The Water Bank Program And Its Status In Mississippi

The Water Bank Program in the southeastern United States has been limited to Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. A review of the program in Mississippi suggests that a southern Water Bank Program can be consistent with national Water Bank Program objectives through the preservation of production habitat for the wood duck (A ix sponsa). Mississippi has 90 Water Bank Program agreements. which include 3,403 ha of wetland habitat and 4,585 ha of adjacent land habitat. Agreement areas range in size from 5 ha to 470 ha and average 89 ha. Annual payments to landowners are computed at a rate of $12.35 per ha per year and amount of $98.642. In 1977. the cost for technical services from the Soil Conservation Service was $1.95 per ha.