White River Reservoirs Fish Habitat Project Leads into the Northwest Arkansas Fish Habitat Alliance
- Jordan Lindaman jordan.lindaman@agfc.ar.gov
- Becky Roark, Beaver Watershed Alliance, becky@beaverwatershedalliance.org
The White River Chain of Lakes in Arkansas is comprised of Beaver, Norfork and Bull Shoals lakes. Fish populations in these lakes are managed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and popular sportfish include Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Crappie, Black Crappie, Striped Bass, and Walleye. As with most large reservoirs in the southeast, the White River lakes are aging and much of the original habitat has been lost. The AGFC worked with Beaver Watershed Alliance, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to obtain a grant from the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Tournaments. Funds were used to purchase specialized equipment for statewide fish habitat projects. A total of 271 fish habitat sites were created from this project in the lakes utilizing over 1,500 trees and white oak crib structures.
Education and outreach efforts were also a component of this project. The groups worked together to share project milestones to stakeholders in the Beaver Lake watershed and across Arkansas. A public workshop was conducted to raise awareness of habitat needs along lake shorelines and a video was produced and shared across the region. This project has also enabled the public to actively engage in habitat work to benefit both fisheries and water quality.
In addition, this project led to the creation of the Northwest Arkansas Fish Habitat Alliance (NWAFHA) to work with local schools to improve fish habitat in several lakes in Arkansas. The first goal of the organization is to raise funding through the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation to purchase Mossback Fish Habitat and work with high schools to place structures in lakes. The second goal is to assist schools in growing native aquatic plants in greenhouses and plants will be transferred to lakes. With the support of partners, the NWAFHA has raised over $60,000 for 6 (six) fish habitat builds and have over 1,000 aquatic plants currently growing in local school greenhouses. The NWAFHA has been very popular for anglers, educators, students and the local community and this program offers a unique way to introduce students to outdoor careers. This presentation will share the habitat work achieved and the outcomes of the project, showcasing the value of habitat work for the community, fisheries and watershed improvement.