Corps Approves the Yazoo Backwater Pumps!
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MISSISSIPPI LEVEE BOARD imNEWSLETTER pact “Where people come first” Spring 2021 • Vol. 19, No. 1 Corps Approves the Yazoo Backwater Pumps! “Levee Board, Legislators Praise Corps for Approving Yazoo Backwater Pumps” Reprinted from The Leland Progress Newspaper - January 21, 2021 ississippi legislators and solve our critical flood control problems,” the Mississippi Levee Board said U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. “We M commended the U.S. Army Corps look forward to continued cooperation of Engineers (Corps) last week for signing with the State of Mississippi and federal its Record of Decision finding that the agencies as the project proceeds.” Yazoo Backwater Pumps can proceed. Hyde-Smith serves on the Senate Energy “We are grateful for the work performed and Water Development Appropriations by the Corps to demonstrate, again, that Subcommittee, which has funding the Pumps are needed and will not damage jurisdiction over the Corps and its the environment,” said Peter Nimrod, Mississippi Rivers and Tributaries (MR&T) Finish The Pumps - Hwy 61 at Ballard Plantation Chief Engineer with the Levee Board. “We program. appreciate the cooperation of the Corps “I’ve considered this a priority project with the U.S. Environmental Protection since becoming a Senator and I am fully Agency (EPA) and other agencies to committed to finishing the job in the develop a modified Yazoo Backwater years to come. We reached this point Project that does not fall within the out-of- with bipartisan support and interagency date EPA 2008 veto.” cooperation. More of that will be The Corps’ December 11, 2020 Final necessary in the years ahead to secure Supplemental Environmental Impact additional funding, further educate Statement (FSEIS-2) provided thorough project opponents, and overcome other scientific proof that the Pumps – which challenges,” Hyde-Smith said. Backwater Tour Group photo - Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and will lessen the height and duration of According to Nimrod, the Levee Board EPA Region IV Mary Walker (March 19, 2019) flooding – will have only modest impacts remains deeply disappointed that some on the fish and wildlife resources. The out of state project opponents continue to proposed mitigation plan offsets those ignore the scientific data demonstrating impacts and provides broader benefits by that removal of high flood water will not including wells to supplement upstream damage wetlands, wildlife or fisheries. tributaries during dry periods. On January 12, 2021, certain national “Today is a monumental day for the South groups filed a lawsuit challenging the Delta. For too long, residents have suffered statement in EPA’s November 30, 2020 losses and damages from preventable letter to the Corps that this project is not backwater flooding. The Yazoo Backwater subject to the 2008 veto and can proceed. Cong. Bennie Thompson at Valley Park Public Meeting Pumps will bring much-needed relief “We will vigorously oppose this lawsuit (April 5, 2019) and certainty,” said U.S. Senator Roger or any other claims that may be brought Wicker. “I commend the U.S. Army Corps against the project. We can only hope of Engineers and the EPA for listening to that, after fully reviewing the science and the voices of so many Delta residents and the facts, other organizations will agree moving this project forward.” that this project should go forward,” said The Record of Decision signifies that the Nimrod. federal environmental review process Signing of the Record of Decision by required by the National Environmental USACE Mississippi Valley Division Policy Act is complete. Upon receiving Commander Maj. General Diana Holland funding, the USACE can start construction. brings the project one step closer to flood “I am pleased that the federal agencies have damage relief for the Mississippi South YBW Project - ROD signing - Gary Young, Eddie Belk, Kent worked together to develop a plan that can See PUMPS on Page 3 g Parrish & Gen. Diana Holland (January 15, 2021) 2020 Highwater Event e can look in the rearview mirror and say 2019 will go down in W history as the longest period of time that Greenville, Mississippi remained above flood stage for any flood of record. This all began in the fall of 2018 when heavy rain over the Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee Valleys caused the lower Mississippi River to never reach low levels in October and November. Greenville went above the 48.0ft flood stage on February 17, 2019 and finally went below flood stage on July 21, 2019 having been above flood stage for 154 consecutive Crew Building Sandbag Ring Around Sandboil Crew & Corps placing Filter over Sandboil at Buck Chute days. This breaks the 1927 record of 115 at Buck Chute (Feb. 27, 2020) (April 14, 2020) days. 4th – June 9th for a total of 78 days. This average stage until the end of September 2020 didn’t start out looking much better caused some minor sand boils which the 2020. with the Greenville gage staying above Mississippi Levee Board crew monitored. The larger issue was, once again, the average for the first half of the year. The River at Greenville finally dropped to closure of the Steele Bayou Structure gates The Greenville gage was above flood its historical average stage briefly in the and the second year in a row of Yazoo stage from Jan. 20th – Feb. 13th; Feb. 18th first part of July 2020. The River rose again Backwater Area flooding. n – Mar. 8th; Mar. 24th – May 1 and June and fluctuated but generally staying above 2020 Backwater Flood n 2020 the Backwater saw its 2nd from February 19th until May 12, 2020 for highest crest at 96.9' on April 23, 2020. 