Sen. Roger Wicker
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) applauded action by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which on Nov. 29 released the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Yazoo Backwater Study Area located north of Vicksburg, Miss.
“This milestone would not have been possible without collaboration from Yazoo Backwater Area residents, homeowners, business owners, and farmers,” Sen. Wicker said. “For decades, the government promised flood control solutions to the people of the South Delta.”
“[This] announcement puts us one step closer to preventing further hardship, loss, and frustration in the region,” he added. “It is time to finish the pumps.”
The area is prone to recurrent flooding due to rain accumulation behind levees in the watershed, according to the Corps, and the final EIS outlines a water management plan that combines both structural and non-structural elements aimed at reducing flood risk while prioritizing environmental sustainability and minimizing impacts to vital wetland resources.
“This final EIS marks a significant step forward in our ongoing commitment to address the challenges of flood risk management in the Yazoo Backwater area,” said Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jaime Pinkham. “Our collaborative approach with the EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and local entities, showcases the strength of interagency partnerships in developing solutions that reduce the flood risk to local communities and infrastructure, and safeguard our natural resources.”
The proposed water management plan is designed to reduce backwater flooding for local communities and agricultural production while ensuring that necessary measures are in place to offset any impacts to wetlands, fish, wildlife, and their habitats, said the Corps, which will need to secure mitigation for approximately 1,200 acres of historically unmitigated wetland impacts associated with existing projects it has in the Basin.
The final EIS will be available to the public for 30 days and will close on Dec. 30.