Geography of Arkansas#Area

File:Map of USA AR.svg

Arkansas is located in the southeastern United States, in the West South Central Census Bureau division. Arkansas covers an area of 53,179 square miles (137,733 km²) and ranks as the 29th largest state by size.{{cite web| url= http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108355.html |title = Land and Water Area of States (2000)| publisher = www.infoplease.com | access-date = January 29, 2012 }} The state borders six U.S. states: Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi across the Mississippi River to the east, Louisiana to the south, Oklahoma to the west, and Texas to the southwest.

First added to the United States of America as part of the Louisiana Territory of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Arkansas later became part of the Missouri Territory upon its establishment in 1812.{{ cite journal |last= Bright |first= William |title= Native American Placenames in the Louisiana Purchase |publisher= Project Muse |journal= American Speech |volume= 78 |issue= 4 |date= Winter 2003 |pages= 354–355 |issn= 0003-1283 |oclc= 364753642 |doi=10.1215/00031283-78-4-353|s2cid= 145464658 }} This was further divided into the Arkansaw Territory on March 2, 1819, as everything south of Parallel 36°30′ north (except the Missouri Bootheel) to the Louisiana state line. This new territory also included most of present-day Oklahoma until gaining its current boundaries in the 1840s. The slight oddity in Arkansas's western boundary results from a dispute with the Choctaw Nation in 1824. The Choctaws wanted the western boundary of Arkansas to start 100 paces east of Fort Smith and run south to the Red River, claiming the land had little timber and poor soil. Despite protests from Henry Conway, President James Monroe signed the bill into law on January 20, 1825.{{ Cite journal |title= Arkansas Territorial Indian Affairs |first= Lonnie J. |last= White |journal= Arkansas Historical Quarterly |volume= 21 |date= Autumn 1962 |page= 202 |publisher= Arkansas Historical Association |doi= 10.2307/40018929 |jstor= 40018929 }}

{{Regions of Arkansas}}

Arkansas's regions are defined using many different criteria. Distinct natural regions of Arkansas include The Ozarks, Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas River Valley, Gulf Coastal Plain, Crowley's Ridge, the Arkansas Delta, Arkansas Timberlands, and Central Arkansas. Arkansans usually identify as being from one of five regions: northwest, southwest, northeast, southeast, or central Arkansas. These directional regions are not specifically defined by county.

File:View from scenic outlook on US 62, Carroll County, Arkansas.jpg in the heart of the Ozarks.]]

Northwest Arkansas contains the southern half of the Ozarks, including the steeper Boston Mountains and the more gentle Springfield Plateau. These mountains are heavily forested by an oak-hickory ecosystem and less than 25% has been cleared for agriculture.{{cite web |url= http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/cropmap/ecoreg/descript.html#39 |title= Primary Distinguishing Characteristics of Level III Ecoregions of the Continental United States |publisher= U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |date= April 2000 |access-date= March 14, 2012 |archive-date= February 16, 2008 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080216071315/http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/cropmap/ecoreg/descript.html#39 |url-status= dead }} The Ozark National Forest, administered by the National Forest Service, preserves {{convert|1200000|acre|ha}} of land in northwest Arkansas, including Arkansas's highest point, Mount Magazine in Mount Magazine State Park. Also within northwest Arkansas is the Arkansas River Valley including the tri-peaks tourist region of Mount Nebo, Mount Magazine, Petit Jean Mountain, and Lake Dardanelle.{{cite web |title= Arkansas River Valley Tri-Peaks Region |url= http://www.arvtripeaks.com/about-our-region/ |year= 2011 |publisher= Arkansas River Valley Tri-Peaks Association |access-date= March 14, 2012 }} Federal and state protected areas such as the Buffalo National River, Buffalo National River Wilderness, Bull Shoals–White River State Park, and Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area preserve the northwest Arkansas Ozarks in their natural state.

