Posted on August 19, 2026
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District commemorated the completion of the Three Rivers Project during a ribbon cutting ceremony Aug. 12, 2026, celebrating a nationally significant infrastructure project that protects the long-term reliability of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.
Adam Telle, assistant secretary of the Army for civil works; Sen. John Boozman; Rep. Rick Crawford; Maj. Gen. Jason Kelly, USACE deputy commanding general for Civil and Emergency Operations; and Col. Tom Allard, commander of the USACE Little Rock District, joined federal, state and local partners to commemorate the project’s completion.
“This project is an example of what we can accomplish when we bring together engineering excellence, strong partnerships and a shared commitment to delivering for the nation,” Allard said. “Thanks to the dedication of our employees, contractors and partners, this work was completed ahead of schedule, providing benefits to the nation sooner.”
The Three Rivers Project reduces the risk of an uncontrolled channel change caused by decades of erosion and head-cutting near the confluence of the Arkansas and White rivers. The project protects navigation on the MKARNS while helping preserve valuable natural resources in eastern Arkansas.
The MKARNS serves as a vital transportation corridor for agricultural products, construction materials, energy resources and manufactured goods. It supports regional commerce, strengthens the nation’s supply chain and represents decades of federal investment in one of the nation’s most important inland waterways.
Congress authorized the Three Rivers Project through the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 after studies identified a growing risk that erosion could create an uncontrolled connection between the White and Arkansas rivers.
Without the completed work, an uncontrolled breach could have drained the navigation pool, making it impossible to maintain the authorized navigation pool during periods of low Mississippi River flow and disrupting commercial navigation. These improvements will help ensure the long-term reliability of the MKARNS for the communities, industries and economy that depend on it.
Recreation information can be found on the Internet at www.swl.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/littlerockusace and on the USACE Little Rock water level mobile app at www.swl.usace.army.mil/Home/water-control-app/.
