First phase in Arkansas Water Plan completed

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture, along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), has completed the first phase of the Arkansas Water Plan (AWP) update as directed by Gov. Sarah Sanders.

Completion of Phase I marks a significant milestone in the preparation and development of a comprehensive program for the orderly development and management of the state’s water and related land resources that will benefit all Arkansans.

“Every Arkansan deserves access to safe, reliable drinking water. My administration’s ongoing review and update of our Arkansas Water Plan is key to that goal,” said Sanders. “Completion of Phase I of our plan review is an important milestone and I look forward to moving on quickly to Phase II while we continue making needed investments statewide.”

Phase I required a comprehensive review of the existing Arkansas Water Plan to determine areas of significant change to be reevaluated or updated. Completion of Phase I included a total of seven stakeholder meetings that were held across the state from March to May.

Additionally, citizens were encouraged to provide feedback through a stakeholder survey. The Department used this data to better understand the state’s current water needs and to develop the goals for the Arkansas Water Plan update.

The Arkansas Water Plan addresses concerns related to levee inventory and preparation for future flooding events. It also addresses critical groundwater issues for the state’s agriculture industry and administering over $2.5 billion in water development projects in all 75 counties across the state.