The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District recently held its annual mid-winter bald eagle surveys at its north Mississippi lakes in January.
A total of 50 eagles, along with other species, were counted across Arkabutla, Sardis, Enid and Grenada lakes. Many USACE projects participate in these surveys to monitor the status of bald eagle wintering populations in the contiguous United States. Several hundred personnel counted the eagles along standard, non-overlapping survey routes. This effort helps estimate national and regional bald eagle count trends, both overall and by age class. Due to COVID-19 precautions, only current USACE personnel conducted the surveys.
The Mississippi lakes offer ideal habitats for bald eagles, including abundant food sources and nesting areas, and resident populations can be found year-round. Visitors are encouraged to view the birds from a respectful distance and reminded not to disturb them. Eagles are no longer an endangered species but remain protected under federal law.
For more information, contact the Arkabutla Field Office at 662-562-6261, the Sardis Lake Field Office at 662-563-4531, the Enid Lake Field Office at 662-563-4571 or the Grenada Lake Field Office at 662-226-5911.
Arkabutla, Sardis, Enid and Grenada lakes, the four Mississippi flood control reservoirs in the Vicksburg District’s area of responsibility, were authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1936, which provided a plan designed to address flooding that originated in the Yazoo Basin. The four reservoirs are used to hold runoff, or excess rainwater, as a flood-prevention measure. With approximately 3.2 million visitors each year, the north Mississippi lakes also contribute approximately $82 million into the local economy.
The USACE Vicksburg District is engineering solutions to the nation’s toughest challenges. The Vicksburg District encompasses a 68,000-square-mile area across portions of Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana that holds seven major river basins and incorporates approximately 460 miles of mainline Mississippi River levees. The Vicksburg District is engaged in hundreds of projects and employs approximately 1,100 personnel.
