December 30, 1970

The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS) was declared open from the Mississippi River to Catoosa, Oklahoma. The MKARNS was the largest civil works project ever undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the time of its opening. In the twenty-first century, it is responsible for $1 billion to $2 billion in trade transportation in Arkansas each year and from $100 million to $1 billion in trade transportation in Oklahoma. Additionally, the system has numerous flood protection projects, hydro power plants, and soil conservation and recreational areas. Many communities, such as Little Rock (Pulaski County) and North Little Rock (Pulaski County), have taken advantage of the development to enhance further riverfront developments, such as the River Market and the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park.

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