Searles Prairie Rogers, AR

In the early 1990s, the community of Rogers, Arkansas, faced the dilemma of preserving natural resources while accommodating development. The expansion of two existing highways and commercial and residential development created silt and chemical runoff that threatened to destroy nearby Searles Prairie. This ten acre tall grass prairie located adjacent to Highway 62 was one of the last remaining vestiges of northwest Arkansas' native geography. Since the Rogers community considers Searles Prairie an important resource and educational tool for local schoolchildren, the potential for damage alarmed many people. In response, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission approached the Arkansas State Highway Agency about expanding the runoff mitigation required of roadway construction projects. Using a Transportation Enhancements award of $671,426, highway engineers constructed a catch basin and laid underground pipes in the adjacent lands to divert excessive water and highway runoff away from the prairie.

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