The Harris County Flood Control District joined its federal partner, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in signing a Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement (FCSA) for a comprehensive study of the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs and surrounding watersheds.
The $6 million study will include Buffalo Bayou and its tributaries and USACE will serve as the lead agency.
The signing of the FCSA marks the beginning of a three-year study period in which USACE, with input from the Flood Control District, will evaluate and recommend projects and operational changes to improve the effectiveness of the reservoirs in reducing flood risks upstream and downstream.
Over the next year, the study team will focus on identifying and evaluating alternatives, and developing a recommended plan for more detailed analysis.
“ With the agreement signed as well as the team and funding in place, we are poised to move forward with the study and toward implementation ,” said Russ Poppe, Executive Director of the Flood Control District .
The agreement for the $6 million, three-year study was approved by Harris County Commissioners Court on October 9. Under the provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (BBA 2018), which was signed into law on February 9, the study will be fully funded by the federal government.
“ We are very excited to sign the FCSA with the HCFCD for the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries Resiliency Study ,” said Col. Lars Zetterstrom, commander, Galveston District Corps of Engineers . “ While this study will be at full federal expense, we welcome partnering with the Harris County Flood Control District to enhance the study and ensure our alternatives proposed have the full participation and involvement of the District as the non-federal sponsor and other federal, state, county and local governmental and non-governmental partners. ”