Restoring the Iconicc Lower Cache River A new chapter holds promise of revitalizing cherished waters and woods
The story of conservation in the lower Cache River and surrounding Big Woods of eastern Arkansas is one of ecological setbacks, protection victories and painstaking restoration. Yet the final chapter has yet to be written. In 1970, with support from local landowners, the Army Corps of Engineers slated 232 miles of the meandering lower Cache River and Bayou DeView for channelization to control flooding on adjacent fields. But a group of concerned sportsmen and conservationists led by Dr. Rex Hancock joined conservation agencies and organizations to launch a campaign that eventually brought a halt to ditching of nearly all of the lower Cache. During the battle, seven miles of the river were channelized. Soon afterwards, a partnership of agencies, conservation groups, businesses and landowners begin working together to conserve the remaining forests in the lower Cache basin. Major victories included securing federal funding that created the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and later working to add 41,000 acres of Potlatch Corporation lands to the White River NWR. 1970: $60 million is authorized by Congress to channelize 232 miles of the Cache River and Bayou DeView. 1971: Arkansas Wildlife Federation and several private landowners sue to stop channelization on the Cache River. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission joins suit shortly after filing. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission purchases land from three private landowners to create Black Swamp Wildlife Management Area to preserve wetlands along the Cache River. 1972: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers draglines begin ditching the Cache River. Rex Hancock helps organize the Citizens Committee to Save the Cache River Basin. Through the Wetlands Reserve Program, tens of thousands of bottomland acres were reforested. All told, the partnership has reforested more than 50,000 acres and safeguarded more than 130,000 acres in the Big Woods. While the conservation strides have been significant, the work on the channelized stretch of the lower Cache remains incomplete. Now we have an opportunity to begin restoring natural meanders of the channelized river, helping to fulfill the vision of those who 1973: A federal injunction stops the ditching after four miles are completed. 1977: Congress reauthorizes funding and three more miles of the river are ditched. 1978: A government task force concludes that ditching the Cache River will be the single most damaging project to waterfowl and floodplain forest in the nation. Arkansas Senator Bumpers and Arkansas Attorney General Clinton worked to stop the project. Funding ends, leaving a seven-mile scar on the landscape.
originally worked to protect the river. When complete, this stretch of the Cache will once again enjoy thriving fish populations and flourishing habitat that supports waterfowl and hundreds of other resident and migratory bird species. Why Restoration Matters With channelization, the Cache basin s productive aquatic habitats and richly diverse bottomland forests have declined. This harms millions of wintering waterfowl that flock to this area, black bears that roam freely in surrounding woods, and prized sport fish that define the Cache s waters. Returning the lower Cache to its natural meandering condition will slow the river s velocity and reduce the delivery of sediment that damages not only the Cache but also downstream rivers and habitats. Benefits of restoration include: More than that, restoring the Cache pays homage to and helps sustain the deeply rooted Delta river culture so cherished throughout Arkansas. We anticipate that this restoration project will also inspire people across Arkansas and serve as a model for river restoration nationwide. Re-creating Natural Pathways The Army Corps of Engineers, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Ducks Unlimited, the City of Clarendon and The Nature Conservancy are working together to restore a 4.6-mile portion of the channelized Improved habitat for sight-feeding sport fish, mussels and other aquatic species; Improved growing conditions for bottomland forests and wetlands; Increased wetness in the floodplain during the summer months to improve waterfowl habitat; and Boosted tourism opportunities for Delta communities and revitalization of the land for hunters, anglers and birders. 1980s: Local people, agencies, and conservation groups begin working together to conserve the remaining forests in the Cache River watershed. Cache River National Wildlife Refuge is established along the Cache River and Bayou DeView conserving nearly 50,000 acres. The area is named the Big Woods of Arkansas. 1985: The Wetlands Reserve Program allows private landowners and farmers to reforest thousands of prior cleared wetland acres that most agreed were too wet to farm effectively. 1990: The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands names the Big Woods a Wetland of International Importance. 1990s: An additional 100,000 acres are conserved connecting the Cache River NWR to the White River NWR, including the acquisition of Benson Creek Natural Area and the transfer of Potlatch lands to the White River NWR. 2004: The Corps of Engineers, Ducks Unlimited, and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission develop a plan to restore the lower Cache River. 2009: Local project partners request assistance from The Nature Conservancy to move the project to implementation. Today: The local project partners have the opportunity to restore the lower portion of the Cache River and chart a new course of working at a scale that conserves whole landscapes- the forests and the rivers that feed them. Timeline information from Arkansas Duck Hunter s Almanac, published by Bowman Outdoor Enterprises.
river upstream from Clarendon, Arkansas. Restoring the river to its more natural state involves removing plugs at the start of old meanders and constructing weirs, rock structures that will redirect water to flow into the river s historic meanders. Using these methods means that a significant stretch of river can be restored with fairly limited construction work. An Urgent Funding Need Total cost for construction and short-term and long-term project management is $7.8 million. The Army Corps of Engineers received its funding for the federal share in 2012. To fund the lower Cache River restoration, local partners are responsible for contributing $2.8 million. The Nature Conservancy has pledged to raise this local partner match. Be a part of writing this important chapter in the Cache s history. Timing is critical: Our goal is to have funding identified by the spring of 2012 for construction to begin in the winter of 2012-2013. After coming so close to losing the entire river, we now have an extraordinary chance to put the Cache back on course for future generations. With your support, we can restore the river, making it a thriving haven for nature and people.
The City of Clarendon Conservation needs more than lip service More than professionals. It needs ordinary people with extraordinary desire. Contact Scott Simon, Director The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas 601 North University Avenue Little Rock, Arkansas 72205 Phone: (501) 614-5082 E-mail: ssimon@tnc.org