White River, Arkansas Designated Nation’s Second National Blueway

Today, Wednesday, January 9, 2013, Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes will join Senator Mark Pryor, Congressman Tim Griffin, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army Terrence “Rock” Salt, and Deputy Undersecretary of Agriculture Ann Mills, as well as other federal, state and local officials and conservation partners to announce that the Ozarks’ White River, along with its watershed, has been designated the nation’s second National Blueway.

A series of initiatives to support the new White River National Blueway are due to be announced.

White River, Arkansas. Photograph by Thomas & Dianne Jones

National Blueways

National Blueways were established in February 29, 2012. Their goal is to “help facilitate outdoor recreation on waterways in and around urban areas, and provide national recognition and resources to existing, local water trails.” The first National Blueway was the Chattahoochee River Water Trail in Georgia. The Chattahoochee River paddling route runs for 48 miles through the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. The park and new water trail has 18 public access points.