During May, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s (AGFC) Stream Habitat Program was able to complete four stream barrier removal projects, restoring nearly 20 miles of connectivity to fragile warmwater stream ecosystems.
According to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, they partnered with the Baxter County Road and Bridge department along with the FEMA/ADEM Mitigation Program to replace a large five-culvert barrier on Denton Ferry Road where it crosses Hightower Creek, with a two-lane, 160-foot span bridge. Over the last few years, Denton Ferry Road has flooded due to the culverts not capable of passing enough water during high water events. This caused a barrier for trout and other aquatic creatures in the White River to reach vital habitats upstream during low water and presented safety issues during high water, making the road unusable for area residents.
In addition the AGFC partnered with Newton County, Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Division and The Nature Conservancy to replace the first of three barriers on Cave Creek. The concrete low-water crossing on County Road 252 in Gene Rush Wildlife Management Area was replaced with a new 120-foot bridge. Once the remaining two barriers are removed, Cave Creek will again be a free-flowing tributary of the Buffalo River.
AGFC northwest Arkansas stream habitat coordinator Sean Saunders states not only will the removal of the low-water crossing connect segments of the stream for fish and paddling enthusiasts, it will reduce erosion and the amount of sediment entering the Buffalo. Saunders expects the entire project to be completed within the next year, and construction of the second bridge is already underway.
Funding for these projects was secured through a grant from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Division’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Program and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Although fish barriers have been removed by AGFC through the years, the Stream Habitat Program has moved into high gear since entering the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership database. A small culvert blocking a tributary of Crooked Creek was the first barrier the AGFC entered into the database after it was removed during a streambank stabilization project at the AGFC’s Snow Access.
AGFC prioritizes projects due to the importance to aquatic species and recreational floaters. Removals of these antiquated structures, primarily the low-water crossings with spanned bridges also improves safety for those using the crossings and reduces maintenance costs for state, county and local road crews.
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