Our Mission
Promote the wise use of the natural resources of the Lower Mississippi River through cooperative efforts
involving planning, management, information sharing, public education,
advocacy and research.
Funding
Support for the
LMRCC comes from a variety of sources including:
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Annual dues of member
agencies
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Region 4
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U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency Regions IV V and VII
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U.S. Geological Survey
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The Ohrstrom Foundation
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TARA Foundations
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Little River
Foundation
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National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation
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Private contributions
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What We Do
The Aquatic Resource Management Plan
(ARMP) for the Lower Mississippi River
The ARMP, finalized
and approved in 2000, provides a 10-year operational plan to address the
primary factors adversely affecting the aquatic resources in the Lower Mississippi River’s active floodplain and
backwater areas. It is a
far-reaching effort to unite a wide array of federal, state/local
government, and private sector stakeholders to protect and restore the
nationally significant natural resources found in the Mississippi
River ecosystem. The plan is based upon the premise that these
aquatic resources, including recreational and commercial fisheries, are
among the most ecologically diverse in the United States and constitute
important national assets that contribute substantially to the regional
economy as well as the quality of American life. Plan goals include:
Restore aquatic
habitat
Improve water
quality
Actively manage
biological resources
Build partnerships
to coordinate management activities
Enhance regional economic opportunities
Increase public
awareness of the importance of the Mississippi River
ecosystem
To learn more about
the ARMP please refer to the ARMP Strategies
or the Aquatic Resource Management Plan
briefing folio.
The Mississippi
River Conservation Initiative (MRCI)
The MRCI is the
implementation phase of the LMRCC’s Aquatic Resource Management Plan
MRCI is comprised of
three primary components: 1. Assessment of conservation needs and
opportunities; 2. Project planning and design; and 3. Project
implementation. Through this process
the LMRCC, in partnership with a wide array of federal, state, local and
non-governmental organizations, will implement projects to restore aquatic
habitat, improve water quality and provide sustainable economic development .
MRCI was formally
launched in November, 2001 with the first state planning meeting held in Jackson, Tennessee. 30 representatives from federal and state
government agencies, universities and private conservation organizations
met to exchange information, review proposed projects, and devise conservation
strategies for the Mississippi River floodplain in Tennessee. Approximately 20 projects
were identified including restoration of degraded side channels, creation
of channels through dike fields, rehabilitation of floodplain lakes,
restoration of floodplain hydrology, and land acquisitions to develop
recreational opportunities. Meetings
were held for Missouri and Kentucky in 2002, and in Arkansas and Mississippi
in 2003. Click here for additional information on
MRCI meetings.
Geographic Information Systems
The LMRCC has
developed a comprehensive GIS comprised of spatial databases covering the
Mississippi River Ecosystem and the Mississippi Alluvial Valley to support
the implementation of the Aquatic Resource Management Plan. Data holdings include vector files of
roads, hydrology, dikes, revetment, levees, public lands boundaries;
satellite imagery; digital ortho-photos; low
water video; and raster data including soils, land cover/land use, DEMs and bathymetry. Examples of some key GIS products
are provided below:
Planning Maps
A series of detailed
1:100000 scale maps of the active floodplain are currently in production to
provide planners involved in the Mississippi River Conservation Initiative
a tool to identify and track conservation opportunities. Click here to view a sample in Adobe pdf format.
Water Quality Model
The LMRCC has
developed a GIS model to prioritize wetland forest restoration on private
lands in the Mississippi
Alluvial Valley
to enhance water quality. The purpose of the model is to provide tools to
assist conservation planners working on a state or regional level involved
with wetland restoration, water quality, and reforestation. Click here to
view a more in-depth explanation of the model in Adobe pdf
format.
Awareness and Education
The enormous task of
restoring America’s
greatest river will only be accomplished with the public’s awareness and
support. The LMRCC is involved in a number of products and activities to
raise awareness and support for the Mississippi River
ecosystem. Products include a
newsletter, brochures, workshops, displays, and this website.
The River Packet: The newsletter of the LMRCC contains a wealth of
information on environmental issues and conservation activities concerning
the Mississippi River. Click here to view the most
recent edition in Adobe pdf format.
The Mississippi River Fishing Guide: A 16 page,
full color guide to fishing in the Mississippi River
that includes information on game fish, fish habitat, water quality, and
boating safety along with maps to publicly accessible boat ramps. To be published
sometime in the near future.
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Contact
Information
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Ron Nassar
Coordinator
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Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee
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2524 South Frontage Road, Suite C
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Vicksburg, MS 39180
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Phone: 601-629-6602
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Fax: 601-636-9541
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E-mail: Ron_Nassar@fws.gov
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Angela Moore
GIS Specialist
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Lower
Mississippi River
Conservation Committee
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2524 South Frontage Road, Suite C
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Vicksburg, MS 39180
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Phone: 601-629-6613
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Fax: 601-636-9541
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E-mail: amoore@lmrcc.org
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