Corps plan to address Pearl River flooding draws mixed reaction from residents

• “The public deserves data that is defensible, accurate, and reviewed – not estimates meant to shock and intimidate,” one Jackson resident said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District, recently unveiled new plans for controlling flooding along the Pearl River, but residents along the impacted areas are split in their support of the plan.

The new plan calls for constructing a 1,200-acre lake in Pearl. Additionally, the river would be dredged while building three levees, which is intended to provide more flood protection for areas around Ridgeland. The plan also calls for redesigning some bridges to ease channel modifications along the river.

Dredging the river and removing and relocating debris would also be done to regulate water movement.

A timeline for completion was not available but the Corps believes the plan could save upwards of 700 homes along the Pearl River, mainly due to the levees.

A report from the Corps did not address whether the plan would impact wildlife. The 444-mile river, which meanders along the Mississippi and Louisiana border, is a haven for wildlife, including sturgeons, black bears and the endangered ivory-billed woodpecker. It is also wetlands known for cypress and hardwood.

The new plan, known as Alternative D1, has a price tag of between $873 million and $917 million to build, approximately $200 million more than the Corps estimated last year.

In 2022, the Corps agreed to put $221 million towards to project. The federal government can kick in about 65 percent of the costs, leaving the local flood control district footing between $248 million and $321 million. The remaining funds would be collected by way of local taxes and through the appropriation of state money.

The final report is expected by November 2025, with a decision the following month.

Those impacted had plenty to say about the plan, many support it, but believe the Corp needs to be more forthcoming with information and not bury information in a 4,800-page government document.

For David Pharr, a Jackson resident and business owner, the cost is somewhat suspect.

“Releasing such a skewed number at the outset of public input could be seen as a deliberate tactic to sway opinion and dampen support before stakeholders even have a fair chance to engage with the facts,” said Pharr, a supporter of the project. 

“The public deserves data that is defensible, accurate, and reviewed – not estimates meant to shock and intimidate,” he continued.

Residents also expressed concern over the Corps giving only 45 days to comment on such a large document.

“This document is highly technical and requires thoughtful review. I will need more than 45 days to understand and comment,” said Jackson resident Dr. Scott Crawford. “Please extend the public comment deadline.” 

Public meetings are slated for the following dates and time:

• 6 pm.  – July 29 – Monticello Civic Center, 125 E. Broad St., Monticello, MS
• 2 p.m. – July 30 – Slidell Municipal Auditorium, 2056 2nd St., Slidell, LA
• 2 p.m. – July 31 – St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 5400 Old Canton Road., Jackson, MS
• 6 p.m. – July 31 – Mississippi Public Broadcasting Auditorium, 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS

You can read the full Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RDEIS) for the Pearl River Basin Mississippi Federal Flood Risk Management Project here.