Arkansas Proposes River Protections Amid Runoff Pollution Surge

The Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission is set to review proposed updates to Regulation No. 2, which governs water quality standards across the state, including key segments of the Arkansas River Basin. Effective November 25, 2024, these revisions shift total phosphorus (TP) standards from fixed numeric limits—0.11 mg/L for cold-water aquatic life segments and 0.17 mg/L for warm-water ones—to a "TVS" (translation variable standard) approach, allowing site-specific adjustments while maintaining Clean Water Act compliance.[1] The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency noted no action on these interim TP values as of January 27, 2025, signaling ongoing federal scrutiny.[1] Agricultural runoff remains the primary culprit, with nonpoint source (NPS) pollution from rainfall and snowmelt carrying fertilizers, sediments and pesticides into rivers and lakes.[4] The Arkansas Department of Agriculture's 2024-2029 NPS Management Plan, released following Gov. Sarah Sanders' August 21, 2023, proclamation to update the state water plan, identifies priority watersheds for funding and education.[2] Every two years, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality lists impaired waters, such as Moccasin Creek below Arkansas Highway 177 and Stennitt Creek near the Spring River, which fail perennial aquatic life standards.[3] In the Arkansas River Basin, regulators propose tightening criteria to prevent chlorophyll-a levels from exceeding 16.8-30 µg/L due to municipal, industrial or agricultural discharges.[1] With agriculture dominating Arkansas' landscape—spanning rice fields in the Delta to poultry operations in the Ozarks—these rules target nutrient overloads fueling algal blooms that deplete oxygen and harm fish populations. The Arkansas Times first highlighted the proposals, drawing from ADEQ drafts amid rising public concerns over drinking water safety in cities like Little Rock and Fort Smith.