For more information, contact:
NRD, (501) 682-1611; Allen Brown, Allen.Brown@arkansas.gov or
FTN Associates, (501) 831-1135; Terry Horton, twh@ftn-assoc.com
Virtual Public Information Meetings on January 19, 2021, to Discuss
a Voluntary Watershed-Based Management Plan for the Bayou Meto Watershed
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Division (NRD) has contracted with FTN Associates Ltd. (FTN) to develop a Bayou Meto Watershed-Based Management Plan. The objective of NRD watershed-based management plans is to protect and improve water quality in streams and other waterbodies by addressing non-regulatory issues through voluntary activities or practices only. There are no requirements for stakeholder participation, but there are potentially significant benefits through voluntary participation.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the meetings will be held online using Zoom (or audio connection via telephone for those without internet access). Because of the size of the watershed and potentially different concerns in different parts of the watershed, there will be two separate meetings:
- Meeting for upper watershed (Faulkner, Pulaski, Lonoke, and Prairie Counties)
January 19, 2021 from 10:00 am until 11:00 am
Click here to register for upper watershed meeting
- Meeting for lower watershed (Arkansas and Jefferson Counties)
January 19, 2021 from 1:30 pm until 2:30 pm
Click here to register for lower watershed meeting
You can register for either or both meetings by clicking on the appropriate link(s) above and filling in the information on the registration form. Individuals who do not have internet access may listen to the meeting by calling (346) 248-7799 at the start of the meeting and entering the webinar ID number (879 7578 9532 for the upper watershed meeting or 846 3934 5441 for the lower watershed meeting). If you have difficulties registering or logging on, please call (501) 225-7779 and ask for Philip or Terry.
The purpose of each meeting will be to gather public input and to explain the process that will be followed in the development of the non-regulatory watershed-based management plan for the Bayou Meto Watershed. Over the next 12 to 16 months, NRD will develop a voluntary watershed-based management plan that is designed to help sustain the watershed and its resources. There will be several additional public meetings during the development of the Bayou Meto Watershed-Based Management Plan. Future meetings may be in-person or virtual depending on guidance from the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force and the Arkansas Department of Health.