ANSWER TO U.S. CORPS OF ENGINEERS
CONCERN NUMBER 6

Channel excavation and inundation
of sandbar habitat would adversely
impact the threatened ringed sawback turtle.

    The major habitat for the ringed sawback turtle is reported to be in the Pearl River north of the Ross Barnett Reservoir. Information is that this area supports up to 850 turtles per kilometer in Madison and Rankin counties. A portion of this area has been designated as a ringed sawback sanctuary.

     Population densities as low as 29 turtles per kilometer were listed for Lawrence County which lies south of the metropolitan area. While no listing was found for turtle density in the City reach of the river, studies state that the turtle does not thrive around stormwater runoff and sewer treatment plant discharges associated with densely populated areas. Studies also indicate that the turtle requires fallen trees and debris in the river channel to thrive. The levee plan calls for maintaining a cleared channel.

     A study of the metropolitan area should be conducted to determine if the city area of the river will ever provide a complimentary habitat to the ringed sawbacked turtle’s major habitat north of the reservoir and if the extension of this already established turtle reserve to the City area is justified.