part of the City, rehabilitation of the existing wastewater treatment plant in the eastern

part of the City, and rehabilitation of numerous collection sewers, interceptors, pump stations

and force mains across the City. (Memorandum of Agreement signed and approved. Facility

Plan submitted, and Environmental Information Document is being processed.)

$100,000,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

$ 25,000,000 – local funds

16. Garfield, Benton County; construct water line extensions to rural areas southeast and south of

the Town. (bids recently received).

$474,300 – loan from ASWCC

$175,100 – deferred loan from ASWCC

17. Gassville; Baxter County, rehabilitate the Cotter/Gassville wastewater plant. (under

construction).

$1,755,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

18. Gateway Public Water Authority, Benton County; extension of water lines to new customers.

$630,000 – loan from ASWCC

19. Gentry, Benton County; water line extension to serve Springtown community.

$353,900 - loan from ASWCC

20. Gentry; Benton County, water line extension to area west of Gentry. (under construction).

$ 206,000 – grant from Act 1405 of 1999 (ASWCC)

$2,800,140 – loan from USDA-RD

21. Hartford; Sebastian County; replacement of leaking water lines. (complete, except for final

payment to contractor).

$546,000 – loan from ASWCC

22. Huntington; Sebastian County, water line extensions to west portion of City for fire

protection. (under design).

$181,200 – loan from ASWCC

$103,000 – deferred loan from ASWCC

23. Huntsville; Madison County; construct collector sewer lines, a force main and replace a

grinder pump station. (almost complete).

$573,711 – loan from ASWCC

24. Lamar; Johnson County, extension of sewage collection lines. (recently completed).

$300,000 – loan from ASWCC
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Third Congressional District

25. Lincoln; Washington County; extension of water service to rural areas northwest and

southwest of the City system. ("Two-Ton" is the water source.) (transmission line to Lincoln

Rural and Westville, Oklahoma from “Two-Ton” is complete. Remainder of this large project is

underway).

$ 257,000 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$2,143,168 – loan from USDA, RD

$1,671,682 – grant from USDA, RD

$ 46,300 – local funds

26. Locke Fern & Dollard Road, Waterworks PBF, Crawford and Franklin Counties; extension

of water service to rural areas (Fort Smith is the water source.) (under design and obtaining

easements).

$ 200,000 – Act 1405 of 1999 funds – ASWCC

$1,109,500 – grant from USDA/RD

$ 980,200 – loan from USDA/RD

$ 515,000 – grant and deferred loan from ASWCC

27. London; Pope County; replacement of existing master meter between London and

Russellville. (recently completed).

$58,205 - deferred loan from ASWCC

$43,054 – loan from ASWCC

28. Lowell, Benton County, construction of sewage collection lines and a wastewater treatment

plant for the northern portion of the City.

$7,000,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

29. Madison County Waterworks Facilities Board; extension of water service near Hindsville.

$2,800,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

$ 206,000 – deferred loan from ASWCC

30. Mansfield, Sebastian County; extend sewage collection lines to serve new school. (under

design).

$200,700 – loan from ASWCC

$ 46,659 – deferred loan from ASWCC

31. Omaha; Boone County; extension of water service to rural area. (Under construction).

$2,300,000 – loan from ASWCC

32. Osage Basin Wastewater District; Benton County, land purchase and engineering for $11.3

Million wastewater treatment facility for three (3) cities. (land for treatment facility has been

purchased; design is continuing).

$257,500 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$430,000 – grant from Act 1691 of 2001 from ASWCC

 - construction funds are pending
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Third Congressional District

33. Pea Ridge; Benton County, sludge disposal from wastewater treatment plant. (recently

completed).

$117,317 – loan from ASWCC

34. Pleasant View WFB of Franklin County, Arkansas; pump station and water line to tie to the

City of Mulberry for a second water source. (under construction).

$206,000 – loan from ASWCC

35. Point Remove Wetlands and Irrigation District, Pope and Conway Counties; irrigation

project. (Under construction).

$ 150,000 - grant from ASWCC

$ 450,300 – loan from ASWCC

$ 231,905 – interim loan from ASWCC

$5,000,000 – grant from USDA, NRCS

36. RDA of Washington County – Illinois Chapel Road extensions. (under construction).

$585,000 – loan from ASWCC

$ 51,500 – deferred loan from ASWCC

37. Siloam Springs, Benton County; rehab of collection system and treatment facility. (MOA is

executed).

$6,000,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

38. Summit (Emergency); Marion County, replacement of grinder pumps and electrical panel

boxes in sewage pump stations. (under construction).

$15,450 – loan from ASWCC

39. Tontitown; Washington County, water line extension (loop) within the City. (under

construction).

$270,500 – loan from ASWCC

40. Van Buren County Water Association, Pope, Searcy and Van Buren counties; water line

extensions. (under construction).

$ 412,000 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$1,477,600 - loan from Rural Development

$3,353,400 - grant from Rural Development

$2,500,515 - grant from ADED

41. West Fork; Washington County; construction of a water storage tank. (advertised for bids).

$225,000 – loan from ASWCC

For more information, please contact:

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

David Meador (501) 682-3978
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Third Congressional District

Nonpoint Source Projects Currently Being Funded

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Johnson and Pope – Project 99-600 - Demo of Pasture Renovation: Demonstration of use of

a pasture aerator as a water quality conservation practice.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $200,070

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-03 Non-Federal Funding: $150,930

Pope – Project 99-800 - Demonstration of Streambank Restoration: Demonstration of

streambank stabilization practices in the Piney Creek Watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $36,873

Scheduled Completion Date: 02-28-03 Non-Federal Funding: $34,127

Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington – Project 99-1100 - Beaver Lake Watershed:

Assess water quality and nonpoint sources in the Beaver Lake Watershed. Develop a Watershed

Restoration Action Strategy (WRAS), technical and financial assistance for agricultural

producers, demonstration of rural roads Best Management Practices, and expansion of urban

NPS program in the Upper White River Watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $1,722,594

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $1,187,768

Benton – Project 98-1300 - Lake Eucha: Technical assistance to livestock farmers in the

Spavinaw Creek Watershed. Information/education program for NPS pollution in Benton

County.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $86,428

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-01-03 Non-Federal Funding: $76,688

Washington – Project 98-900 - Swine Waste Demonstration and Training: Development of a

training facility and technology transfer program for hog producers.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $300,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-03 Non-Federal Funding: $226,316

Washington – Project 00-400 - Mud Creek II: Urban information/education program in

Fayetteville.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $93,480

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $77,750

Washington – Project 98-600 - Illinois River BMP Implementation: Technical assistance to

livestock farmers, demonstration of whole farm planning as a conservation practice.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $250,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 03-31-03 Non-Federal Funding: $155,098
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Third Congressional District

Washington – Project 01-700 - Construction Site Erosion Control BMP Workshops:

Educate professionals about the recently promulgated Phase II storm water regulations and

current Best Management Practices for erosion control. Demonstrate the proper installation,

operation and effectiveness of construction site Best Management Practices.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $124,749

Scheduled Completion Date: 05-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $94,109

Newton and Searcy – Project 99-900 - Buffalo River Riparian Restoration: Demonstration

of conservation easements to protect and improve riparian buffers.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $215,823

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $169, 630

Washington – Project 01-1100 - Lincoln Lake: Develop a watershed management plan and

assess the problems in the implementation of Best Management Practices to insure the success of

future conservation practices.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $272,713

Scheduled Completion Date: 07-31-04 Non-Federal Funding: 206,120

Benton, Carroll, Madison, Washington – Project 01-1200 – Beaver Lake Education Project:

Generate community awareness of non-point source pollution and its impacts through public

education programs within the watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $300,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-04 Non-Federal Funding: $226,300

Benton – Project 01-1300 – Watershed Approach to Onsite Wastewater: Assess the impacts

of urbanization and urban onsite wastewater systems to aid in the development of urban nonpoint source pollution management plans.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $73,469

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $57,198

Newton – Project 01-1800 – Buffalo River Cost Share

Technical and financial assistance to landowners in the watershed to utilize Best Management

Practices to minimize nutrients and sediment impacts to streams and water bodies within the

watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $128,500

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $32,125

Benton – Project 01-2000 – Spavinaw Creek CNMP Cost Share: Technical and financial

assistance to landowners in the watershed to utilize Best Management Practices to minimize

nutrients impacts within the watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $298,580

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $153,400
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Third Congressional District

Johnson, Newton, Pope – Project 01-2200 – Piney Creek Roadside Erosion Project

Utilization of Best Management practices and hydro-seeding along roadsides to minimize

erosion and sediment from entering the Piney Creek Watershed

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $110,240

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-04 Non-Federal Funding: $27,560

Scott – Project 02-300 – Poteau River: Technical and financial assistance for farmers in the

Poteau River Watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $241,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-2005 Non-Federal Funding: $108,500

Washington – Project 02-500 – Ballard Creek BMP Implementation: Technical transfer,

assistance, education and financial assistance for farmers in the Ballard Watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $436,470

Scheduled Completion Date: 01-31-2005 Non-Federal Funding: $109,118

Carroll – Project 02-600 – Table Rock Tributaries: Technical, financial assistance, and

equipment for BMP implementation in the Table Rock Lake Watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $380,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 09-30-2004 Non-Federal Funding: $100,435

Newton – Project 02-700 – Buffalo River Watershed Dairy Assistance Program: Technical

and financial assistance for farmers in the Buffalo River Watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $132,043

Scheduled Completion Date: 07-31-2005 Non-Federal Funding: $91,406

Benton – Project 02-900 – Rogers Greenway Development: Technical assistance for the City

of Rogers to demonstrated the use of greenways as a method to control and reduce urban

Nonpoint source pollution in the Illinois River Watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $490,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 07-31-2006 Non-Federal Funding: $378,000

Washington – Project 02-1200 – Beaver Lake Watershed Decision Support: Technical

assistance to provide viable management strategies for Nonpoint source pollution managers with

in the Beaver Lake Watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $269,973

Scheduled Completion Date: 07-31-2005 Non-Federal Funding: $205,909
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Third Congressional District

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts

Contributions

Conservation Districts Local State Other Total

Benton County CD $4,000 $10,544 $9,567 $24,111

Boone County CD 6,203 13,006 5,921 25,157

Carroll County CD 4,000 30,155 7,001 41,156

Crawford County CD 9,246 19,018 6,102 34,384

Crooked Creek SWCD (Marion County) 2,205 41,378 56,451 100,034

Franklin County SWCD 14,009 31,748 6,032 51,868

Johnson County CD 16,204 28,455 6,132 50,791

Madison County SWCD 3,000 70,298 6,124 79,422

Newton County SWCD 8,000 80,417 5,272 93,689

Pope County CD 20,805 118,591 10,150 14,545

Sebastian County CD 18,750 18,750 19,414 88,807

Washington County CD 15,000 102,715 3,477 121,192

Totals $121,422 $565,075 $141,643 $725,156

(CD = Conservation District)

(SWCD = Soil and Water Conservation District)
4th Congressional District
Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Table of Contents

Page

Introduction 4-1

Census of Agriculture Data 4-2

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Bayou Meto Project 4-3

Boeuf-Tensas Project 4-4

Gould Portion of Grady-Gould Watershed (Structural) 4-5

Little River Cooperative River Basin Studies 4-6

Maniece Bayou Irrigation Project 4-7

North Fork of Ozan Creek Watershed (Structural) 4-8

Ozan Creeks Watershed (Structural) 4-9

Plant Materials Center 4-10

Upper Petit Jean Watershed 4-11

Walnut Bayou Irrigation Project 4-12

Farm Bill Programs 4-13

Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and Development Council Activities 4-14

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Water, Wastewater, Solid Waste, etc., Funded Projects 4-18

Nonpoint Source Projects Currently Being Funded 4-24

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts (Contributions) 4-25
4-1

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Introduction

Water quality and quantity are critical natural resource issues in the Fourth Congressional

District. Local conservation district directors work with land users to save what is left in the

alluvial aquifer, which is the region's major source of irrigation and drinking water.

The alluvial aquifer has provided 85 percent of the irrigation water needed in the area since the

early 1980s; however, the ground water recharge has been unable to keep pace with the

tremendous demand for water. Additionally, rainfall has been unable to replenish the falling

water tables. According to water experts, water tables have dropped rapidly in the aquifer, in the

range of one to two feet per year in many locations. The Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation

Commission designated portions of six counties in central and eastern Arkansas as Critical

Ground water Depletion Areas. (The designation is under appeal.)

