Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Arkansas
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Providing adequate water quantity and quality in streams and rivers is a pressing issue worldwide. It is crucial to determine appropriate environmental flows in streams. This proposal develops the first phase in a multi-year study, involving many partners and a series of steps towards the goal of producing the scientific basis for environmental flow standards within Arkansas. Products of this study, including a statewide river classification system and regional ecological-flow relationships will form the scientific framework for setting environmental flow standards and understanding impacts of global climate change. These ecological-flow response relationships will help determine instream flow needs in the Ozarks and will provide the basis for conservation of at least 9 fish species, 11 crayfish species, and 11 insect species of greatest conservation need, including yellowcheek darter, Arkansas darter, Ozark shiner, longnose darter, silver redhorse, stargazing darter, Ozark chub, and current darter. This work will positively impact many species and ecosystems statewide, those of greatest conservation need and otherwise.