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- About the MRC
- Mississippi River & Tributaries Project
- MRC Public Process
- MRC History
- The Future
- MRC Priorities
- MRC Values
- America's Watershed: A 200 year Vision
The 1879 law that established the MRC calls for its membership to 
consist of three U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officers, one member of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (formerly the Coast
and Geodetic Survey), and three civilians, two of whom must be civil engineers.
Each member of the MRC is nominated by the United States President and
confirmed by the Senate.
The splendid mix of membership on the MRC captures and combines the expertise from two pools of the world’s most renowned and innovative engineering talent—the United States federal government and the United States private sector. This talent is complimented by the capabilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which provides accurate weather and climate forecasts and objective ecosystem information.
The MRC president also serves at the commanding officer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division. The other two Corps of Engineers members serve as the commanding officers of the Northwest Division and the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, bringing representation from the Corps of Engineers from the nation’s three largest watersheds—the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio Rivers.
The general duties of the MRC include the recommendation of policy and work flood control, navigation, and environmental projects on the Mississippi River, programs, the study of and reporting on the necessity for modifications to and conducting semiannual inspection trips and public hearings at various locations along the river. The work of the MRC is directed by its president and carried out by the six Army engineer districts at St. Paul, Rock Island, St. Louis, Memphis, Vicksburg and New Orleans.