The Arkansas Waterways Commission is working with the U-S Army Corps of Engineers in developing a dredging plan for the White River. The White River is the only river in the state that is not navigable for river traffic. That is due to the 2011 river flooding. Executive Director of the Arkansas Waterways Commission Gene Higgenbotham says the problem is that huge trees and other debris from the flooding in 2011 is in the navigation channel, which is making the river impassable.
"There was dredging of the Ouachita River last year and it was unbelievable to see the size of the trees that were pulled out of the river. Some of the trees were at least 100 years old. That is what we think is in the navigation channel and needs to be removed. It is dangerous for that debris to be there."
The Waterways commission is trying to raise $400,000 for studies to start as early as next summer. After those studies are complete, they will wait for congressional approval of the remaining 9.6 million dollars to remove the massive amount of debris and to dredge the river over a two year period. The dredging would take place from Newport to Clarendon. The last time a dredging project took place on the White River was in 2009.
