lowell

The Friends of Little Sugar Creek and the Sugar Creek Chapter in Bentonville, AR are advocating for the removal of the Lake Bella Vista dam and the restoration of a free- flowing stream through this area of north Bentonville. The lake is formed by a 100- year-old, man-made dam on Little Sugar Creek. Cooper Realty Investments conveyed the property containing the dam in 2000 to the Bentonville/Bella Vista Trailblazers Association by limited warranty deed. The Trailblazers conveyed the property to Bentonville in 2006 by special warranty deed. The city then included Lake Bella Vista in its park system. The dam was first damaged during flooding in 2008. It was topped again by flooding in 2011, 2013 and December of 2015. After the flooding in 2008, the city planned to rebuild and improve the dam. At that time the Friends of Little Sugar Creek organized to advocate for the dam removal and restoration of the creek. FOLSC, the Ozark Society, other naturalist groups and residents at large asked the city to remove the dam and restore Little Sugar Creek to a free- flowing stream. Supporters of the stream called the dam an eyesore, a hazard and a liability to the city. [...]