Restoration of a backwater of the Arkansas River, Rector Chute
The Rector Chute backwater will be restored to prevent conversion of aquatic habitat to terrestrial habitat through sedimentation. Select areas will be dredged with a Mudcat hydraulic dredge.
Importance to the Resource: Rector Chute is a popular backwater for fishing in the greater Little Rock area of the Arkansas River. The backwater is also popular with black bass, crappie, and catfish anglers.
The Problem: Rector Chute has problems with sedimentation, and most of the area is less than 2 ft deep. Much of the sediment source for Rector Chute appears to be from a stream that drains the City of Maumelle. The City has developed and implemented sediment abatement plans to prevent this from happening again. The Arkansas River has lost 9% of the total aquatic area from 1973 to 1999, and most of this loss was backwater habitat.
The Objective: The objective of the project is to restore Rector Brake backwater of the Arkansas River.
Method: A combinations of making channels, addition of cover, adding spawning gravels, and making deep holes (mini-ponds) will be used to increase habitat complexity in the backwater. Total dredging is expected to be 258,000 yards. A Mudcat hydraulic dredge will be used to remove sediment from select shallow areas, especially near an in flowing creek within the backwater.. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission biologists will do the work.
in-stream habitat improvement
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