# Mississippi Valley Division News Releases

Mississippi Valley Division News Releases RSS Feed

- Operation Blue Roof sign-up for hurricane damage remains open The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Blue Roof program deadline is open through Oct. 24, 2020 for the Allen, Beauregard, Vernon, Jefferson Davis, Calcasieu and Cameron parishes for residences sustaining hurricane damage.
- Holland appointed to Mississippi River Commission President Donald J. Trump recently appointed Major General Diana M. Holland as a member and as the 41st President of the Mississippi River Commission (MRC).
- Army Corps of Engineers invites volunteers to participate  in National Public Lands Day, Sept. 26 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers welcomes volunteers to continue the annual tradition of public service by participating in this year’s National Public Lands Day on Saturday, Sept. 26. Events will be held both virtually and in-person where possible and with COVID-19 safety precautions in place.
- Operation Blue Roof sign-up for Hurricane Laura extended The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is extending the deadline to apply for Operation Blue Roof to Sept. 30, 2020. The original application deadline was set to expire Sept. 21. Residents can sign up for the program online at www.usace.army.mil/BlueRoof or call toll free 1-888-ROOF-BLU (1-888-766-3258).
- Blue Roof Program sign-up station opening in Oberlin, La. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will move its mobile Blue Roof Sign-Up Center to Oberlin, Louisiana, at the Allen Parish Civic Center, 609 Tiger Lane, on Sept. 16. It will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The deadline to apply for Blue Roof is Sept. 21, 2020.
- Vicksburg District’s Arkabutla Lake to host archery hunt VICKSBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District will host its annual archery hunt at Arkabutla Lake for the 2020-2021 deer hunting season. Four separate hunts will take place throughout the event with each lasting a total of two days including, Oct. 16-17, Oct. 18-19, Oct. 23-24 and Oct. 25-26.
- Blue Roof Program sign-up station opening in Lake Charles The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has opened a Blue Roof Sign-Up Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana, at the Lake Charles Civic Center, N Lakeshore Dr, Lake Charles, LA 70601, open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The deadline to sign up is Sept. 21, 2020. The program is currently active in Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, and Vernon parishes and is free to homeowners.
- Celebrate Labor Day by practicing water safety ST. PAUL, Minn. – As many folks celebrate the final weeks of summer and transition to fall activities, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, wants to remind folks to take an extra moment to ensure that they are safe while out on the water.
- Vicksburg District urges boater safety measures during high water conditions at Lake Ouachita VICKSBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District urges boaters on Lake Ouachita to take extra precautions as water continues to rise after heavy rainfall in the area.
- Vicksburg District’s Grenada Lake to host archery hunt VICKSBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District will host its annual archery hunt at Grenada Lake for the 2020-2021 deer hunting season.
- Mississippi River Commission cancels Morgan City public hearing VICKSBURG, Miss. -- The Mississippi River Commission has canceled the Morgan City, Louisiana, public hearing scheduled for Aug. 28, 2020, during the annual low water inspection trip due to Hurricane Laura.
- Vicksburg District closes outlet, nearby areas at Arkabutla Lake for routine inspection The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District has closed the south side of the outlet channel at Arkabutla Lake for routine maintenance and inspection.
- USACE Vicksburg District signs agreement with City of Clinton for water system rehabilitation VICKSBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District signed a Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) with the City of Clinton, Mississippi, Friday, August 21 as part of the Mississippi Environmental Infrastructure Program (Section 592).
- Officials to break ground on DeSoto, Tunica County seepage remediation projects WHAT: Groundbreaking ceremony for the Commerce, Mississippi, Seepage Remediation Project and Clack/Norfolk, Mississippi, Seepage Remediation Project.WHO: Desoto County and Tunica County Partners, Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Board, Mississippi River Commission, and Memphis District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.WHEN: Tuesday, August 25, 2020, at 4 p.m.WHERE: North of the intersection of Bailey Road and Levee Road. See the attached map and directions.
- St. Francis River Basin Partners, Mississippi River Commission, and Corps of Engineers to break ground on seepage remediation projects Groundbreaking ceremony for construction of multiple seepage remediation projects to include Below Senath, Missouri; Big Island, Arkansas; and Below Piggott/Below Hwy 90, Arkansas.The Below Senath Seepage Remediation project, in Dunklin County, Missouri, will reduce risk from the effects of under-seepage by performing drainage ditch work to change the flow of water into a more desirable pattern for the stability of the levee.  Work began in May 2020, and the tentative completion date is October 2020. The local partner for the project is Levee District No. 4 of Dunklin County, Missouri, and the prime contractor is C&M Contractors.
- Mississippi River Commission schedules low-water inspection trip The Mississippi River Commission will conduct its annual low-water inspection trip on the Mississippi River, August 24 – 28, 2020.
- Vicksburg District's DeGray Lake to host youth deer hunt with COVID-19 safety measures VICKSBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District’s DeGray Lake will host its fourth annual youth deer hunt Oct. 3 and 4, and COVID-19 precautions will be in place.The registration deadline is Sept. 5, and hunters must email Kolin Cogburn at kolin.p.cogburn@usace.army.mil for an application. For more information, contact Cogburn at 870-246-5501, extension 64015.To be eligible for participation, hunters must be between the ages of six and 15 and accompanied by an assistant at least 21 years of age. Youth hunters may harvest a maximum of one buck and two does during the hunt.
- Annual Car Show and Haunted Trail Cancelled CARLYLE LAKE – Due to public health concerns over the rise of coronavirus cases in the region, the annual Cruz-In the Dam Car Show, which was to be held on August 14 at Mariner’s Village, is cancelled.
- Vicksburg District sees near-record catfish caught at Arkabutla Lake VICKSBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District visitors and staff received a surprise July 19 when a catfish grabbling guide service caught a near-record specimen at Arkabutla Lake.The guide service, Southern Boyz Grabbling, used the lake’s natural structure and a weighted wooden box to catch the 81.2-pound female flathead catfish by hand. At 54.5 inches long with a 36.5 inch girth, the catfish was just 8.3 pounds shy of the current state record. Fishermen Dalton Scott, Josh Bennett and Jacob Bennett were guiding a client through her first grabbling experience at the time. Scott discovered the catfish when he checked the box and quickly secured it with a stringer.
- Vicksburg District’s Mat Sinking Unit begins revetment season VICKSBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District held a “Blessing of the Fleet” ceremony July 21 to commemorate the Mat Sinking Unit’s deployment and the official start of revetment season.The ceremony was conducted virtually due to concerns related to COVID-19 and included blessings from USACE Chaplain Col. Bradford Baumann and Rev. Sam Godfrey of Christ Episcopal Church in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The ceremony also included remarks from USACE Vicksburg District Commander Col. Robert Hilliard.