Public Process


Photo from a public meeting

The practice of addressing issues and concerns through the formal public hearing process that is so critical in the federal government’s civil works mission today began in the Mississippi valley in 1879 with the creation of the MRC.

The long-standing vision of the MRC is to listen to the concerns confronting private, local, state, and federal agencies charged with managing and balancing the indispensable resources of the Mississippi River and its tributaries; to inspect the challenges posed by such a vast, powerful, and living watershed; and to forge sustainable partnerships to overcome those challenges for the betterment of the nation.

During the traditional high-water and low-water season, each spring and summer, the members of the MRC conduct inspection trips and public meetings aboard the motor vessel Mississippi at various locations the length of the river. These gatherings enable the public to bring their views and concerns before the MRC in an open forum and give interested parties a greater voice in shaping federal policy.