Hosemann: Letter to the residents of the Mississippi Gulf Coast

by Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann

This correspondence is to inform you of our pending testimony before the Mississippi River Commission on August 21, 2019, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and to request your input.

In conjunction with General Joe Spraggins and the Department of Marine Resources, our presentation will include:

1. 1)  We will request a hydrology model for 2019 and the previous four (4) years for the operation of the Morganza Floodway to receive 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% or more of the outflow of the Bonnet Carré Spillway during flood stage as well as modeling other levels.
2. 2)  We will exclude from this initial modeling the effects of any hurricanes which may occur in these years and environmental issues which would be covered in a subsequent environmental impact study.
3. 3)  We will emphasize the severe impact to the Mississippi Gulf Coast of current operations.

Should you have additional comments, information, requests, or other data, please contact me by

e-mail at information@sos.ms.gov by August 19, 2019.

While the Bonnet Carré Spillway is now closed, we must prepare alternatives for the future operation of these spillways or risk the continued devastation our One Coast suffered this year.