Project Titles: Replace Damaged Culverts (FFS #R4JA/R4JB/R4JC)

State: Mississippi

Initial Project Description: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS, the Service) used American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, Recovery Act) funds to replace three water control structures at Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Yazoo City, Mississippi. The new steel water control structures, which were fabricated by local contractor Merle Sullivan, of Sullivan’s Industrial and Farm Maintenance, replace three damaged concrete culverts.

Refuge staff removed the damaged concrete culverts using a John Deere 200CLC excavator rented from Hertz Rental in Jackson, Mississippi. Refuge staff installed the new water control structures in September 2009. The old concrete culverts were professionally crushed and stockpiled, and will be used as road material for future refuge projects.

The new structures have helped the refuge improve its water management capabilities, which benefits wildlife at the refuge. According to Deputy Project Leader, Sabrina Clark Chandler, the Panther Swamp NWR is “now able to provide waterfowl habitat and public hunting for waterfowl on approximately 750 acres.”

Photos:

Local contractor Merle Sullivan welds one of the new culverts

Brent Chisolm of Panther Swamp NWR installs a culvert

A view of the finished project, which will help with water maintenance at the refuge

Originally posted 10/29/2009
Page Completed 08/11/2011