Population is anchored by the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers Metropolitan Area and Fort Smith metropolitan area, with sparsely populated mountainous areas defining the remainder of the region. The Ozark culture, such as Ozark Folk Festival held annually in Mountain View, defines much of the rural parts of northwest Arkansas. The Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View is dedicated to preserving northwest Arkansas's folk heritage.{{ cite book |title= Arkansas State Parks Guide, 2011 |chapter-url= http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aristotle/arkansasstateparks2011/ |publisher= Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism |page= 57 |chapter= Ozark Folk Center |access-date= March 14, 2012 }} Other cultural centers are Bentonville, home to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and Fayetteville, home to the University of Arkansas and Walton Arts Center.{{cite web |title= What to Do: Culture Abounds in Northwest Arkansas |url= http://www.inarkansas.com/1028/what-to-do-culture-abounds-in-northwest.. |publisher= Arkansas Business Limited Partnership |date= January 1, 2010 |access-date= March 14, 2012 }}

File:Lake Frierson State Park Paragould AR 11.jpg is atop Crowley's Ridge in northeast Arkansas]]

{{See also|Arkansas delta|Crowley's Ridge}}

Northeast Arkansas is generally characterized as the area east of the Ozark Mountains and north of Interstate 40. The land is adjacent to the Mississippi River and generally flat, fertile, swampy lands sometimes called the Arkansas delta. The exception is Crowley's Ridge, a geological remnant from the Pleistocene era that raises around {{convert|200|ft|m}} above the surrounding delta lowlands.{{cite web |title= Regions - Crowley's Ridge |url= http://www.arkansasheritage.com/discover/natural_environments/regions/crowleysridge.aspx |publisher= The Department of Arkansas Heritage |year= 2012 |access-date= April 28, 2012 }} Crowley's Ridge is more populated than the sparsely populated delta, including larger cities Jonesboro, Paragould, Forrest City, and Wynne. Primary waterways in the region include the Cache River, St. Francis River, and the Black River. Protected areas of northeast Arkansas include Cache River National Wildlife Refuge, Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge, Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Charles State Park, and Lake Poinsett State Park.

Tourists can explore some of the local Native American culture at the Nodena site, Parkin Archaeological State Park, and Hampson Museum State Park. Following settlement, most of the area relied on cotton as the primary cash crop, and was home to many powerful plantation owners in the antebellum period. After the Civil War, agriculture became based on sharecropping and tenant farming, allowing plantation owners to keep their workers in poverty and maintain their political power. Much of this history is alive today at museums like the Southern Tenant Farmers Union Museum in Tyronza. The rivers served as highways for commerce and communication in the early days, and steamboat towns of days past have been restored for visitors to enjoy, including Jacksonport State Park and Powhatan Historic State Park along the Black River. Davidsonville Historic State Park preserves one of the state's first settlements as a frontier town, also located on the Black River. The primary population center of the region is the Jonesboro metropolitan area, with Jonesboro serving as the principal city.

File:Rohwer War Relocation Center 002.jpg

{{See also|Arkansas delta|Piney Woods}}

Southeast Arkansas is generally characterized as the area east of Little Rock and south of Interstate 40. The land is adjacent to the Mississippi River and generally flat, fertile, swampy lands sometimes called the Arkansas delta. This region is sparsely populated, with an economy primarily driven by agriculture. The western side of Southeast Arkansas includes the Piney Woods, a region known for dense pine and cypress forests. Silviculture and agriculture are prominent in this section of the region. Population centers include Pine Bluff, Stuttgart, Monticello, Warren and Crossett. Primary waterways in the region include the Arkansas River, Bayou Bartholomew, Mississippi River and the White River. Protected areas of southeast Arkansas include Cane Creek State Park, Delta Heritage Trail State Park, Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Chicot State Park, Mississippi River State Park, Overflow National Wildlife Refuge and White River National Wildlife Refuge.

The flat topography and fertile soils of Southeast Arkansas have been important to the region throughout its history, first to the Native American that inhabited the region. This history is available today at museums like the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Historical Museum. The area was one of the first explored and settled in Arkansas; including the territorial capital at Arkansas Post. Following widespread settlement, most of the area was put into cotton cultivation due to the region's fertile soils. The staple's high market value made many plantation owners wealthy in the antebellum period; this history is available to visitors at museums such as the Lakeport Plantation. After the Civil War, agriculture became based on sharecropping and tenant farming, allowing plantation owners to keep their workers in poverty and maintain their political power and social dominance. In the 1950s, mechanization reduced the need for laborers on the farm, driving much of the region's population elsewhere in order to find jobs. Throughout much of Southeast Arkansas, population has continued to decline and economies have continued to shrink ever since. The primary population center of the region is the Pine Bluff metropolitan area, with Pine Bluff serving as the principal city.

