ARKANSAS WATER PLAN UPDATE TASK NO. 6 – SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS WATER RESOURCES PLANNING REGION AUGUST 11, 2014 ARKANSAS WATER PLAN UPDATE TASK NO. 6 – SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS WATER RESOURCES PLANNING REGION Prepared for Arkansas Natural Resources Commission 101 East Capitol Avenue, Suite 350 Little Rock, AR 72201-3813 Prepared by FTN Associates, Ltd. 3 Innwood Circle, Suite 220 Little Rock, Arkansas 72211 FTN No. R03015-0003-001 August 11, 2014 August 11, 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ..................................................................... xi 1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1-1 2.0 GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ..................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Geography ............................................................................................................ 2-1 2.2 History.................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.2.1 Cultural .................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2.2 Water Resources Development ................................................................ 2-6 3.0 PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Physiography........................................................................................................ 3-1 3.1.1 West Gulf Coastal Plain Province ............................................................ 3-1 3.1.2 Ouachita Mountain Province ................................................................... 3-3 3.2 Geologic Setting................................................................................................... 3-3 3.2.1 Geology of the West Gulf Coastal Plain Province ................................... 3-4 3.2.2 Geology of the Ouachita Mountain Province .......................................... 3-6 3.3 Ecoregions............................................................................................................ 3-7 3.4 Aquatic Biodiversity .......................................................................................... 3-10 3.5 Climate ............................................................................................................... 3-14 3.5.1 Temperature ........................................................................................... 3-14 3.5.2 Precipitation ........................................................................................... 3-14 3.5.3 Evaporation ............................................................................................ 3-19 3.5.4 Drought .................................................................................................. 3-21 3.5.5 Climate Variability................................................................................. 3-21 3.6 Land Use ............................................................................................................ 3-23 3.6.1 Forest...................................................................................................... 3-23 3.6.2 Wetlands ................................................................................................ 3-28 3.6.3 Agriculture ............................................................................................. 3-29 3.6.4 Public Land ............................................................................................ 3-30 i August 11, 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) 3.7 Surface Water..................................................................................................... 3-31 3.7.1 Rivers and Streams ................................................................................ 3-31 3.7.2 Lakes and Impoundments ...................................................................... 3-33 3.7.3 Wetlands ................................................................................................ 3-39 3.7.4 Surface Water Quality............................................................................ 3-40 3.8 Groundwater ...................................................................................................... 3-40 3.8.1 Aquifers.................................................................................................. 3-40 3.8.2 Groundwater Quality ............................................................................. 3-55 3.9 Groundwater-Surface Water Connections ......................................................... 3-61 4.0 SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................. 4-1 4.1 Demographics ...................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.1 2010 Population ....................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.2 Changes from 1990 .................................................................................. 4-7 4.2 Income and Employment ..................................................................................... 4-9 4.2.1 Current Income and Employment Levels ................................................ 4-9 4.2.2 Changes in Income and Employment from 1990 .................................. 4-10 4.3 Economic Drivers .............................................................................................. 4-11 4.3.1 Current Regional Economic Drivers ...................................................... 4-11 4.3.2 Comparison to 1990 Regional Economy ............................................... 4-22 4.4 Waste Generation and Disposal ......................................................................... 4-24 4.4.1 Solid Waste ............................................................................................ 4-25 4.4.2 Hazardous Waste ................................................................................... 4-27 4.4.3 Wastewater and Stormwater .................................................................. 4-28 5.0 WATER RESOURCES ISSUES ..................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 Flooding ............................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Water Supply ....................................................................................................... 5-2 5.2.1 Groundwater ............................................................................................ 5-2 5.2.2 Surface Water......................................................................................... 5-14 ii August 11, 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) 5.3 Water Quality Issues .......................................................................................... 5-16 5.3.1 Water Quality Monitoring...................................................................... 5-16 5.3.2 Non-Attainment of Surface Water Quality Standards ........................... 5-22 5.3.3 Non-Attainment of Drinking Water Quality Standards and Water Quality Guidelines by Groundwater ........................................... 5-29 5.3.4 Fish Consumption Advisories ................................................................ 5-34 5.3.5 Nonpoint Source Pollution ..................................................................... 5-37 5.3.6 Contaminants of Emerging Concern ...................................................... 5-40 5.4 Water Infrastructure ........................................................................................... 5-40 5.5 Loss of Aquatic Biological Diversity ................................................................ 5-41 5.6 Operation and Maintenance of the Ouachita-Black Rivers Navigation System ............................................................................................. 5-47 6.0 INSTITUTIONAL AND REGULATORY SETTING .................................................... 6-1 6.1 Legal Framework ................................................................................................. 6-1 6.1.1 Federal Laws and Regulatory Programs .................................................. 6-1 6.1.2 Federal Laws and Assistance Programs ................................................... 6-9 6.1.3 State Laws and Regulatory Programs .................................................... 6-15 6.1.4 State Financial Assistance Programs ..................................................... 6-29 6.1.5 Non-Regulatory State Water Management Programs............................ 6-32 6.1.6 Regional Water Resources Management Programs ............................... 6-34 6.1.7 Local Regulations .................................................................................. 6-35 6.1.8 Interstate Compact ................................................................................. 6-35 6.2 Institutional Framework ..................................................................................... 6-36 6.2.1 Federal Agencies .................................................................................... 6-36 6.2.2 Arkansas Agencies ................................................................................. 6-36 6.2.3 Federal-State Organizations ................................................................... 6-42 6.2.4 Regional and Local Entities ..................................................................