Arkansas Natural Resources Commission Strategic Plan: FY2018 – FY2019

The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (“ANRC”) recently issued its Strategic Plan (“SP”) for FY2018-FY2019.

The SP is described as a blueprint for ANRC as the organization states it continues to work to manage and protect Arkansas’s abundant natural resources.

The SP sets forth three goals:

1. Implement the Arkansas Water Plan

2. Improve the Effectiveness of the Conservation Districts

3. Improve Accountability and Transparency of ANRC Operations

The SP provides objectives and strategies for each of the identified goals. However, the SP is qualified as not being an inventory of all objectives.

The SP’s importance is driven by the fact that it will “inform program- and operational-level planning and resource allocation decisions” for the ANRC over the next two years. This statement is, however, qualified by the possibility that changes may be necessitated by new circumstances.

Measurable objectives of the three goals include:

• Goal 1 Implement the Arkansas Water Plan

  • Measurable Objective 1: Promoting Conjunctive water management and addressing groundwater decline
  • Measurable Objective 2: Available tax incentives and credits are needed to encourage the implementation and management of integrated irrigation water conservation practices
  • Measurable Objective 3: Promote and support sustainable public water and wastewater through planning and increased funding opportunities
  • Measurable Objective 4: Improve Drought Planning
  • Measurable Objective 5: Improving water quality through nonpoint source management
  • Measurable Objective 6: Increase public awareness and education of Natural Resource issues

• Goal 2 Improve the Effectiveness of the Conservation Districts

  • Measurable Objective 7: Improved district director education
  • Measurable Objective 8: Increase Conservation District Involvement in Water Plan Implementation
  • Measurable Objective 9: Explore Regional based approach to resource challenges

• Goal 3 Improve Accountability and Transparency of ANRC Operations

  • Measurable Objective 10: Increase availability of state services through innovative technology solutions
  • Measurable Objective 11: Increase the effectiveness and delivery of services by ANRC staff

The SP also includes a 2017 ANRC organizational chart.

A copy of the SP can be found here.