The Arkansas Department of Agriculture (“ADA”) announced it will hold a virtual stakeholder meeting for the revised Arkansas Water Plan (“AWP”) on July 8, 2026, from 8:30 AM to 11 AM.
The ADA states that representatives from that state agency and contractors with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will present updates on:
- Draft gap analysis.
- Mitigation strategies.
- Issues and recommendations.
The Arkansas General Assembly had previously delegated responsibility for state water sources planning to the predecessor organization for the ADA Natural Resources Division (“NRD”) – The Arkansas Solid Waste Conservation Commission in 1969. Further, the Arkansas General Assembly provided that Soil and Water Conservation Commission the statutory authority to develop the first AWP in 1975.
The AWP has been described as the State’s policy for long-term management of water. It was updated in 1990 and 2014.
The NRD has described the purpose of the AWP as bringing:
… data, science, and public input together to define water demands, water supplies, and potential solutions to our future needs.
Governor Sanders previously issued an Executive Order (“EO”) requesting that the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Division undertake:
- A comprehensive analysis/report of the State’s water needs.
- Update the AWP.
See EO 23-27.
The EO recognizes the role of both the NRD and the AWP in the State of Arkansas’ water resources. It further noted that the AWP had not been updated for almost ten years and that there is:
… urgent need to update the plan in order to meet the changing needs of communities, large and small – across the state.
The ADA has held previous stakeholder meetings on water infrastructure, water quality, water demand and water supply.
The ADA requests that any stakeholder input or suggestions on the provisional information presented be submitted by August 7, 2026, to Argi.WaterPlan@arkansas.gov.
The AWP revision is expected to be completed by the end of September 2026.
A link to previous presentations and stakeholder meetings can be found here.
Instructions for joining the meeting can be found below:
To join the meeting, please see the following instructions:
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://uada.zoom.us/j/84738417116?pwd=5aSrbNhoHM1CpM7X2a36BNqogjD3pc.1
Password: 070720
Or join by phone:
+1 646 558 8656 (US Toll) or +1 646 931 3860 (US Toll)
Meeting ID: 847 3841 7116
International numbers available: https://uada.zoom.us/u/kbZppCFFIE
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