A coalition of local elected officials, economic development leaders, and tourism department heads in central Mississippi is celebrating after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved a flood-mitigation plan for the Pearl River, bringing a decades-long initiative closer to the finish line.
The group announced at a Thursday press conference that Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle has agreed to move forward with a plan to create a 1,200-acre lake along the Pearl River in Hinds and Rankin counties. The proposal, per officials, would reduce Pearl River water levels to mitigate flooding while also opening the door to major economic development opportunities. Recreational opportunities, like access to waterfront parks and trails, are also included.
“Today is finally happening. It’s a great thing for Hinds County and Rankin County. After 45 years of working toward a flood-control solution for this region, we’re pleased to announce that the Corps of Engineers has selected a flood risk mitigation plan for Pearl River,” Pearl Mayor Jake Windham, who also heads the Rankin-Hinds Levee Board, said. “The plan called ‘Alternative D’ is the product of years of work between the local flood control district and our partners at the Corps that will work.”
Thursday’s announcement did not come without detractors. While multiple speakers took turns at the podium, two protestors, one of whom was Karissa Bowley, the widow of Dau Mabil, booed when pauses were taken for applause and shouted repeatedly. They also disputed the notion that the plan would mitigate flooding, contending that the river would rise by at least six feet if the project came to fruition.
Both Bowley and the other protestor, whose identity has not been confirmed, were detained by the Pearl Police Department after multiple warnings to stop disrupting the event. Jackson Mayor John Horhn addressed the protestors’ cries, arguing that they were ignoring the science and decades of research dedicated to a flood control plan in the area.
“Every project has its detractors. They said you couldn’t build the Great Wall. They said you couldn’t build Hoover Dam. They said you couldn’t build the Panama Canal,” Horhn said. “Those detractors are not listening to the facts. They’re not listening to the science. They’re not listening to the fact that the Corps, on this particular project, has vetted this project for more than 25 years. We’re moving forward with this project. It is a good project.”
Now that the project has been approved, the next step involves working with the Army Corps of Engineers on a design agreement. That is expected to be completed within the next month, with the construction phase to follow. Officials hope to put shovels in the ground in early 2027. Once that happens, construction is expected to last around three years.
However, one wrench in the plans is funding. Local leaders anticipate the cost of the project to be around $450 million, while federal engineers’ estimated cost is nearing the $1 billion range. Officials have $220 million in federal funding to work with and would lean on state appropriations and temporary fees at the local level to try to make the project a reality.