The Arkansas Board of Corrections unanimously authorized up to $50,000 for the exploration of water sources for the 815-acre Franklin County site of a planned 3,000-bed prison at a special meeting Thursday, June 26, 2025.
The board approved the drilling of up to two test wells for roughly $25,000 apiece to determine the existing availability of water for the site, as well as the possibility of using local municipal water sources.
“We may just need water there to support the construction, at which time we do get more adequate water to maintain the site until we get water from Fort Smith or an alternative,” Board Chairman Benny Magness said…