Since 1879, the seven-member Presidentially appointed Mississippi River Commission has developed and matured plans for the general improvement of the 

Mississippi River from the Head of Passes to the Headwaters. The Mississippi River Commission brings critical engineering representation to the drainage basin, 

which impacts 41% of the United States and includes 1.25 million square miles, over 250 tributaries, 31 states, and 2 Canadian provinces. 

Listening, Inspecting, Partnering and Engineering since 1879 

 

 

MISSISSIPPI RIVER COMMISSION 

P.O. BOX 80 

VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI 39181-0080

PRESIDENT and MEMBER 

 *Brig. Gen. Michael J. Walsh

 Commander, Mississippi 

 Valley Division 

 Vicksburg, Mississippi 

MEMBERS 

 *Honorable Sam E. Angel 

 Civilian 

 Lake Village, Arkansas 

 Honorable R. D. James 

 Civilian/Civil Engineer 

 New Madrid, Missouri 

 *Honorable Wm. Clifford Smith 

 Civilian/Civil Engineer 

 Houma, Louisiana 

 *Rear Adm. Jonathan W. Bailey 

 National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Administration 

 Silver Spring, Maryland 

 *Maj. Gen. John W. Peabody 

 Commander, Great Lakes & 

 Ohio River Division 

 Cincinnati, Ohio 

 *Brig. Gen. William E. Rapp 

 Commander, Northwestern 

 Division 

 Portland, Oregon 

SECRETARY 

 Col. George T. Shepard Jr. 

 Vicksburg, Mississippi 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 

 Mr. T. Stephen Gambrell 

 Vicksburg, Mississippi 

 (601) 634-5766 

Email: cemvd-ex@usace.army.mil 

Web site: www.mvd.usace.army.mil

* designee 

** nominated 

STATEMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER COMMISSION 

 For more than 130 years, the Mississippi River Commission 

has been closely involved with important issues facing the 

Mississippi River basin. Our focus continues to be on listening, 

inspecting, partnering, and engineering to help find solutions to 

water resource challenges facing the basin. 

 The Mississippi River basin is an integrated system of rivers 

that drains portions of 38 states and more than 1.2 million square 

miles. Significant actions that affect water quality or water quantity 

in any portion of the upper basin eventually have an impact 

downstream on flood damage reduction, navigation, environmental 

sustainability, water supply, and river-related infrastructure. As 

such, this Commission is compelled to express our concern with 

potential changes in major tributaries to the Mississippi that could 

adversely affect the lower basin. The Missouri River Authorized 

Purposes Study, authorized and appropriated in Section 108 of the 

FY 09 Omnibus Appropriations Act, has the potential of leading 

Congress to make such changes. After hearing numerous 

challenges to the study from stakeholders during our 2009 LowWater Inspection Trip, the Commission wants to express our interest 

in the process and outcomes of that study. 

 At certain times of the year, the Missouri River contributes up 

to 60 percent of the Mississippi River flow between St. Charles and 

Cairo and historically the majority of the sediment load of the 

system. The Pick-Sloan plan, authorized by the 1944 Flood Control 

Act, and the Missouri River Master Manual operations have direct 

and indirect impacts on the Mississippi River. After 65 years, some 

changes in the authorized purposes may well be appropriate, but 

must be made only after careful study and deliberation. In order to 

ensure that any impacts on the Mississippi River generated by 

changes contemplated in the authorized purposes of the Missouri 

River are fully understood and assessed, the Commission requests 

the following: 

MISSISSIPPI RIVER COMMISSION 

VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI 

August 20, 2009 
-2- 

 - That the Missouri River Authorized Purposes Study fully assesses 

the impacts of potential changes in flow regimes in the Missouri River on 

the Mississippi River with particular attention to flood damage reduction, 

navigation, and sediment loads. 

 - That the Northwestern Division of the Corps of Engineers consults 

closely with the St. Louis District of the Mississippi Valley Division on the 

assessment of these impacts to the Mississippi River. 

 - That the Northwestern Division briefs the Mississippi River 

Commission on the results of the interim external peer reviews and 

independent science reviews before the study is finalized. 

 The Mississippi River Commission is dedicated to helping achieve 

the long-term vision of the incredible resource that is the entire Mississippi 

River Basin. We will continue to work with the U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers, other Federal agencies, the basin’s states, and other nongovernmental groups to realize that vision.