Fourche Creek Information

The Fourche Creek Watershed has been subjected to years of misuse and inadequate attention. This neglect has put the wellbeing of the watershed at serious risk. The greatest threats to the Fourche Watershed include:

Non-point Source Pollution
Nonpoint source pollution deposits both natural and human-made pollutants into Fourche Creek with every rainfall, including oil and gas from nearby parking lots and streets; fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides from lawns and fields; air pollutants from car emissions captured in rainfall; and effluent from gravel mines. It also sweeps in a large amount of sediment, blocking the natural filtration system in the wetlands and disturbing the habitat of the wildlife that lives there.

Increased Impervious Surfaces
Impervious surfaces increase the velocity and volume of stormwater runoff into the watershed. This results in flooding and a dramatic increase in erosion, such as that in the photo on the left. Further, impervious surfaces prevent water from filtering through the ground to aquifers, the source of drinking water for many municipalities in the Central Arkansas area.

Development and Urban Sprawl
Little Rock has been rapidly developing over the past 20 years at a rate considerably faster than that of the city’s population growth. The resulting urban sprawl has been linked with an increase in impervious surfaces and non-point pollution.

Landfills
The Fourche Creek watershed contains several city landfills. Landfills closest to Fourche Creek include the BFI landfill and the former landfill at Interstate Park. Despite the conversion of an old landfill into what is now Interstate Park, trash continues to migrate upward through the thin ground covering and enter the creek. In addition, various chemicals resulting from trash decomposition also end up in the creek.

Inappropriate Trash Disposal
Whether it’s thrown from a car window, disposed of in a storm drain, or simply dropped on the ground, nearly all litter eventually finds its way into the waters of Fourche Creek. Trash is a particularly troublesome form of pollution because it is quite persistent. There are continuing efforts to clean up the trash that has been disposed in Fourche Creek, with upwards of 6 tons having been removed by Audubon Arkansas and volunteers already. The inappropriate disposal of trash not only endangers the waters of the creek, but the life inhabiting it and the city’s water supply.

A Lack of Understanding and Education Concerning Water Resources
Without the public having an understanding of the value and functions of watersheds and other water resources, people are more likely to do unintentional damage to their water supply. With increased education, the public will be capable of making smarter watershed-conservation choices.