Woodridge Village Stormwater detention basin may be back on!

HCFCD Recommends Projects for $863 Million in HUD Funding

1/25/25 – Yesterday, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) released two lists of projects proposed for $863 million in funding.

The lists correspond to Community Development Block Grants for Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) and Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) programs from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). The Texas General Land Office (GLO) administers the funds at the state level.

Per HUD rules, at least 50% of the funding for all projects taken together must benefit Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) citizens. However, HCFCD is working towards a goal of 70% mandated by Harris County Commissioners Court.

Differences Between DR and MIT Funds

Of the total $863 million awarded, $322 million will go to Disaster Recovery programs and $541 million will go to Mitigation programs.

  • CDBG-DR dollars fund areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey. CDBG-DR projects must be completed by May 31, 2026. 
  • CDBG-MIT dollars fund projects that mitigate future disasters and flooding. They must finish by March 31, 2028.

You can review one-page summaries of each recommended project on these pages:

Public Comment on Two Lists Open Through Feb. 24

HCFCD’s release of the lists yesterday opened public comment, which closes at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, February 24, 2025.

Email comments to CDBG@hcfcd.hctx.net or mail them to Harris County Flood Control District, ATTN: CDBG Communications, 9900 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77092.

Only One Project in Lake Houston Area

HCFCD has proposed one project in the Lake Houston Area out of all this money: Taylor Gully Channel Improvements/Woodridge Village Stormwater Detention Basin. HCFCD estimates the project at $33 million. It will serve a population that’s 26% LMI.

The project overview says, “This project will improve the stormwater conveyance in Taylor Gully and increase the volume of detained stormwater with the construction of the Woodridge stormwater detention basin. The stormwater detention basin will be constructed on undeveloped land the Flood Control District owns and adjacent to three existing stormwater detention basins. This part of the project will be completed before the channel conveyance improvements on Taylor Gully start.”

Taylor Gully starts in MoCo on the Woodridge Village Property and runs through the northern part of Kingwood to the East Fork. Hundreds of families flooded twice in 2019 in this area after Perry Homes clearcut the Woodridge Property.

Shortly after purchasing the Woodridge property in 2021, HCFCD got a head start on the detention basin portion of the project when it entered an excavation and removal contract with Sprint Sand and Clay. But the contract ended and work stopped when HCFCD decided to apply for the HUD grant. Under HUD rules, work cannot continue while a grant application is being evaluated. That left a gaping, disconnected hole in the ground.

Start of Woodridge Village stormwater detention basin as of October 25, 2024. When complete, it will extend to small grove of trees near top of frame and the diagonal channel that bisects the property. See map above.

Other Mitigation Projects

See the other Projects in the screen captures below.

See HCFCD website for interactive list of proposed CDBG-MIT projects.

Disaster Recover Projects

See HCFCD website for interactive list of recommended DR Projects.

Not on Lists

Notice that the Kingwood Diversion Ditch did not make either list. HCFCD’s Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis named it one of the two most important projects in the Kingwood Area, which suffered the worst flood in the county during Harvey.

Regardless, I look forward to seeing the Woodridge detention basin resume construction.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/25/25

2706 Days since Hurricane Harvey