Southwest Arkansas is largely covered in a thick pine, hickory, and oak forest known as the Piney Woods, with much of the land being preserved in the Ouachita National Forest. Manmade lakes dot the region, including Lake Ouachita, Lake Hamilton, Millwood Lake, and DeGray Lake. Population centers include Hot Springs, a popular tourist destination known for the natural hot springs protected within Hot Springs National Park, Oaklawn Park racing resort, and historic buildings; and Texarkana, which straddles the Texas state line in the southwest corner of Arkansas. Most of Southwest Arkansas is sparsely populated, with small towns separated by long roadways through stands of pine trees.

{{further|Climate change in Arkansas}}

File:Arkansas Köppen.png

Arkansas generally has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa in the Köppen climate classification). All months average above freezing and at least one month averages above 22°C (71.6°F). According to the Trewartha climate classification the majority of the state is humid subtropical (Cf), while areas that only have seven months above 50°F (10°C) (mainly northern areas and in the Boston Mountains) are oceanic (Do.)

While not bordering the Gulf of Mexico, Arkansas is still close enough to the warm, large body of water for it to influence the weather in the state. Generally, Arkansas has hot, humid summers and slightly drier, mild to cool winters. In Little Rock, the daily high temperatures average around {{convert|93|°F|°C|abbr=on}} with lows around {{convert|73|°F|°C|abbr=on}} in July. In January highs average around {{convert|51|°F|°C|abbr=on}} and lows around {{convert|32|°F|°C|abbr=on}}. In Siloam Springs in the northwest part of the state, the average high and low temperatures in July are {{convert|89|and|67|°F|°C|abbr=on}} and in January the average high and low are {{convert|44|and|23|°F|°C|abbr=on}}.

Annual precipitation throughout the state averages between about {{convert|40|and|60|in|mm}}; it is somewhat wetter in the south and drier in the northern part of the state. Snowfall is infrequent but most common in the northern half of the state.Federal Writers' Project 1987, p. 8. The half of the state south of Little Rock is apter to see ice storms. Arkansas's record high is {{convert|120|F|C}} at Ozark on August 10, 1936; the record low is {{convert|−29|F|C}} at Gravette, on February 13, 1905.{{cite web|title= State Climate Records |url= http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/extremes/scec/records |date= July 23, 2012 |publisher= National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Climatic Data Center |website= State Climate Extremes Committee |access-date= January 4, 2013}}

Arkansas is known for extreme weather and frequent storms. A typical year brings thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail, snow and ice storms. Between both the Great Plains and the Gulf States, Arkansas, receives around 60 days of thunderstorms. Arkansas is located in Tornado Alley, and as a result, a few of the most destructive tornadoes in U.S. history have struck the state. While sufficiently far from the coast to avoid a direct hit from a hurricane, Arkansas can often get the remnants of a tropical system, which dumps tremendous amounts of rain in a short time and often spawns smaller tornadoes.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}

{{Little Rock, Arkansas weatherbox}}

{{Weather box

|location = Fayetteville, Arkansas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1892–present)

