Blue River (Oklahoma) - Conservation

Conservation

The upper one-half of the Blue River transverses the Arbuckle Plains, a limestone area with many springs and caves. Underlying the region is the Arbuckle Simpson Aquifer, a source of drinking water for nearby cities and towns. The Blue River receives its water from both precipitation runoff and springs, the spring water accounting for the clarity of the water of the upper Blue River in a region in which most rivers are muddy. The upper Blue has many gentle rapids and low waterfalls as it cuts through limestone outcrops and flows over travertine ledges. The shallow rocky soil has inhibited cultivation and most of the watershed of the upper Blue is unplowed. Vegetation mostly consists of prairie and Cross Timbers oak forest with an oak/elm/hickory/pecan bottomland forest adjacent to the river. The Blue River is home to the endangered seaside alder found only in coastal Maryland, Delaware, and the Blue River in Oklahoma.

The uniqueness of the Blue River has led to conservation efforts. About 1,000 acres (400 ha) along six miles of the river north and south of State Highway 7 are owned by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation with fishing, hunting, and hiking permitted. Canoeing and kayaking is popular along 9.5 miles of the river which has class II and III rapids, dropping over about 50 ledges and waterfalls from 2 to 12 feet high. Floating is best in the winter and spring as the river is too low in the summer except after rains.

The greatest threat to the Blue River is the withdrawal of water for human use from the Arbuckle Simpson Aquifer. Withdrawal exceeds recharge which reduces the flow of the river. In 2011, to help protect the aquifer and the land, the Nature Conservancy purchased 490 acres of land along the river near Connerville. The preserve was named the Oka' Yanahli which in the Chickasaw language means "water flowing." This area belonged to the Chickasaw Indians during the 19th century.