Regarding the games Arkansas plays with its USEPA report on impaired waters, Oklahoma has once again called Arkansas’ hand.

“The State of Oklahoma is concerned that the proposed list is incomplete and inaccurate especially with regard to several major streams and rivers entering Oklahoma from Arkansas,” wrote Glen Jones of the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality in a letter to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. Jones is assistant director of the Water Quality Division.

The EPA requires states to submit a list of impaired water bodies called the 303 (d) list. The Arkansas report for 2006 once again does not list the Illinois River as impaired nor does it list several tributaries of the Illinois River that were added in the state’s 2004 report by the EPA itself. Those streams are Spring Creek, Osage Creek, and the Muddy Fork, all listed as impaired by phosphorus. The streams were added to the impaired list by the EPA upon review of Arkansas’ reporting.

Regarding the Arkansas 303(d) report for 2006, Oklahoma notified Arkansas DEQ that; “There are several other shared streams and rivers that are contained in Oklahoma’s 2006 303(d) list that are not found on the Arkansas list. Of concern to the State of Oklahoma are the Illinois River, Baron Fork River, and Lee Creek.”

The Illinois River is not a designated scenic river in Arkansas and does not have the beneficial uses that Oklahoma places on the river including a phosphorus limit.

Osage Creek in Arkansas is listed as impaired from unknown sources. However, several large northwestern
Arkansas cities including Rogers and Springdale discharge treated sewage to the stream.

E.B.