From the Illinois River in northwest Arkansas to Bayou Bartholomew in the southeast corner of the state, Arkansas residents are helping preserve the Natural State’s pristine waters.
The Arkansans who comprise the nearly 20 local watershed groups across the state are invaluable to the preservation of water quality in the streams, lakes and rivers of our state.
Watershed organizations in Arkansas take special interest in monitoring and improving water quality in their regions. Local citizens that make up the groups are often the first line of defense against threats to the watershed, the area of land where all water drains to a specific lake or river.
The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, in turn, provides vital assistance to existing watershed organizations and start-up groups through the Arkansas Watershed Advisory Group.
ADEQ operates and funds the advisory organization as a method of providing technical help and support to local watershed groups throughout Arkansas.
Based at ADEQ, the Arkansas Watershed Advisory Group, known as AWAG, is comprised of local watershed organizations, government agencies and nonprofit groups with water-quality concerns.
AWAG’s mission is to promote local voluntary approaches to watershed management and conservation.
“Fortunately, we have a number of hard-working individuals who are willing to volunteer their time in efforts to preserve the health and beauty of our watersheds.” said ADEQ Director Teresa Marks. “The watershed advisory group allows for information sharing and offers resources often not available to local groups themselves. We take pride in our water quality in Arkansas, and coordinating with local groups to protect our resources is something that should make every Arkansan proud.”
AWAG produces quarterly newsletters in addition to hosting regular meetings to discuss water-quality management. Frequently, watershed groups from one region of Arkansas learn about new techniques or activities that were successfully adopted by other groups, Marks said.
Though AWAG does not provide funding to local organizations, the advisory group does assist in grant procurement efforts. AWAG’s watershed planning guide helps concerned citizens interested in forming a watershed group by providing instructions on how to develop a mission statement and establish bylaws.
AWAG also coordinates education and outreach events statewide, such as presentations to local governments and civic organizations concerning potential contaminants in groundwater and surface water.
“Education is a large part of AWAG’s vital role in the state,” Marks said. “Whether it is an event for children or adults, Arkansans may learn about their personal impact on water or ways to identify signs of distress in streams. The group makes education a high priority.”
