Upper White River Basin Foundation names new executive director

Now, as executive director of the Upper White River Basin Foundation in Branson, Moore is working to make sure that future generations can enjoy the Ozarks’ waterways.

Moore, whose position was announced May 8, was a founding board member of the foundation. He replaces Steve Stewart, who resigned to return to his roots in Arkansas.

The foundation’s goal is to make the four lakes of the watershed basin – Beaver, Table Rock, Taneycomo and Bull Shoals – the cleanest man-made lakes in North America.

It’s a big job, and one that crosses the Missouri-Arkansas line.

“There’s a million acres involved – a lot of major tributaries like the James River, the Kings River and then numerous creeks that drain down into the White River,” Moore said.

Within that area, challenges include construction runoff, wastewater and septic systems, agricultural operations and industry.

“It isn’t turning a tap,” said Peter Herschend, president of the UWRB Foundation Board of Trustees and co-owner of Herschend Family Entertainment. “You don’t open a magic toolbox and there’s the solution.”

Rather, change will come through long-term policies at the local, state and federal levels, and the foundation will work to influence those policies to bring about logical regulation, he added.

Foundation roots

The foundation was started eight years by Ozarks banker and Branson native Ben Parnell, who also enlisted Moore, Herschend, John L. Morris of Bass Pro Shops and Joe White of Kanakuk Kamps.

Because the White River Basin watershed crosses state borders, the foundation does too.

“I was just absolutely delighted when … all the visionaries from Missouri that put the Upper White River Basin Foundation together came and asked Arkansas to join,” said John Lewis, founder and former president of the Bank of Fayetteville and president of the Beaver Water District in Arkansas.

The Beaver District provides drinking water for Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville in northwest Arkansas.

“Preservation of the watershed is of critical importance to us,” Lewis said.

Major Arkansas firms Tyson Foods and Cargill Meat Solutions have also stepped up to serve the foundation, and are represented on its board of directors.

The foundation is a private 501(c)3 organization that operates on an annual budget of about $175,000 a year and has a small but growing endowment. Ultimately, Moore said, the organization hopes to be able to confer grants for watershed education and preservation efforts.

The foundation works to educate the public about water quality and what can be done to improve it, as well as addressing policy issues, performing demonstration projects and conducting research. All foundation funding is private, with the exception of project-specific government grants.

Good water equals good business

The involvement of so many businesses and businesspeople from Missouri and Arkansas in the foundation is no surprise to Moore.

“When you say ‘water quality’ in the Ozarks, that immediately has implications for the economy,” Moore said. Ozarks lakes and waterways are essential to recreation and tourism, agriculture and industry, and the costs of water treatment can be high.

“We support the mission of the foundation because we live and work in this region and use the area’s lakes and streams for recreation and as a source of water,” said Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson.

Also, more people are viewing water as a commodity.

“I think we’re finally starting to recognize the value of water,” said Fayetteville banker Lewis. “When you go to a convenience store and you pay $1.20 for a little bottle of water, that’s incredible. You’re paying more for that water than you are for your gasoline.”

But it’s the personal value of water that speaks loudest to foundation members.

“I have grandchildren running around, and I consider it probably my top priority to gift to them clean water and a culture that values water,” Lewis said.