Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

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St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA

11/12/2009
Public access period for maintenance on public duck blinds, waterfowl hunting openings and access routes will close at midnight, Sunday, Nov. 15.

10/15/2009
Contract work for the removal of ice storm debris on the St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA is nearing completion. Recent heavy rainfall has somewhat limited access for cleanup equipment to some of the remaining untreated areas. The remaining work crews will be directed by the area staff to begin final clean-up of critical areas and residual debris which might impact water management activities. All contractor activities will be phased out over the next week to ten days. Some areas will remain untreated because of standing water limiting work crew access to those areas.

On Thursday, October 29, the public will be permitted to access all area compartments to begin cleaning up public hunting holes and maintaining public duck blinds. During this authorized maintenance period, all rules and restrictions of Administrative Order 09-01 signed by Scott Henderson, Director, on September 15, 2009, (as previously posted on this web site) must be strictly adhered to. The public duck blind and public hunting hole maintenance period will run through sunset on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, except no maintenance activities will be allowed on Nov. 7-8 during the Modern Gun Special Youth Deer Hunt or Nov. 14-15 during the Modern Gun Deer Hunt. If flood prone zone closure criteria cancels one or both of the deer hunting seasons, maintenance activities will be allowed Nov. 7-8 and Nov. 14-15. All participants in the authorized maintenance period should exercise appropriate safety measures while accessing or working on the area. Levee tops and roadways have varying degrees of damage due to contractor activities and will be rutted and slick. Most of these levees and roadways will not be fully repaired until next summer due to the extremely wet ground conditions. All participants in the authorized maintenance period should be very observant of any remaining hanging limbs and leaning trees along their access route or adjacent to their work area. These hanging limbs and leaning trees pose a serious danger if reasonable precautions are not used.

The St. Francis Lake control structure will be regulated beginning on Nov. 9, 2009, to raise the level in the lake in accordance with routine annual procedures.

09/24/20099
Open to public access Saturday, September 26, 2009

Northern Section - from Jackson landing to 412, including the parcel immediately north of 412.
Northern Section -
from Jackson landing to 412, including the parcel immediately north of 412.

Middle Section - from the old railroad tram to straight out access.
Middle Section -
from the old railroad tram to straight out access.

Southern Section - all the area South of US Hwy 63 from Burlington Railroad north to Ironbridge access.
Southern Section -
all the area South of US Hwy 63 from Burlington Railroad north to Ironbridge access.

Click on the image to open a PDF copy of the map.

09/17/2009
Open to public access Saturday, September 19, 2009

These maps show the areas designated by FEMA that are eligible for clean-up assistance. On Sept. 15, contractor crews were scheduled to begin cleaning-up the debris on the management area. Due to persistent rains, their initial work has been primarily restricted to gravel roads. As soon as ground conditions permit, crews will begin to address boat lanes, ditches and mobility-impaired access trails.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Eligible Maps

FEMA Eligible Map - Northern Section
Northern Section		 FEMA Eligible Map - Middle Section
Middle Section		 FEMA Eligible Map - Southern Section
Southern Section

These maps show the areas of St. Francis Sunken Lands that will be open to public access beginning Saturday, Sept. 19, to begin clearing debris from natural waterways which are not eligible for clean-up assistance from FEMA. Public clean-up efforts will be restricted to the areas shown on this map until FEMA crews have completed all of their activities in a specific area. As areas are ready to open to additional public clean-up efforts, sections will be highlighted or otherwise noted on this map. All restrictions and procedures contained within the Administrative Order permitting the public clean-up activities must be followed. Click here to view Administrative Order No. 09-01. No hunting seasons will be closed. 

Non-Federal Emergency Management Agency Eligible Maps

Non-FEMA Eligible Map - Northern Section
Northern Section		 Non-FEMA Eligible Map - Middle Section
Middle Section		 Non-FEMA Eligible Map - Southern Section
Southern Section

Timeline for FEMA Activities
St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA

  • AGFC publishes bid announcement for clean-up of St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA week of Aug. 14, 2009.

  • AGFC publishes bid announcement for monitoring contracts for St. Francis Sunken Lands the week of Aug. 21, 2009.

  • AGFC conducts a pre-bid meeting with potential clean-up contractors for St. Francis Sunken Lands on Aug. 24, 2009.

  • AGFC conducts a pre-bid meeting with potential monitoring firms for St. Francis Sunken Lands on Aug. 26, 2009.

  • AGFC conducts a pre-construction meeting with selected clean-up contractors and monitoring firms on Sept. 8, 2009.

  • Final clean-up and monitoring contracts signed week of Sept. 11, 2009.

  • Debris clean-up on St. Francis Sunken Lands to begin Sept. 15, 2009. Contracts provide for a 45-day completion period which projects out to a date of completion date of Oct. 29, 2009.

  • Limited public access allowed under an Administrative Order to begin clearing waterways which are not FEMA eligible begins Sept. 19, 2009.