At risk and listed aquatic species, especially freshwater mussels, such as rabbitsfoot (t), purple lilliput (ARS), and western fanshell (ARS) fish, such as ozark shiner (ARS), and longnose darter…

At risk and listed aquatic species, especially freshwater mussels, such as rabbitsfoot (t), purple lilliput (ARS), and western fanshell (ARS) fish, such as ozark shiner (ARS), and longnose darter (ARS) and amphibians, such as oklahoma salamander (ARS), requires high quality flowing water free of excessive sediment, and nutrients. This restoration for recovery strategy (RRS) focuses efforts within the beaver lake priority watershed, working with partners beaver watershed alliance (BWA), arkansas game and fish commission (agfc), partners for fish and wildlife, private landowners and others to reduce or eliminate threats to threatened and endangered species and improve instream, riparian, and associated habitats in the war eagle creek sub watersheds which contain all priority species listed above. War eagle creek contains a wide diversity of aquatic species (including federally listed and at risk) and war eagle watershed is the largest watershed feeding into beaver lake, a regional source water drinking supply for over five hundred and fifty thousand arkansas residents (1 in 5 arkansans). Strategy components will include assessment, design development, removal of a derelict DAM and two degraded low water crossings to allow for aquatic species passage, and reconnection of the floodplain to war eagle creek through riparian and stream restoration. Over two hundred miles of streams will be reconnected through the removal of instream structures, and water quality will improve through stabilization of the segment of creek and streambanks. These improvements are the most effective and feasible suite of recovery actions to promote species survival and recovery and project partners are working in collaboration to leverage resources and meet project goals.