All or part of four active irrigation districts are in the southeastern region of the state. The

irrigation districts, which include Bayou Meto, Boeuf-Tensas, Grand Prairie and Plum Bayou

offer hope of keeping producers in business and, in Plum Bayou, are providing irrigation water.

Local residents support these projects. Many of them met with local conservation district

directors to identify irrigation and other natural resource needs in the District.

Unlike the water quantity needs in the southeastern region of the District, water quality is the

primary natural resource concern in the southwestern region. Legislation has been passed to

ensure lakes and streams in the area maintain their present condition or return to their previous

quality. Conservation district directors responded by addressing animal waste management of

livestock, poultry and swine operations.

Programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives

Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program continued to

assist in the preservation and proper management of natural resources in 2002.
4-2

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Census of Agriculture Data

Land in Farm Acres, Numbers of Farms/Average Acres, Total Acres of

Cropland and Irrigated Acres

County Land in

Farm Acres

# of

Farms

Average

Acres

Total Acres

Cropland

Irrigated

Acres

Ashley 165,826 299 555 138,220 90,966

Bradley 28,900 249 116 14,642 1,242

Calhoun 17,622 112 157 10,354 76

Chicot 287,962 361 798 253,709 116,473

Clark 96,301 376 256 50,509 1,954

Cleveland 32,824 222 148 13,609 27

Columbia 57,683 313 184 26,114 213

Dallas 23,228 121 192 9,109 4

Desha 275,954 302 914 257,230 159,403

Drew 122,552 342 358 93,855 49,007

Garland 43,471 360 121 20,524 80

Grant 32,519 215 151 15,818 7

Hempstead 189,435 752 252 89,581 859

Hot Spring 75,305 447 168 37,106 1,101

Howard 108,020 656 165 53,534 1,644

Jefferson 288,655 362 797 258,344 146,774

Lafayette 97,701 261 374 66,707 10,345

Lincoln 184,232 292 631 155,781 98,176

Little River 146,344 381 384 83,228 925

Logan 199,294 953 209 106,932 1,112

Miller 154,096 502 307 105,300 8,352

Montgomery 74,260 417 178 36,043 216

Nevada 72,810 372 196 36,642 117

Ouachita 29,449 177 166 13,164 0

Pike 73,211 406 180 32,985 679

Polk 133,203 850 157 61,327 680

Scott 115,733 655 177 56,275 0

Sevier 133,466 588 227 63,217 1,315

Union 34,150 281 122 13,667 0

Totals 3,294,206 11,624 288 2,173,526 691,747

Information from 1997 Census of Agriculture Data
4-3

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Bayou Meto Project

Cooperative with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis and Vicksburg

districts, and the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: Develop a plan to protect ground water resources in eastern Arkansas by

providing a sustained water supply for irrigation, fish farming and enhancement of fish and

wildlife habitat.

Current Status: The Natural Resources Conservation Service, in cooperation with irrigation

and conservation districts and the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission,

completed the initial on-farm portion of the plan. The Corps of Engineers is nearing completion

of planning for the irrigation delivery system, flood control and drainage analysis. The Natural

Resources Conservation Service made approximately $460,000 of Environmental Quality

Incentives Program financial assistance available to individuals within this area during 2002 and

expects continued use of this program by farmers during 2003.

Funds Needed: $10 million in financial assistance is needed each year after the plan is

completed to assist farmers with on-farm conservation practice installation. Approximately $1.2

million in technical assistance is needed annually. Total estimated project cost is more than $318

million, including the delivery system.

Benefits: The project provides an adequate water supply for 431,000 acres of cropland.

Additionally, 55,000 acres of cropland will be flooded in the fall and winter for waterfowl.

Scheduled Completion Date: The on-farm portion of the resource management plan for this

area was completed and delivered to the sponsors in FY97. The target date for final plan

completion is directly related to Corps of Engineers and Natural Resources Conservation Service

funding and staffing.

Sponsor: Bayou Meto Regional Irrigation Water Distribution District

Counties: Arkansas, Jefferson, Lonoke and Prairie

Contacts: State Conservationist Kalven Trice (501) 301-3110

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

State Conservation Engineer Tony Stevenson (501) 301-3141

Irrigation District Executive Director Gene Sullivan (501) 676-7420

Irrigation District Chairman Gary Canada (501) 842-2555

Conservation District Director:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Jefferson Ron Blankenship Levell Foote (870) 534-3200, ext. 112
4-4

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Boeuf-Tensas Project

Cooperative with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District and

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: The project area, which includes approximately 1.2 million acres of which

800,000 acres are cropland, is experiencing ground water declines and serious salinity problems.

Current Status: The Vicksburg District of the Corps of Engineers began the initial planning

phase of this project and the state of Arkansas and local sponsors provided the necessary

matching funds. The ACP is participating in this planning effort.

Funds Needed: Continued support for funding of approximately $1.4 million in FY03 and

FY04 is needed for the Corps of Engineers and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to

meet the planning schedule. Local sponsors and the State of Arkansas have raised $800,000 to

match federal funds for planning. Local and state matching funds of this magnitude and greater

are needed in future years.

Benefits: An adequate irrigation water supply for more than 800,000 acres of cropland,

preserves drinking water for rural communities, and includes wildlife enhancement measures.

Scheduled Completion Date: Detailed planning started. Completion date has not been set.

Sponsors: Ashley County Conservation District Boeuf-Tensas Irrigation District

Chicot County Conservation District Desha County Conservation District

Drew County Conservation District Jefferson County Conservation District

Lincoln County Conservation District

Counties: Chicot and Desha--portions of Ashley, Drew, Jefferson and Lincoln

Contacts: State Conservationist Kalven Trice (501) 301-4110

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

State Conservation Engineer Tony Stevenson (501) 301-3141

District Executive Director Ann Cash (870) 222-6595

Conservation District Directors:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Ashley Eddie Scherm Bryan Hollis (870) 853-9881, ext. 110

Chicot Herman Berkemeyer Reginald Liddell (870) 265-5312, ext. 107

Desha William Teeter Gwen Handcock (870) 222-4867, ext. 111

Drew Gary Shrum Ron Hayes (870) 367-3446

Jefferson Ron Blankenship Levell Foote (870) 534-3200, ext. 112

Lincoln L. E. Branson Jr. Robert Hankins (870) 628-4542, ext. 113
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Gould Portion of Grady-Gould Watershed

(Structural)

Description: This project addresses flood damages to the low-income, minority community of

Gould by using channel work and nonstructural measures.

Current Status: The channel design is complete. Community leaders and the sponsors are

obtaining land rights so channel construction can begin. A significant obstacle is the cost of

replacing a railroad bridge.

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

meet the state's request.

Benefits: The project benefits 1,030 minorities. When implemented, it will provide flood

protection to cropland, 91 homes and 11 businesses in Gould.

Scheduled Completion Date: 2006

Sponsors: Desha County Conservation District

Lincoln County Conservation District

Counties: Desha and Lincoln

Contact: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Conservation District Directors:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Desha William Teeter Gwen Handcock (870) 222-4867, ext. 111

Lincoln L. E. Branson Jr. Robert Hankins (870) 628-4542, ext. 113
4-6

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Little River Cooperative River Basin Study

Description: This study addresses water quality concerns in drainage area above Lake

Millwood, a public water supply.

Current Status: An early report for review was completed in April 1998. Substantial revisions

and staffing changes have delayed final draft.

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

meet the state's request for basin studies.

Benefits: Protection of the public water supply in Lake Millwood.

Scheduled Completion Date: September 2003

Sponsors: Cossatot Conservation District

Hempstead County Soil and Water Conservation District

Little River County Conservation District

Mine Creek Soil and Water Conservation District

Counties: Hempstead, Howard, Little River and Sevier.

Contacts: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Field Operations Ray Linder (870) 367-8400, ext. 6

Conservation District Directors:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Hempstead Bobby Webb Gary Childress (870) 777-8800, ext. 110

Howard Francis Bell Clint Ramsey (870) 845-4121, ext. 107

Little River Dwayne Raper Russell Fleharty (870) 898-3611, ext. 106

Polk Ed Stevenson Merle Metcalf (479) 394-1782, ext. 103

Sevier Don Stemple Stephen Swall (870) 584-3111, ext. 104
4-7

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Maniece Bayou Irrigation Project

Cooperative with Lafayette County Conservation District and Arkansas Soil and

Water Conservation Commission

Description: This irrigation project area is located in Lafayette County, Arkansas. The project

area includes about 20,000 acres of potentially irrigated acres.

Current Status: An irrigation district has not been formed, however, a Board of Directors has

been initiated and by-laws developed. There is great interest in developing an irrigation system

to deliver surface water to the area from the Red River. The local sponsors are attempting to

obtain $150,000 in funding for planning the project.

Funds Needed: Funding is needed in the amount of $150,000 for FY04 to complete a

feasibility study.

Benefits: This project supplies water for 20,000 acres of cropland.

Scheduled Completion Date: Dependent upon funding.

Sponsor: Lafayette County Conservation District

Southwest Arkansas RC&D Council, Inc.

Counties: Lafayette

Contacts: State Conservationist Kalven Trice (501) 301-3110

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

State Conservation Engineer Tony Stevenson (501) 301-3141

Conservation District Chairman Lile Kitchens (870) 921-4990

Southwest Arkansas RC&D Council Charlie Williams (870) 863-5678

Conservation District Director:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Lafayette Gayther Crank Che Gordon (870) 921-4206, ext. 107
4-8

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

North Fork of Ozan Creek Watershed (Structural)

Description: To protect agricultural land from flooding, eight single-purpose floodwaterretarding structures and 18 miles of channel were to be constructed.

Current Status: Construction is complete on six floodwater-retarding structures. The planned

channel was modified and selective clearing and snagging performed on 18 miles of channel,

improving drainage while maintaining the integrity of the channel. The City of Nashville is

considering using one of the remaining sites as a municipal water supply. Natural Resources

Conservation Service representatives met with the Mayor of Nashville and other city officials to

discuss the possibility of Site 6 as a municipal water supply site. The city is currently looking at

alternatives for new water supply sources and is very interested in the project. The other site lies

within the Southwest Proving Grounds and the Improvement District requested the Corps of

Engineers perform a search for unexploded ordinance to prepare for construction of the site.

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

meet the state's request for funding.

Benefits: The project provides flood protection to cropland, pastureland and rural residents.

Scheduled Completion Date: 2010

Sponsor: North Fork of Ozan Creek Improvement District

Counties: Hempstead, Howard and Pike

Contacts: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Field Operations Ray Linder (870) 367-8400, ext. 6

Project Engineer Pat Henry (870) 777-8800, ext. 6

Chairman, North Fork of Ozan

 Improvement District Ava Nell Harris (870) 845-4134

Conservation District Director:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Howard Francis Bell Clint Ramsey (870) 845-4121, ext. 107
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Ozan Creeks Watershed (Structural)

Description: To protect agricultural land from flooding, 22 single-purpose floodwater-retarding

structures are to be installed.

Current Status: To date a total of eight floodwater-retarding structures have been constructed.

Site 15 was completed in August 2001 at a cost of $486,700.

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

meet the state's request for funding. Funds in the amount of $726,000 were requested for FY03

to construct Site 12. Additional funds will be needed for additional sites in future years.

Benefits: The project provides flood protection to cropland and pastureland.

Scheduled Completion Date: 2008

Sponsor: Ozan Creeks Watershed Improvement District

County: Hempstead

Contacts: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Field Operations Ray Linder (870) 367-8400, ext. 6

Project Engineer Pat Henry (870) 777-8800, ext. 6

Conservation District Director:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Hempstead Bobby Webb Gary Childress (870) 777-8800, ext. 110
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Plant Materials Center

Separate Facilities for Booneville Plant Materials Center and Agricultural

Research Service

Description: The Booneville Plant Materials Center and Agricultural Research Service

currently share the same building.

Current Status: Offices have become very crowded. Land adjacent to the present ARS

building is currently available.

Funds Needed: One time line item--$240,000.

Benefits: Higher efficiency by PMC and ARS staff.

Scheduled Completion Date: Dependent upon appropriation of funds.

County: Logan

Contacts: State Resource Conservationist Jim Caudle (501) 301-3122

Plant Material Center Manager Randy King (501) 675-5182
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Upper Petit Jean Watershed

Description: This PL 83-566 project involves seven single-purpose floodwater retarding

structures and one multipurpose structure (flood control and municipal and industrial water) to

provide agricultural flood protection and a water supply for Booneville. Three structures,

including the multipurpose structure have been built. In recent years, sponsors have taken

measures to build Site 3 as a program neutral project.

