Blowing Springs Creek – Bella Vista, AR

The Bella Vista Village Property Owners Association (BVVPOA) requested that the Watershed Conservation Resource Center (WCRC) develop a basic plan to address accumulated gravels that have deposited within an impacted reach of Blowing Springs Creek located at the Blowing Springs RV Park.  Significant flooding that occurred in the spring and summer of 2013 resulted in the accumulation of gravels within the stream channel, significantly reducing the capacity of the stream to transport flows without overtopping the channel and flooding an adjacent roadway.

The creek is fed by Blowing Springs which provides base flow year-round.  During storm events, most flow is generated by runoff from the adjacent landscape, which is composed of steep, rocky hillsides and somewhat broad valley. The prescribed actions will restore the capacity of the impacted stream reach thus preventing inundation of the adjacent roadway.  This will reduce the risk of safety hazards to motorists and the roadway.  Long term maintenance of the channel will likely be required as large-magnitude flood events will inevitably occur in the future and the movement of bedload during these types of events cannot be accurately predicted or adequately prepared for.