ANSWER TO U.S. CORPS OF ENGINEERS
CONCERN NUMBER 10

The plan requires the clearing of over 3,000
acres of wetlands and bottom-land hardwoods.
Fish and wildlife mitigation requirements
cost could be prohibitive.

     The proposed lake occupies mostly river bottomland in the center of Mississippi’s most commercialized area. Much of this land is river channel and ridges. Wetlands in this area would be defined and mitigated with lands more suitably located.

     The existing levees were constructed under the requirement that tree growth would be eliminated between the levees. Though this has never been effectively done, an area of the original river channel (below the cutoff channel) was recently deadened with herbicides. This area can be observed on either side of the I-20 bridge. It would be useful for every reader to look closely at this area. This is not an area that is conducive to the growth of bottomland hardwoods. They grow better on the upper level terraces of a floodplain.

     Growth between the levees has never been controlled effectively. Constant sand movement blocks drainage and makes it impossible to mow with machinery. Plans are underway to deaden all of the area opposite Jackson with herbicides. The new levee plan proposed by the Corps of Engineers has similar requirements for eliminating the growth of trees between the new levees.

     The flood control lake will require little maintenance, would provide a healthier and more attractive area to the City than the tree deadened lands between the levees and in the balance may have little more adverse effect on bottomland hardwoods than the tree deadening requirements of the old and new levee plans.