Current Status: Public water supplies in Waldron and Booneville, Arkansas are at or nearing

capacity. In 1999, the sponsors requested the Natural Resources Conservation Service proceed

with a plan supplement and revised Environmental Impact Statement to add municipal and

industrial water supply to Site 3. In 2002, $150,000 was provided to NRCS to continue planning

the project as a "program neutral" project. The sponsor's consultant's preliminary estimate of the

total project cost for the flood control and water supply project is $21.2 million. . 

Funds Needed: Continued support is needed for national funding of the PL 83-566 program to

meet the state's request for funding. The sponsor has indicated the desire to continue program

neutral planning for Site 3. In FY03, at least $150,000 is needed to continue work on the EIS

update and planning work by the consultant. 

Benefits: In addition to municipal and industrial water supplies, this project provides flood

protection of agricultural land and prevents sediment and erosion in the floodplain.

Scheduled Completion Date: September 2004 for the Plan/EIS, depending on funding.

Sponsors: City of Booneville

Logan County Conservation District

Scott County Conservation District

Sebastian County Conservation District

Upper Petit Jean Improvement Project Area

Counties: Logan, Scott and Sebastian

Contact: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

Conservation District Directors:

County Directors Conservationist Phone

Logan James Hawkins Bill Pugh (501) 963-2612, ext. 108

Scott (Ft. Smith SC) Ann Blythe vacant (501) 646-8300, ext. 111

Phillip Holloway

Sebastian W. D. Looper vacant (501) 646-8300, ext. 111
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

(SC = Service Center)
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Walnut Bayou Irrigation Project

Cooperative with Little River Conservation District and Arkansas Soil and Water

Conservation Commission

Description: This irrigation project is located in Little River County, Arkansas. The project

area includes approximately 25,000 acres of potentially irrigated cropland.

Current Status: A temporary district has been formed and a permanent irrigation district

should be formed by March 2003. The local sponsors obtained $100,000 in funding for project

planning through the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission in FY01 and an

additional $125,000 in NRCS earmarked funds in FY02. In FY03, $175,000 is needed to

complete the Plan/Environmental Assessment and design of Phase I.

Funds Needed: A feasibility study has been completed and presented to the Steering

Committee and District Board. The plan/environmental assessment is underway. It is estimated

that approximately $10.5 million is needed to construct this project beginning in FY04. Project

construction could be phased in three phases costing between $3 million to $4 million each.

Sponsors need an additional $125,000 for legal expenses, design study, and easements in FY03.

Benefits: This project supplies water for 23,500 acres of cropland and enhanced waterfowl

habitat.

Scheduled Completion Date: The plan/Environmental Assessment will be completed in FY

2003, pending funding. Completion of project depends on availability of construction funding.

Geologic investigation fieldwork has been completed.

Sponsor: Little River County Conservation District

County: Little River

Contacts: State Conservationist Kalven Trice (501) 301-3110

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139

State Conservation Engineer Tony Stevenson (501) 301-3141

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Field Operations Ray Linder (870) 367-8400, ext. 6

Conservation District Director Otto Cowling (870) 898-3611

Temporary Board Chairman Ottis McElhannon (870)542-6879

Conservation District Directors:

County Director Conservationist Phone

Little River Dwayne Raper, Chairman Russell Fleharty (870) 898-3611, ext. 102

Little River Otto Cowling, Sec./Treas.
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Farm Bill Programs

Environmental Quality Incentives Program - 2002

District Participants

Funded

Dollars Funded Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

Fourth 127 1,828,781 260 2,131,430

Statewide 1,127 $6,837,387 2,787 $17,689,860

Forestry Incentives Program - 2002

District Funds

Obligated

Contracts

Funded

Acres

Treated

Fourth 364,239 167 2,646

Statewide $599,195 305 7,197

Wetlands Reserve Program - 2002

District Participants Acres in

Program

Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

Fourth 49 41,373 70 18,568,041

Statewide 261 122,947 283 $89,568,046

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program - 2002

District Participants Dollars Funded Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

Fourth 9 3,030 72 194,816

Statewide 84 $465,002 342 $1,243,627
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Resource Conservation and Development Activities

Arkansas River Valley RC&D - Conway, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Montgomery,

Polk, Pope, Scott, Sebastian and Yell counties

Central Arkansas RC&D - Faulkner, Garland, Hot Spring, Lonoke, Monroe, Perry, Prairie,

Phillips, Pulaski and Saline counties

East Arkansas RC&D - Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Greene, Lee, Mississippi, Poinsett,

St. Francis and Woodruff counties

Northwest Arkansas RC&D - Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Newton,

Searcy and Washington counties

Ozark Foothills RC&D - Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph,

Sharp, Stone, Van Buren and White counties

Southeast Arkansas RC&D - Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha, Drew,

Grant, Jefferson and Lincoln counties

Southwest Arkansas RC&D - Calhoun, Clark, Columbia, Dallas, Hempstead, Howard,

Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, Ouachita, Pike, Sevier and Union counties

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D Council is a sponsor of the Point Remove Wetlands

Reclamation and Irrigation Project in Pope and Conway counties. Point Remove is a 32,000-

acre, water conservation and wildlife management project that will help restore wetlands wildlife

habitat in the area and provide irrigation water for approximately 11,000 acres. This is a

cooperative effort with the improvement district, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Ducks

Unlimited, local people, Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission, and NRCS. As part

of the project, Ducks Unlimited constructed a water management weir, at an estimated cost of

$260,000. Phase 1A of the water delivery system has been completed by NRCS. Work on Phase

1B will be completed in the summer of 2003. Estimated cost of the project is $8 million.

134 fire departments in the Arkansas River Valley RC&D Area are participating in the Rural

Fire Protection Program. The state has made approximately $6 million available to improve fire

protection in rural areas. The project emphasizes water supply and delivery for fire protection.

The first step in the program is to develop master fire protection plans for all counties wishing to

participate. Funds are then made available to address the needs identified in the plans. Those

counties participating are improving their ability to protect life and property. 150 of 740 rural fire

departments have reduced their ISO rating. These improvements have resulted in insurance

premium savings of over $22 million annually, with potential savings near $250 million

annually.

Each year the Arkansas River Valley RC&D sponsors an FFA field day at the Booneville

Fairgrounds. Over 800 students from 40 schools compete in horticulture, forestry, Soils, crops,

livestock, dairy cattle, poultry, and other areas. Awards are given in each area. This is a

cooperative effort that involves volunteers several local, state, and federal agencies, along with

about 50 local volunteers. The field day is growing each year, with schools from as far away as

Gurdon to the south and Bruno-Pyatt to the north attending.
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

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Fourth Congressional District

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D Area received 2 grants totaling $4,000 for the

Milltown/Washburn Community Building. These funds were pooled with local contributions to

match a $15,000 State Office of Rural Services Grant for the construction of a community

building. Milltown and Washburn are unincorporated communities in Sebastian County. 

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D received a donation of commercial property for the Petit

Jean Regional Foundation. This property was held until the foundation obtained its 501(c)3

status, then transferred to the foundation. A manufacturer that is expected to employ 50 to 100

people in Franklin and Logan counties is now occupying the property. With the proceeds used to

benefit local non-profit activities.

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D council assisted community leaders and public officials,

concerned about the area's economic future form the SEBASCOTT Economic Development

Council. This is a community organization that serves Sebastian and Scott Counties. The

Arkansas River Valley RC&D helped Sebascott develop a strategic plan for the area. The

process encouraged all citizens of the area to participate in setting goals and actions to improve

the quality of life in their communities. The Strategic Plan has been completed and is being

implemented. Some of the projects that have resulted from this process are Water system

improvements for Hartford. This project was completed this year. A $225,000 inter-modal

transportation (ICT) grant for main street improvements in Mansfield. Another grant is expected

next year. Extending water and Natural Gas service to about 100 rural homes in North Scott

county. The water lines and gas lines were laid in the same trench, reducing construction costs.

Incidentally, this was the first city water in rural areas of Scott County. Water lines were

extended to a youth facility south of Mansfield, this also serves 60 families along the way.

Extending water service to about 600 previously unserved homes in the south Sebastian area. To

cover most all of the previously unserved families in the water district.

The Arkansas River Valley RC&D Council is assisting with planning and coordination of the

Logan-Scott County rural water supply project. This is an estimated $18 million cooperative

project between Booneville, Waldron, Mansfield, and rural water districts in Logan and Scott

counties to develop a regional water supply. A feasibility study funded by the cities and the

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission found development of Upper Petit

Watershed Site #3 is the most cost effective alternative. The city of Waldron has a critical water

shortage and Booneville is working to address their situation before it becomes an emergency.

Approximately 90 percent of Scott County’s rural areas are without good quality water. This

project will provide treated water to these rural areas.

The Central Arkansas RC&D Council completed the initial four contracts of the Phillips

County Community Improvement Project, a $2.8 million appropriation aimed at enhancing storm

water drainage within four low-income communities in Phillips County. Through contractual

savings the Central Arkansas RC&D Council had $500,000 in discretionary funds remaining

which will be used for further drainage work in Lakeview, West Helena, Lexa, and Elaine.

Construction should begin April 2003, and be complete by October 2003.
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

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Fourth Congressional District

The Central Arkansas RC&D Council opened the Delta Resource Information Center in April

2002. The mission of the DRIC is to aid the delta in providing technical assistance in the

development of economic, social, and natural resources of the delta region of the Mississippi

River. Thus far the DRIC has provided computer training to over 85 individuals within Phillips

County. The DRIC is also in the process of inventorying existing business and industry within

four counties of the delta in search of additional value added industries for the area. The DRIC is

also in the process of restoring over 2,000 acres of wetlands in the delta through the Emergency

Watershed Protection Program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The Southeast Arkansas RC&D Council adopted five new projects in 2002, including Tarry

Community Park, West-Saline Rural Water Extension project, Jordan Park Swimming Pool

Renovation project, Monticello Swim Team Pool project, and the Lacy-Ladelle Volunteer Fire

Department Station/Community Center project.

The Southeast Arkansas RC&D Council also assisted with various grant searches and

applications, and provided technical assistance for grant applications for the Tarry Community

Park, Lacy-Ladelle VFD, and the Drew County Conservation District. Grant searches were made

for all projects as well as for local individuals needing help.

In Cleveland County the Southeast Arkansas RC&D Council has been working closely with a

group of individuals trying to obtain rural water. Most of the individuals in the West-Saline

Water Extension project are elderly and. because of health reasons, cannot work on their wells,

especially during the winter months. The council is working with this group to secure rural water

from either the West-Saline Water Association or the Kingsland Water Association.

The Southeast Arkansas RC&D Council worked closely with the Lacy-Ladelle VFD to assist

them in their organization and establishment. In 2002, the VFD was officially organized. They

have already received two fire trucks through the Arkansas Forestry Commission and are trying

to secure a third. There are approximately 15 individuals who have received training and have

become certified fire fighters. The council is currently assisting the VFD with securing funding

for the main fire station/community center.

The Southeast Arkansas RC&D Council continues to participate in the Rural Fire Protection

Program. In 2002, 11 volunteer fire departments received funding through this program for a

total of $45,274.00 in Southeast Arkansas. In addition, new master fire plans were developed for

the Southeast Lincoln County Fire Department and the Wells Bayou Fire Department.

The Southwest Arkansas RC&D Council continues participation in the Rural Fire Protection

Program. The Council assisted in administration of $118,855 in grant funds to 37 fire

departments in FY 2002. To date, 13 Southwest Arkansas RCD Counties are now participating

in the program.

The Southwest Arkansas RC&D Council is currently assisting Lower Little River Watershed

Coalition. The coalition, comprised of Howard, Hempstead, Little River, Miller, Polk and Sevier
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

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Fourth Congressional District

Counties, formed to provide leadership to protect water quality in the Lower Littler River

Watershed in Southwest Arkansas. The council was productive in assisting the Coalition in

holding Four public input meeting, Development of Coalition Bylaws, Development of coalition

Articles of Incorporation and documents for attaining an IRS 501© 3 tax status.

The Southwest Arkansas RC&D Council is continuing assistance to the Walnut Bayou

Irrigation Project. The purpose is to provide an alternative to ground water for crop irrigation for

25,000 acres. To date the Council assisted the Project in facilitating public information meeting

on watershed feasibility study findings, project construction alternatives and district formation

requirements. Upon review of facts provided at the information meetings, the landowners agreed

to forge ahead with procedures toward forming an Irrigation Water Improvement District.

