War eagle creek (WEC) is the largest tributary to beaver lake, drinking water source for 550,000 residents innorthwest arkansas

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) awarded a $300,000 Cooperative Agreement grant under the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program (CFDA 15.631) to the Beaver Watershed Alliance, a non-profit organization, to restore aquatic habitat and populations in the War Eagle Creek watershed in Arkansas. The project aims to remove dams and low water crossings, stabilize streambanks, install in-stream structures, create wetlands, and establish public access points. This will benefit drinking water supplies, watershed function, wildlife, outdoor recreation, farming, and education. The project will also propagate and release threatened and at-risk mussel species to establish new populations. The funding will support project activities from July 2023 to October 2027, advancing local and state strategic plans through collaborative partnerships with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, private landowners, and other stakeholders.

Segments of WEC are listed on the 303(d) list for nonattainment due to turbidity andpathogens and twenty-seven species of greatest conservation need (sgcn) occur in WEC, including two federallyprotected species the rabbitsfoot mussel listed as threatened and the western fanshell that is proposed to belisted as threatened.primarily, this project aims to restore habitat for target species, as well as provide beneficial outcomes fordrinking water supplies, watershed function, wildlife, outdoor recreation, farming, and education. Beaverwatershed alliance is the project lead, and have formed a collaborative partnership between arkansas game andfish commission, partners for fish and wildlife, private landowners, nonprofits, state, local governments, andothers to work in concert to implement project deliverables, including DAM and low water crossing removals, streambank restoration, instream structure installation, wetland creation, establishment of public access points, monitoring and conducting public educational workshops. Propagation of scgn and listed mussel species will bereleased into the completed project area to establish mussel populations. Project goals will advance local andstate strategic plans and strengthen local-led partnerships.