|single line = Yes

|collapsed = Yes

|width = auto

|Jan record high F = 76

|Feb record high F = 86

|Mar record high F = 96

|Apr record high F = 96

|May record high F = 95

|Jun record high F = 104

|Jul record high F = 111

|Aug record high F = 109

|Sep record high F = 105

|Oct record high F = 96

|Nov record high F = 90

|Dec record high F = 78

|year record high F = 111

|Jan high F = 46.5

|Feb high F = 51.2

|Mar high F = 59.1

|Apr high F = 69.0

|May high F = 75.9

|Jun high F = 84.1

|Jul high F = 88.7

|Aug high F = 86.6

|Sep high F = 81.4

|Oct high F = 70.9

|Nov high F = 58.6

|Dec high F = 49.6

|year high F = 68.6

|Jan mean F = 36.7

|Feb mean F = 40.6

|Mar mean F = 48.5

|Apr mean F = 58.1

|May mean F = 66.0

|Jun mean F = 74.8

|Jul mean F = 79.1

|Aug mean F = 78.1

|Sep mean F = 70.6

|Oct mean F = 59.4

|Nov mean F = 48.1

|Dec mean F = 39.7

|year mean F = 58.3

|Jan low F = 26.9

|Feb low F = 30.0

|Mar low F = 37.9

|Apr low F = 47.2

|May low F = 56.2

|Jun low F = 65.5

|Jul low F = 69.4

|Aug low F = 67.7

|Sep low F = 59.8

|Oct low F = 47.9

|Nov low F = 37.7

|Dec low F = 29.8

|year low F = 48.0

|Jan record low F = −23

|Feb record low F = −24

|Mar record low F = -11

|Apr record low F = 18

|May record low F = 28

|Jun record low F = 39

|Jul record low F = 48

|Aug record low F = 44

|Sep record low F = 29

|Oct record low F = 17

|Nov record low F = 5

|Dec record low F = -12

|year record low F = −24

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 2.57

|Feb precipitation inch = 2.31

|Mar precipitation inch = 3.74

|Apr precipitation inch = 4.51

|May precipitation inch = 6.01

|Jun precipitation inch = 4.68

|Jul precipitation inch = 3.59

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.44

|Sep precipitation inch = 4.53

|Oct precipitation inch = 4.05

|Nov precipitation inch = 3.99

|Dec precipitation inch = 2.86

|year precipitation inch = 46.28

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 6.3

|Feb precipitation days = 6.9

|Mar precipitation days = 7.3

|Apr precipitation days = 8.6

|May precipitation days = 11.1

|Jun precipitation days = 8.4

|Jul precipitation days = 7.2

|Aug precipitation days = 7.1

|Sep precipitation days = 7.1

|Oct precipitation days = 7.6

|Nov precipitation days = 6.7

|Dec precipitation days = 6.2

|year precipitation days = 90.5

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=tsa

| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = June 21, 2021}}

{{cite web

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00032444&format=pdf

| title = Station: Fayetteville EXP STN, AR

| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = June 21, 2021}}

}}

The Natural Resources Conservation Service has noted that amounts of rainfall in Arkansas are characterized by marked differences along a northeast/southwest dividing line. The northeast is characterized as arid-semiarid climate, and the southwest as a Gulf-influenced humid-subhumid climate.{{cite web |first1= S.A. |last1= Brown |first2= J.D. |last2= Schall |first3= J.L. |last3= Morris |first4= C.L. |last4= Doherty |first5= S.M. |last5= Stein |first6= J.C. |last6= Warner |title= Synthetic Rainfall Events |work= Urban Drainage Design Manual, Hydraulic Engineering Circular 22 |edition= Third |url= https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/hydraulics/ |at=Figure 3-4 |publisher= United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration |date= September 2009 |location= Fort Collins, Colorado |access-date= February 1, 2013 }} The area that receives the most rain in the state is the area south of the Ouachita Mountains, which form an orographic effect (commonly known as rain shadow) when storms move north from the Gulf.

The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) describes Arkansas's water resources by using six ecoregions. Of the six, the Boston Mountain, Ouachita Mountain and Ozark Highlands ecoregions generally contain waterways with "exceptionally high quality water", including many of the state's extraordinary resources waters (ERWs). The Arkansas River Valley, Gulf Coastal and Delta ecoregions have seen adverse water quality effects from agriculture and silviculture but are generally compliant with the goals of the Clean Water Act.{{cite web |title= Integrated Water Quality Monitoring Assessment Report |author= Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality |year= 2014 |url= http://www.adeq.state.ar.us/water/branch_planning/303d/pdfs/integrated_wqmar_20140401.pdf |access-date= May 4, 2014 |author-link= Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality }}

Arkansas contains approximately {{convert|515000|acre|ha}} of surface waters, including {{convert|28408|mi|km}} of perennial streams and {{convert|87618|mi|km}} of total streams. ADEQ uses six ultimate receiving streams to subdivide the state into primary watersheds: Arkansas River, Mississippi River, Ouachita River, Red River, St. Francis River, and White River. This six basins collect water from over 1600 smaller watersheds throughout the state via tributary streams, as described below.

