Little Rock, AR - The Arkansas Department of Agriculture today announced the 40th anniversary of the Arkansas Groundwater Conservation Tax Credit Program, an initiative that has supported farmers, landowners, and businesses in conserving the state’s vital water resources since 1985.

The program provides state income tax credits for projects that reduce groundwater use by promoting surface water alternatives and more efficient irrigation practices. Since its inception, landowners have invested more than $40 million in groundwater conservation projects through the program, helping protect aquifers and improve water use efficiency across the state.

To mark the anniversary, the Department partnered with Ducks Unlimited and the Rice Stewardship Program to release a short video reflecting on the program’s history and impact. The video is available here.

Over the past four decades, the program has supported projects including:

- Construction of water impoundments

- Conversion from groundwater to surface water use

- Agricultural land leveling to conserve water

According to the 2014 Arkansas Water Plan, 71 percent of the state’s total water use is supplied by groundwater. Annual measurements by the Department have shown a decline in groundwater levels over time. Conserving these resources is essential to sustaining Arkansas’s agricultural industry, food security, municipal drinking water supplies, and other critical water needs.

More information about the Arkansas Groundwater Conservation Tax Credit Program can be found on the Department’s website here.