NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Washington Parish Council in Louisiana has come out against a project to dam the upper Pearl River to provide flood protection near Mississippi's capital city.
With its opposition Monday, the council joins the St. Tammany Parish Council, which has voted to oppose the "One Lake" project miles upriver.
Nola.com/The Times-Picayune reports the proposed project would use a weir or low-head dam below Interstate 20 near Jackson to create a lake.
Supporters say it's vital for flood control and that the proposal stems from efforts to reduce the chances of another flood. Opponents fear the project will restrict the flow of water making its way into the lower Pearl River basin.
Flood control district officials have said an extensive environmental impact study on the project is now under peer review at the Corps of Engineers level.