Big Sunflower River, Etc., Including Steele Bayou: (Cont) Levees: 9.0 miles, average height 7 feet; 4 gated culverts and 4 fixed crest Bank Stabilization: 1.0 mile Yazoo Backwater Including Muddy Bayou Control Structure: Lands and Damages: 30,203 acres Relocations: 4 Pumping Stations 78.5 miles levees, variable height, 5 to Yazoo Backwater Including Muddy Bayou Control Recreation Facilities: 2 boat-launching ramps Muddy Bayou Control Structure (opening size 480 square feet) Rocky Bayou Area: Roads: 7.0 miles 1,140 acres Yazoo Backwater Pumping Plant: Lands and Damages: 378 acres project lands Roads: 1.0 mile and 1 bridge Channels: 1.9 miles Yazoo Backwater, Fish and Wildlife Mitigation: JUSTIFICATION: feature will protect 1,209,000 acres against overflow, substantially benefit The Yazoo Headwater 303,000 acres and protect Greenwood, Belzoni, Yazoo City and numerous smaller communities. Channel improvement work on the Big Sunflower River and its tributaries will protect 195,000 acres against the design flood and an additional 395,000 acres will be benefited because of improved drainage conditions. Also, approximately 368,000 acres in the Yazoo Backwater Area will be protected against all but the larger floods and substantial benefits will accrue to an additional 224,000 acres from improved drainage. Had there been no protection in 1958, the floods of April-June and September would have caused damages amounting to $22,821,000. Should these floods recur under present conditions, but with the flood control works assumed complete, damages amounting to $174,452,185 would be prevented. In addition, the four Yazoo Basin lakes are being used extensively for recreation. A continual expansion of facilities is required to meet public demand for recreation opportunities. Visitor-day attendance increased from 2,857,000 in calendar year 1958 to 9,778,000 visitor days in FY 1991. Average annual benefits are as follows: In recent years, considerable opposition developed to the Upper Yazoo Basin projects based on environmental concerns and concerns of landowners regarding land takings. To respond to these concerns and because the project plans were developed in the 1960's, a decision was made in December 1988 to reanalyze the remaining unconstructed portions of the project in accordance with the current Principles and Guidelines for planning water resources. This is necessary to determine the current advisability of the remaining work with respect to environmental effects and economic justification. Concurrently, the Governor of Mississippi formed an Advisory Committee to advise him on how the controversial issues might be resolved. As a result of these two actions, the Corps has undertaken a reformulation study of the remaining unconstructed features of the Yazoo Basin project. This study will identify alternative plans for achieving greater levels of environmental and urban flood protection. Funds were provided in FY 1991 to continue the study. The purpose of the study is to reformulate the project in accordance with the Principles and Guidelines. The study assumes all features scheduled to be placed under contract in FY 1990 were in place. The study will be completed in phases, and interim reports on remaining project features have been completed and more are planned to avoid and minimize delays so that construction of the project can proceed as expeditiously as possible. |