Beaver Water District, Audubon protect land
Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/brog/Agriculture/30742/
BENTON COUNTY — An ongoing partnership between Beaver Water District and Audubon Arkansas has resulted in the protection and conservation of more than 75 acres in northwest Arkansas, including the planting of 16,000 trees that will take place at one of the sites in 2006. "Beaver Water District has a vested interest in protecting and improving areas in the Beaver Lake Watershed," Alan D. Fortenberry, P. E., CEO of the District, said. "Our contract work with Audubon allows us to reach out to landowners and help them find solutions that will both benefit the environment and enhance their property investment. This work is essential, since the health of the watershed bears a direct impact on the quality of raw water that comes from Beaver Lake and becomes drinking water for one in eight Arkansans."
A watershed is an area of land that drains water, sediment, and dissolved materials to a common receiving body or outlet. Beaver Lake watershed consists of seven sub-watersheds in portions of Washington, Benton, Madison, Carroll, and Franklin counties in Northwest Arkansas. "The partnership we have with Beaver Water District fits well with our vision statement for Arkansas," Kevin Pierson, Director of Conservation for Audubon Arkansas, said. "This is particularly important in Northwest Arkansas, where development is occurring at an accelerated pace that isn’t expected to slow very much in the coming years. In fact, a recent regional growth study states there could be as many as 1.2 million people residing in this area by 2055. That’s a lot of people and a lot of development that could impact natural places. Audubon, in partnership with the District and others, plans to be here to work with developers to protect our cultural legacy."
Goals for the Beaver Water District’s partnership with Audubon Arkansas in 2006 include the following initiatives: • Facilitate development of a War Eagle Watershed Group, including a business plan that identifies problems and solutions particular to the needs of this watershed. • Work with the West Fork Environmental Protection Association to develop a grant proposal for future projects. Provide support for a stream clean-up in the West Fork of the White River. • Conduct a Watershed Education "Secchi Disk" Day on Beaver Lake. • Conduct Urban Stream Tours in the Beaver Lake Watershed. • Develop and install Beaver Lake Watershed Signage.
For more information, visit www. bwdh2o. org or contact Amy Wilson at 756-3651.