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<br />001183 <br /> <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Figure 14. FlOOding Behind the Corps Levee al Jackson MiSSiSSippi, April. 1979. Showing Stare <br />Fairgrounds. Ramada Inn (Upper Right) and Industrial BUildings. (Photo: A. Platt). <br /> <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />changes that took place in the 1960's- <br />public improvements such as two new <br />interstate highways and a stale highway <br />(including a new bridge across the river), <br />new water and sewage treatment plants, <br />several additional electrical substations, <br />expansion of the airport on the east side, <br />and several other new public facilities. <br />Furthermore, and of particular impor- <br />tance here, there were the 1960's river <br />projects. all of which helped direct <br />growth in the Jackson area onto the <br />Pearl's floodplain. <br /> <br />Prior Flooding and a FaIst" SellS(> of <br />&curity <br /> <br />Floods were no strangers to the Pearl. <br />Thl' highest at Jackson hefort> 1979 <br />occurred in 190? when the rivt'f crested <br />at 37.5 ft. with a discharge of 85,000 <br />cubic feet per second Ids). There .....ere <br />more. but the next rpaUy bad one <br />was in 1961. this timt' with a discharge <br />of only 66,000 ds but again .....ith a nest <br />of morl' than 37 ft.-with urban t'n. <br />croachmf'nts, tlw rin'r had less flooJ. <br /> <br />plain over which to spread. lndt.ro, the <br />1961 flood would have b('('n even <br />hight'r but for the Ross Barnett Dam, <br />then in the process of completion. But <br />even so, the 1961 flood cauSPd damages <br />of more than $33 million, and everyone <br />was determinro that it shouldn't happen <br />again. <br /> <br />Pursuant to enabling legislation <br />adoptro by the Mississippi Legislature in <br />~Iarch of 1962, tht' Rankin.Hinds Flood <br />and Drainage Control District was <br />est.'tblished, named for the two counties <br />facing each other across the Pearl River <br />at Jackson. The purpose of this district <br />.....as to serve as the local sponsor for a <br />flood control project authorized for this <br />reach of the Pt'arl by the U.S. ConlO'ess <br />in its 1960 flood Control Act. Like its <br />l'Ollnt{'rparts across tht' nation. the <br />district was required to provide land <br />and easements to permit fedt'ral <.'On. <br />struetion of levees and channel im. <br />provem(>nts. Thereafter. the local district <br />would operatt' and maintain the levees. <br />The Pearl project consistpd of a l.5-mile <br /> <br />29 <br />