Texas Water Development Board approves $5,102,500 from the Flood Infrastructure Fund for watershed flood protection planning studies

For immediate release. Contact: Media Relations at 512-463-5129

AUSTIN – (January 28, 2021) – The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) today approved by resolution financial assistance in the amount of $5,102,500, consisting of $4,967,500 in grant funding and a $135,000 loan from the Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF), for watershed-based flood protection planning studies.

$1,125,000 to Bastrop County to conduct a regional flood protection planning study of multiple watersheds
$750,000 to the Sabine River Authority (Gregg, Harrison, Rusk, Smith, and Upshur counties) to conduct a regional flood planning study and develop a comprehensive model of the Upper Sabine River Basin with particular focus on Longview and Kilgore
$500,000 to the San Jacinto River Authority (Grimes, Fort Bend, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Walker, and Waller counties) for a planning study that will provide critical data and tools to allow a more regional approach to reservoir facility operations
$500,000 to the San Jacinto River Authority (Grimes, Fort Bend, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Walker, and Waller counties) to produce a conceptual-level design and define benefits and costs for two dams in the Spring Creek watershed
$375,000 to the San Jacinto River Authority (Grimes, Fort Bend, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Walker, and Waller counties) to conduct a regional sedimentation study of the Upper San Jacinto River Basin
$262,500 to Waller County to complete two recommendations of the Lower Brazos Floodplain Protection Planning Study, including developing a hydraulic model of the Navasota River
$240,000 to Waller County to identify flood risk and flood protection measures, identify locations for stream and stage gages, and develop a flood protection plan for the Spring Creek watershed
$1,350,000 to the City of Brownsville (Cameron County) for a flood protection planning study of the Brownsville Ship Channel watershed

The approved projects are eligible for FIF funding under category 1, flood protection planning for watersheds, of the 2020 Flood Intended Use Plan. This category of funding was designed to support studies that conduct planning of entire watersheds to better inform the development of structural and nonstructural strategies.

Passed by the 86th Texas Legislature and approved by voters through a constitutional amendment in 2019, the FIF was created to provide funding for drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects.

The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional water and flood planning, and preparing the state water and flood plans. The TWDB administers cost-effective financial assistance programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control, and agricultural water conservation projects.