Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

Which of your favorite rivers is on the ADEQs 303(d)/ Impaired Rivers list ?

Below is a short list of the "list" of impaired rivers in Arkansas. Not every mile of every creek listed is impaired, but far too many river reaches of some of our favorite floating, fishing, and camping trip rivers are listed for sediment, lack of aquatic life, pathogens, heavy metals and so on. For a river to be listed and considered impaired it must not meet water quality standards for fish consumption, aquatic life, primary contact , secondary contact, drinking water, agriculture, and industry.

or Check the list ouf for yourself at http://www.adeq.state.ar.us/water/default.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and click on 303(d) list.

Ables Creek
Arkansas River

Bayou Bartholomew
Bayou Meto
Bear Creek
Bearhouse Creek
Beouf River
Big Creek
Big Piney Creek
Black River
Bodcau Creek
Buffalo River

Cache River
Caddo River
Clear Creek (Washington Co.)
Cove Creek
Crooked Creek
Current River

Days Creek
Dorchart Bayou

Eleven Point River

Fourche Creek
Fourch River

Hurricane Creek (Newton County)

Illinois River

Kings River

Little Missourri River.
Little Piney Creek

Middle Fork Little Red River
Middle Fork White River
Mountain Fork River
Mulberry River

Ouachita River

Petit Jean River
Poteau River

Red River
Richland Creek

Saline River
S. Fouche LaFave
Spring River
Sulpher River

War Eagle Creek
West Fork White River

My favorite scenic river that is listed as impaired and I wish wasn't is Hurricane Creek.

Half Ton wrote:For a river to be listed and considered impaired it must not meet water quality standards for fish consumption, aquatic life, primary contact , secondary contact, drinking water, agriculture, and industry.

In this sentence, do you mean that it has to fail in any or all of these catagories? "And" or "or" I guess would be my question.

The 303(d) List of Waters reports on streams and lakes identified as impaired for one or more pollutants and do not meet one or more water quality standards. Any change from a streams normal baseline for chemical or physical criteria which can impact life in that stream can cause it to get on the list. For example: Crooked Creek got on the list a couple of years ago because the water temperature has been increasing. Staff at ADEQ believes that the change in temp is due to intensive gravel mining on the creek and has suspended all new permits while their study continues.

Impaired waters are identified through assessment and monitoring programs conducted by ADEQ, volunteer networks and other local, state and federal agencies.

Examples of information on impaired waterbodies on the 303(d) list are:

A description of the watershed basin.
The location of the impaired stream (using river miles) or number of acres of an impaired lake.
Causes that are likely contributing or causing the impairment, e.g., excessive algal growth or low pH or sediment.
Sources that are likely causing or contributing to the impairment, e.g., wastewater treatment plant overflows or surface minimum.

its disturbing to see so many rivers many would consider in excellent condition listed as impaired; such as the Buffalo, Hurricane and others.

Grant

The 303(d) List of Waters reports on streams and lakes identified as impaired for one or more pollutants and do not meet one or more water quality standards.

Thanks for clarifying that point and giving some great additional info Debo.

Yep, I agree grant. It is disturbing to see so many reaches or entire sections of some waters of our state in such bad condition.

As Debo's tagline says, these be the days of dealing with consequences.

I'm even afraid that it may get a little bit worse before it gets any better. Especially with the new regime of emerging contaminants.

We can still maintain and improve the waters of our state though, by simply realizing that we all have an impact on water quality, and it is all of our responsibility to protect water quality - still though it is an uphill battle.

It sure seems like a lot of people like to point fingers and name who is to blame when it comes to pollution and who is a polluter, but not a lot of people actually never take it upon themselves to realize or do anything about their own impacts.

Industry, Agriculture, Municipal Govmnt, Individuals, Development.

We need everyone in all categories doing positive things like educating employees and individuals about Best Management Practices, Implementing BMPs, Maintaining BMPs, Passing ordinances that encourage Low Impact Development and Riparian Area preservation.


How does that one bumper sticker saying go ?

"only when the last river is polluted, and the last fish been caught from the sea, that we will then realize we can not eat our money"