River Modifications
A controversial plan to deepen the navigation channel of the river (above the McClellan-Kerr segment) is under consideration though it is opposed by many Arkansans. The lower portion of the river contains a multitude of wildlife species including bear, turkey, songbirds, and over 160 species of fish. Many residents of Arkansas believe that deepening the navigation channel will adversely affect the wildlife which is a major source of tourism in the area. However, many farmers along parts of the White support the proposal for economic reasons.
Lake Taneycomo was created in 1913 when the Empire District Electric Company built a dam just south of Forsyth, Missouri. Beaver Lake, Bull Shoals Lake, and Table Rock Lake are man-made lakes or reservoirs created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the authority of the Flood Control Act of 1938. A total of eight dams impound the upper White River, six in Arkansas and two in Missouri. The White River National Wildlife Refuge lies along the lower part of the river.
Read more about this topic: White River (Arkansas)
Famous quotes containing the word river:
“Nature seemed to have adorned herself for our departure with a profusion of fringes and curls, mingled with the bright tints of flowers, reflected in the water. But we missed the white water-lily, which is the queen of river flowers, its reign being over for this season.... Many of this species inhabit our Concord water.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)