Making progress for Arkansas’s water infrastructure

Our nation’s ports, harbors and inland waterways are critical both for transportation and economic growth. They support industries, create jobs and promote commerce.

For Arkansas, they serve as essential resources for agriculture, flood protection efforts and clean drinking water access. It is no wonder Congress has consistently recognized the value in maintaining and maximizing this vital water infrastructure.

The primary tool we use to do so is a biennial package authorizing flood control, navigation and ecosystem restoration projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) called the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). In the closing weeks of the 118th Congress, we cleared the latest version and sent it to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

The legislation, formally known as the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024, will impact every state through the over 200 feasibility studies, 22 new or modified construction projects and other programs it greenlights. They are necessary and, in many cases, overdue.

Many of the dams, levees and other infrastructure tied to our waterways are aging and beginning to deteriorate. While temporary repairs have provided short-term fixes, long-term investments to upgrade and enhance these structures are not only more cost-effective but essential to keeping our infrastructure reliable.

As a longtime member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I have appreciated the opportunity to work intimately on these issues and am always focused on securing Arkansas priorities.

This time was no different and I’m pleased with the success we achieved.

In Northwest Arkansas, the law will help advance the reallocation study for the Beaver Water District to help serve the water needs of over 400,000 people as well as regional and national business operations in an area experiencing rapid growth and development. Inadequate water supply storage and access could jeopardize that momentum.

On the opposite side of the state, we secured language to allow the Corps to study the feasibility of expanding the Osceola Harbor to better to manage increased barge traffic and support the vibrant steel industry in Mississippi County – now the largest steel-producing county in America – and also delivered a provision establishing a comprehensive approach to managing the Lower Mississippi River.

But WRDA’s reach extends beyond just our state’s borders on the east and west. It also dedicates funding for the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS) to mitigate cost overruns. MKARNS has enabled enhanced navigation, flood control, power generation, habitat conservation and economic development across The Natural State. This investment represents an important next step to ensuring its vitality and the ability of individuals and industries in communities statewide to benefit from the commerce this superhighway facilitates.

And the bill also contains measures I advocated to address levee safety guidelines that Arkansans have voiced concerns with, as well as an adapted version of legislation I helped lead to improve popular outdoor recreational facilities by encouraging the Corps to reinvest fees collected at them for on-site maintenance and upgrades.

These projects all help strengthen our water infrastructure, which stimulates economic growth and improves the quality of life for all.

It is an honor to play an integral role in crafting these momentous policies and ensuring we meet the pressing needs of our waterways and communities. I look forward to continuing those efforts and join all those celebrating the completion of WRDA 2024.