Toward these efforts, the Council has assisted project sponsors in obtaining $525,000. 

The Southwest Arkansas RC&D Council is continuing to assist the Maniece Bayou Irrigation

Project. The purpose is to provide an alternative to ground water for crop irrigation for 50,000

acres. To date the Council assisted with forming a project steering committee that will take

actions towards obtaining adequate resources to conduct a project feasibility study. The group

has developed bylaws, held project information meetings and reviewed Arkansas Watershed

Improvement District Formation code.

The Southwest Arkansas RC&D Council assisted in providing Agriculture Value Added

Initiative program criterion to an agriculture producer. The Council provided further assistance

by conducting a fact-finding study on USDA Value Added Initiative, made fact-finding study

conclusion presentation to agriculture producer, and assisted in development of Agriculture

Producer Value Added funding application.
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

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Fourth Congressional District

Water, Wastewater, Solid Waste, etc., Funded

Projects

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

1. Blevins, Hempstead County; emergency repair of water supply well (repair is complete).

$20,085 – grant from ASWCC

2. Boeuf-Tensas Regional Irrigation Water Distribution District, Ashley, Drew, Chicot, Desha

and Jefferson counties; coordinate and prepare a study of a multipurpose flood control and

comprehensive agricultural water supply including system of distribution channels for irrigation.

$1,115,450 - grant from ASWCC 

$7,750,000 – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District

3. Bradley County, AR WFB; Corinth-Valley, extension of water service from Warren east

across the Saline River.

$292,900 – loan from ASWCC

$154,500 – deferred loan from ASWCC

4. Camden, Ouachita County; modifications to water treatment plant. (under construction).

$8,500,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

$1,500,000 – EDA grant

5. Chicot-Desha River Agricultural & Industrial Development Corp., Chicot County; well, water

storage tank and water lines to serve the Yellow Bend Port facility from Dermott. (almost

complete).

$ 51,500 – loan from ASWCC

$ 51,500 – grant from ASWCC

$600,000 – grant from EDFCOA

6. Clark County Conservation District, Clark County; construction and equipping of new District

Office to be located in Arkadelphia. (recently completed).

$500,000 – Legislative grant under Act 1405 of 1999

$150,000 – Legislative grant under Act 1691 of 2001

7. Cove; Polk County, sewage collection and treatment system. (under construction).

$ 52,530 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$2,248,500 – loan and grant from USDA, RD

8. Cove; Polk County, construction of a water storage tank.

$103,000 – loan from ASWCC

$103,000 – grant from ASWCC
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

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Fourth Congressional District

9. Crossett, Ashley County; rehabilitation of the sewage collection system and modifications to

the wastewater treatment plant. (under construction).

$5,000,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

10. Dorcheat Waterworks Facilities Board of Columbia County; develop a new water supply

well. (Three test wells have been drilled. Capacity is available in the third test hole. Well is

being developed.)

$100,000 – loan from ASWCC

$103,000 – deferred loan from ASWCC

11. Fountain Hill, Ashley County; rural water extension (project construction is complete except

for repair of an electrical problem).

$ 191,168 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$2,832,800 - loan and grant from USDA-RD

12. Glenwood, Pike County; rehab of wastewater treatment facility.

$3,500,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

13. Glenwood, Pike County; water service to rural customers.

$4,500,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

14. Hamburg, Ashley County; extension of water service to 750 new customers in area north and

west of Hamburg. (Under construction).

$ 231,750 - deferred loan from ASWCC

$2,856,915 - loan from RD

$2,513,085 - grant from RD

$ 75,000 - local funds

15. Hampton; Calhoun County

a. sewer line repairs and pump station upgrade treatment plant and filter modification.

$903,360. – loan from ASWCC (recently completed).

b. new elevated water storage tank and repairs to well No. 1 (recently completed).

$321,134 – loan from ASWCC

$ 73,130 – deferred loan from ASWCC

16. Hot Spring County WA, rural water extension into the Brown’s Spring and the Whitherspoon

Communities. (under construction).

$ 103,000 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$ 61,800 – additional deferred loan from ASWCC

 $1,352,000 - loan and grant from USDA-RD
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

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Fourth Congressional District

17. Humphrey; Jefferson County; construction of treatment plant and storage tank. (under

construction).

$650,000 – loan from ASWCC

$ 92,700 – deferred loan from ASWCC

18. Little River County RDA; water service to rural customers.

$6,800,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

19. Magnolia, Columbia County; water treatment plant expansion, raw water storage and

distribution system improvements. (under construction).

$4,000,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

$1,000,000 – grant from EDA

20. Magnolia, Columbia County; sewage interceptor in northeast portion of City to relieve

sewage overflows. (recently completed).

$126,690 – loan from ASWCC

21. Magnolia, Columbia County; repair of emergency spillway for Lake Columbia (source

water). (recently completed).

$24,775 – grant and loan from ASWCC

$12,250 – loan from ASWCC

22. Malvern, Hot Spring County; intake structure on Ouachita River, sedimentation basin,

distribution lines, water storage tank and treatment plant. (Litigation is pending for intake

structure and treatment plant. Water storage tank and water lines are now complete.)

$20,000,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

($4,000,000 for the tank and water lines have been expended.)

23. Malvern, Hot Spring County; construction of new wastewater treatment plant. (Complete, in

project performance).

$6,520,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

24. Mena; Polk County, extension of rural water service to the Board Camp Community.

(obtaining easements; probably will be advertised early in 2003).

$ 980,000 – bond loan from ASWCC

$2,184,470 – grant from ADED

$ 7,000 – local funds

25. Mitchellville, Desha County; rehab of wastewater treatment facility. (Project has been bid –

bids are all too high – project pending).

$77,250 – grant from ASWCC

$77,250 – deferred loan from ASWCC
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26. Monticello, Drew County; new well and water storage in northwest portion of the City.

(under construction).

$1,200,000 – loan from ASWCC

27. Murfreesboro, Pike County; modifications to water treatment plant. (under construction).

$3,000,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

28. Nashville, Howard County; upgrade of the water treatment plant.

$5,000,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

29. North Garland County Regional Water Distribution District; extension of water service.

$158,800 – loan from ASWCC

$ 46,453 – deferred loan from ASWCC

30. Oden, Montgomery County; develop a shallow well for temporary water supply. (Well will

not be drilled.) (Oden will connect to Acorn Water Association for source water in the future;

funding is pending).

$15,553 – grant from ASWCC

31. Paron Water Corporation, Inc., Saline County; upsize water line to accommodate fire

hydrants. (recently completed).

$7,210 – grant from ASWCC

32. Pine Bluff SID #39, Jefferson County; extension of sewage collection lines. (under

construction).

$1,400,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

33. Plum Bayou Levee District, Jefferson and Pulaski counties; replacing deteriorated culverts.

$250,000 - grant from Legislature - 1997

34. Prescott, Nevada County Rural Water System; construction of a rural water system.

(obtaining easements).

$1,531,500 - loan from ASWCC

$2,633,495 – grant from ADED

35. Quad County Public Facilities Board of Hot Spring County; Grant, Saline, Hot Spring and

Garland Counties; interim loan for $1.0 Million connection fee to Malvern for purchase of

treatment plant site and $500,000 for engineering and right-of-way expenses; $20 Million for

construction of transmission line, pump stations and storage tanks. (litigation and local politics

in Saline County may delay or stop this project). This project is also located in the Second

Congressional District. Also, still waiting on 404 Permit from the COE.

$1,500,000 – 2 year interim loan from ASWCC ($535,000 expended for land purchase).

Up to $20,000,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

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Fourth Congressional District

36. Redfield, Jefferson County; construction of water storage tank and booster pump station.

(under design).

$574,700 – loan from ASWCC

37. Smackover, Union County; extend sewage collection lines to unsewered area of the City and

repair old lines throughout collection system. (under construction).

$795,800 –loan from ASWCC

$623,400 – grant from ADED

38. Southwest Arkansas Water System, Inc.; Hempstead and Howard Counties; extension of

water service to McNabb, Saratoga, Columbus, Cross-Roads, Springhill, and other rural areas.

Water source is Hope. (under construction).

$ 206,000 – grant from Act 1405 of 1999

$2,272,930 – grant from USDA, RD

$1,830,070 – loan from USDA, RD

$ 44,000 – local funds

39. Strong, Union County; replacement well.

$128,750 – loan from ASWCC

40. Texarkana, Miller County; consolidation of two rural water systems.

$4,000,000 – DWSRF loan from ASWCC

41. Texarkana, Miller County; new wastewater plant on north side and line rehab (in project

performance).

$4,100,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

42. Texarkana #2, Miller County; new wastewater plant on north side and line rehab (in project

performance).

$750,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

43. Texarkana #3, Miller County; line work rehab. (College Hill area under construction).

$1,000,000 – CWSRF loan from ASWCC

44. Tulip-Princeton Water Association; Dallas, Hot Spring and Grant Counties; extend rural

water service to new customers. Also, develop a new well and construct a water storage tank.

(under construction).

$103,000 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$984,700 – loan from USDA, RD

$790,800 – grant from USDA, RD

$ 24,500 – local funds
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

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45. Tull, Grant and Saline Counties; extension of water service to about 15 additional residences

and correction of low pressure problems, both along Bauxite Cutoff Road. (recently completed).

$103,000 – water bond fund loan with ASWCC

$50,000 – local contribution

46. Union County Public Facilities Board:

 Lisbon Water Association; new well. (project almost completed).

$173,000 - loan from ASWCC 

47. Waldron; Scott County; feasibility study for water supply lake at Site 3, upper Petit Jean

Watershed. (for Waldron, Booneville and Scott County Regional Water District source water.)

(study is almost complete).(Waldron and Booneville are now seeking funding for the $18 Million

project).

$20,600 – grant from ASWCC

$10,000 – local funds from Waldron

$10,000 – local funds from Booneville

48. West Crossett Sewer Public Facilities Board; Ashley County; construction of a sewage

collection system. Sewage treatment by City of Crossett.

$ 985,000 – loan from ASWCC

$2,115,000 – grant from ADED

49. Wilmar, Drew County; sewage collection line extensions (under design).

$61,800 – deferred loan from ASWCC

$61,800 – grant from ASWCC

For more information, please contact:

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

David Meador (501) 682-3978
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Arkansas Conservation Partnership

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Fourth Congressional District

Nonpoint Source Projects Currently Being Funded

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Ouachita and Union – Project 01-2300 - Smackover Creek Watershed: Demonstration of

conservation practices to restore production to salt affected soils.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $175,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-03 Non-Federal Funding: $132,018

Hempstead, Howard, Little River, Polk, and Sevier – Project 00-700 - Lower Little River

Red Project: Information/education from U of A Cooperative Extension to support the

development of a Watershed Restoration Action Strategy (WRAS).

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $240,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 04-31-04 Non-Federal Funding: $181,052

Hempstead, Howard, Little River, Polk and Sevier – Project 00-1400 - Millwood

Watershed Project: Development of a watershed restoration action strategy, technical and

financial assistance for agricultural producers in the Millwood Watershed.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $456,098

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $327,856

Ashley and Drew – Project 00-1300 - Bayou Bartholomew, South: Technical and financial

assistance for farmers in Bayou Bartholomew Watershed, South.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $1,391,336

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $53,443

Ashley, Drew, Jefferson and Lincoln – Project 01-200 - Streamside Timber Harvest and

Management in the Bayou Bartholomew Watershed: Training for private landowners

regarding options for timber harvests and appropriate conservation practices.

