Craighead County, Arkansas: drinking water report. Craighead County in northeast Arkansas has a population of about 114,000, centered on Jonesboro.
Craighead County in northeast Arkansas has a population of about 114,000, centered on Jonesboro. The county sits atop the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, and water comes from wells tapping the alluvial aquifer – a shallow groundwater system that supplies agriculture and communities across the Arkansas Delta. Rice farming, the dominant crop in the region, consumes enormous quantities of groundwater, and the aquifer has been declining for decades under this pumping pressure.
The alluvial aquifer beneath Craighead County has dropped by 50 to 100 feet since intensive irrigation began in the 1950s. According to the USGS Arkansas Water Science Center's 2024 assessment, the aquifer's decline is accelerating in some areas as rice and soybean acreage expands. Lower water levels can concentrate naturally occurring minerals, including arsenic and manganese, which have been detected in some wells at levels approaching drinking water standards.
Pesticide residues from rice production – particularly propanil and other herbicides – have been documented in the alluvial aquifer at low levels. A 2023 Arkansas Department of Health assessment found that one community water system in the county had a monitoring violation for missed pesticide sampling. The EPA's UCMR5 data shows trace PFAS detections in the Jonesboro system.
Well owners in Craighead County should pay attention to the aquifer's declining levels. As the water table drops, you may need to deepen your well, and the deeper water may carry different mineral concentrations than what you have been drinking.
Check your water for current data on your system. For arsenic or manganese, reverse osmosis is the most reliable household treatment. Our water filter guide explains which systems handle agricultural-area contaminants. Pull your detailed report for trends, and visit our Arkansas page for statewide context.