Watershed Conservation Resource Center

• • WCRC is a Non-profit Organization that strives to protect, conserve and restore natural resources by utilizing the watershed approach, environmental outreach and providing planning and technical assistance to landowners, communities and government.

The Watershed Conservation Resource Center (WCRC), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization,recognizes that safeguarding our nation’s natural resources requires initiative from capable personnel, strategic funding mechanisms, and broad community support. Scientific information and effective communication of environmental data are necessary for protection and conservation of our rivers, lakes, wetlands, forest and drinking water.

With this in mind, the WCRC was founded in 2003 to provide technical support to communities to address the challenges of watershed management and river instability. With over 90+ years of combined staff experience, the WCRC are experts in watershed management, planning, design, stream and ecological restoration projects.

The WCRC has conducted a variety of watershed-based assessments focused on addressing sediment and nutrients sources from river instability, off-road vehicles, urbanization, and agriculture.

The WCRC has successfully completed over 30 projects that include over 50,000 feet of restoration and stabilization, ranging from small urban streams to large rivers throughout Northwest Arkansas (NWA). Understanding the natural tendencies of Ozark streams and utilizing natural materials, like trees and rocks, that would otherwise be disposed of, they incorporate these materials into their projects. This prevents, tens of thousands of tons of sediment and pounds of phosphorus from entering streams and rivers annually, protecting Beaver Lake and the Illinois River.

Beyond the Arkansas state borders, the WCRC has worked in other bordering states and as far as the Jemez River in New Mexico.

WCRC has been writing, acquiring, and managing grants that fund environmental assessment and stream restoration projects since its founding in 2003. WCRC has been awarded numerous grants that have allowed entities, such as, the Cities of Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, and Fort Smith to partner with the WCRC to conduct watershed‐based assessments and stream restoration projects. These projects have provided valuable information on city planning and pollution reduction and have supported several stream restoration projects. Over $20 million federal dollars have been brought to Arkansas through the WCRC’s efforts. Federal grants have covered as much as 50% to 100% of the total project costs, and were obtained through a competitive process from local, regional, and national grant programs administered by entities, such as, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. The WCRC has been successful in obtaining grants, because of the numerous partnerships they have developed and maintained in the environmental community, which is a key element most grant programs are seeking. The WCRC has written summary documents on funding sources and requirements for stream restoration projects and is currently working with local private foundations and other entities to find support to conduct more stream restoration of priority sites on the West Fork White River to improve water quality in Beaver Lake watershed.