LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has released its 2025 Arkansas Groundwater Protection and Management Report, detailing groundwater monitoring, water levels, conservation programs and water use across the state.
The report was issued pursuant to the Arkansas Groundwater Protection and Management Act of 1991 and provides an overview of groundwater conditions during 2025.
“Arkansas has been blessed with abundant natural resources, and we can’t afford to take them for granted,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. “Protecting our groundwater means thinking decades ahead—about conservation, supporting agriculture, strengthening our economy, and ensuring future generations inherit an Arkansas that’s even stronger than the one we enjoy today. That’s exactly what our updated Arkansas Water Plan is designed to do.”
The report reflects mixed groundwater trends in Arkansas’ major aquifers.
In the Alluvial aquifer, average groundwater levels showed positive one-year and 10-year changes, though five-year averages declined. The Sparta/Memphis aquifer experienced a minor overall decrease over the past year but continued to show improvement over the five- and 10-year periods, indicating gradual recovery in several historically stressed areas.
Despite localized improvements, groundwater withdrawals in eastern and southern Arkansas remain above sustainable levels.
“Arkansas is ranked third in the nation for total irrigated land and second in the nation in total irrigation water volume,” Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward said. “Groundwater is critical to the success of Arkansas agriculture, our rural communities, and our state’s long-term economic growth. This report is a reminder that we cannot take this resource for granted. Protecting Arkansas groundwater for future generations requires the kind of long-term planning that Governor Sanders initiated by directing a comprehensive review and update to the Arkansas Water Plan.”
Gov. Sanders initiated a comprehensive review of the Arkansas Water Plan in 2023 through Executive Order 23-27. The order directed a reassessment of the state’s long-term approach to water supply, water demand, water quality and overall resource management.
The first phase of the update was completed by the Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in August 2024. The second phase is now underway and is expected to be completed in summer 2026.
Alongside the planning effort, the department continues to invest in water, wastewater and irrigation infrastructure statewide through multiple funding sources.
Arkansas anticipates receiving $65.9 million in federal funding to support system upgrades, treatment improvements, cybersecurity enhancements and other critical needs. The department is also launching a new Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Matching Grant Program, established by Act 812 of 2025, which will provide approximately $25 million annually in matching funds for shovel-ready projects.
Applications for the program opened in late June, with funding awards anticipated in November 2026.
Since 1988, Arkansas has issued General Obligation Bonds to provide low-cost financing for water and wastewater infrastructure and agricultural irrigation. Act 578 of 2025 authorizes a proposed additional $500 million in General Obligation Bond authority for state water and wastewater financing to appear on the November 2026 general election ballot.
“Protecting Arkansas’s groundwater requires both careful management of the resource itself and sustained investment in the systems that depend on it,” said Chris Colclasure, director of the Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Division. “General Obligation Bonds have long helped communities access low-cost financing for drinking water, wastewater, and agricultural irrigation projects.”
The department also continues to support conservation efforts designed to promote sustainable water use statewide.
During fiscal year 2025, 30 projects received a combined $250,000 through the Conservation District Grant Program. In addition, 72 Groundwater Conservation Tax Credit projects were approved, totaling $1.6 million and benefiting more than 10,800 acres.
Arkansas also participates in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Alliance Program, which supports advanced conservation practices. The state has enrolled about 77,400 acres across eight counties and provided more than $4 million to producers, with total payments expected to exceed $13 million through 2027.
The full 2025 Arkansas Groundwater Protection and Management Report is available through the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s website.