84 consecutive days. I At 96.9' 500,000 acres were flooded In 2019 the Backwater was above 90' including 202,000 acres of crop land. Hwy from February 17th until August 7, 2019 for 465 down near Eagle Lake and Hwy 16 172 consecutive days. In 2020 the Backwater between Rolling Fork and Holly Bluff went was above 90' from January 16th until June underwater again. Eagle Lake Residents 18, 2020 for 154 consecutive days. had to travel the Mainline Mississippi River Finally, by mid-June, 2020 the rains Levee (MRL), the Brunswick Extension had stopped, the Mississippi River started Levee (BEL), and the Yazoo Backwater to significantly drop, the Steele Bayou Highway 16 at Sunflower WMA Levee (YBWL) to get to Hwy 61. Structure Gates were re-opened on June 13, From 1978 until 2018 the Backwater 2020 and the Backwater started significantly had been above 94' for a total of 45 days falling. during this 41 year period of record. In 2019 The river stages on June 30, 2020 were the Backwater was above 94' from March approximately 20' lower than they were on 1st until July 25, 2019 for 147 consecutive June 30, 2019. n days. In 2020 the Backwater was above 94' STEELE BAYOU DRAINAGE STRUCTURE The Steele Bayou Drainage Structure Gates Flooded Church at Floweree, MS were closed 4 different times in 2020: Closed Opened Consecutive Crest Days January 14th February 2nd 20 days 93.26’ February 27th March 3rd 5 days 96.54’ March 30th April 20th 22 days 96.90’ June 1st June 13th 14 days 91.80’ Dead Fawn 2 MISSISSIPPI LEVEE BOARD Major General Diana M. Holland Commanding General, Mississippi Valley Division aj. Gen. Diana M. Irma and Maria in 2017 and Holland assumed Hurricanes Florence and Mcommand of the Michael in 2018. Mississippi Valley Division Other previous (MVD), U.S. Army Corps of assignments include platoon leader in the 79th Engineer Combat Engineers (USACE), June Commandant of Cadets at Battalion (Heavy), in Germany. 30, 2020. Holland serves as the United States Military Maj. Gen. Holland is a native of Santa the senior military officer in Academy, West Point; Barbara, California. She graduated from the division, headquartered Deputy Commanding the United States Military Academy and in Vicksburg, Mississippi, General for Support, 10th was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in responsible for water resources Mountain Division (LI) the Corps of Engineers in 1990. She earned engineering solutions in a at Fort Drum, New York, a Master of Arts degree at Duke University 370,000-square-mile area, Maj. Gen. Holland and Operation Freedom’s and a Master of Military Arts and Sciences extending from Canada to Sentinel in Afghanistan; degree from the U.S. Army Command and the Gulf of Mexico and encompassing executive officer to the Director of the General Staff College and the School of portions of 12 states. The mission of the Army Staff at the Pentagon; commander Advanced Military Studies. division is to serve the Mississippi Valley of the 130th Engineer Brigade at Schofield Maj. Gen. Holland’s military awards and region by providing vital public engineering Barracks, Hawaii, and Joint Task Force decorations include the Army Distinguished services and stewardship of water resource Sapper in Afghanistan; United States Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with one infrastructure, partnering in peace and Army War College Fellow at Georgetown Oak Leaf Cluster), Bronze Star (with two war, to strengthen our nation’s security, University; commander of the 92nd Oak Leaf Clusters), the Defense Meritorious energize the economy and reduce risks Engineer Battalion (Black Diamonds) Service Medal, the Meritorious Service from disasters. The division’s work is and Task Force Diamond in Afghanistan; Medal (with four Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint carried out by district offices located in plans officer in the Operations Directorate, Service Commendation Medal, Army St. Paul, Minnesota; Rock Island, Illinois; United States Central Command at Commendation Medal, Army Achievement St. Louis, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee; MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida; Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vicksburg, Mississippi; and New Orleans, operations officer in the 92nd Engineer Afghanistan Campaign Star, Global War on Louisiana.