Mississippi DISPOSITION
Our project on the mississippi River
The U.S. Congress charges the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct disposition studies to determine whether a project that they operate and maintain should be deauthorized and ultimately disposed. The Corps is in the midst of conducting disposition studies from coast to coast. This process includes gauging public opinion through hearings and public comments.
Our project focuses on the Corps ongoing study of the Upper Mississippi, which includes the three upper most locks and dams on the river (Upper St. Anthony Falls, Lower St. Anthony Falls and Lock and Dam 1). Beyond the Mississippi, we are examining the outcomes of disposition studies on other American rivers.
This website also describes our efforts at imagining a future river through public opinion surveying and public arts projects. The later work extends the notion of disposition beyond its legal framing toward alternative uses of the term that reflect how we arrange and give character and meaning to the Mississippi. While the Corps eliminated dam removal as a potential outcome of the Upper St. Anthony Falls Disposition Study, it will consider this option for the other two projects. We are taking a deeper look at how razing infrastructure might change how we know, use and respect the river's life force.
Take our survey!
Our team began surveying in July 2021 to learn how much people know about locks and dams, if they know about the Corps' disposition studies, and what they want for the future of the Mississippi.
In our second round of surveying we hope to better understand the answers to these questions to imagine a more inclusive and diverse process that can be developed for future disposition studies. Please share your thoughts on the Mississippi River in our 5-10 minute survey below!
OUr research questions
How is the Army Corps engaging diverse publics in considering what “value” locks and dams provide in the Upper Mississippi basin?
Which modes of engagement open up or close down imaginings of a future river?
How might alternative forms of public participation aid the policy process by engaging more inclusive forms of deliberation?
What is a disposition study?
Disposition studies authorize the Army Corps of Engineers under Section 216 of the Flood Control Act of 1970 to evaluate water resources development projects which no longer serve their federal purpose. These studies help the Corps determine whether they should continue to own and operate these projects. While we are focusing on lock and dam disposition studies, those typically undertaken by the Corps usually evaluate smaller structures like water pump stations.
what are potential outcomes of a disposition study?
The Corps evaluates no action and disposal alternatives in their disposition studies. No action means that ownership and maintenance level of a lock and dam remain the same. Partial disposal means some part(s) of a lock and dam facility transfer ownership from the Corps to another entity. The Corps is also required to consider dam removal as part of their dispostion studies pursuent to the Water Resources and Development Act of 2018.