In 2011, Arkansas prioritized Lake Conway-Point Remove to tackle pollution. 13 years later, Conway cut nitrogen 41% and phosphorus 44% with green infrastructure annually

In Conway, Arkansas, an approach built around plants, soil, wetlands and carefully designed spaces has produced a striking environmental result. The Lake Conway-Point Remove Watershed was identified as a priority watershed in 2011, and years of planning eventually led to a green infrastructure project focused on the Stone Dam Creek Tributary. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that the completed project is estimated to reduce nitrogen loads by 41 per cent and phosphorus loads by 44 per cent annually, while also cutting sediment by 48 per cent. The achievement demonstrates how nature-based stormwater management can tackle water pollution while simultaneously addressing flooding, habitat and community needs.

The problem was closely connected to rapid urban development. Stone Dam Creek Tributary sits within the Lake Conway-Point Remove Watershed and is heavily developed, with the EPA reporting that about 83% of the tributary's area was developed. Stormwater rushing across roads, parking areas, buildings and other hard surfaces can carry nutrients, sediment and other pollutants into waterways. The tributary had been affected by stormwater flood events, erosion and channelization, while pollutants including nutrients, pathogens and sediment contributed to water-quality concerns. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus are particularly important because they can stimulate excessive plant and algae growth, a process known as eutrophication, which can degrade aquatic ecosystems.

Conway's Project-Green Infrastructure Works


Instead of treating rainwater simply as something to move away as quickly as possible, Conway's project sought to make the landscape part of the pollution-control system. Green infrastructure works by slowing, storing, filtering and infiltrating stormwater before pollutants can reach streams. The project incorporated infiltration basins, porous pavement, rain gardens and bioretention areas, along with bioswales and other vegetated features. These systems mimic functions that healthy landscapes naturally perform. Soil and plant roots can capture pollutants, while vegetation slows runoff and allows more water to infiltrate the ground. The result is a stormwater network that works with natural processes instead of relying entirely on traditional gray infrastructure.

One of the project's most important achievements is that it turned a previously contaminated and underused location into something beneficial for both the environment and residents. The city acquired a historic brownfield site in 2014, and environmental remediation was completed in 2021. Soil was assessed and, in some areas, removed to depths of up to four feet before clean soil was brought in to stabilize the property. Construction of the green infrastructure project began in June 2021 and was completed in July 2022. Instead of leaving the remediated land as an isolated environmental cleanup site, Conway transformed it into a community space incorporating natural areas, educational features and recreational opportunities.

Pollutant Load Estimation Tool

The numbers help explain why the Conway project has attracted attention as a green infrastructure success story. According to the EPA's finalized success story, estimated active load reductions calculated with the Pollutant Load Estimation Tool showed a 41 per cent reduction in nitrogen, a 44 per cent reduction in phosphorus and a 48 per cent reduction in sediment. These figures are estimates of pollutant-load reductions associated with the implemented practices, rather than measurements showing that concentrations throughout the entire watershed fell by those percentages. That distinction matters when discussing environmental results, but the scale of the modeled reductions still illustrates the potential of strategically placed nature-based stormwater infrastructure to intercept pollution before it reaches receiving waters.

The environmental benefits also extend beyond cleaner runoff. The EPA says the constructed infrastructure and native vegetation increased water storage and infiltration, supported erosion control and nutrient cycling, and provided ecosystem services. Conway also reported decreased flooding in the project area following implementation of the stormwater management practices. This is an important feature of green infrastructure: a rain garden, bioswale or infiltration basin can perform several jobs simultaneously. It can slow stormwater, capture pollutants, provide habitat and create a more attractive public landscape. Instead of building separate systems for every environmental problem, communities can design spaces where water management and ecological restoration reinforce each other.

EPA-Reported Survey

Perhaps equally significant was the project's effect on public attitudes. Environmental infrastructure can be most successful when residents understand why it exists and how they can participate. Conway installed educational signs explaining the watershed, green infrastructure and the importance of native plants, while outreach included graphics, social media content and educational videos. An EPA-reported survey found that an estimated 73 per cent of visitors wanted to see more green infrastructure implemented in Conway, while 63 per cent said they were more likely to plant native plants after learning about their importance. That response suggests the project did more than modify a landscape; it helped turn environmental protection into something visible and understandable to the people who live nearby.

The Lake Conway-Point Remove story ultimately shows why the future of water-quality protection may depend on combining engineering with ecology. A watershed facing stormwater pollution does not always have to choose between functional infrastructure and a healthier natural environment. Conway's experience demonstrates that porous surfaces, wetlands, rain gardens, native vegetation and infiltration systems can work together to reduce pollution while improving flood resilience and creating public spaces. The project was supported through partnerships involving the city, the Lake Conway-Point Remove Watershed Alliance, the University of Arkansas and federal Clean Water Act funding. More than a decade after the watershed was prioritized, the lesson is remarkably practical: sometimes the most effective way to clean polluted water is to give rainwater somewhere natural to go.