A minnow native to the United States has been listed as threatened since 1998, but a new plan could help its populations recover.
According to High Plains Public Radio, the Arkansas River shiners used to live across the Southern Great Plains, but now they only live in the Canadian River in Western Oklahoma and Eastern New Mexico.
To breed, the fish need 135 miles of uninterrupted stream or river. However, many uninterrupted streams or lakes are hard to find because of "dammed-up rivers to create lakes" or urban development.
Tulsa's regional U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a plan to protect the Arkansas River shiner's habitat. The organization will also reintroduce the fish into its original habitats.
The goal is to maintain at least three fish populations. It's estimated to cost $90 million, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will need government and community partners to reach its goal.
"With successful implementation of this recovery plan, we expect the status of the Arkansas River shiner to improve such that we can delist the species in approximately 30 years," the authors wrote, per High Plains Public Radio.
According to the Texas Water Resources Institute, these minnows play a big part in the ecosystem.
The Arkansas River shiners are essential for researchers studying water management. Since small fish can't survive without enough water in streams, they can tell researchers about the area's water availability and the ecosystem's health. This data can inform scientists and policymakers about the strategies needed to manage the water.
Water quality and availability are vital to communities. According to the World Health Organization, contaminated water and poor sanitation can pose serious health risks and are linked to the transmission of diseases such as dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis A, cholera, and polio.
A report from early 2024 shows the importance of good water management. It revealed that as many as 70 million people in the U.S. were exposed to toxic PFAS — which are also known as "forever chemicals" bedcause they never fully break down — through drinking water systems.
Using your voice can be crucial in ensuring your local government implements policies to protect you and your family. Dam removal and river restoration projects in other parts of the country have also benefited local ecosystems and the surrounding communities.
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