Yazoo River Flooding

In 2019, the Mississippi River was subjective to unusually huge volumes of water flowing downstream.  As a result, the Steele Bayou flood gates were closed to prevent backwater flooding of the Mississippi Delta from the Mississippi River. The Yazoo River flows from the Delta down the Yazoo River to the Mississippi River just below Vicksburg, Mississippi.

    However, when the Steele Bayou Lock is closed, there is no method for storm water in the Yazoo River watershed to drain into the Mississippi River.  Pumps were originally proposed to be built in conjunction with the Steele Bayou Lock, but the U.S. Corps of Engineers never constructed the pumps, thus, creating a giant bowl.  In 2019, tremendous rainfall inundates the Mississippi Delta, and the stormwater begins to collect behind the Steele Bayou. Lock structure ultimately flooding 550,000 acres of the Delta.  The land was underwater for as many as 8 months destroying building, crops, roads, bridges, culverts and preventing planting of crops.  The firm represents the Issaquena County Board of Supervisors for damages to the county infrastructure.