Current Status: Final Report Federal Funding: $22,9000

Scheduled Completion Date: 09-30-02 Non-Federal Funding: $18,000

Ashley, Drew, Jefferson and Lincoln – Project 02-1100 – Bayou Bartholomew NPS

Abatement: Technical and financial assistance for farmers in the Bayou Bartholomew

Watershed to implement a variety of BMPs to reduce sediment loading.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $600,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-2005 Non-Federal Funding: $550,634
4-26

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Fourth Congressional District

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts

Contributions

Conservation Districts Local State Other Total

Ashley County CD $0 $39,294 $17,034 $56,327

Calhoun County CD ,3000 10,341 665 14,006

Chicot County CD 5,000 15,105 14,856 34,960

Clark County CD 12,950 114,458 117,332 244,740

Cleveland County CD 2,590 11,766 6,884 21,190

Columbia County CD 11,680 35,857 12,472 60,009

Cossatot CD (Sevier County) 6,000 52,513 32,657 91,170

Dallas County SWCD 8,151 13,951 5,406 27508

Desha County CD 9,400 13,397 27,544 40,371

Drew County CD 7,000 9,606 20,104 36,710

Garland County CD 19,308 14,168 6,533 40,009

Grant County CD 4,151 6,285 17,672 10,436

Hempstead County SWCD 12,478 37,739 122,201 172,418

Hot Spring County CD 2,740 42,278 22,464 67,483

Jefferson County CD 5,397 45,927 20,468 71793

L'Aigle Creek CD (Bradley County) 2,250 14,757 5,413 22,420

Lafayette CD 12,000 19,269 44,752 76,020

Lincoln County CD 2,545 100,744 20,120 123,409

Little River CD 7,900 57,608 107,347 172,855

Logan County CD 15,157 55,304 35,643 10,6104

Miller County CD 5,083 27,312 29,157 61,553

Mine Creek SWCD (Howard County) 2,350 42,839 62,863 108,082

Montgomery County CD 3,167 10,989 17,927 32,063

Nevada County CD 3,213 10,141 50,296 63,650

Ouachita CD 3,750 45,320 9,086 58,156

Pike County CD 22,495 32,870 41,932 55,365

Poteau River CD (Scott County) 4,075 14,336 8,905 27,316

Rich Mountain CD (Polk County) 7,500 40,660 3,830 51,990

Union County CD 67,000 150,833 32,958 250,811

Totals $268,330 $1,085,667 $914,521 $2,198,924

(CD = Conservation District)

(SWCD = Soil and Water Conservation District)

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Table of Contents

Page

Census of Agriculture Data 5-1

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Digital Orthophotography Program 5-2

Environmental Quality Incentives Program 5-3

Emergency Watershed Protection Program 5-4

National Cooperative Soil Survey Program 5-5

National Resources Inventory 5-6

Small Watershed Program (Public Law 83-566) 5-7

Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 2000 (Public Law 106-472) 5-8

Soil Survey Geographic Initiative 5-9

Wetlands Reserve Program 5-10

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program 5-11

Farm Bill Programs 5-12

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Arkansas Private Wetland and Riparian Zone Creation and Restoration

 Tax Incentive Program 5-13

Arkansas Wetland Conservation Plan 5-14

Arkansas Wetland Mitigation Bank 5-15

Grants to Districts Program 5-16

Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant Program 5-17

Nonpoint Source Projects Currently Being Funded 5-18

Non-riparian Permitting 5-19

Quality Assurance / Quality Control 5-20

Tax Incentives - Water Resource Conservation and Development Incentives Act 5-21

Technical Review Committee 5-22

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts (Contributions) 5-23
5-1

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Census of Agriculture Data

Land in Farm Acres, Numbers of Farms/Average Acres, Total Acres of

Cropland and Irrigated Acres

District Land in

Farm Acres

# of

Farms

Average

Acres

Total Acres

Cropland

Irrigated

Acres

1st Congressional

District

7,299,234 13,541 761 5,927,434 2,921,944

2nd Congressional

District

1,323,156 4,552 479 801,802 92,938

3rd Congressional

District

2,353,538 10,916 296 1,159,527 10,544

4th Congressional

District

3,294,206 11,624 288 2,173,526 691,747

Statewide Totals 14,270,134 40,633 351.1956784 10,062,289 3,717,173

Information from 1997 Census of Agriculture Data
5-2

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Digital Orthophotography Program

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Description: Digital orthophotos are the digital representation of aerial photographs or other

remotely sensed data with ground features located in their true map position. The National

Digital Ortho photo Program is a multi-federal and state agency effort to develop and maintain

digital orthophoto quads for the nation.

Current Status: DOQs for Arkansas that were developed from 1994 aerial imagery are

available for the state. A cooperative project is currently underway to develop color digital

orthophotos for the state from photography.

Funding Needed:Continued support is needed for national funding of the Digital

Orthophotography Program.

Benefits: DOQs are one of the critical spatial data layers that is required to fully utilize the

functionality of Geographic Information Systems in USDA Field Service Centers. DOQs are the

base map used to develop digital soils layers for county soil surveys. Other Federal agencies,

state agencies, county governments, universities, and the public also use DOQs in GIS.

Sponsors: Natural Resources Conservation Service

USDA, Farm Services Agency

U.S. Forest Service

U.S. Geological Service

Area: Statewide

Contact: State Soil Scientist Charles Fultz (501) 301-3116
5-3

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Description: The Environmental Quality Incentives Program provides technical and financial

assistance to eligible farmers and ranchers to address soil, water, and related natural resource

concerns on their lands in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner. The purposes

of the program are accomplished through implementation of conservation plans, which includes

structural, vegetative, and land management practices. One to ten-year contracts are made with

eligible producers. Sixty percent of the funding is to be targeted to natural resource concerns

related to livestock production. The program addresses significant natural resource concerns

throughout the state.

Current Status: Approximately $3,313,400 was available for assistance to producers during

2002. A new ranking process that complies with new rules is being developed. Funding decisions

for 2003 are expected to be made in late April or early May.

Funding Needed:The Natural Resources Conservation Service anticipates receiving requests

totaling more than $22 million. Slightly more than $7 million was available in FY02. An

appropriation of $695 million nationally is expected to increase Arkansas' allocation to between

$10 and $14 million.

Benefits: Primary resource concerns include water conservation, ground water decline, water

quality, from animal waste and nutrients, water quality from sedimentation, forestry concerns

and wildlife habitat. Farming operations assisted include irrigators facing serious ground water

decline and water conservation needs; livestock producers including dairy, poultry, and swine

operations needing to implement animal waste systems; operations needing assistance to install

pasture improvements, erosion control measures and wildlife habitat improvements; and forest

landowners needing assistance with water quality concerns and forest health issues.

Sponsors: Natural Resources Conservation Service

USDA, Farm Service Agency

Area: Statewide

Contacts: State Resource Conservationist Jim Caudle (501) 301-3122

Resource Conservationist Kenneth Lee (501) 301-3165
5-4

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Emergency Watershed Protection Program

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Description: EWP assists in relieving imminent hazards to life and property from floods and

products of erosion created by natural disasters that are causing a sudden impairment of a

watershed. Seventy-five percent financial assistance is available for eligible measures.

Current Status: Program accomplishments in FY02 to relieve threats to life and property:

The Natural Resources Conservation Service assisted landowners following the December 2000

ice storm, providing 75 percent of the established flat rate cost for the removal and disposal of

dead animals and the disposal of livestock confinement buildings in 17 counties, the final cost

for Natural Resources Conservation Service is $145,326. The Natural Resources Conservation

Service also assisted landowners in applying fire hazard reduction practices on forested lands in

26 counties at a final cost of $369,869.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service assisted the City of Van Buren in Crawford County

following the February 2001 storm, providing 75 percent of the construction cost to stabilize a

landslide in the city park at a final cost of $182,394.

Approximately $2.2 million was expended in FY02 to purchase 3181 acres of EWP floodplain

easements on five tracts of agricultural land. Restoration activities included the approval and

obligation of approximately $1.2 to restore these properties and and additional 985 acres of

easements held over from FY01. Of these obligated restoration funds. approximately $134,000

were expended in FY02.

Funds Needed: Support is needed for the program and when Supplemental Appropriations

require additional funding.

Benefits: EWP has assisted more than 1,400 landowners from FY99 through FY02 by

relieving threats to life and property caused by natural disasters. Due to the efforts and

contributions of local and state agencies, EWP cleanup efforts have been accomplished.

Contacts: State Conservationist Kalven Trice (501) 301-3110

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139
5-5

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

National Cooperative Soil Survey Program

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Description: The NCSS program is a national effort to inventory the nations soils resources.

Soil surveys provide information on the distribution of soils, their chemical and physical

properties and information on soil behavior under various uses.

Current Status: Soil surveys have been published for 64 of the 75 counties in Arkansas. Field

work has been competed for Montgomery, Nevada, Polk, Sevier and Union counties and is

awaiting publication. The soils surveys for Grant and Pike counties are in progress. The

publications for Bradley, Cleveland, Cross, and Washington counties are out of print and will not

be issued again until resources are available to update the information. Other soils surveys that

need updating include Chicot, Desha, Phillips, Lee, St Francis Crittenden, and Mississippi

counties.

Funding Needed:Continued support is needed for national funding to complete the initial soil

survey and to update older soil surveys in the state.

Benefits: Soil surveys furnish soil maps and interpretations needed in giving technical

assistance to farmers and ranchers; in guiding other decisions about soil selection, use, and

management; and in planning research and disseminating the results of the research. They are

also used in educational programs about soil use and conservation.

Sponsors: Natural Resources Conservation Service

Arkansas Agriculture Experiment Station

U.S. Forest Service

Area: Statewide

Contact: State Soil Scientist Charles Fultz (501) 301-3116
5-6

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

National Resources Inventory

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Description: The NRI is a compilation of natural resource information on non-Federal land in

the United States--about 75 percent of the total land area. Conducted by the Natural Resources

Conservation Service, this inventory captures data on land cover and use, soil erosion, prime

farmland soils, wetlands, habitat diversity, selected conservation practices, and related resource

attributes. The data is available by state and by Major Land Resource Areas.

Current Status: The latest available data is from the 1997 NRI. Efforts are underway to

implement a continuous inventory process, rather than collect data on five-year cycles.

Funding Needed:Continued support is needed for national funding of the NRI program to

support the continuous inventory process.

Benefits: The NRI is used by natural resource manages, policy makers and analysts,

consultants, the media, other Federal agencies, State governments, universities, environmental,

commodity, and farm groups, and the public. These constituents use NRI information to

formulate effective public policies, fashion agricultural and natural resource legislation, and to

develop State and National conservation programs.

Sponsors: Natural Resources Conservation Service

Area: Data is available national, by states and by Major Land Resource Areas.

Contact: State Soil Scientist Charles Fultz (501) 301-3116
5-7

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Small Watersheds Program (Public Law 83-566)

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Description: The purpose of the Small Watershed program (authorized by Public Law 83-566,

16 U.S. C. 1001-1008) is to cooperate with state and local agencies, tribal governments and other

federal agencies to prevent damages caused by erosion, floodwater and sediment; to further the

conservation, development, use and disposal of water; and the conservation and use of land.

Current Status: Under provisions of the program, Arkansas has 65 projects approved for

operations. Thirteen of the watershed projects have been closed (have exceeded project life) and

28 operational projects and one pilot project (Public Law 83-156) are complete. Construction is

currently in progress on 12 projects. To date, Arkansas has completed construction on 202

floodwater-retarding structures (15 multiple-purpose structures) and more than 1,214 miles of

channel improvement at a PL 83-566 cost of more than $142 million and a local cost of more

than $51 million. An additional $22 million in Federal cost and more than $6 million local cost is

needed to complete measures in the 12 active projects with construction underway (33 remaining

structures and conservation measures).

Arkansas has requested $2,163,000 in financial assistance funds for the program in FY03. Funds

could be allocated to flood control, water quality and groundwater conservation projects.

The Small Watersheds Program also has provisions to plan future projects. Arkansas currently

has two new projects in the planning stage and two projects planned and approved some years

ago that are being replanned to accommodate changing needs and environmental requirements.

Arkansas has requested $550,000 in technical assistance funds for FY03 for planning

groundwater conservation and flood control projects

Funds Needed: Support is needed to continue national funding for the program. Arkansas

could obligate approximately $2 million in financial assistance annually if funds were available.

Benefits: Flood protection to cropland and pastureland; protect ground water and water

quality.

Contacts: State Conservationist Kalven Trice (501) 301-3110

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139
5-8

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 2000

(Public Law 106-472) and the 2002 Rural Security and

Investment Act

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Description: The Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 2000 (PL-106-472)

authorizes the Natural Resources Conservation Service to work with local community leaders

and watershed project sponsors to address public health and safety concerns and environmental

impacts of aging dams.

Current Status: Arkansas has 202 floodwater retarding structures constructed with USDA

assistance. Field assessments by the Natural Resources Conservation Service in 2002 showed 21

of theses small watershed dams need to be modified and upgraded to protect life and property in

downstream areas. In most cases, homes and businesses were built below these dams after the

dams were built. The cost of addressing the problems was estimated to be over $20 million.

In early 2001, local sponsors for 10 watershed projects around the state expressed interest in

assessing the need for rehabilitation of more than 20 structures. Also, the City of Prairie Grove

applied for planning assistance from NRCS for rehabilitation of Lake Prarie Grove. In the

summer of 2002 three more sponsors requested planning assistance with four additional

structures.

