HOUSTON — The Harris County Flood Control District is telling KHOU 11 the projects that will be on the top of its priority list now that a $2.5 billion flood control project was passed by the county’s voters.
The bond was approved Saturday by approximately 85 percent of voters.
“In no other time since the hurricane of 1900 that devastated Galveston have we seen such a resolve by the residents of this region to make such sweeping infrastructure changes,” said HCFCD meteorologist Jeff Lindner.
“That $2.5 billion is going to go into about roughly 240 projects.”
Lindner says continued silt removal from the regions channels and waterways will be at the top of the list.
He says priority areas for the project will be upstream of the Barker and Addicks Reserviors, in Langham Creek, south Coney Creek and Bear Creek. Lindner says bond money will pay for the purchase of private property in northwest Harris County with right-of-way access to those waterways.
Lindner says construction of new detention basins in west and northwest Harris County will also be at the top of the list of projects.
Funds from the bond will also go toward buyouts of flood-prone properties that continue to be severely damaged each time there is a significant rain event.
Lindner says the first buyouts will be in specific locations. He says the purchases will include properties located along the San Jacinto River, Cypress Creek, Greens Bayou south of Bush Intercontinental Airport and homes along Halls Bayou on I-45 downstream of Highway 59.
“We’re never going to eliminate flooding,” Lindner said. “We’re always going to have that risk. But we can always do things to reduce that risk.”