Mission Statement

To manage and protect the groundwater resources in Arkansas for human, environmental and economic benefit.

Program Summary

The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission is the State's water resources planning and management agency. The Commission is responsible for state-level planning, management, and protection of our groundwater resources. This is accomplished through monitoring aquifer water levels and water quality, implementing best management practices (BMPs), conservation, enforcing the proper construction of water wells, and education. The Commission works closely with other state and federal agencies to monitor a dynamic water well network of approximately 1000 sites for water level and water-quality information. The NRD's Groundwater Management and Protection Programs are summarized below.

• Pursuant to the Arkansas Groundwater Protection and Management Act of 1991, the NRD produces an annual groundwater report on the condition of the State's groundwater resources. This report summarizes the monitoring well network data and provides a yearly update on the tax credit and water use registration programs. The data collected for this report is used to influence policy and program recommendations, such as Critical Groundwater Area designation.
• Water Well Construction licensing, permitting, and enforcement
• Water Well Construction Report Database
• Groundwater Conservation Tax Credit Program
• Water Use Registration Program
• Provide technical assistance on water well construction report database inquiries, water well policy questions, and general geology, hydrogeology, and water supply availability questions

Click here to view the 2022 Arkansas Groundwater Summit Proceedings.

Groundwater Story Map

A companion piece to the Groundwater Report was introduced this year, the Groundwater Story Map. The Story map is a digital presentation of the Arkansas Natural Resources Division’s Groundwater Protection and Management Report for 2022. The report’s findings are exhibited through interactive maps with layers of site-specific groundwater levels. Users can click on points throughout the story map to gain further information about the current state of groundwater in Arkansas.

Click here to view the Groundwater Story Map

Groundwater Reports

• 2022 Groundwater Report     
• 2021 Groundwater Report
• 2020 Groundwater Report
• 2019 Groundwater Report
• 2018 Groundwater Report

Click here to view more Groundwater Annual Reports

For more information contact:
Blake Forrest, Geology Supervisor
Arkansas Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Divison
10421 W. Markham St., Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone (501) 682-3904 Fax (501) 682-3991
Email: blake.forrest@agriculture.arkansas.gov