VICKSBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District has temporarily closed the Sleepy Bend campground at Sardis Lake in north Mississippi due to recent storm damage.
Repairs remain ongoing, and the affected area will be reopened when conditions permit.
Previously closed due to COVID-19 concerns, Sleepy Bend is situated on the lower portion of Sardis Lake and features Class C campground amenities. Up-to-date information about the status of campgrounds at the USACE Vicksburg District’s recreation sites is available at the following link: https://go.usa.gov/xw4K5.
The USACE Vicksburg District temporarily closed select recreation site attractions across Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas to the public in March. All USACE field offices and visitor centers will remain closed to the public until further notice. Applications for special use permits will be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis.
Visitors to the USACE Vicksburg District’s Mississippi lakes must practice social distancing and adhere to any other mandates issued by local, state and federal officials, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Vicksburg District strongly encourages visitors to wash their hands properly, stay at home if they are experiencing symptoms and follow any guidance provided by local, state and federal officials.
Arkabutla, Enid, Sardis and Grenada lakes, the four Mississippi flood control reservoirs in the Vicksburg District’s area of responsibility, were authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1936, which provided a plan designed to address flooding that originated in the Yazoo Basin. The four reservoirs are used to hold runoff, or excess rainwater, as a flood-prevention measure. With approximately 3.2 million visitors each year, the north Mississippi lakes also contribute approximately $82 million into the local economy.
The USACE Vicksburg District owns and operates more than 100 recreation areas across Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana where millions of visitors enjoy fishing, camping, hunting, boating, hiking, swimming, geocaching and more every year. The district’s 10 flood control reservoirs across Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana provide numerous benefits to the region, including flood risk management, hydropower, water supply, wildlife management and recreation.
The USACE Vicksburg District is engineering solutions to the nation’s toughest challenges. The Vicksburg District encompasses a 68,000-square-mile area across portions of Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana that holds seven major river basins and incorporates approximately 460 miles of mainline Mississippi River levees. The district is engaged in hundreds of projects and employs approximately 1,100 personnel.
XXX