Supervisors hear update on Pearl River diversion problems at Wilson Slough

The Pearl River County Board of Supervisors met yesterday and during the meeting they received an update on the longstanding water diversion problem on the Pearl River at Wilson Slough near Walkiah Bluff.

County Engineer Les Dungan gave an update on a meeting he attended last week with Mississippi and Louisiana officials which included State Senator Angela Hill, State Representative Stacey Wilkes, and Louisiana State Representative Melinda White. Dungan that brought back some positive news.

Les Dungan discusses next steps on the water diversion at Wilson Slough

First of all, all those present are unanimously opposed to the One Lake Project in the Jackson, MS area which has been a hot topic in the news for the past two years.

Dungan said the importance of saving Pearl River below Wilson Slough diversion located at mile marker 57 is becoming more critical as the diversion structure is starting to fail. Currently, approximately 85 percent of the water is being diverted into Louisiana at Wilson Slough and there is erosion occurring on the weir according to Dungan.

Dungan said he and others have studied the situation and believe that dredging about 3 miles of the river beginning just south of the Wilson Slough weir which should help alleviate the pressure being placed on the diversion structure and re-establish flow of water down what is known as East Pearl River.

The board signed an order for Dungan to use the information provided by the Corp of Engineers to prepare an estimate on what the dredging and subsequent weir structure maintenance would cost.

Pearl River Basin Development District before being dissolved, had funding allocated for work on the weir according to Dungan.