The United States Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division (MVD) and the complementary Mississippi River Commission (MRC) are responsible for maintaining the Mississippi River as a navigable waterway while preventing flooding. This includes the operation of harbor and lock and dam facilities up and down the river. Additionally, the MVD provides support for military, natural disaster, and national emergency operations. United States Army Corps of Engineers logo The United States Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, is made up of some 34,600 civilian and 650 military men and women. ... The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning great river (gichi-ziibi big river at its headwaters), is the second-longest river in the United States; the longest is the Missouri River, which flows into the Mississippi. ... A flood (in Old English flod, a word common to Teutonic languages; compare German Flut, Dutch vloed from the same root as is seen in flow, float) is an overflow of water, an expanse of water submerging land, a deluge. ... A harbor (AmE), harbour (CwE) or haven is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. ... Canal locks in England. ... A natural disaster is the consequence of the combination of a natural hazard (a physical event e. ...

The Mississippi Valley Division is made up of six districts, based in:

• St. Paul, Minnesota
• Rock Island, Illinois
• St. Louis, Missouri
• Memphis, Tennessee
• Vicksburg, Mississippi
• New Orleans, Louisiana

The Division Commander is directly responsible to the Chief of Engineers. Within the authorities delegated, MVD Commander directs and supervises the individual District Commanders. MVD duties include: State capitol building in Saint Paul Saint Paul is the capital and second-largest city of the state of Minnesota in the United States of America. ... Rock Island is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Gateway City, Gateway to the West, or Mound City Location Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Missouri Independent City Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 66. ... Nickname The River City, The Bluff City Location Location in Shelby County and the state of Tennessee Government Country State Counties United States Tennessee Shelby County Mayor W. W. Herenton (D) Geographical characteristics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 294. ... Vicksburg is a city located in Warren County, Mississippi, 234 miles (377 km) north by west of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Crescent City, The Big Easy, The City That Care Forgot Location Location in the State of Louisiana and the United States Coordinates , Government Country State Parish United States Louisiana Orleans Parish, Louisiana Founded 1718 Mayor Ray Nagin (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 350. ... The Chief of Engineers commands the US Army Corps of Engineers. ...

• Preparing engineering studies and design.
• Constructing, operating, and maintaining flood control and river and harbor facilities and installations.
• Administering the laws on civil works activities.
• Acquiring, managing, and disposing of real estate.
• Mobilization support of military, natural disaster, and national emergency operations.

Mississippi River Commission

The Mississippi River Commission was established in 1879 to facilitate improvement of the Mississippi River from the Head of Passes near its mouth to its headwaters. The stated mission of the Commission was to: 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Birds Foot Delta Head of Passes is where the main stem of the Mississippi River branches off into three distinct directions at its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico: Southwest Pass (west), Pass A Loutre (east) and South Pass (centre). ... Nile River delta, as seen from Earth orbit. ...

• Develop and implement plans to correct, permanently locate, and deepen the channel of the Mississippi River.
• Improve and give safety and ease to the navigation thereof.
• Prevent destructive floods.
• Promote and facilitate commerce, trade, and the postal service.

For nearly a half century the MRC functioned as an executive body reporting directly to the Secretary of War. The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 changed the mission of the MRC. The consequent Flood Control Act of 1928 created the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project (MR&T). The act assigned responsibility for developing and implementing the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project (MR&T) to the Mississippi River Commission. The MR&T project provides for: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 was the most destructive river flood in United States history. ...

• Control of floods of the Mississippi River from Head of Passes to vicinity of Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
• Control of floods of the tributaries and outlets of the Mississippi River as they are affected by its backwaters.
• Improvement for navigation of the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Cairo, Illinois. This includes improvements to certain harbors and improvement for navigation of Old and Atchafalaya Rivers from the Mississippi River to Morgan City, Louisiana.
• Bank stabilization of the Mississippi River from the Head of Passes to Cairo, Illinois.
• Preservation, restoration, and enhancement of environmental resources, including but not limited to measures for fish and wildlife, increased water supplies, recreation, cultural resources, and other related water resources development programs.
• Semi-annual inspection trips to observe river conditions and facilitate coordination with local interests in implementation of the project.

The President of the Mississippi River Commission is its executive head. The mission is executed through the Mississippi Valley Division, U.S. Army Engineer Districts in St. Louis, Memphis, Vicksburg, and New Orleans. Cape Girardeau (pronounced ) (French: Cap-Girardeau, pronounced ) is a city located in the county of the same name in Missouri, 100 miles south of Saint Louis. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Red Stick Motto: Authentic Louisiana at every turn Location Government Country   State     Parish United States   Louisiana     East Baton Rouge Parish Founded Incorporated 1699 16 January 1817 Mayor Melvin Kip Holden Geographical characteristics Area    - City 204. ... Map Alexander County, Illinois Political Statistics Founded 1818 Incorporated 1858 County Alexander County Mayor Paul Farris Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 23. ... The Atchafalaya River is a distributary of the Mississippi and Red rivers, approximately 170 mi (270 km) long, in south central Louisiana in the United States. ... Morgan City is a city located in St. ...

The headquarters of the operation is in Historic Downtown Vicksburg downtown Vicksburg in the Mississippi Valley Division Building.

External links

• City of Vicksburg Website
• USACE Mississippi Valley Division
• Vicksburg Convention and Visitor's Bureau
• Downtown Vicksburg Website

This page incorporates public domain text from the Mississippi Valley Division website.