06/11/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/11/2025 15:07
HYDE-SMITH SAYS 'EVERYTHING WILL BE BETTER OFF' AS ARMY CORPS COMMITS TO BUILDING YAZOO BACKWATER AREA PUMPS
VIDEO: Senator Hyde-Smith Reviews Yazoo Pump Outlook with Army Corps Officials.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss) today asserted "everything will be better off" as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) officials provided her with commitments that the Yazoo Backwater Area Water Management Project is moving forward.
Hyde-Smith addressed the outlook for the Mississippi Delta flood control project during a Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee hearing to review the FY2026 budget requests for the Army Corps and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
"Everything is positive here! Everything will be better off," said Hyde-Smith, who has made the Yazoo Backwater Area Pumps a priority during her tenure. "We're certainly moving in the right direction now to provide adequate flood protection for area residents, something that was promised literally decades ago."
Hyde-Smith asked D. Lee Forsgren, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), and Lt. Gen. William H. Graham, Jr., USACE Chief of Engineers and Commanding General, whether they concurred with the findings included in the Record of Decision for the pumps project and whether the Corps could confidently use additional appropriations beyond FY2025 appropriations and the FY2026 appropriations process to advance the project.
"We're committed to moving forward," Forsgen said. "I believe the findings are accurate. That doesn't mean the Corps still has a lot to do as far as the engineering and how we finalize exactly what that project needs to look like. But we're talking about deciding on which crown molding we're going to put in the house. We're not deciding on to build the house."
"We're thrilled and we're excited to see this moving forward," concurred Lt. Gen. Graham. "Our commitment to you is, as we go into pre-construction engineering and design, let's advance that design now to include the mitigation to the extent of that, so that when we come forward with this is how much this is going to cost that we give you an accurate cost estimate. That's our commitment to you."
Forsgen and Graham indicated the Army Corps will determine its capabilities on the Yazoo Backwater Area project in light of the agency's other responsibilities in the Mississippi Valley region and nationally, and to ensure the most accurate cost estimates to guide congressional appropriators.
Hyde-Smith said the project remains "something we have to do."
"I certainly want us all to get to yes, and I'm willing to help us get there, whatever it takes," Hyde-Smith said.
In May, Hyde-Smith announced that the $32 million in appropriations would be provided to the pump project through the Army Corps 2025 Work Plan. Of that amount, $15 million is for pre-construction, engineering, and design work; $15 million for mitigation to protect wildlife and wildlife habitat; and $2 million for mitigation infrastructure construction.
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