The Pearl River is threatened by a new dam and lake proposed for Jackson, Mississippi. This is a development project disguised as flood control and will make the Pearl River more fragmented by dams than it already is. Tell the Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District, that the Pearl should not be further sacrificed in the name of real estate development.For nearly 50 years, the Ross Barnett Reservoir has caused disruption to the Pearl’s flow and ecosystems, including causing significant evaporation of fresh water. This is water that doesn’t make it to the coastal marshes and estuaries of Mississippi and Louisiana. Building another lake will worsen this problem and destroy habitat for threatened species like the Gulf sturgeon and the ringed sawback turtle. Take action to say no to this destructive proposal.Mississippi’s vital recreational and commercial fishing industries, especially its hardworking oystermen, rely on freshwater from the Pearl River to sustain coastal estuaries and oyster beds. Oysters need just the right mix of salty water and freshwater, and another dam on the Pearl could negatively impact that delicate balance.Levees have been proposed to protect the Jackson area from flooding, yet development interests in Jackson and the Governor’s office are supporting the lake because of the promise of development.Send a letter to the Flood Control and Drainage District now telling them not to put another dam on the Pearl River.Andrew Whitehurst is GRN’s Water Policy Director.
