The next Water Webinar is hosted by the Beaver Watershed Alliance, and this webinar is focused on War Eagle Creek, river restoration, and mussel ecology.

War Eagle Creek is the largest tributary to Beaver Lake, a drinking water source for 550,000 residents in Northwest Arkansas.

A collaborative partnership between Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC), Beaver Watershed Alliance, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, landowners, nonprofits, state and local governments, and others are working together to improve War Eagle Creek and its tributaries.

Through mutual goals and collaboration, over $3.6 million in funding has been obtained to move forward with the project. Partners are actively working to remove stream barriers to open 434 miles of waterway, address eroding streambanks, restore riparian and wetlands, propagate mussels for reestablishment and conduct biological monitoring. In less than a year, a large dam and overflow barrier were removed on War Eagle Creek (Fall 2023).

These efforts aim to improve water quality and protect our drinking water supply, but will also restore habitat for target species, as twenty-seven Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) occur in War Eagle Creek, including two federally protected species. These projects will also help to aid local counties in flood management, restore floodplains, help local farmers, and provide education throughout the watershed area.

AGFC Stream Habitat Coordinator Sean Saunders will join us to speak about the restoration details of the project, as well as the benefits of barrier removals and stream restoration. AGFC Malacologist, Dr. Kendall Moles, will also join us to discuss the ecology of mussels and the work done at the War Eagle restoration sites to collect over 2,000 mussels.

REGISTRATION: https://uada.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oX7tpjdAQ1WJWEVyfgeWNA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We look forward to seeing you there!