US Army Corps of Engineers
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Sustainable Rivers

White, Black, and Little Red Rivers, AR & MO - Supporting ecosystem health

The White River in Arkansas is an important source of hydropower and water supply for the area, and more water resource development projects are being considered. Corps and Conservancy staff are working to determine how much water needs to stay in the river to support wildlife before any new changes take place. Maintaining vibrant river and floodplain ecosystems supports outdoor recreation including boating, hunting and fishing activities, which are important economic generators in the region. Healthy habitats also benefit migrating birds at this stop on the Mississippi Flyway.

Set in the scenic Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri, Bull Shoals Lake has hundreds of miles of lake arms and coves perfect for boating, water sports, swimming, and fishing. Nineteen developed parks around the shoreline provide campgrounds, boat launches, swim areas, and marinas. Sixty thousand acres of public land provide a variety of oudoor opportunities.
A foggy morning at Bull Shoals Dam - Set in the scenic Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri, Bull Shoals Lake has hundreds of miles of lake arms and coves perfect for boating, water sports, swimming, and fishing. Nineteen developed parks around the shoreline provide campgrounds, boat launches, swim areas, and marinas. Sixty thousand acres of public land provide a variety of outdoor opportunities (USACE photo).
Bull Shoals Lake and Dam is a multipurpose reservoir in northern Arkansas that is operated for flood risk management, fish and wildlife, recreation, water supply, and hydropower.
Bull Shoals Dam, Arkansas - Bull Shoals Lake and Dam is a multipurpose reservoir in northern Arkansas that is operated for flood risk management, fish and wildlife, recreation, water supply, and hydropower (USACE photo).
The White River in Arkansas is an important source of hydropower and water supply for the area. Maintaining vibrant river and floodplain ecosystems supports outdoor recreation including boating, wildlife viewing, and hunting and fishing activities, which are important economic generators in the region. Healthy habitats also benefit migrating birds at this stop on the Mississippi Flyway.
Viewing a Great Blue Heron at Bull Shoals Lake - The White River in Arkansas is an important source of hydropower and water supply for the area. Maintaining vibrant river and floodplain ecosystems supports outdoor recreation including boating, wildlife viewing, and hunting and fishing activities, which are important economic generators in the region. Healthy habitats also benefit migrating birds at this stop on the Mississippi Flyway (USACE photo).
Table Rock Dam, near Branson, Missouri is one of the mainstem dams on the White River. Others include Beaver and Bull Shoals Dams in Arkansas. Additional projects are being considered with the primary focus on large water withdrawal systems designed to ease irrigation demand on local aquifers.
Table Rock Lake, Branson, Missouri - Table Rock Dam, near Branson, Missouri is one of the mainstem dams on the White River. Others include Beaver and Bull Shoals Dams in Arkansas. Additional projects are being considered with the primary focus on large water withdrawal systems designed to ease irrigation demand on local aquifers (USACE photo).
Beaver Lake was included in the White River Basin comprehensive plan for flood risk management and other purposes through the Flood Control Act of 1954. Corps and Conservancy staff are working to determine how much water needs to stay in the river to support wildlife before any new changes take place.
Beaver Dam and Lake - Beaver Lake was included in the White River Basin comprehensive plan for flood risk management and other purposes through the Flood Control Act of 1954. Corps and Conservancy staff are working to determine how much water needs to stay in the river to support wildlife before any new changes take place (USACE photo).
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This project is atypical for the Sustainable Rivers Program. Though the White River has dams on the mainstem (Beaver, Table Rock, and Bull Shoals) and some of its major tributaries (Norfork, Clearwater, and Greers Ferry) the primary focus is on large water withdrawal systems planned to ease irrigation demand on local aquifers. The Grand Prairie Area Demonstration Project is designed to pump water out of the White River and distribute it to farms throughout the Grand Prairie via a canal network. Read More

Partners
  • Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
  • Missouri Department of Conservation
  • Arkansas Natural Resources Commission
  • Missouri Department of Natural Resources
  • Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission
  • Arkansas Waterways Commission
  • United States Fish and Wildlife Service
  • United States Geological Survey
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