The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host public scoping meetings for the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study (LMR Comp) at venues throughout the study area between Feb. 27 and March 11.

The meetings will consist of a remote overview presentation and followed by an on-site open house to meet with and collect input from the public.

The Vicksburg meeting will be held March 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at the USACE Vicksburg District Headquarters (4155 E Clay St, Vicksburg, MS 39183).

The LMR Comp is a five-year, $25 million mega-study that will deliver recommendations for effective and practical management of the Mississippi River from Cape Girardeau, MO, to the Gulf of Mexico.

The purpose of the study is to identify recommendations for the comprehensive management of the region across multiple purposes including:

• Hurricane and storm damage reduction
• Flood risk management
• Structure and nonstructural flood control
• Floodplain management strategies
• Navigation
• Ecosystem and environmental restoration
• Water supply
• Hydropower production
• Recreation
• Other purposes as determined by the Secretary of the Army.

The study area encompasses seven states: Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.

Because of the size and scope of the study, active participation and collaboration from the public and stakeholders throughout the five-year endeavor will be critical to identifying practical and sustainable recommendations for the successful management of the river.