Stone Placement Operations Underway Along Mississippi River

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Memphis District’s commander, Col. Michael Ellicott, recently visited the site of on-going stone placement operations along the Mississippi River at Hopefield, Ark., located at river mile 735R.

This work is part of the Mississippi River Channel Improvement Project which is responsible for maintaining a safe and dependable navigation channel as authorized by Congress in the Flood Control Act of 1928.

The work consists of placing riprap to stabilize the riverbank and help maintain a proper channel alignment for navigation purposes.

Channel improvement and stabilization measures serve to protect flood control features and to ensure the desired alignment of the river’s navigation channel.

This is accomplished by the following:

• Cutoffs – to shorten the river and reduce flood heights;
• Revetment – to stop the river’s meandering;
• Dikes – to direct the flow and deepen the channel;
• Improvement – dredging to realign the channel.