Funds Needed: Approximately $920,000 has been requested for FY03 to complete planning

efforts for five structures. In FY04, up to $3,305,000 in financial and technical assistance will be

needed to complete designs and construct five structures, if planning can be completed in due

time. Additional planning funds may be needed in FY04 for additional potential applications.

Project sponsors are seeking additional funds from outside sources to cover the 35 percent nonfederal share of the cost.

Planning and implementation of rehabilitation for all known needs will likely exceed $15 million

total construction costs and $4 million in technical assistance for planning, design and

construction inspection.

Benefits: Continued protection of public health and safety, environmental benefits, and

secure water supply for the sponsor.

Contacts: State Conservationist Kalven Trice (501) 301-3110

Assistant State Conservationist,

 Natural Resources Planning David Weeks (501) 301-3139
5-9

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Soil Survey Geographic Initiative

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Description: The SSURGO initiative is a cooperative effort that is being led by the Natural

Resources Conservation Service to make information in the published county soil surveys

available in digital format.

Current Status: SSURGO certified data is available for 25 counties in the state, four additional

counties will be submitted for certification during 2003.

Funding Needed:Continued support is needed for national funding of the SSURGO to support

the state’s request for funding.

Benefits: SSURGO is one of the critical spatial data layers that is required to fully utilize the

functionality of Geographic Information Systems in USDA Field Service Centers. Other Federal

agencies, state agencies, county governments, universities, and the public also use SSURGO data

in their GIS

Sponsors: Natural Resources Conservation Service

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

University of Arkansas Agronomy Department

Area: Statewide

Contact: State Soil Scientist Charles Fultz (501) 301-3116
5-10

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Wetlands Reserve Program

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Description: The Wetlands Reserve program is a voluntary program to restore wetlands.

Participating landowners can establish conservation easements of either permanent or 30-year

duration, or can enter into restoration cost-share agreements where no easement is involved.

Current Status: Fully funded.

Funding Needed:There are currently 353 applicants awaiting funding, with a financial need of

$89,244,327.

Benefits: Cropland and Pastureland with high risk for farming due to wetness and seasonal

flooding are removed from production and the landowner is compensated for this. Large blocks

of wetlands are restored, primarily to bottomland hardwood and associated wetlands that will

increase habitat for a variety of wetlands wildlife habitat, including waterfowl, songbirds,

shorebirds, mammals and invertebrate. The restored sites also increase other wetlands functions

such as carbon sequestration, flood relief and water quality.

Sponsor: Natural Resources Conservation Service

Area: Statewide

Contacts: State Resource Conservationist Jim Caudle (501) 301-3122

Biologist Jody Pagan (501) 301-3114
5-11

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Description: The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program provides financial incentives to develop

habitat for fish and wildlife on private lands. Participants agree to implement a wildlife habitat

development plan and USDA agrees to provide cost-share assistance for the initial

implementation of wildlife habitat development practices.

Current Status: Funded at $370,000 in financial assistance for 2002, plus an additional

$113,000 available from prior year cancellations.

Funding Needed:Applicants generally request two to three times the funds allocated.

Benefits: Much of the land placed into this program is in a use or vegetative cover that may

provide some wildlife habitat, but not to it’s best potential. This program offers landowners the

opportunity to maximize wildlife benefits on their property and provides supporting agencies an

opportunity to educate and inform these landowners concerning good management practices that

benefit a variety of wildlife.

Sponsors: Natural Resources Conservation Service, in partnership with AACD and Arkansas

Game and Fish Commission.

Area: Statewide

Contacts: State Resource Conservationist Jim Caudle (501) 301-3122

State Biologist Paul Brady (501) 301-3173
5-12

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Farm Bill Programs

Environmental Quality Incentives Program - 2002

District Participants

Funded

Dollars Funded Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

First 609 $2,764,233 1,618 $11,128,832

Second 85 379,454 262 1,521,814

Third 306 1,864,919 647 2,907,784

Fourth 127 1,828,781 260 2,131,430

Statewide 1,127 $6,837,387 2,787 $17,689,860

Forestry Incentives Program - 2002

District Funds

Obligated

Contracts

Funded

Acres

Treated

First $31,944 45 1,698

Second 119,604 49 1,920

Third 83,405 44 932

Fourth 364,239 167 2,646

Statewide $599,195 305 7,197

Wetlands Reserve Program - 2002

District Participants Acres in

Program

Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

First 183 60,177 259 $63,439,083

Second 28 21,351 36 7,141,853

Third 1 46 2 299,230

Fourth 49 41,373 70 18,568,041

Statewide 261 122,947 283 $89,568,046

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program - 2002

District Participants Dollars Funded Applicants

Unfunded

Dollars

Unfunded

First 36 $301,962 224 $863,857

Second 9 42,479 27 124,520

Third 30 77,531 19 60,434

Fourth 9 3,030 72 194,816

Statewide 84 $465,002 342 $1,243,627
5-13

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Arkansas Private Wetland and Riparian Zone

Creation and Restoration Tax Incentive Program

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: The Arkansas Private Wetland and Riparian Zone Creation and Restoration Tax

Incentive Program allows a tax credit against the tax imposed by the Arkansas Income Tax Act

for any taxpayer engaged in the development of wetland restoration and riparian zones.

Current Status: Ongoing

Benefits: This program aids in protecting wetlands, streams and rivers by providing landowners

a tax incentive for conservation efforts undertaken in restoring or creating wetlands, and for

protecting riparian zones. Protecting riparian zones helps improve water quality and prevent

streambank erosion.

Sponsor: Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Area: Statewide

Contacts: Kenneth Colbert ASWCC (501) 682-1608

Ken Brazil ASWCC (501) 682-3980

Earl Smith, Jr. ASWCC (501) 682-3979
5-14

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Arkansas Wetland Conservation Plan

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: The Arkansas Wetland Conservation Plan is a comprehensive wetland protection

and planning strategy. It moves from the general statewide wetland issues and policies being

addressed in the Arkansas Wetland Strategy, to smaller more manageable region and planning

areas. It includes detailed descriptions of wetlands and identifies specific wetland protection and

restoration objectives for the respective areas.

Current Status: On-going 

Funding Needed:

Benefits: The Conservation Plan provides the state with detailed information on wetland status,

trends and pressures, and makes recommendations for wetland protection and planning. It

provides natural resource professionals with detailed information needed to make sound resource

management decisions and enables them to track wetland impacts in the state.

Scheduled Completion Date:

Sponsors: Arkansas Department of Pollution Control and Ecology

Arkansas Forestry Commission

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (State Wetland Protection Grant

Program)

Area: Statewide

Contacts: Ken Brazil ASWCC (501) 682-3980

Rusty McAllister ASWCC (501) 682-3976

Larry Nance AFC (501) 664-2531

Elizabeth Murray AGFC (501) 223-6356

Tom Foti ANHC (501) 324-9761

Kenneth Colbert ASWCC (501) 682-1608

Rex Roberg UACES (501) 671-2334
5-15

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Arkansas Wetland Mitigation Bank

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: The Arkansas Wetland Mitigation Banking program is a publicly owned and

managed wetland mitigation program that restores or creates wetlands to compensate for future

permitted wetland impacts.

Current Status: On-going

Funding Needed:

Benefits: The mitigation bank allows consolidation of wetland restoration, creation or

enhancement projects undertaken in anticipation of compensatory mitigation requirements of

Section 404 permits. The bank provides an opportunity to develop large and/or potentially

higher-quality wetland sites that may be more ecologically advantageous to the ecosystem

integrity than small, piecemeal mitigation sites. (Consolidated, created and/or enhanced projects

draw higher levels of financial resources, planning and scientific expertise not practical for

small projects.) Mitigation banks typically function to some level in advance of the wetland

impacts for which they are compensating, thus providing some assurance of successful

mitigation.

Scheduled Completion Date:

Sponsor: Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Area: Statewide

Contacts: Kenneth Colbert ASWCC (501) 682-1608

Ken Brazil ASWCC (501) 682-3980

Earl Smith, Jr. ASWCC (501) 682-3979
5-16

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Grants to Districts Program

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: This program documents a cooperative undertaking between the Arkansas Soil

and Water Conservation Commission and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to

establish and maintain the Arkansas Conservation Grants to Districts Program. The grant

program is managed and operated under a management team consisting of the executive director

of the Commission and the State Conservationist of the Natural Resources Conservation Service,

or their designee(s). The ACGD Program is designed to provide grants to conservation districts

within Arkansas so they may carry out the identified priority resource conservation opportunities

in their respective districts. The ACGD Program is a collaborative effort of the ASWCC and

Natural Resources Conservation Service that enhances and supports district initiatives, which

provide mutual benefits for conservation in Arkansas.

Current Status: It is anticipated that the agreement will be renewed for the Natural Resources

Conservation Service in FY02 contingent upon available funds and both parties to the agreement

having sufficient resources to carry out their responsibilities under the agreement. Also, it is the

intent of the Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide $250,000 in federal matching

funds for FY02.

Funding Needed:ASWCC provided $250,000 in FY99, FY00 and FY01.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service provided $250,000 in FY99, FY00 and FY01.

Districts are required to provide a local match or $1 for every $2 received.

Benefits: This program provides leadership in resource conservation, allows issues to be

identified and addressed at the lowest level, maintains and improves grass-roots delivery

systems, and helps conserve and enhance natural resources in Arkansas.

Sponsors: Natural Resources Conservation Service

ASWCC

Area: Statewide

Contacts: Assistant State Conservationist,

 Strategic Planning Doris Washington (501) 301-3162

ASWCC Assistant Director

 for Conservation Larry White (501) 682-3967
5-17

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant Program

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: ASWCC will prepare, submit and process grant application work plans and

associated documentation for projects. Additionally, ASWCC will hold demonstrations of the

BMPs used to reduce nonpoint source pollution from agricultural, forestry or other resource

activities.

Current Status: Ongoing

Funding Needed: $4.25 M

Benefits: The Grant funds provide for evaluation, implementation and demonstration of methods

of reducing nonpoint source pollution. The funds help develop improved land stewardship

methods that reduce water pollution and aid in dissemination of this information to farmers and

other land resource managers.

Sponsors: Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CWA Section 319 Program

Area: Statewide

Contacts: Tony Ramick ASWCC (501) 682-3914
5-18

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Nonpoint Source Projects Currently Being Funded

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Project 96-550 - Water Quality Education East Arkansas: Information/education program for

crop producers to reduce erosion and sedimentation.

Current Status: Completed Federal Funding: $328,853

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-02 Non-Federal Funding: $245,638

Project 97-400 - BMP for Groundwater, East Arkansas: Demonstration of well construction

Best Management Practices.

Current Status: Completed Federal Funding: $308,594

Scheduled Completion Date: 09-30-01 Non-Federal Funding: $171,641

Project 97-700 - Solids Waste Management Demo: Demonstration of land application of

solids from animal waste holding ponds and lagoons.

Current Status: Completed Federal Funding: $97,803

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-02 Non-Federal Funding: $73,781

Project 98-1100 - Forestry BMP Monitoring: Monitoring for compliance with forestry Best

Management Practices, information/education program for loggers, landowners, and foresters.

Current Status: Completed Federal Funding: $250,000

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-02 Non-Federal Funding: $189,204

Project 99-700 - Nutrient Management Education: Training for livestock and poultry

producers concerning water quality management.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $259,087

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-03 Non-Federal Funding: $195,452

Project 99-1000 - Silvicultural BMP for Streamside Management Zones: Update of the

forestry BMP manual to include Streamside Management Zones for 218 miles of stream in 15

watersheds throughout the state.

Current Status: Completed Federal Funding: $42,750

Scheduled Completion Date: 12-31-02 Non-Federal Funding: $32,250

Project 01-1000 – Nonpoint Source Pollution Public Awareness: Education, awareness and

the strategies utilized to control, reduce or abate Nonpoint source pollution.

Current Status: Active Federal Funding: $196,050

Scheduled Completion Date: 06-30-2004 Non-Federal Funding: $42,687
5-19

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Non-riparian Permitting

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: Arkansas has adopted a riparian system of water rights, based on the reasonableuse theory. Rights are attached to lands bordering a natural stream or lake. By issuing nonriparian permits, the Commission allows nonriparians to acquire water rights on land not

adjacent to a stream or watercourse.

Current Status: Ongoing.

