The Mayor's Office of Recovery is requesting approval for submission of a grant application to the Texas Water Development Board for structural improvements to the Lake Houston Dam Spillway. House Bill (HB) 1 from the 88th Texas Legislature Session, identified $50,000,000 to the Texas Water Development Board Water Grants and Lake Houston Accumulated Siltation. COH will coordinate with key stakeholders including the Coastal Water Authority (CWA), Harris County, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), and San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) on this project.
Lake Houston is the primary surface water storage facility owned by the COH. CWA is the contract operator for the Lake Houston Dam and works closely with Houston Public Works. The COH desires to improve existing dam and spillway infrastructure in order to reduce flooding in nearby neighborhoods. Use of these funds will serve to extend the life of the Dam and will enable the rapid lowering of lake levels in advance of a flood. The Dam project eliminates the need for a seasonal lowering of both Lake Houston and Lake Conroe. The benefit of this project will impact an estimated 5,000 residential properties in the surrounding area and will yield an estimated $1/2 billion economic benefit to the life of the project.
The Recovery Office also requests City Council to authorize the Director or his designee to act as the City’s representative in the application process with the authority to apply for, accept and expend the grants funds, as awarded, and to apply for and accept and expend all subsequent awards, if any, to extend the budget period, and to authorize the Mayor to execute all related contracts, agreements and documents with the approval of the City Attorney in connection with the grant not to exceed five years.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) application for the Lake Houston Dam Spillway. This project is phased for design (Phase I) and construction (Phase II) and includes building multiple gates into the existing embankment on the east side of the Lake Houston Spillway Dam. Constructing the new gate structures in the east embankment reduces the high-risk construction inherent in modifying the existing gate structure and allows continued use of the existing gate structure throughout construction.
Currently the City is implementing Phase I of the HMGP application. Phase I includes preliminary engineering study, final design, permitting, and bidding services. Phase II includes construction based on the final design and will commence upon completion of Phase I. Based on the current construction estimates, TWDB funding will be needed to assist with both the City’s match on the grant, which is 25% of the total, and Phase II costs which are estimated to exceed the approved HMGP amount from FEMA. The COH will collect an administrative fee of 6% or $3,000,000.00 out of the grant funds to support the administration and management of the TWDB grant where these activities are not covered by HMGP funds.
Completion of the Phase I design will be in 2025 with Phase II construction services to occur in 2028.
Fiscal Note:
No fiscal note is required on grant items.
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Stephen Costello, Chief Recovery Officer