The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District opened the gates of the Steele Bayou Control Structure, located approximately 10 miles north of Vicksburg, Mississippi, April 16.
The Steele Bayou Control Structure, which was built in 1969, combined with the Mississippi River and Yazoo Backwater levees, prevents the Yazoo and Mississippi rivers from backing up and further flooding the Delta.
Due to rainfall in the Mississippi River Valley and Yazoo Basin, the Steele Bayou Control Structure’s gates have been closed since March 15. The structure’s gates are opened when elevations on the Mississippi River fall below the elevation of water in the interior Yazoo Backwater area.
National Weather Service forecasts indicate that the Mississippi River will continue to fall slowly over the next seven days. USACE Vicksburg District personnel and local partners will continue to monitor the conditions of flood control works, including levees, flood walls and pumping stations across the district’s jurisdiction. The district has observed no significant issues at its flood control sites.
Residents are encouraged to contact local authorities and management officials for updates about conditions in their area and should avoid activities on or near flood control works.
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 Vicksburg District is engaged in hundreds of projects and employs approximately 1,100 personnel.
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