2017 KRWP Annual Membership Meeting

The Kings River Watershed Partnership held its 16th annual membership meeting on Tuesday March 21, 2017, at 6:00 pm in the Meeting Room of the Berryville Community Center. Three directors were elected for three year terms: TJ McCullough, Mike Fitzpatrick and Kyle Hunnicutt.

 

Sam Davis made a presentation on the KRWP website and on the new Landowner's Guide to Streamside Living. Printed copies of the guide were distributed to members at the meeting. They are now also available at Eye Q Optical in the Williams Shopping Center in Berryville and at Ken Riley Century 21 Real Estate on Hwy 62 in Eureka Springs. Content from the guide can also be viewed on this web site.

 

Ray Warren spoke to the membership about the partnership's water testing program.

 

Darrell Drummond, from the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, presented a program on the work of the ANHC around the state. He also spoke about two sites developed by the commission in the Kings River watershed: Kings River Falls and Sweden Creek, both in the upper stretches of the river. Both sites have improved access for the public.

 

 

Report from 2016 KRWP Annual Membership Meeting

Thirty seven people attended this year's annual meeting on March 31st at the Berryville Community Center. Ron Flake welcomed everyone, with the first order of business being the election of board member nominees. Mike Fitzpatrick conducted the election of the three nominees presented by the board: Ron Flake, Ray Warren, and Troy Cline. No other nominees were submitted by our members and votes were cast all in favor of the nominees, no one opposed.

 

Board Members present: Ron Flake, president; Troy Cline, Vice President ; Mike Fitzpatrick, treasurer; Glenda Allison, secretary; Lin Wellford, Ray Warren, Kyle Hunnicutt, and Gray Squires. Jack McCullough was unable to attend.

 

Our guest speaker was Tim Snell of The Nature Conservancy. Mr. Snell presented a very interesting program, giving background on TNC in our area and information about future projects they plan to do. His slideshow program showed in detail the restoration of a seriously eroded river bank at Mason Bend on the Kings River. Mr. Snell stressed the importance of the extraordinary resource waterway designation assigned to the Kings River. He made the point that we who live here, who use and love the river have to help to keep the Kings clean to keep this designation.

 

Ray Warren spoke about water quality and our testing program. He was happy to tell the group that the upper Kings has been taken off the ADEQ's 303d impaired water list. It had been listed for being too high in total dissolved solids (TDS). However the lower Kings remains on the impaired waters list. Mike Fitzpatrick provided an overview of the newspaper articles that KRWP has submitted this past year, which are archived on this website.

 

Lin reported on our group's participation in Fur Fest and ADEQ's Water Conference that was held in Eureka Springs. She also talked about ways to report changes or concerns noticed on the river. This can help with the stewardship we all share. Glenda Allison spoke about the watershed educational classes Shawna Miller has taught for us at both Eureka Springs and Berryville, middle and high schools. Shawna was unable to attend the meeting.

 

Thanks to all for contributing to a very informative annual meeting!

 

 

KRWP Annual Membership Meeting—March 26, 2013

Members and guests gathered recently for the annual meeting of the KRWP, held at the Berryville Community Center. Several board members were up for reelection. They were not opposed, so Matt Hunnicutt, Ron Flake, and Troy Cline will each serve three more years.

 

Randy Forst, Carroll County Extension Agent, presented a talk on how communities can work together to protect and conserve water resources, based on his experience in Collierville and Germantown TN., near Memphis. Faced with degrading water resources, these towns implemented “Low Impact Development” strategies like tree planting programs and permeable sidewalks to ensure that rainfall reached tree roots. Green spaces, water gardens and code requirement changes aligned new construction practices with proven methods of water preservation and reduction of storm water run-off into local streams. Mr. Forst admitted that such measures are not cheap, but stated that when communities work together to protect resources, the investment pays off in the long run and allows us to pass on healthy attractive waterways to subsequent generations.

 

Ray Warren, who oversees the water quality testing program, with the help of Glenda Allison, Kyle Hunnicutt, and Sam Davis, gave a brief report on how water samples are collected, and explained which tests are done in the field and at the University of Arkansas Water Quality Laboratory.

 

 Ron Flake stepped up to recognize Walter Karnes', long-serving board member for his contributions to the organization. The musical group Southern Zephyr, including band members Rhonda and Glenn Littrell, and Richard Taylor were awarded for their contributions to the yearly party after the Carroll County river cleanups. Gray Squires, also a band and board member, accepted the award on their behalf. Members and guests were invited to enjoy refreshments afterward. Pictured: Walter Karnes - Award Winning KRWP supporter

 

 

 

KRWP Annual Membership Meeting—2012

This photo, courtesy of Walter Karnes, was taken around 1916 at the Moreland swimming hole near Grandview. Although laughter and fun continue on our river, the river has changed and this spot is now only about two feet deep. The Kings Watershed Partnership held its annual meeting and election of board members at the Berryville Community Center.

 

There were three expiring board positions to be filled, with the following candidates voted on by the membership in attendance:

 

 

 

•     Glenda Allison
•     Lisa Price Backs
•     Anne Lichti
•     Gray Squires
•     Lin Wellford

 

Glenda Allison, Gray Squires, and Lin Wellford received the most votes and will begin new terms on the KRWP board.

 

The group heard a presentation on developments in the Mill Creek Streambank Restoration Project from Joe Scott, Berryville Parks Department director; and information from Mike Maynard, Berryville Wastewater Treatment Plant, on upgrades to their system which will impact water quality in the watershed.

 

Sam Davis also shared KRWP water monitoring testing data on Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) levels in the upper and lower reaches of the Kings River. A discussion followed on the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality's listing of the portions of the river on its 2010 303(d) List of Impaired Waterbodies.