West Fork White River Watershed: The Impacts of Streambank Erosion “Restoration of Priority Reaches Project Plan”

You’ve probably noticed eroding streambanks or “cut-banks” like the one pictured here on many Ozark streams. Maybe you asked yourself, “Is this natural?” “Has it always been this way?” “Can it be fixed?” The Watershed Conservation Resource Center along with several partners including the West Fork Environmental Protection Association (WFEPA), landowners, government & non-government organizations, and local groups have formed a partnership to look at streambank erosion in the West Fork White River (West Fork). The objective of this partnership is to determine what can be done to reduce impacts on the river and the community.
The West Fork is a major tributary of Beaver Lake, the primary drinking water source for over 300,000 people in Northwest Arkansas. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has determined that the West Fork does not support its “aquatic life” use designation due to high turbidity levels and excessive silt. One cause of this problem is excessive amounts of sediment from accelerated streambank erosion. Accelerated streambank erosion is when there is more erosion than you would expect for a stable section of river. Based on field measurements, an ADEQ watershed assessment estimated that accelerated streambank erosion contributed 66% of the total annual sediment load for the river. Unstable streambanks not only have an impact on aquatic habitat, but they result in a loss of valuable land including riverside pastures, forests and other wildlife habitat. The causes of accelerated streambank erosion are complex. They result from land use changes that have occurred in the watershed over decades. Unfortunately, landowners next to the river bear the most obvious burden associated with this problem.

The Watershed Conservation Resource Center and local partners have received a grant to develop a locally based plan to reduce accelerated streambank erosion in the West Fork watershed. The project partners are taking a close look at this problem using data collected on the West Fork to identify the streambanks in greatest need of restoration. By restoring these sites we can improve the water quality of the West Fork, while improving aquatic and terrestrial habitat. A demonstration restoration design using natural channel design techniques will be developed for a priority site. Also, the project partners will seek funding sources needed for implementation of the plan. Funding for this project is provided through a USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service “Conservation Partnership Initiative” grant. Participation in this project and future restoration is on a voluntary basis. If you would like to learn more about this local effort, the West Fork Garden Market is hosting a workshop June 10th, 2008 at the West Fork Elementary School from 9:30 – 11:00 AM.

The Watershed Conservation Resource Center is a non-profit organization that strives to protect, conserve, and restore natural resources by utilizing the watershed approach, environmental outreach, and providing planning and technical assistance to landowners, communities, and government. For more information on this project, please contact Sandi Formica at (501) 352-5252.