Ross Barnett Reservoir

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The Ross Barnett Reservoir, often called simply the Reservoir, is a reservoir of the Pearl River between Madison and Rankin counties in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The Template:Convert lake serves as the state's largest drinking water resource, and is managed by the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District. The lake features Template:Convert of shoreline impounded on the south by a Template:Convert man-made dam and spillway. The western shore is bounded by the historic Natchez Trace Parkway.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Construction on the Ross Barnett Reservoir began in 1960 by MWH Engineering (now MWH Global)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>[1] Template:Webarchive</ref> under the direction of the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District. The main purpose of the infrastructure project was to create a permanent water source to supply drinking water for the Mississippi capital city of Jackson. Flooding of the Jackson section of the Pearl River had been studied by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers since 1930 and city leaders envisioned commercial and industrial benefits from land reclamation associated with flood control.<ref>(26 October 1930). "Dredging of Pearl Urged" Clarion Ledger. (Jackson) p1. and (2 March 1947) "Engineers, C.C. will study Pearl Flood Control" Jackson Daily News. (Jackson): also in Miss. Dept of Archives & History. "Pearl River Flood Control 1930-1947". "Pearl River 0-1969". Subject files.</ref> The Jackson Chamber of Commerce prior to the completion of the reservoir promoted riparian land reclamation with industrial development, a new bypass for U.S. Highway 49 constructed upon a levee, straightening the Pearl River channel and potential navigation.<ref>Real, Jere. (30 March 1960) "Broad industrial project mapped". Jackson Daily News. (Jackson) also in Mississippi Dept. of Archives and History. "Pearl River 0-1969". Subject file.</ref> Construction on the lake was completed in 1963, and the water level reached average capacity in 1965. The August 17, 1969 passage of Hurricane Camille over the reservoir caused the surface to tilt and created a one foot level increase at the dam.<ref>United States Geological Survey. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2375 National Water Summary 1988-89--Floods and Droughts: Mississippi. Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.</ref> As part of a national survey the federal government sampled five Mississippi reservoirs in 1973 and determined the Ross Barnett waters to be eutrophic, ranking second among the Mississippi reservoirs in overall trophic quality.<ref>United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Region IV.; National Eutrophication Survey (U.S.); Mississippi. Mississippi Air and Water Pollution.; Mississippi. National Guard. (1975). Report on Ross Barnett Reservoir, Jackson, Madison and Rankin Counties, Mississippi : EPA Region IV. Corvallis, Or. : Corvallis Environmental Research Laboratory ; Las Vegas, Nev. : Environmental Monitoring & Support Laboratory. p. 1. EPA website Retrieved 16 October 2017.</ref> In the 1980s two power companies including the local electricity producer, Mississippi Power and Light Company, made applications to the federal government authorities to modify the dam to produce hydropower.<ref>Mississippi Power and Light Company.; United States. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. (1984) Ross R. Barnett hydroelectric project : application for license : major project--existing dam at Ross R. Barnett Reservoir near Jackson, Mississippi. Jackson, Miss. : , Mississippi Power & Light Company. WorldCat website</ref>

The 1979 Easter flood at Jackson initiated planning to create additional levees below the reservoir and studies of a 68 foot high, dry dam called Shoccoe above the reservoir.<ref>Dunbar, J.B. and Coulters, F.J. (1988). Geomorphic investigation of the Shoccoe Dam Project Area / (Record no. 14869). Vicksburg, Miss.: Geotechnical Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, p. 4.</ref>

Waterspouts occurred in the reservoir on April 15, 2011, August 19, 2012 and July 23, 2014.<ref>"NWS Jackson, MS - July 23, 2014 Ross Barnett Reservoir Waterspout" . National Weather Service website Retrieved 27 October 2017.</ref>

Planning began to provide parks and recreation areas in conjunction with the newly formed lake. Today, the Ross Barnett Reservoir serves as a significant water source, a major recreational area, and a catalyst for residential and economic development. There are 4,600 homes along the reservoir in Madison and Rankin counties.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Name controversy

The reservoir is named for Ross R. Barnett, the 53rd governor of Mississippi, who was known nationwide for his vigorous support for segregation. This has led to multiple petitions<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and other calls for the name to be changed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Management

The Ross Barnett Reservoir is managed by the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District (PRVWSD), an agency of the State of Mississippi. In addition to recreation, the reservoir serves as the primary source of drinking water for the City of Jackson's O. B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant. Water released into the Pearl River is monitored and controlled from an electrical/mechanical spillway and gate system that is part of a man-made earthen dam comprising most of the lake's southern shore. The maximum output of the 10-gate spillway is Template:Convert. The guaranteed minimum flow was not included in the statute creating the reservoir, but the Template:Convert flow was included in the operational permit.<ref>Flow Requirements Jackson, MS Figure 5. Appendix "H" Municipal and Industrial Water Supply and Water Quality Control. Pearl River Comprehensive Basin Study. Vol. 7. (1965) Southeastern Comprehensive Water Pollution Control Project. p. H-9 & H-114</ref> The final design of the reservoir could not be purposed as a flood control project.<ref>"Barnett Reservoir Board of Directors adopts new lake level plan". (Press Release). Pearl River Valley Water Supply District. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2015.</ref> The target elevation for the lake is Template:Convert above sea level in the summer; Template:Convert in the winter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The average depth is Template:Convert, water clarity is Template:Convert with occasions of Template:Convert, and the water color is stained. The lowest pool level in the last eight years was Template:Convert MLS according to a 1996 boating map, but the lowest pool was Template:Convert according to federal data for 2000.<ref>United States Geological Survey. (2015) USGS Water Resources USGS website</ref><ref>FHS Maps. "Lake Profile". Ross Barnett Reservoir Fishing and Boating Map. Mississippi Series. (Map) (1996)</ref> Drought conditions occurred in 2007 prompting local concerns.<ref>Northway, Wally. (July 9, 2007) "Drought conditions affecting summer fun". Mississippi Business Journal. (Jackson) Retrieved 28 September 2015. Miss. Business Journal website</ref> Seismic tests were performed Template:Convert below the surface of the reservoir in the fall of 2012 by an energy company.<ref>"Reservoir blasts for carbon dioxide". WAPT News. 2012-09-06. Retrieved 21 September 2015. WAPT TV website.</ref>

Recreation

Each year over two million people visit the Ross Barnett Reservoir for outdoor recreation: types include boating, fishing, water-skiing, and camping. There are five campgrounds, 16 parks, 22 boat launches, three handicapped-accessible trails, two multi-purpose trails, and a mountain bike trail which meanders near Mule Jail Lake.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Two state records come from the reservoir: Smallmouth buffalo (57 lbs 12 oz) and Bowfin (18 lbs 14 oz). In 1974, a state record Paddlefish of 65 lbs was caught at the spillway.<ref>State of Mississippi. Miss. Dept. of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks. "Freshwater Fishing Records". Retrieved September 29, 2015. Dept of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks website</ref> In 1978 the Bassmaster Classic World Championship was held at the reservoir.<ref>Trail Finder. "Ross Barnett Reservoir" Trails website Retrieved 16 October 2017.</ref> In late March 2019 fishermen reported abundant and large Black crappie when normally White crappie are the main catch.<ref>Broom, Brian. (March 29, 2019). "'I knew it was going to be good, but not this good.' The Rez giving up huge crappie." Clarion Ledger website Retrieved 31 March 2019.</ref>

Notes

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References

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