Upper White River Watershed Management Plan

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Overview

The Upper White River Watershed Management Plan: A Community-Driven Strategy for Clean Water

Spanning Northwest Arkansas (NWA) and Southern Missouri, the Upper White River Watershed is one of the region’s most important resources. On the Arkansas side, it includes Beaver Lake, which supplies drinking water for over 500,000 people in NWA, but also many of our most beloved waterways such as the White River, War Eagle Creek, Kings River, West Fork White River, Long Creek, and over 2,700 miles of streams. The Upper White River watershed is the source of many critical wildlife habitats, natural scenic areas, and a wide variety of recreational uses.

This Watershed Management Plan developed for the Arkansas side of the watershed, is a community-driven roadmap for protecting and restoring local water quality. Developed with extensive stakeholder input and aligned with EPA’s nine key elements, this voluntary plan identifies where and how to focus resources to reduce pollution, protect drinking water, support aquatic life, and safeguard recreational use.

Explore our priority subwatersheds, the voluntary practices we’re promoting, and how you can be part of the effort to keep the Upper White River healthy for generations to come. Learn more about watershed management plans and what they do

Note that this project was made possible through a grant from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Division supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 319 Program for Non-Point Source Pollution Control.

At a Glance:
Plan Completed: July, 2025
Stakeholders Engaged: 89, with representatives from 26 groups
Subwatersheds Assessed: 69 HUC12 subwatersheds
Miles of Streams and Rivers: 2,700
Impaired Waterways: 135 miles of streams + 3,400 acres of Beaver Lake
Pollutants of Concern: nutrients, sediment, total dissolved solids, sulfate, bacteria, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen
Sources of Concern: Runoff from pasture, developed areas, livestock operations; failing septic systems; unpaved roads; streambank erosion

Get Involved
– Volunteer for a shoreline cleanup
– Apply for cost-share programs and receive financial assistance to make improvements on your land and meet your unique goals
– Join a watershed group
– Stay informed with our monthly e-newsletter

Watershed Map Display

Priority Areas

These 11 subwatersheds ranked highest for restoration activities based on water quality impairments, resource concerns, and nutrient and sediment loading. Click on the watershed name to see a pop-up of the land cover map.

Lake Sequoyah – Focus on phosphorus and sediment reduction
Town Branch–West Fork White River – Restore dissolved oxygen levels and reduce sulfate, sediment, and nutrients
Holman Creek – Focus on practices that reduce sediment, nutrients, and bacteria
Glade Creek – Target nitrogen reductions, reduce sediment and bacteria
Clifty Creek–War Eagle Creek – Restore riparian buffers and reduce upland nutrient runoff, reduce nutrients, sediments, and bacteria
Beaver Lake–War Eagle Creek – Reduce high phosphorus and sediment loads, reduce bacteria, improve dissolved oxygen levels, all impacting drinking water sources on Beaver Lake
Roberts Creek–Beaver Lake – Reduce sediments, nutrients, bacteria, and sulfate; improve habitat conditions
Brush Creek–Beaver Lake – Address nutrient and bacteria issues and protect vulnerable mussel habitat
Spanker Branch–Kings River – Reduce bacteria and organic matter loading; support habitat and water quality in this scenic waterway
Clabber Creek–Kings River – Reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and bacteria; protect endangered mussels
Braswell Branch–Yocum Creek – Reduce nutrients and bacteria; enhance pasture management

Key Strategies to Meet Targets

Nutrient Management – Promote proper timing and application of poultry litter and fertilizers
Septic System Outreach & Upgrades – Reduce pathogen loads through community education and repairs
Erosion Control – Stabilize unpaved roads and trails contributing to turbidity and sedimentation
Riparian Buffer Restoration – Replant trees and native vegetation along streambanks
Streambank Stabilization – Use natural structures to protect eroding banks
Habitat Enhancement – Protect rocky stream bottoms and threatened aquatic species
Stormwater Improvements – Reduce flashy flows from impervious surfaces
Water Quality Monitoring – Track nutrient, sediment, and pathogen levels to evaluate progress

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