Good Neighbors

Ensuring the Protection of Water Sources Across State Lines

The drought of 2022 left its impact on Arkansas and served as a reminder of just how precious water is in preserving life and sustaining agricultural production across the globe. We often forget that water is viewed as a regional resource provided by local bodies of water, many of which are shared between neighboring states. These shared waters are commonly regulated by interstate stream compacts.

Compacts are written agreements between states that allocate the waters in major streams and their tributaries to ensure that each state receives its share of water. Compacts, approved by the United States Congress (Congress), are authorized by both state and federal statutes.

Compacts are administered regionally by compact commissions consisting of members from each participating state, as well as a federally appointed member. These commissions meet periodically to ensure compliance and have established committees that meet regularly to discuss various topics including budgetary, legal, engineering, and environmental needs.

Arkansas is fortunate to have an abundance of rivers, lakes, and streams flowing through the state, many of which provide the need for interstate stream compacts. Two compacts that Arkansas participates in are the Red River Compact and the Arkansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Division provides oversight of these compacts and ensures that the Natural State is receiving its share of quality water, meeting its obligations, and above all, being a good neighbor.

Red River Compact

The Red River flows through parts of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana, discharging into the Mississippi River. Negotiations on the Red River Compact were started by an authorization from Congress in 1955 to solve and prevent future water disputes. The compact became official in 1978 when it was signed by member states, ratified by Congress, and signed by the United States president (president).

The compact aims to promote interstate collaboration while providing an equitable distribution of the waters of the Red River among the states, controlling and alleviating natural deterioration and pollution of the waters, and encouraging active programs for conservation and water quality improvement.

The Red River Compact Commission consists of nine members, two from each participating state. The state commissioners consist of one state agency lead, typically the state water agency, and one basin resident appointed by the governor. One federal commissioner is appointed by the

The commission meets annually and each of the participating states rotate as the host state, a role that Arkansas will hold in 2023.

Arkansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact

The Arkansas River flows through Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Oklahoma has water compacts with both Kansas and Arkansas to apportion water from the river, oversee water resources, and regulate pollution.

The Arkansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact, specific to the Arkansas River and its tributaries in Eastern Oklahoma and Western Arkansas, was established in 1971 and revised in 1972.

Like the Red River Compact, the Arkansas River Compact exists to promote interstate collaboration and provide equitable access to the waters, but it also encourages the maintenance of an active pollution abatement program in both states and facilitates the cooperation of the state water administration agencies in development and management of resources.

The Arkansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact Commission consists of three representatives from each state, one representing the director of the state water agency and the other two are appointed by the governor. A chairman is appointed by the president. Established committees work throughout the year to provide water quantity and quality reports at the annual commission meeting and provide data for an annual report.

The purpose of the Red River Compact and Arkansas River Compact vary by needs of the specific waters, but the ultimate commitment of each state is to work harmoniously with participating states to protect these shared resources. Simply put, the success of these interstate stream compacts is driven by one concept – being good neighbors.

Arkansas Cotton

Showing Strength and Durability

Cotton’s presence in Arkansas has been consistent since the 1800s. As with any commodity, the cotton market has ebbed and flowed over the course of those 200 some years, and with it, so has cotton’s popularity with growers as a cash crop from one decade to another. Cotton seems to be gaining popularity in Arkansas and well beyond, thanks to a recent favorable upturn in the market and growing consumer demand for sustainably produced fiber. “Futures prices for cotton had a remarkable run last summer, which should prove beneficial to most cotton farmers,” said Andrew Grobmyer, executive vice president of the Agricultural Council of Arkansas. “In fact, while prices have since contracted, we did see an 11-year high for cotton prices during that time, and we hope farmers were able to take advantage of that run-up for the 2022 and 2023 crop years.” When it comes to farming, timing is everything. And frankly, the timing couldn’t be better for cotton growers to take advantage of the lucrative opportunity the market recently presented. Over the last century, the cotton industry in Arkansas has seen periods of extreme volatility. Apart from the Great Depression, growers faced one of the most challenging of times in 2004, when pressure from competing crops brought the state’s

reported cotton acres to a low point of just 200,000 acres. The situation was amplified by the presence of boll weevils, a highly destructive pest that at one point threatened to decimate the entire United States Cotton Belt. However, the tables started to turn in 1997 after the U.S. cotton industry came together to take a stand against boll weevils. It was during that year that the Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication “Futures prices for cotton Foundation (ABWEF) had a remarkable run was formally last summer...” established to combat the invasive species. In a unified effort, cotton growers worked to push weevil populations from the east side of the state to the west, working in concert with neighboring cotton producing states in a coordinated effort. ABWEF declared the boll weevil fully eradicated in 2008 and has maintained a weevil-free environment in the state ever since. Regarding this monumental achievement, Farm Progress Magazine wrote, “The concept, organization, and implementation of the Boll Weevil Eradication Program is without question one of the most important achievements in the history of U.S. cotton.” Now in the wake of the eradication of the boll weevil in Arkansas and most of the U.S., the industry has been able to focus on improving the sustainability of cotton production with an emphasis on responsible environmental stewardship. The

recent emergence of genetically modified pestresistant cotton varieties has helped to reduce the necessity of pesticides. At the same time, the economic limitations of producing cotton have started to alleviate while growing demand for fiber has supported the return of profitability in the market. In response, the state’s infrastructure is again showing positive signs of development with 29 active gins currently operating. In the meantime, Grobmyer is now helping to champion the implementation of a relatively new initiative being spearheaded by the U.S. cotton industry called the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. The initiative promotes growers’ dedication to producing high-quality cotton and creating more positive environmental impacts in a collaborative effort to align with retail brands that value sustainability.

“U.S. cotton has a great story to tell...”

“U.S. cotton farmers are producing high quality cotton, a natural fiber, in the most environmentally sustainable manner. And when compared to manmade petroleum-based fibers, which pose significant health and environmental risks, cotton has even more advantages,” said Grobmyer. “U.S. cotton has a great story to tell, and it’s really a winwin for growers and consumers who are looking to source sustainable supply for products of quality, comfort, and functionality.”

The Arkansas cotton industry has influenced the state’s economy for generations. Because of the recent rebound in production and the progressive advancements in technology, Grobmyer is confident that cotton will continue to play a significant role in Arkansas agriculture for years to come.

Photography credit to Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Program.