The Harris County Flood Control District has begun construction on the final phase of a channel conveyance improvement project for a Berry Bayou tributary formally identified as HCFCD Unit C106-03-00, located in the Sims Bayou watershed of southeast Harris County.
This long-running project is replacing the existing earthen ditch with a concrete-lined channel and low-flow section at the bottom to improve stormwater conveyance in this flood-prone area. The site for the final project phase extends approximately 4,800 linear feet along Berry Bayou tributary C106-03-00, from Shawnee Street to Interstate Highway 45 south of Edgebrook Drive near Aves Street.
On January 7, 2020, Harris County Commissioners Court awarded a $6.48 million construction contract to L.N. McKean Inc. Work began in April and is expected to be completed in Fall 2021.
This is the fourth and final phase of a project that began in the 1970s and involved the entire C106-03-00 channel, from its confluence with Berry Bayou (C106-00-00) north of the city of South Houston, to IH-45. Work was completed in January 2020 on Phase 3 of the project, from the South Houston city limits to Shawnee Street. Channel conveyance improvements work together with construction of the South Richey Stormwater Detention Basin on Berry Bayou at South Richey Street, completed in 2016, to improve stormwater drainage. Stormwater detention basins take in and hold excess stormwater during heavy rain events, releasing it slowly as stormwater levels in the channel recede. The goal of the Berry Bayou Tributary C106-03-00 project, when all phases are complete, is to improve the flow of stormwater and reduce flooding risks and damages for nearby residents and businesses.
"Thanks to strong public support, we are entering the homestretch of a massive, multi-pronged effort to improve the flow of stormwater along Berry Bayou tributary," said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. "We can’t control frequency and intensity of rain in Harris County, but we can prepare our infrastructure to work swiftly, predictably, and effectively, bringing some peace of mind to those who live in flood-prone areas," she continued.
Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia also stated, “The City of South Houston has long been a gem in Precinct 2, but all too often has been challenged with chronic flooding, so it’s exciting that there is real light at the end of the tunnel for this long-running project. When completed, this final phase of what has become a nearly 50-year-long undertaking will bring citizens of the City of South Houston and the surrounding area vital protection from what has become regular flooding. I salute the hard work of Harris County Flood Control and say to folks living in the area, ‘relief is on the way.’ I recall during Hurricane Harvey, South Houston Councilman Willie Rios had to drive his tractor into rushing waters to rescue many of his residents. I am hopeful that this project will mean that his tractor will no longer have to substitute for a high-water rescue vehicle!”
ABOUT THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT
The Harris County Flood Control District provides flood damage reduction projects that work, with appropriate regard for community and natural values. With more than 1,500 bayous and creeks totaling approximately 2,500 miles in length, the Flood Control District accomplishes its mission by devising flood damage reduction plans, implementing the plans and maintaining the infrastructure. To learn more about the Flood Control District, visit www.hcfcd.org.