Texas Water Development Board approves $1,410,000 to the City of Palestine (Anderson County) for a dam rehabilitation project

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

AUSTIN – (August 19, 2021) – The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) today approved by resolution financial assistance in the amount of $1,410,000, consisting of $1,014,000 in financing and $396,000 in grant funding, to the City of Palestine (Anderson County). The City will use the assistance from the Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) for the planning, design, and construction of a dam rehabilitation project. 

In addition to the grant funding, the District could save approximately $1,600,000 over the life of the loan by using the FIF program.

With the financial assistance approved today, the City will assess flood risks and address apparent and potential hazards of Blue Lake Dam, Lower City Lake Dam, Upper City Lake Dam, and Wolf Creek Dam. The City’s intent is to bring the dams into compliance with all Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) standards and regulations and ensure the proposed alternatives can safely pass the required design storm and be deemed hydraulically adequate.

The approved project is eligible for FIF funding under category 2 of the 2020 Flood Intended Use Plan. This category was designated for planning, acquisition, design, and construction activities to implement flood mitigation projects.

Passed by the 86th Texas Legislature and approved by voters through a constitutional amendment in 2019, 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.