Lake Maumelle
Fifteen cities and almost 400,000 people depend on Lake Maumelle for their drinking water in central Arkansas, including Little Rock. Construction of the lake began in 1957 with the damming of the Little Maumelle River and was completed in 1959. The watershed surrounding Lake Maumelle is 88,000 acres and 90% of it is forested. Currently about 2500 acres have been developed in the watershed. But as urban sprawl around Little Rock spreads its way westward, property in the watershed is becoming more valuable; especially property in the most sensitive area of the watershed near the intake. Developers are anxious to build but how will these developments affect the watershed, the lake and the drinking water?
