VICKSBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District has entered into a Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) with the City of Columbus, Mississippi, as part of the Mississippi Environmental Infrastructure Program (Section 592).
For the city of Columbus, Mayor Keith Gaskin signed the PPA, and Col. Jeremiah Gipson, Vicksburg District Commander, signed for USACE. The signing ceremony was held at Columbus City Hall on May 22, 2025.
“USACE is proud to partner with the City of Columbus on this critical infrastructure project. With continued congressional support, funding for environmental infrastructure projects is making a real difference—enhancing public safety, supporting local businesses, and improving the quality of life for communities across our state. We are honored to contribute to this important investment in Columbus’ future,” said Col. Gipson.
Project improvements include the design and construction of a detention pond and concrete lining of associated channels implemented in a residential area in the heart of the city that experiences repetitive flooding. These improvements will alleviate four key issues: flooding frequency, sedimentation, sanitary sewer overflows, and creosote migration/contamination.
The Section 592 Program provides environmental assistance to non-federal interests in Mississippi. Assistance may be in the form of design and construction assistance for water-related environmental infrastructure and resource protection and development projects in Mississippi. This includes projects for wastewater treatment and related facilities, elimination or control of combined sewer overflow, water supply and related facilities, environmental restoration, and surface water resource protection and development. Assistance may be provided only for projects that are publicly owned and the non-federal interest must enter into a written cost share agreement to furnish its required cooperation for the project.
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 nine 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.
USACE Celebrates 250 Years - For 250 years, the Corps of Engineers has been working to safely deliver quality projects on schedule and within budget. As we move forward, USACE continues to look to the future as we address today’s challenges.