Arkansas Water Resources Center Selects Projects for 2024 Funding

The Arkansas Water Resources Center has selected six projects to receive seed funding from our 104(b) base grant this year. Projects will be conducted at four Arkansas institutions and will train at least eight students. Topics range from PFAS monitoring methods to better understanding and detection of the conditions that lead to harmful algal blooms.

Here are the projects for 2024:

• Evaluating combinations of cyanobacteria remediation solutions and their impact on zooplankton species, by Dr. Sarah Webb, Research Associate, Arkansas State University
• A comparison of internal and external nutrient loading in Brewer Lake, Arkansas, by Dr. Halvor Halvorson, Assistant Professor, University of Central Arkansas
• Occurrence, Fate, and Transport of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in the Northwest Arkansas Region, by Dr. Lei Guo, Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas Fayetteville
• Development of diffusive gradients in thin-films passive sampling methodology for PFAS quantitation at trace concentrations, by Brianna Harris and Dr. Julian Fairey, Associate Professor, University of Arkansas Fayetteville
• Effects of whole reservoir draining on nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in Lake Conway, Arkansas, by Dr. Shannon Speir, Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas Fayetteville
• Why and When does Microcystin Exceed Recreational Guidelines at Lake Fayetteville?, by Dr. Brian Haggard, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture

We want to acknowledge the University of Arkansas College of Engineering for providing $10,000 toward our required 1 to 1 match this year. This support allowed the AWRC to fund a student-led project by Brianna Harris and Dr. Julian Fairey.

The AWRC also uses its base grant to fund essential program administration, education and outreach, and information transfer activities. These core projects will provide training opportunities to an additional seven students.

The AWRC plans to fund three Water Fellows again in summer 2025. Contact the Program Manager, Erin Grantz at egrantz@uark.edu to inquire about the Water Fellows Program that we launched this summer.