Project Update: Inlet Channel Contract Advances Construction

March 2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Memphis District has awarded a $6 million contract to complete the Grand Prairie inlet channel near DeValls Bluff. This work is a key step toward beginning water delivery for the irrigation system.

The project will move water from the White River into a network of canals serving farmland across Prairie, Lonoke, Arkansas, and Monroe counties. Initial delivery is expected during the 2026 irrigation season, with roughly 40,000 acres included in the first phase.

Construction is moving forward on several major components. The pump station is being refurbished, motors are being completed, and the power substation is in place. A pipeline and regulating reservoir at Webb Lake have already been constructed and will help move water into the system.

The project is designed to reduce reliance on the declining alluvial aquifer by providing a long-term surface water source for agriculture in the region.

Additional phases will continue to expand the system over time, with full completion anticipated in the coming years.