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Mississippi Valley Division Improves Environment Along Mississippi River

VICKSBURG, MISS. - From St. Paul, Minn., to New Orleans, La., the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, is working on numerous and extensive projects designed to enhance, improve and protect the environment along the Mississippi River and within the Mississippi Valley.

The Mississippi Valley Division (MVD) includes portions of 12 states and encompasses 370,000 square miles. The district offices that conduct the programs and activities overseen by the Mississippi Valley Division are located in St. Paul, Minn.; Rock Island, Ill.; St. Louis, Mo.; Memphis, Tenn.; Vicksburg, Miss.; and New Orleans, La.

The Mississippi River system contains a rich variety of environmental, recreational, navigation and flood control features. It is the only river system in the United States formally recognized by Congress both as a significant ecosystem and a commercial navigation system.

The Mississippi Valley Division has been on the cutting edge of environmental engineering and stewardship for more than a quarter century, and much of this work has featured initiative and creativity. Legislation passed in 1990 established environmental protection as one of the primary missions of water resources projects. This legislation has allowed the nation to initiate environmental activities to enhance or restore natural resources at Corps projects.

The Mississippi Valley Division's environmental efforts cover initiatives across a wide landscape -- from riverine environments to coastal and interior wetlands, from bottomland hardwood forests to small watersheds. MVD is also engaged in the monitoring and protecting of endangered species as well as stewardship activities at Corps lakes.

Some examples of MVD's projects and programs include:

Reelfoot Lake

Reelfoot Lake is a nationally recognized environmental treasure located in Lake and Obion counties in northwest Tennessee and Fulton County in southwest Kentucky. The Reelfoot Lake Basin covers an area of 268 square miles with Reelfoot Lake covering 15,500 acres.

The Corps is designing a $31 million environmental restoration project to correct degradation that has occurred at Reelfoot Lake. Included are a replacement spillway, circulation channels in the lake, a sediment retention basin and waterfowl management units. These features will aid in restoring fish and wildlife habitat in the basin while maintaining flood control capabilities of the lake.

Article maybe found at: http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/PublicAffairsOffice/InternetNews/Environment/MVDIMprovesEnviro

Project was not funded by Congress or approved by the USACOE and NO - Environmental Impact Statement(EIS)under the requirements of NEPA was approved for the Reelfoot Lake Dam/Spillway Project.
About the Author

Reelfoot Lake Dam Spillway Bridge Project is being proposed by the Tennessee Department of Transportation presently without a Environmental Impact Statement being prepared on the project. Federal funds being spent. Over $10,000,000.00 has already been spent on the project in federal studies etc.