CORPS SAYS RIVER `RATHER UNEVENTFUL'

Happenings along the lower Mississippi River, from St. Louis to New Orleans, have been "rather uneventful" during the past six months, said Brig. Gen. Eugene S. Witherspoon, of Vicksburg, Miss., and president of the Mississippi River Commission.

Witherspoon issued his annual "state of the valley" report aboard the Motor Vessel Mississippi V, which was docked on the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau Monday morning.

The Mississippi River Commission and the Army Corps of Engineers officially opened the spring high-water inspection trip on the Mississippi River. Four public hearings will be held aboard the commission's inspection boat in four cities along the river.

Following the 9 a.m. hearing here, the Mississippi V embarked on its route downriver, where a second public hearing will be conducted today at Memphis, Tenn., at 9 a.m. Other public hearings will be held at Vicksburg Wednesday at 3 p.m., and at New Orleans Friday at 9 a.m.

During each public hearing, commission and Corps members meet with citizens, elected officials and members of levee, flood control and drainage districts to discuss planned or ongoing projects in their areas.

During each public hearing, the president of the commission will present a State of the Valley report, along with presentations by public participants.

"Our purpose in being here is to inspect Mississippi River and Tributaries projects and to give the public an opportunity to express views," Witherspoon said.

Witherspoon, in his "state of the valley" report, said the middle Mississippi River stage at St. Louis has generally remained within the normal range with less than a 15-foot variation during that six-month time span. He added that there was only one brief period of concern when the Cairo, Ill., Mississippi River's stage rose more than 25 feet in two weeks in mid-January.

However, it crested harmlessly at 40.5 feet, well below the 44-foot full bank stage, Witherspoon added. In mid-March, the Cairo stage was at 42, highest so far this year.

"Entering April, the heart of the flood season, stages are slightly lower than normal for this time of year," Witherspoon said, adding that stages were well below normal in the upper reaches of the lower Mississippi.

In the lower reaches of the Mississippi, however, stages are slightly above normal, following late-March crests, but "the river is well into its recession and still below normal," he said, adding that only normal amounts of rainfall are predicted for the entire Mississippi Basin this month.

This is due, he said, to the great carrying capacity of the Lower Mississippi River and because the Ohio River's flow has remained below normal during the same period.

Feasibility studies are continuing along the lower Mississippi. A Mississippi Delta project includes four freshwater diversion structures, generally in the New Orleans area. Work is under way on two of the structures, which will reduce saltwater intrusion and improve fish and wildlife habitat and productivity.

Feasibility studies are also continuing into proposed projects in the Reelfoot Lake of Tennessee.

Witherspoon also updated the group on construction projects during the first six months of fiscal 1995.

"We awarded construction contracts for 48 projects in the amount of $68.5 million," he said. The projects, added to the projects already under way, amounts to 85 items under contract, valued at $122.5 million.

During fiscal 1995, an additional 90 contracts will be awarded, with a construction value of $111 million.

"The total number and value of construction in fiscal 1995 will amount to 175 contracts, valued at $233.5 million," he said.

The list includes 23 levees and flood walls, 17 channels, 42 relocations, 27 dikes, 34 revetments, 29 other structures, two recreational facilities and one pumping structure.

Witherspoon also reported on tonnage moving on the Mississippi River.

In 1993, the latest year totals are available, 475.1 million tons were moved on the Mississippi from Minneapolis to New Orleans. That amounts to 190,525,210,000 ton-miles of traffic.

"It's important that we keep the Mississippi River channel open," Witherspoon said, adding that the funding requests for Fiscal Year 1996 total $319.2 million, down about $9 million from the $328.2 million received for fiscal 1995 after adjustments.

Duties of the commission include recommendations of policy and works programs, the study of and reporting upon the necessity for modifications or additions to flood-control and navigation projects and making inspection trips. The low-water inspection tour will be conducted in the fall.