• Arkansas River: flows south-southeast, roughly bisecting the state. Major tributaries include Bayou Meto, Cadron Creek, Fourche LaFave River, Petit Jean River, Poteau River, and Illinois River.
• Mississippi River: flows south and forms much of the state's eastern boundary on its way to the Gulf of Mexico. Major tributaries include the Arkansas, St. Francis, and White.
• Ouachita River: flows southeast into Louisiana. Major tributaries include the Antoine River, Boeuf River, Bayou Bartholomew, Little Missouri River, and the Saline River.
• Red River: located in southwest Arkansas, flows southeast into Louisiana. Major tributaries include: Dorcheat Bayou, Bodcau Bayou, Lower Middle Red River, Lower Red River, Sulphur River, McKinney Bayou, Little River, and Mountain Fork
• St. Francis River: located in northeast Arkansas, flows east into the Mississippi River. Major tributaries include the L'Anguille River and Little River.
• White River: flows from northwest to southeast Arkansas, including a brief turn into Missouri. Major tributaries include Bayou De View, Bayou des Arc, Black River, Buffalo River, Cache River, Eleven Point River, Kings River, Little Red River, Spring River, Strawberry River, Village Creek, Wattensaw Bayou.

File:Clinton Presidential Park Bridge Little Rock AR 2013-06-07 009.jpg|Arkansas River
at Little Rock

File:Greenvillebridges.jpg|Mississippi River
at Lake Village

File:AR Ouachita National Forest.jpg|Ouachita River in the
Ouachita National Forest

File:Red River near Lewisville, AR.jpg|Red River
at Lewisville

File:St Francis River Parkin AR 2012-05-27 008.jpg|St. Francis River
at Parkin

File:The White River.jpg|White River
at Buffalo City

Groundwater accounts for over 60% of water use in Arkansas, and shallow aquifers providing high quality groundwater can be found throughout the state. In many upland regions of Arkansas, surface water interacts with groundwater via karst topography common to the Ozarks and Ouachitas. Groundwater monitoring is subdivided into twelve areas. Of the twelve, the Athens Plateau (Hempstead County), Frontal Ouachita, Hardy, Omaha, Ouachita, North Central, and Pine Bluff monitoring areas have a water quality described as "generally good".

{{see also|List of Arkansas state parks}}

File:Petit Jean State Park view.jpg]]

Arkansas has many protected natural areas administered by several different organizations. The Ozark Mountain forests have been subdivided into the Ozark National Forest, St. Francis National Forest, and the Ouachita National Forest, maintained by the United States Forest Service.{{cite web |title= About the Ozark – St. Francis National Forests |publisher= United States Department of Agriculture - United States Forest Service |url= http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/osfnf/about-forest/?cid=fsm8_042910&width=full |access-date= February 18, 2012 }}{{cite web |title= About the Ouachita National Forest |publisher= United States Department of Agriculture - United States Forest Service |url= http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ouachita/about-forest |access-date= February 18, 2012 }} The Forest Service also maintains the Black Fork Mountain Wilderness, Blanchard Springs Caverns, and several other recreational areas within the forests.

Administered by the National Park Service (NPS), Hot Springs National Park was the nation's first national park. The park includes structures from when it was a flourishing resort: Bathhouse Row is a formerly bustling avenue of Gilded Age architecture bathhouses; each drew on the spring water of the site with claims to cure dozens of ailments. There was also a racetrack and associated resort nearby.

The NPS also maintains three National Historic Sites in Arkansas: Fort Smith National Historic Site, Little Rock Central High School, and the President Clinton Birthplace. Pea Ridge National Military Park is the only National Military Park, and Arkansas Post National Memorial is the only National Memorial in the state.

The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism maintains 52 state parks in Arkansas as well as Poison Springs State Forest. Parks range from large forested areas for hiking enthusiasts, to lakes and rivers for watersports, to interpretive historical sites, to cemeteries celebrating historically significant Arkansans. Some of the most frequently visited parks include Mount Magazine State Park, DeGray Lake Resort State Park, Crater of Diamonds State Park, Pinnacle Mountain State Park, Petit Jean State Park, Devil's Den State Park, Crowley's Ridge State Park, and Lake Ouachita State Park.

• Arkansas Geological Survey

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