The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is in the final stages of developing a Supplemental Watershed Plan and Environmental Assessment (Plan-EA) for two Floodwater Retarding Structures (FRSs) within Tallahatchie County.
North Tillatoba-Hunter Creek FRS Y-17C-6 and Tillatoba Creek FRS Y-17B-01 were originally constructed and classified as low-hazard structures. Since then, homes, roads and businesses have increased within the potential breach inundation areas downstream of the dams. Rehabilitation to high-hazard criteria is necessary to upgrade the dams and associated structures to their current classification and to protect people and property downstream.
North Tillatoba-Hunter Creek FRS Y-17C-6 has a total drainage area of approximately 7 square miles. The structure was built on Hunter Creek approximately 2.9 miles east of the city of Charleston and 6.5 miles northwest of the Tillatoba community in Tallahatchie County. Downstream of FRS Y-17C-6B, Hunter Creek flows southwest for approximately 2.5 miles before converging with Tillatoba Creek just south of Charleston. Tillatoba Creek then flows west for approximately 8 miles before joining the Little Tallahatchie River.
Tillatoba Creek FRS Y-17B-01 has a total drainage area of approximately 3.6 square miles. The structure was built on Harper Creek approximately 1.3 miles east of the Paul community in Tallahatchie County. Downstream of FRS Y-17B-1, Harper Creek flows northwest for approximately 1.5 miles before converging with South Fork Tillatoba Creek. South Fork Tillatoba Creek converges with North Fork Tillatoba Creek to form Tillatoba Creek approximately 1 mile west of Charleston. Tillatoba Creek flows an additional 7.0 miles before converging with the Tallahatchie River.
An initial public meeting was held on Dec. 15, 2022, to introduce the project and gather stakeholder input regarding each of the FRSs. Following that meeting, NRCS and its project partners developed a rehabilitation analysis and modification alternatives which would bring the dams into compliance with NRCS and Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), Dam Safety Division design criteria for the high-hazard classification. A preferred alternative was chosen based on engineering, environmental, and economic factors as well as input from the local community.
As part of this ongoing process, NRCS is conducting a second public meeting to be held Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. at the former National Guard armory, 409 S. Cossar Avenue in Charleston. The meeting will present a summary of findings from the engineering and environmental investigations as well as the alternatives considered. The preferred alternative for rehabilitation of each FRS will also be presented along with the associated economic and environmental concerns.
Residents and stakeholders within the watershed are encouraged to attend the meeting to learn about the alternatives considered and the reasoning behind the selection of the preferred alternative.
Attendance is free, but registration is requested at the following website: https://tinyurl.com/4yfutafk.
Participants can also register by scanning the QR code using their smartphone or other handheld device. For those not able to attend the meeting in person, questions or comments can be sent by email to the following email address: Tillatoba.Creek@AllenES.com.
Anyone who needs an accommodation to participate in this event is asked to contact Kevin Kennedy at 662-647-4323 or by email to kennedycharlesk@gmail.com by Aug. 22, which is at least two weeks before the event.
Scan this QR code to sign up for the Sept. 5 Tillatoba, North Tillatoba-Hunter Creek Watershed meeting. (Provided by NRCS)
