Channels and Access Canals:

Channels and Access Canals: A. Must be designed to ensure adequate flushing and must not create stagnant pockets; they must use existing drainage patterns to maximum advantage; they must be of uniform depth or become gradually shallower proceeding from the receiving body of water; they must be no deeper than the parent body of water (navigational depth of adjacent waterway) and where feasible, must be aligned with prevailing summer winds to increase circulation. B. Alignments must make maximum use of natural or existing channels to minimize initial and maintenance dredging requirements. C. Alignments must avoid sensitive coastal wetlands, nursery and spawning areas, and archeological and historical sites. A submerged aquatic vegetation (grassbed) or an archeological survey may be required. D. Permanent dredged material disposal sites must be designated for initial construction as well as future maintenance dredging for all canal or channel projects. E. Construction must be conducted in a manner that minimizes turbidity and dispersal of dredged materials into adjacent coastal wetlands, and on schedules that minimize interference with fish and shellfish migration and spawning. F. Designs must not significantly alter tidal circulation patterns or sediment transport processes, create change in salinity regimes, or change related nutrient and aquatic life distribution patterns. G. New canals for waterfront lots must be constructed from the OHWM landward and must be open to a major waterway at two (2) or more points. H. Dead end canals are not permitted except where water flow is sufficient to flush the canal on a regular basis. MISS. CODE ANN. §§49-15-304, 49-27-59, 57-15-6, 57-15-10.