US engineers plan millions in Mississippi water projects

Published 3:16 pm Tuesday, June 12, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released a work plan that includes nearly $56 million of water projects during this budget year in Mississippi, including some for flood control.

The state’s two Republican U.S. senators, Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, say Tuesday that the projects will improve the quality of life.

The list includes $3 million for maintenance dredging at the Mississippi State Port at Gulfport. It also has $3.6 million for wastewater treatment in fast-growing DeSoto County on the northern end of the state.

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Also included is more than $28 million for projects intended to reduce flooding and erosion the Delta.

Chris Gallegos, a spokesman for Hyde-Smith, said the list does not include money for a massive pump project that has long been debated in the Yazoo Basin.

The following is a review of the Mississippi projects funded in the FY2018 Work Plan:

  • $3,627,000 – Desoto County Wastewater Treatment, Short Fork Effluent Pump Station Clarifier
  • $2,400,000 – Mississippi Environmental Infrastructure (MS 592), Flowood water supply system improvements and Starkville sanitary system improvements
  • $3,000,000 – Port of Gulfport for maintenance dredging
  • $250,000 – Okatibbee Lake operation and maintenance activities
  • $1,190,000 – Rosedale Harbor maintenance dredging
  • $131,000 – Yazoo River dredging at the mouth of the river
  • $1,500,000 – North Desoto County storm water management study
  • $8,950,000 – Delta Headwaters Project
  • $8,000,000 – Upper Yazoo Projects
  • $4,200,000 – Big Sunflower River Project
  • $6,000,000 – Yazoo Backwater Area Project

Operation and Maintenance ($16.6 million)

  • $5,144,000 – Arkabutla Lake
  •  $3,960,000 – Enid Lake
  • $1,477,000 – Grenada Lake
  • $3,289,000 – Sardis Lake
  • $200,000 – Big Sunflower River
  • $600,000 – Greenwood
  • $904,000 – MS main stem
  • $450,000 – Yazoo basin tributaries
  • $360,000 – Whittington auxiliary channel
  • $250,000 – Yazoo Backwater Area
  • $40,000 – Yazoo City