Benefits: Permit holders are granted rights to excess surface water as long as the water is

intended for a reasonable and beneficial use and the use will not cause a significant, adverse

environmental impact.

Sponsor: ASWCC

Area: Statewide

Contacts: ASWCC Ken Brazil (501) 682-3980

ASWCC Steve Loop (501) 682-3959
5-20

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Quality Assurance/Quality Control

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: The Quality Assurance/Quality Control program ensures scientific data generated

by or for the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission. It is of sufficient or greater

quality needed to withstand scientific and legal challenge. All data produced by or for the

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission will be of known and acceptable precision,

accuracy, representation, completeness and comparability. The Quality Assurance officer

reviews Quality Assurance project plans and projects, Quality Assurance audits, and annual

Quality Assurance reporting.

Current Status: Ongoing

Funding Needed:

Benefits: Quality Assurance/Quality Control ensures data collection and analysis. It is done to a

standard of performance and quality so that the results will be defensible.

Sponsors: Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Area: Statewide

Contacts: Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation

 Commission Sue Filat-Alami (501) 682-3909
5-21

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Tax Incentives - Water Resource Conservation and

Development Incentives Act

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: This program encourages water users to invest in constructing impoundments that

use available surface water and reduce ground water dependence; converting from ground water

to surface water use; and leveling land to reduce agricultural irrigation water use. Tax credits

began in 1996, may pass through partnerships, corporations, etc., and are available for

impoundments, conversion and leveling.

Impoundments: Credits will be issued for constructing impoundments of at least 20 acre-feet

for water storage to primarily be used in agricultural irrigation or industrial processes. A tax

credit of 50 percent of the project's cost, incurred in construction, installation or restoration, is

available. The maximum credit in one taxable year is the lesser of the taxpayer's income tax due

or $9,000. Unused credit may be carried over for a maximum of nine years.

Conversion:For the conversion from ground water use to surface water use outside a critical

groundwater area, an income tax credit of ten percent of the project cost is available. The

maximum credit in one year is the lesser of the taxpayer’s income tax due or $9,000. Unused

credit may be carried over for two years.

For the conversion from ground water use to surface water use within a critical groundwater

area, an income tax credit of 50 percent of the project cost is available. The maximum credit in

one year is the lesser of the taxpayer’s income tax due or $9,000 for agricultural and recreational

uses and $200,000 for industrial and commercial uses. Unused credit may be carried over for a

maximum of two years by agricultural and recreational users and for four years for industrial and

commercial users.

Leveling: For agricultural land leveling projects that conserve irrigation water, an income tax

credit of ten percent of the project's cost is available. The maximum credit in one year is the

lesser of the taxpayer's income tax due or $9,000. Unused credit may be carried over for a

maximum of two years.

An application must be submitted to ASWCC and approved before a taxpayer may claim credits.

All projects must be maintained for a minimum of ten years following issuance of the Certificate

of Completion, or benefits will be subject to an application fee of three percent of the total

approved tax credit. The minimum fee is $100; the maximum fee is $1,500.

Taxpayers may be eligible for a tax deduction in an amount equal to the difference between the

project cost and the credit used.

Current Status: Active

Benefits: Tax credits for water user conservation projects

Sponsor: ASWCC

Contacts: ASWCC Adrian Baber (501) 682-3968

ASWCC Carolyn Manning (501) 682-3972

ASWCC Earl Smith, Jr. (501) 682-3979
5-22

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Technical Review Committee

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Description: The Technical Review Committee comprises representatives from 13 state

agencies. The committee provides an efficient and effective method for interagency coordination

and review of environmental issues to determine the State's position on those issues. The

committee is chaired by the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission. The State

Clearinghouse distributes all its materials and response forms.

Current Status: Ongoing

Benefits: Through the technical review process, the State uses the expertise of professionals

from several disciplines to assess environmental issues and provide the State with a mechanism

for voicing its concerns regarding federal actions.

Sponsors:

Arkansas Department of Health, Dr. Fay Boozeman, director

Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, Richard Davies, executive director

Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, Marcus Devine, director

Arkansas Forestry Commission, John Shannon, state forester

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Hugh Durham, director

Arkansas Geological Commission, Bill Bush, state geologist

Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, Dan Flowers, director

Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, Ken Grunewald, director

Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Jim Pickens, executive director

Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Karen Smith, executive director

Arkansas Natural and Scenic Rivers Commission, Jane Jones-Schulz, director

Arkansas Soil & Water Conservation Commission, Randy Young, executive 

director (chairman)

Arkansas Waterways Commission, Keith Garrison, executive director

State Clearinghouse, Tracy Copeland, manager

State Lands Office, Donnie Williams, commissioner

Area: Statewide

Contacts: Kenneth Colbert ASWCC (501) 682-1608

Ken Brazil ASWCC (501) 682-3980
5-23

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Statewide

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts

Contributions

District Local State Other Total

First Congressional District $453,530 $952,872 $717,424 $2,111,844

Second Congressional District 104,268 359,884 193,341 657,380

Third Congressional District 121,422 565,075 141,643 725,156

Fourth Congressional District 268,330 1,085,667 914,521 2,198,924

Statewide Totals $947,550 $2,963,498 $1,966,929 $5,693,304

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Directories

Table of Contents

Page

The Arkansas Conservation Partnership Leadership Directory A-1

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission A-2

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts, Officers and Area Presidents A-3

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts, Chairpersons A-4

Arkansas Resource Conservation and Development Councils, Inc. A-8

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service A-10
A-1

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Directories

As of January 1, 2003

The Arkansas Conservation Partnership Leadership

Name Affiliation Addresses Phone

Dr. Ivory Lyles,

Chair

University of Arkansas,

Cooperative Extension

Service

2301 S. University Ave.

Little Rock, AR 72201

ilyles@uaex.educ

(501) 671-2001

J. Randy Young Arkansas Soil and Water

Conservation Commission

101 E. Capitol Ave. Suite 350

Little Rock, AR 72201 

randy.young@mail.state.ar.us

(501) 682-3986

Bill Rainwater Arkansas Association of

Conservation Districts

P.O. Box 2245

Jonesboro, AR 72401

(870) 935-1624

Sharon

Underwood

Arkansas Association of 

Conservation Districts

Employees

Route 1, Box 161

Danville, AR 72933

Sharon.underwood@ar.usda.gov

(479) 495-2441

Dr. Jacqueline

McCray

University of Arkansas,

Pine Bluff

P.O. Box 4990

Pine Bluff, AR 71611

mccrayj@uapb.edu

(870) 575-8529

Kalven L. Trice Natural Resources

Conservation Service

Rm. 3416 Fed. Bldg.

700 W. Capitol Ave.

Little Rock, AR 72201 

Kalven.Trice@AR.usda.gov

(501) 301-3100

Wes Fowler Arkansas Association of

Resource Conservation

and Development

Councils

P.O. Box 37

Huntsville, AR 72740

madisonclerk@arcounties.com

(479) 738-6721

(479) 738-2735

John Shannon Arkansas Forestry

Commission

3821 W. Roosevelt Road

Little Rock, AR 72204

John.Shannon@mail.state.ar.us

(501) 296-1940 
A-2

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Directories

As of January 1, 2003

Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission

101 E. Capitol Avenue, Suite 350, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201

Phone: (501) 682-1611 Fax: (501) 682-3991

E-mail: aswcc@aswcc.state.ar.us

Commissioners Term Address Phone Numbers / Email

David Hillman 2002 403 Essex Rd., Almyra, AR 72003 Home: (870) 992-3315

Chairman Office: (870) 992-3342

Cell: (501) 352-3315

Fax: (870) 992-3342

dhillman@arfb.com

Robert Hankins 2003 1933 Hankins Rd., Harrison, AR

72601

Home: (501) 743-1493

Vice-Chairman

Neal Anderson 2004 #2 Crickett Lane, Lonoke, AR 72086 Home: (501) 676-6228 

Office: (501) 676-2716

Fax: (501) 676-2718

ifanderson@aol.com

Joyce Phillips 2004 Post Office Box 23403 Home: (501) 791-0037

Little Rock, AR 72221 Office: (501) 686-6615

phillipsjoycem@exchange.uam

Dewey Hatcher 2005 Route 1 - Box 372, Waldron, AR Home: (501) 637-2562

Fax: (501) 637-2562

hatcher@ipa.net

Alec Farmer 2005 Post Office 19282 Home: (870) 935-0309

Jonesboro, AR 72402 Office: (870) 935-0550

Fax: (870) 935-8713

Afarmer@insolwwb.net

Robert Newell 2006 1 Holmes St., Newport, AR 72112 Home: (870) 523-3710

Ann Cash 2007 Drawer 171, McGehee, AR 71654 Home: (870) 222-6014

Office: (870) 222-6190

Fax: (870) 222-3629

anncash@seark.net

Corbet Lamkin 2008 160 Ouachita 338, Chidester, AR Home: (870) 685-2896

Office: (870) 235-4006

Fax: (870) 235-5110

cjlamkin@saumag.edu

J. Randy Young, P. E. Home: (501) 331-4844

Executive Director Office: (501) 682-3986

randy.young@mail.state.ar.us

Jonathan R. Sweeney, P. E. Home: (501) 562-2828

Deputy Director / Chief Engineer Office: (501) 682-3962

jon.sweeney@mail.state.ar.us

Larry W. White Home: (501) 676-2357

Assistant Director for Conservation Office: (501) 682-3967

larry.white@aswcc.state.ar.us
A-3

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Directories

As of January 1, 2003

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts

Officers and Area Presidents

Name Title Address Telephone / Fax

Debbie Moreland President 20331 Lake Vista 

Roland, AR 72135

(501) 868-5286

(501) 868-5294

John Berkmeyer First Vice President 8918 SR 105 South

Atkins, AR 72823

(501) 641-2363

Sonny Jones Second Vice President 135 Gatesway Drive

Monticello, AR 71655

(870) 367-2012

Roy Mahler Secretary/Treasurer Route 2 - Box 130 

Elkins, AR 72727

(501) 643-3385

(501) 738-6695

Bill Rainwater Immediate Past

President

P.O. Box 2245

 Jonesboro, AR 72401

(870) 935-1624

(870) 935-7011

Rocky Harrell Central Area

President

13 Rocky Acres

 Mayflower, AR 72106

(501) 470-0462

Ray Mosley East Central Area

President

PO Box 115 

Alicia, AR 72410

(870) 886-5117

Richard Simmons Northeast Area

President

Route 3

Hector, AR 72461

(870) 522-3204 

James Widner Northwest Area

President

Rt. 5, Box 380

 Harrison, AR 72601

(870) 741-3363

(Vacant) Southeast Area

President

Troy Odom Southwest Area

President

P.O. Box 1056

Lewisville, AR 71845

(870) 234-5223

James Mitchell West Central Area

President

PO Box 1080

 Danville, AR 72833-1080

(501) 495-2427

Sharon

Underwood

AACDE President Route 1, Box 161

Danville, AR 72833

(479) 495-2441 

Margarette (Mike)

Mitchell

Auxiliary President Route 4 - Box 678J,

Texarkana, AR 71854

(870) 645-2795

Vacant Executive Vice

President

101 E. Capitol Ave., Ste. 350,

Little Rock, AR 72201

(501) 682-2915

(501) 682-3991

Julie Radell Executive Assistant 101 E. Capitol Ave., Ste. 350,

Little Rock, AR 72201

(501) 682-3987

(501) 682-3991

Randy Young Executive Secretary 101 E. Capitol Ave., Ste. 350,

Little Rock, AR 72201

(501) 682-3986

(501) 682-3991
A-4

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Directories

As of January 1, 2003

Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts

Chairpersons

District Chairperson Home Address Phone

Arkansas County CD Johnny Holzhauer P. O. Box 26, Gillett, AR

72055-0026

(870) 548-2604

Ashley County CD Eddie Scherm P. O. Box 159, Portland, AR

71663-0159

(870) 737-2231

Baxter County CD James Bryant 115 CR 893, Mountain

Home, AR 72653

(870) 425-8289

Benton County CD Ronnie McGhee 898 Lester, Decatur, AR

72722

(501) 752-3943

Boone County CD James Widner 10662 Prosperity Lane,

Harrison, AR 72601 

(870) 741-2307

Buffalo CD (Searcy

County)

