Mile 449.0 - Miles 449-445: Marshall Cut-Off

John Ruskey

20 Apr 2026

449-445 Marshall Cut-Off

Below Milliken Bend, the river flows through Marshal Cutoff (Sparta is on RBD). Marshall (and 15 other cutoffs) were authorized and constructed following the 1927 flood to speed flow and reduce flooding of the Mississippi River. Prior to this 1934 cutoff the river flowed east and then made a wide bend to the southwest before turning around again at Brown’s Point and return towards the big bluffs at Vicksburg. This bend and an old high water river chute to the west of this bend (which is now the current river channel) delineated Paw Paw Island. The old river bend is now called Paw Paw Chute, and remains accessible by canoe or kayak at all but the lowest river stages.

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