Water resources data for the 1987 water year for Arkansas consist of records of gage height, discharge, and water quality of streams; water quality of lakes; water levels, and water quality of observation wells. This report contains discharge records for 47 gaging stations; water-quality data for 160 regular water-quality stations, 63 partial-record water-quality stations, 5 observation wells, and 1 precipitation station; water-level measurements for 97 observation wells. Also included are data for 58 crest-stage partial-record surface-water stations. Additional water data were collected at various sites, not part of the systematic data collection program, and are published as miscellaneous measurements. These data represent that part of the National Water Information System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with State and Federal agencies in Arkansas.