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Desha, AR

Moderate Risk (40/100)

Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology. This is a different measure than the EJ Screening score for this county, which ranks it by percentile against other tracked counties rather than against these fixed caps.

Environmental data for Desha in Arkansas · Population: 11,041

TRI sites such as Clearwater Paper Corp; Saf-Holland; Saf-Holland Inc Dumas; SDWIS systems such as MC GEHEE WATERWORKS; DERMOTT WATERWORKS; KELSO-ROHWER WATER ASSOCIATION anchor Desha, AR's EPA extract. Derived burden score 40/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.

Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Desha include DERMOTT WATERWORKS; KELSO-ROHWER WATER ASSOCIATION; ARKANSAS CITY WATERWORKS, while Clearwater Paper Corp leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. No AQS county monitors report here.

Burden score 40/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Desha -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.

Release-over-release change

What changed for Desha, AR: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

+14.1%

3 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

+14.1%

1.0 million lb → 1.2 million lb, every facility that filed

Between the two reporting years, 0 facilities filed for the first time and 1 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.

  • Desha, AR's total reported releases rose from 1.0 million lb in 2022 to 1.2 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Desha, AR's land releases rose from 174.5 thousand lb in 2022 to 263.2 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Desha, AR's air releases rose from 778.2 thousand lb in 2022 to 844.2 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Desha, AR's water releases fell from 96.4 thousand lb in 2022 to 90.1 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
11,041
TRI Facilities
4
Water Systems
9
Superfund Sites
0
Total Releases
6.0M lbs

Water Systems (9)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
MC GEHEE WATERWORKS 3,849 0
DERMOTT WATERWORKS 2,604 17
KELSO-ROHWER WATER ASSOCIATION 563 3
ARKANSAS CITY WATERWORKS 360 32
WKMM RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION 310 4
TILLAR WATERWORKS 225 9
REED WATERWORKS 209 7
WATSON WATERWORKS 166 23
PICKENS WATERWORKS 49 73

TRI Facilities (4)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Clearwater Paper Corp 6.0M lbs
2 Saf-Holland 858 lbs
3 Saf-Holland Inc Dumas 725 lbs
4 Central Wire (dumas Division) 0 lbs

Cities in Desha (7)

Dumas
3 facilities · 3 water
Arkansas City
1 facilities · 1 water
Mcgehee
0 facilities · 2 water
Mcghee
0 facilities · 1 water
Pickens
0 facilities · 1 water
Rohwer
0 facilities · 1 water
Watson
0 facilities · 1 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Desha, Arkansas? ▼
Desha, AR has an environmental risk score of 40/100 (Moderate Risk), based on 4 TRI facilities, 0 Superfund sites, and 9 water systems on record. 8 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Desha? ▼
No Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) sites are currently registered in Desha, AR in the EPA database.
How many toxic release facilities are in Desha? ▼
Desha, AR has 4 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 6.0M lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Desha? ▼
Air quality monitoring data (EPA AQS) is not available for Desha, AR. This may indicate no EPA monitoring stations are located in the county. For regional air quality data, see the state environmental profile or visit EPA's AirNow.gov.
Is the drinking water safe in Desha? ▼
Desha, AR has 9 EPA-regulated water systems. 8 systems have reported health-based violations (MCL exceedances). A past violation does not necessarily mean water is currently unsafe. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Desha? ▼
Environmental compliance in Desha, Arkansas is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the Arkansas state environmental agency. Facilities report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, water systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and contaminated sites are managed under the Superfund program. Contact your state environmental agency for local concerns.

What does this county environmental profile show?

This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.

Related Guides

Understanding EPA Data
How EPA collects and publishes environmental data
Environmental Justice
Who lives near polluters and environmental hazards
How to Check Environmental Quality
Step-by-step guide to checking your local environment

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro