Drainage Area54.5% Ok – 45.5% Ark

Stream Flow53% Ok - 47% Ark

Area1,660 sq miles

IRWP Mission

To improve the integrity 

of the Illinois River through 

public education and community outreach, 

water quality monitoring and 

implementation of conservation and restoration practices 

throughout the Illinois River Watershed.

Geocaching

Prairie Grove EAST Lab Students

Volunteer Monitoring  Program

• 1993 ‐ 1994 data vs. 2008 ‐ 2009 data

37 sites

Nitrate (NO3‐N)

Phosphate (PO4‐P) 

Sulfate (SO4) 

Chloride (Cl)

IRWP Volunteer STREAM TEAMS collect water

samples following EPA techniques

Prairie Grove EAST Lab

AAEES StreamTeam

Mark SimmonsJoe Woolbright

Susan Bolyard, USGSKrystal Patterson, little Sis

IRWP StreamTeamsUA AEESFamily, Individuals, Big SistersJB HuntStephens IncUSGSBook store retireeCity of FayettevilleBoy Scout TroopT.G. Smith ElementarySchool of the ArtsPrairie Grove EAST Lab4-H Club10 Board members

VOLUNTEERS

Education and Outreach Campaign

Partner with Wal-Mart Stormwater Division Grant

Mass media campaignIRWP StreamTeam Super Hero Commercial ABC 40/29 “Watershed Wednesdays”KUAF Radio spots and interviewNewspaper ads

Website online challengeStreamTeam weekly web challenge with weekly prizes

O U T R E A C H C A M P A I G N

Education and Outreach Emphases

• Less than 40% understood storm drains empty into local waterways

• Most could not name their local creek• 41% applied fertilizer in the past year• Only 12% soil tested to determine

nutrient needs• Top sources for news/information

(TV, newspaper, radio)

S U R V E Y

W E B S I T E: StreamTeam Watershed Challenge

Future Volunteer MonitoringWork with AR Game & Fish Stream Teams with 3 Hach Test Kits

Continue with committed volunteers

Annual Monitoring Day with ADEQ Test Kits & Secchi Disks – streams and lakes

Measure riparian cover and streambank erosion of streams

Website communication

Continue partnerships

IMPROVEMENTS