Evaluation of Planning for Fish and Wildlife at Corps of Engineers Reservoirs - Okatibbee Lake Project, Mississippi

• Main Author: SPORT FISHING INST WASHINGTON D C
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Subjects: ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS; Biology; ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT; FISHERIES; FISHES; LAKES; MISSISSIPPI; Okatibbee Lake; RECREATION; RESERVOIRS; RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; WATER POLLUTION; WATER QUALITY; WILDLIFE

The Okatibbee Lake Project is located on Okatibbee Creek near Meridian, Mississippi. At summer seasonal pool the lake covers 1,538 ha (3,800 ac). Lands acquired in fee surrounding the summer pool totals 2,895 ha (7,155 ac). Approximately 2,024 ha (5,000 ac) have been licensed to the Mississippi Game and Fish Commission (MGFC) for the purpose of wildlife management. A smaller project was proposed earlier with flood control and water supply as the only primary project purposes. Acquisition in fee was planned to include only the area expected to be inundated by the five-year flood pool, approximately 2,428 ha (6,000 ac). The CE's survey report was submitted to Congress some 14 days before release of the FWS's report which was dated January 12, 1962. Current angling use of Okatibbee Lake is estimated at 40,600 annual trips, compared with the predicted 60,000 angler-trips. The tailrace fishery supports approximately double the 7,000 angler-trips predicted prior to project construction. Striped bass have been successfully introduced in Okatibbee Lake. Although Okatibbee Lake releases are not believed to have resulted in direct fish kills, the discharge is low in dissolved oxygen during periods of lake stratification; chemical constituents of the outflow are believed responsible for oxygen sags observed downstream.