ROGERS, Ark. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is hosting a drop-in public workshop to discuss the acquisition of private land parcels on Beaver Lake.
The land in discussion is frequently inundated by Beaver Lake during normal lake elevations. Those who are interested are welcome to attend.
The workshop will be at the Four Points by Sheraton in Bentonville on March 16 from 2-7 p.m. Those who are interested are welcome to attend as officials with USACE discuss the process of acquisition and make comments about the Draft Environmental Assessment. Representatives from the Little Rock District will be there to answer questions on the acquisition plan.
The Flood Control Act of 1954 authorized the construction of Beaver Lake for the purposes of flood control and hydroelectric power production. According to USACE, subsequent legislation added recreation as an authorized public purpose, and there are several environmental and land use statutes that also apply to operations at Beaver Lake.
Officials say due to prior construction, the Federal Government boundary around Beaver Lake is uneven and at varying elevations.
USACE is reviewing site-specific data at areas around the reservoir, the White River and War Eagle Creek where water usually floods privately-owned property at the seasonal conservation pool or flood pool.
An estimated 500 landowners are impacted by this and acquisition is expected to take several years, contingent on funding.
The draft of the environmental assessment will be released and posted on the Beaver Lake Land Acquisition webpage on March 9 and the public comment period will run from March 16 through April 15.
Comments can be submitted via mail, email or fax with attention to:
Mail: U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District, Real Estate Division, ATTN: Chief, Acquisition Branch, P.O. Box 867, Little Rock, Arkansas 72203
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