The Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District plans to pursue three funding mechanisms on top of those from the federal government to pay for what’s officially known as the Pearl River Flood Risk Management Project.
The district, which announced on Feb. 26 that a flood control plan had been chosen, could raise funds by assessing members of the district, authorizing revenue bonds and seeking funding from the state of Mississippi, said Keith Turner, attorney for the district.
“Those are all the strategies we’re working on now,” he said.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates the project will cost $850 million, Turner said, but that’s because it builds in numerous contingencies.
Turner differs with the estimate of the Corps and puts the cost of implementation at $450 million to $500 million. “We’ll have a better idea about that after the plan is fine-tuned,” he said.
The Corps in 2022 dedicated $221 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the project.
Funding from the Legislature, which would make sense considering numerous state-owned properties benefit from the district’s levees, Turner said. The state has over $100 million in properties between downtown and the protected area around the fairgrounds,” he said.
“If we had another flood like in 1979 there would be billions of dollars in damage,” he said.
Turner hopes to have a design agreement with the Corps in the next four weeks, and for construction to begin by the end of the year or by early 2027.
“The timeline is based on our ability to get funds,” he said.
District officials said that Adam Telle, assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, selected a flood control plan that includes widening the Pearl River within
the existing levee system and constructing a weir south of I-20. Telle is a graduate of Mississippi State University where he served as student body president.
Local leaders praised the plan for not only reducing flood risks but also providing access to the Pearl River and the potential for expanded recreational activities and economic development.
The Pearl River Revitalization Coalition applauded the decision for reducing flood risk to hundreds of homes and businesses in Hinds and Rankin Counties, while reopening access to the river that has largely been closed off since the levees were constructed in the 1960s.
The coalition endorses the project for its community benefits that could include new recreational amenities such as parks and trails, opportunities to modernize water infrastructure in South Jackson, enhanced water quality, expanded environmental educational efforts, economic development potential and reconnecting Jackson’s identity to the river.
Rickey Thigpen, President and CEO of Visit Jackson, said when cities embrace their rivers, they unlock new opportunities for growth, tourism and economic revitalization. “Under the leadership of Mayor John Horhn, Jackson is rising, and this is the type of catalyst project that can propel us to new heights,” he said.
Since 1979, Jackson has experienced recurring detrimental flood events that have damaged homes and businesses and resulted in a local water treatment facility failure. In 2020 and 2022, residents in the metro area, including neighborhoods such as Canton Club Circle and McLeod experienced flooding.
Members of the Pearl River Revitalization Coalition include the city of Jackson, Hinds County, Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce, Visit Jackson, Downtown Jackson Partners, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson State University, Tougaloo College, Millsaps College, Mississippi College, Belhaven University, Hinds Community College, Greater Belhaven Foundation, Great City Mississippi Foundation, Jackson Heart Foundation, Fondren Renaissance Foundation, Mississippi Children’s Museum, Mississippi Museum of Art, C Spire Foundation, Jackson Medical Mall Foundation, Ergon Foundation, LeFleur East Foundation and Clean Up Jackson.
The Great City Mississippi Foundation, a nonprofit that wants to improve the quality of life in Jackson and build a stronger state by investing in the city, envisions a large outdoor grass amphitheater, several miles of multi-use trails and wetland observation spaces along the Pearl River in downtown Jackson.
“Part of what our foundation does is dream and try to help people understand what could be,” said Emily Hoff, a member of the foundation board.
Chattanooga, Tennessee and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma have developed waterfront areas that have become tourist destinations, Hoff said. Cincinnati ‘s mixed-use riverfront has also been successful, she said.
Chattanooga is known for its vibrant waterfront area, particularly the Riverfront and the Tennessee Riverwalk. The Riverfront offers green space, restaurants and views of the Tennessee River, with trails and access to nearby attractions like the Bluff View Art District. The Tennessee Riverwalk, a 16.1-mile paved path, extends along the southern bank of the river, providing access to parks, scenic views and various activities.
In Oklahoma City, the Bricktown Entertainment District, a popular downtown destination with trails and greenspace, is near the Boathouse District, which offers canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and includes more than 13 miles of paved trails for running, walking or cycling.
When Oklahoma City revitalized its riverfront, property values increased from $2.01 billion in 2009 to $3.91 billion in 2018, Hoff said. Downtown office property values more than doublesd and downtown residential units increased by 55 percent, she said.
Visitors to the riverfront number 412,000 annually, of which 37 percent are overnight visitors, Hoff said. The area supports 180 jobs and has a $22.8 million annual impact on the local economy.
Chattanooga’s efforts have spurred hundreds of millions in new investments, and Cincinnati’s mixed-use riverfront has a more than $2 billion economic impact on the region, Hoff said.
Ideas for flood control have been batted back and forth for decades, with environmental groups claiming there could be negative impact on the Gulf sturgeon, a threatened species, and the threatened species ringed map turtle.
