PINE BLUFF, Ark. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District, is accepting public comments on a draft Environmental Assessment and draft Finding of No Significant Impact for proposed repairs to the left embankment at Emmett Sanders Lock and Dam in Jefferson County, Arkansas.
The 30-day public comment period begins May 14, 2025, and finish on June 13 2025. The documents and an online comment form will be available that day on the official project webpage at: https://www.swl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Planning/Emmett-Sanders-Embankment-Repair/
The proposed action would strengthen the embankment’s resistance to erosion and scouring during future flood events.
To implement these repairs, crews would adjust the embankment’s toe and heel locations, resulting in the removal of up to 1.6 acres of bottomland hardwood forest. The Corps plans to mitigate this loss by planting and maintaining up to 1.75 acres of bottomland hardwood within the Sheppard Island Public Use Area.
Additional project features include construction of an access road along the embankment crown and a navigation pass to enable safe passage for emergency vessels during flood conditions.
The EA evaluates the potential environmental impacts of the proposed action and a no-action alternative, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
The Corps invites the public to provide feedback, ask questions, or offer suggestions. Comments must be received by June 13, 2025, and may be submitted online, through mail to the Emmett Sanders Embankment Repair Project Planner, USACE, Little Rock District, 4305 Charles Wooden Road, Pine Bluff, AR 71601 or e-mailed to CESWL-EmmettSandersEmbankmentRepair@usace.army.mil.
For more information about the Little Rock District or to find recreation information visit us on the Internet at www.swl.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/littlerockusace and on X at www.X.com/usacelittlerock.