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Our Rivers Have a Tremendous Impact on Our Quality of Life

The North Fork and White rivers are estimated to contribute $100,000,000 a year to the area’s economy. The rivers and their watershed are the recreational and economic lifeblood of our communities.   
      

They are the source of drinking water to numerous communities within the watershed helping to sustain hundreds of thousands of human lives. Hundreds of millions of aquatic plants, animals, fish, and waterfowl depend on clean healthy water in our watershed to live. The cold, clean water of these rivers supports approximately 100 miles of the best trout fishing in the United States. Clean, healthy water is critical to our agricultural and recreational communities which contribute to our economy and quality of life.


Without clean, healthy water in these rivers area businesses would suffer, property and home values would decline and we would lose the quality of life we all enjoy. Friends believe that the health, safety, quality of life, and economic prosperity http://of the region is intimately related to the water quality that healthy rivers and their watersheds assure. Friends Slogan – “Healthy Rivers mean Healthy Communities"


From the Mountains to the Mississippi - The entire Upper White River Basin consists of nearly 7.7 million acres. Friends Restoration Action Strategy (WRAS) focus addresses a portion of that – the Middle Section of the White.

Threats to Our Rivers and Watersheds
 “According to the 2014 Arkansas State Water Plan, Arkansas watersheds including the middle section of the North Fork and White Rivers face these threats and others:  (link to AWP here)


  • Sediment pollution caused by improper timbering or other land clearings
  • Loss of the riparian zones along waterways due to landowners clearing the river banks
  • Steam bank erosion from livestock in the river
  • Nutrient pollution from lawn and farm fertilizer carried by stormwater
  • Trash - cans, glass & plastic bottles, Styrofoam food containers, paper, cigarette butts
  • Prescription drugs that pass through our municipal waste systems
  • Minerals and silt from sand and gravel mining
  • Illegal waste dumps
  • Contamination from septic systems not being adequately maintained


Join Friends of the North Fork and White Rivers and Help Protect Your Water and Quality of Life


Benefits include:
  • Having a voice along with others to promote clean, healthy rivers and watersheds
  • Access to information about current issues facing our rivers and watersheds
  • Educational information about threats to our rivers and how we can address them
  • Access to regulators, politicians, and other organizations that can address issues
  • Hands-on stream team and river clean-up activities
Become A Member