Mark Halsted HC 89 - Box 126, Marshall,

AR 72650

(870) 448-5973

Calhoun County CD Robert Moore Route 1 - Box 106, Hampton,

AR 71744

(870) 798-2316

Carroll County CD Kenneth Clark 556 CR 742, Berryville, AR

72616

(870) 423-3263

Chicot County CD Herman Berkemeyer HC 71 - Box 321, Lake

Village, AR 71653

(870) 265-2918

Clark County CD Robert Earl Fowler 1702 Cordova Circle,

Arkadelphia, AR 71923

(870) 245-3788

Clay CD Richard Simmons Route 3, Rector, AR 72461 (870) 522-3204

Cleburne County CD Pat McGary 144 Sexton Creek Rd. North,

Heber Springs, AR 72543

(501) 362-5245

Cleveland County CD Marvin Hall Route 1 - Box 76, New

Edinburg, AR 71660

(870) 348-5399

Columbia County CD Dr. Mark Bryan 640 Columbia 405,

Magnolia, AR 71753

(870) 234-0100

Conway County CD Billy Deaver 101 Moore St., Plumerville,

AR 72127

(501) 354-5567

Cossatot CD (Sevier

County)

Don Stemple Route 3, Box 122, Gillham,

AR 71841

(870) 386-2558

Craighead CD Bill Adams 1303 Holly St., Jonesboro,

AR 72401

(870) 932-8440

Crawford County CD Bobby Neidecker 5114 Parks Rd., Van Buren,

AR 72956

(501) 474-3215
A-5

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Directories

As of January 1, 2003

Crittenden CD Jimmy Sharp P. O. Box 316,

Crawfordsville, AR 72327-

0316

(870) 823-5998

Crooked Creek SWCD

(Marion County)

James Hall Box 237, Yellville, AR

72687

(870) 449-6713

Cross County CD Judy Hunt Route 2 - Box 169-5, Wynne,

AR 72396

(870) 238-7293

Dallas County SWCD James Taylor P. O. Box 172, Sparkman,

AR 71763-0172

(870) 678-2257

Desha County CD William Teeter Route 1 - Box 166, Tillar,

AR 71670

(870) 392-2540

Drew County CD Gary Shrum 367 E. Bolling, Monticello,

AR 71655

(870) 367-8400

Faulkner County CD Rocky Harrell 13 Rocky Acres, Mayflower,

AR 72106

(501) 470-0462

Franklin County SWCD Paul King P. O. Box 28, Charleston, AR

72933-0028

(501) 965-2448

Fulton County CD Bruce Dietsche P.O. Box 304, Hardy, AR

72542

(870) 856-2321

Garland County CD Gene Parker 2886 Hwy. 290, Hot Springs,

AR 71913

(501) 262-1384

Grant County CD Raymond Fitzgerald Route 1 - Box 188-1,

Sheridan, AR 72150

(870) 942-4264

Greene County CD Ronald Pique Sr. 1798 Greene 901 Rd,

Paragould, AR 72450

(870) 239-8162

Hempstead County SWCD Bobby Webb 259 County Rd. 48,

Washington, AR 71862

(870) 983-2342

Hot Spring County CD William O'Neal Route 8 - Box 387, Malvern,

AR 72104

(501) 337-4724

Independence County CD Paul Rhodes 101 Big Pine, Batesville, AR

72501

(870) 793-7281

Izard County CD Larry Arnold HC 82, Box 120, Wiseman,

AR 72587

(870) 322-7191

Jackson County SWCD Lewis Jones 2270 Hwy. 14 West,

Newport, AR 72112

(870) 523-5088

Jefferson County CD Charles Chadick 206 Park Place, Pine Bluff,

AR 71601

(870) 536-4481

Johnson County CD Charles Plugge Box 190, Hartman, AR

72840

(501) 497-1453

L'Aigle Creek CD

(Bradley County)

John McClellan Cleveland County Rd. 303,

New Edinburg, AR 71660

(870) 226-5078
A-6

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Directories

As of January 1, 2003

Lafayette CD Lile Kitchens 155 LAF 42, Lewisville, AR

71845

(870) 921-4990

Lawrence County CD David Foley P.O. Box 53, Powhatan, AR

72458

(870) 878-6063

Lee County CD John Dozier PO Box 278, Moro, AR

72368

(870) 295-5941

Lincoln County CD L. E. Branson, Jr. Route 1 - Box 502, Dumas,

AR 71639

(870) 263-4655

Little River County CD Dwayne Raper 191 W. Main, Ashdown, AR

71822

(870) 898-5675

Logan County CD James Hawkins 1480 S. Brooklyn Rd.,

Ratcliff, AR 72951

(501) 635-8133

Lonoke County CD Neal Anderson #2 Crickett Lane, Lonoke,

AR 72086

(501) 676-6228

Madison County SWCD Roy Mahler 3982 Hwy. 295, Elkins, AR

72727

(501) 643-3385

Miller County CD Nedra Turney 6511 Harris Lane,

Texarkana, AR 71854

(870) 773-4494

Mine Creek SWCD

(Howard County)

J.F. Bell 217 Wild Rose Lane, Mineral

Springs, AR 71851

(870) 287-4498

Mississippi County CD Gerald Donner 3003 W CR 442, Manila, AR

72442

(870) 561-4784

Monroe County CD Wayne Beadles Route 1 - Box 235, Brinkley,

AR 72021

(870) 734-1790

Montgomery County CD Mearl Robins P. O. Box 236, Mount Ida,

AR 71957-0236

(870) 867-2778

Nevada County CD Gaylon Waters P.O. Box 12, Willisville, AR

71864

(870) 871-2352

Newton County SWCD Frank Breedlove HCR 31 - Box 420, Deer, AR

72628

(870) 446-2140

Ouachita CD Corbet Lamkin 160 Ouachita 338, Chidester,

AR 71726

(870) 685-2896

Perry County CD Billy Growns 473 Hwy. 155 S., Perryville,

AR 72126

(501) 432-5371

Phillips County CD A. Y. "Al" Gordon 166 Oakland Ave., Helena,

AR 72342

(870) 338-7736

Pike County CD Conrad Cox Route 4 - Box 133A,

Nashville, AR 71852

(870) 285-3419

Poinsett CD Charles Glover P. O. Box 280, Tyronza, AR

72386-0280

(870) 487-2523
A-7

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Directories

As of January 1, 2003

Pope County CD John Berkemeyer 8918 SR 105 South, Atkins,

AR 72823

(501) 641-2363

Poteau River CD (Scott

County)

Larry Free RR1 Box 294, Waldron, AR

72958

(501) 637-2961

Prairie County CD Don Vaught P. O. Box 879, Hazen, AR

72064

(870) 255-4404

Pulaski CD Mary Ratcliffe P. O. Box 146, Sweet Home,

AR 72164-0146

(501) 490-0655

Randolph County CD Al DeClerk 3914 Engleberg Rd.,

Pocahontas, AR 72455

(870) 892-3712

Rich Mountain CD (Polk

County)

Ed Stevenson 1301 Texas St., Mena, AR

71953 

(501) 394-4921

Saline County CD Dr. Richard Simmons 716 W. South St., Benton,

AR 72015

(501) 778-9266

Sebastian County CD W. D. Looper 4320 Nickletown Rd.,

Huntington, AR 72940 

(501) 996-4447

Sharp County CD Harold Hirsch P. O. Box 250, Cherokee

Village, AR 72525-0250

(870) 257-2528

St. Francis County CD John Brice Fletcher,

II

1876 Montrose Dr., Forrest

City, AR 72335 

(870) 633-3443

Stone County CD Roy Hayden P. O. Box 995, Mountain

View, AR 72560-0995

(870) 585-2534

Union County CD J. K. (Ken) Rudder,

Jr.

320 Union 757, El Dorado,

AR 71730

(870) 862-1684

Van Buren County SWCD Dyke Johnson P. O. Box 266, Clinton, AR

72031-0266

(501) 745-2023

Washington County

SWCD

Alan Reed 10639 N. Wedinton

Blacktop, Prairie Grove, AR

72753-1035

(501) 846-3152

White County CD Elvis L. Vaughn 455 Hwy. 36 E., Searcy, AR

72143

(501) 742-3419

Woodruff County SWCD W. P. Daniel, Jr. 619 N. 3rd St., Augusta, AR

72006

(870) 347-5462

Yell County CD James Mitchell P. O. Box 1080, Danville,

AR 72833-1080

(501) 495-2427

CD = Conservation District

SWCD = Soil and Water Conservation District
A-8

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Directories

As of January 1, 2003

Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and

Development Councils

Presidents and Coordinators

County Judge LeRoy Dangeau, president Debbie Moreland, secretary/treasurer

Cross County Courthouse, Room 4

705 E. Union

20311 Lake Vista

Wynne, AR 72396 Roland, AR 72135

Phone: (870) 238-5750 Phone: (501) 868-5286 (H) / (501) 868-5294 (O)

County Judge Wes Fowler, vice president Fax: (501) 868-5294 (call first)

Arkansas River Valley RC&D Area

Fred Stringer, coordinator W. D. Looper, council president

3913 Brooken Hill Dr., Suite 500 4320 Nickletown

Fort Smith, AR 72908-9289 Greenwood, AR 72936

Phone: (501) 646-2569 x 139 Phone: (501) 996-4447

Fax: (501) 646-2691

Central Arkansas RC&D Area

Cindy Neal, coordinator Judge Tom Catlett, council president

Federal Bldg. Rm. 221 1111 Main Street 123 Madison

Conway, AR 72032-5440 Clarendon, AR 72021

Phone: (501) 327-6509x3/505-8395 Phone: (870) 747-5411 office, 747-5294 home

Fax: (501) 329-7434/505-8325

East Arkansas RC&D Area

Travis Boyd, coordinator County Judge LeRoy Dangeau, council president

2703 Paula Drive Cross County Courthouse, Room 4

Jonesboro, AR 72404-8017 705 E. Union

Phone: (870) 972-4725 Wynne, AR 72396

Fax: (870) 972-4715 Phone: (870) 238-5750

Northwest Arkansas RC&D Area

Richard Drewry, coordinator County Judge Wes Fowler, council president

402 N. Walnut, Suite 109 P.O. Box 37

Harrison, AR 72601-3621 Huntsville, AR 72740

Phone: (870) 741-7475 x 117 Phone: (501) 738-6721 work; 738-2695 home

Fax: (870) 741-9332 Fax: (501) 738-2735

Email: W564107@cswnet.com
A-9

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Directories

As of January 1, 2003

Ozark Foothills RC&D Area

Doug Butts, coordinator Mike Davis, council president

112 Camp Tahkodah Road 107 W. Broadway St.

Batesville, AR 72(501) 9069 Pocahontas, AR 72455

Phone: (870) 251-4204

Fax: (870) 251-3750

Southeast Arkansas RC&D Area

Stephanie Priest, coordinator James Jordon, council president

812 North Main St. P. O. Box 518

Monticello, AR 71655 Monticello, AR 71655-0518

Phone: (870) 367-6240 Phone: (870) 367-2623

Fax: (870) 367-0278

Southwest Arkansas RC&D Area

Charlie Williams, coordinator Otto Cowling, council president

217 South Jefferson, Suite 105 P.O. Box 204

El Dorado, AR 71730-5900 Foreman, AR 71836

Phone: (870) 863-5678 or -5679 Phone: (870) 542-7759

Fax: (870) 863-7483
A-10

Arkansas Conservation Partnership

Conservation Activities 2002 Report

Directories

As of January 1, 2003

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Room 3416 - Federal Building, 700 West Capitol Avenue

Little Rock, Arkansas 72201

Phone: (501) 301-3100 Fax: (501) 301-3194

www.ar.nrcs.usda.gov

Kalven L. Trice State Conservationist (501) 301-3100

Anderson Neal, Jr. Assistant State Conservatinist (Operations) (501) 301-3131

Charles Fultz MLRA Leader/State Soil Scientist (501) 301-3116

David Weeks Assistant State Conservatinist (Natural Resources

Planning)

(501) 301-3139

Doris Washington Assistant State Conservatinist (Strategic Planning) (501) 301-3162

Jim Caudle State Resource Conservationist (501) 301-3122

Joe Manuel State Administrative Officer (501) 301-3154

Sonja Coderre State Public Affairs Specialist and State Freedom

of Information Act/Privacy Act Officer

(501) 301-3133

Tony Stevenson State Conservation Engineer (501) 301-3141

Burthel Thomas Assistant State Conservatinist for Field Operations,

Northwest

(501) 646-8300

Ken Housh Assistant State Conservatinist for Field Operations,

Northeast

(870) 972-4714

Ray Linder Assistant State Conservatinist for Field Operations,

South

(870) 367-8400