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Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study

West Atchafalaya Floodway
The Morganza and the West Atchafalaya floodways follow down on opposite sides of the Atchafalaya River until the end of the levee system along the Atchafalaya River is reached; there they merge into a single broad floodway that passes the flow to the Gulf through two outlets, Wax Lake and Berwick Bay.
Birds Point
The Birds Point New Madrid Floodway not only protects Cairo, Ill., but also 2.5 million acres of land in Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee. The floodway was operated during the floods of 1937 and 2011.
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the main stem of a network of inland navigable waterways which form a system of about 12,350 miles in length. These waterways connect America’s heartland to the global economy through deep draft ports in South Louisiana.
Old River Auxiliary Structure
The construction staff at the Old River Auxiliary Structure June 6, 1985, constructed after the low-sill structure was damaged during the Mississippi River Flood of 1973.
Construction of the Morganza Floodway
A view of the nearly-completed Morganza Control Structure (September 1953).
Bonnet Carre Spillway
The Bonnet Carre Spillway is located approximately 30 miles upriver from New Orleans. Construction was completed in the early 1930s.

Public Scoping Meeting Presentation Spring 2024

About


PROJECT PURPOSE/STUDY SCOPE:
The Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Comprehensive Management Study is a 5 year, $25M, Mega Study that will evaluate alternatives for ensuring effective long-term management of the Mississippi River from Cape Girardeau, to the Gulf of Mexico. The study will look to evaluate all operations and management aspects of the lower Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) system in an adaptable, resilient, and sustainable manner. This Regional study team shall conduct a study of the LMR basin for the purposes of hurricane and storm damage reduction, flood risk management, structural and nonstructural flood control, floodplain management strategies, navigation, ecosystem and environmental restoration, water supply, hydropower production, recreation, and other purposes as determined by the Secretary of the Army. USACE will execute the study in consultation with applicable Federal, State and local agencies, Tribes, non-Federal interests, and other stakeholders. In accordance with the authorities for the Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) project, the Study shall develop and provided actionable recommendations to Congress.

 

PROJECT AUTHORITY:
Section 213 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020

  • Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to conduct a comprehensive study of the Lower Mississippi River Basin, from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to the Gulf of Mexico, to identify recommendations of actions to be undertaken under existing authorities, or after congressional authorization, for the comprehensive management of the basin for multiple purposes.

Section 8343 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022

  • Mandates that the mega study will be 100% federally funded.

 

STUDY AREA:
The Lower Mississippi River Basin, from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to the Gulf of Mexico.

  • Includes the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois

 

OPPORTUNITIES

The Ability to Study the Mississippi River with a comprehensive perspective, including flood control, navigation, ecosystem restoration, hydropower, recreation, water supply and overall life safety, provides an unprecedented opportunity to establish the foundation for a sustainable and contemporary river system.

An important early step in the study process is consideration of the full scope of these opportunities that can be evaluated within the Lower Mississippi Comprehensive Management Study as well as those that require tiered study using existing or new authorities.

The following are examples of some of the early opportunities identified by the USACE technical team:

  • Maximize beneficial use of dredge material and sediment in the water column that passes through natural crevasses and engineered diversions below Mississippi River Levee system to protect the navigation channel, enhance coastal wetland restoration, and contribute to delta building.
  • Manage Mississippi River & Tributaries system performance for contemporary needs and adjust system in response to ongoing basin change. Evaluate tradeoffs between Flood Risk Management, Navigation, and Ecosystem Restoration priorities.
  • Optimize operational scenarios or the modification of existing infrastructure to re-introduce hydrologic connectivity to floodplain areas

 

COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION

The authorized study area includes portions of seven states. The effort to evaluate this large area is being led by the USACE Mississippi Valley Division and New Orleans District with significant contributions and support by the Vicksburg, Memphis and St. Louis districts, the USACE Engineer Research and Design Center and USACE Centers of Expertise. 

In addition to leveraging resources internal to USACE, we will seek the expertise and insight of federal, state, and local agencies; tribal governments; non-federal interests and stakeholders such as academia and industry; environmental justice and overburdened communities; and the general public. Whenever practicable and appropriate, we will use existing data and information provided by these groups or other relevant multi-state monitoring programs.

Opportunities and events such as the Mississippi River Commission High and Low Water Inspection Trips (above) will be used to meet, update and educate partners, stakeholders and the public as well as to collect their comments and feedback on the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management study.

INFORM OUR EFFORTS

The concerns, needs and insights of our partners, stakeholders and the public are critical to ensuring the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study will identify recommendations for successful management of the river for generations to come.

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP?
Any information and insight you can provide is helpful. The following are questions we have for you:
What changes to the management of the Mississippi River would improve and maximize the effective river resource and control?

  1. How can the Mississippi River and Tributaries system be adapted and managed for a changing future?
  2. What are your greatest concerns regarding the evolving river system?
  3. What do you believe should be the priority(ies) under evaluation?
  4. How can we improve our communication approaches during the 5-year study?

FAQ

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 Where can I find materials related to the study?

All materials, such as slides, video presentations and other documents will be posted on the LMRComp website here: LMRComp (army.mil).

 Has any aspect of this process or plan been affected by the /Supreme Court's recent decision in Sackett to more narrowly define Waters of the United States?

This study will comply with all law, regulation, and agency policy, including any that is issued with respect to the Sackett decision.

 Will you include efforts to improve water quality, such as the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan, as complimentary efforts for the Ecosystem Restoration component, as well as including the LMR Restoration Study?

Water quality is a critical component of the structure, function, and dynamic processes of aquatic ecosystems. Almost all plans to restore degraded aquatic systems to a more natural condition will require measures that improve water quality. However, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers does not have an explicit water quality mission, and while existing guidance acknowledges the importance of considering water quality in restoring ecosystems, multiple Federal agencies have an interest in water quality improvements. The USACE may identify incidental opportunities that would be recommendations for others (e.g. Environmental Protection Agency and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality) to improve water quality that would complement the USACE mission areas.

 In light of the recent 5th Circuit Court Opinion on performing Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments, will you be considering a more comprehensive approach to studying environmental effects of projects?

The USACE will comply with all environmental laws and regulations, including National Environmental Policy Act.

 How will the study consider activities upstream of the study area in considering FRM? In the 2011 flood there was a lot of discussion about reservoir operations?

The potential benefits of changes in reservoir operations are an opportunity for the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study to evaluate.

 Will you all be contributing to the data and study of saltwater intrusion? Is this a part of the 5-year study for the MS River? 

This study’s evaluation of any changes to system management and operation may include the potential for those changes to affect saltwater intrusion relative to existing management practices.

Contact the study team:

By email at:
LMRComp@usace.army.mil

By Phone at:
504-862-2201

Or by mail to:
USACE-MVN
LMRComp C/O Project Management
7400 Leake Ave
New Olreans, LA 70118