Harris County Commissioners To Consider 44 Flood Control Items Thursday

10/13/6 – Harris County Commissioners will consider 44 items on their 10/15/26 agenda this week from the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD). In addition to several routine easements, property acquisitions and settlements, commissioners will consider more than $30 million of flood-control contracts and $75 million of grants from the Texas Water Development Board.

CDBG Grants

However, the most lively discussion will likely be around the Community Development Block Grant Programs for Disaster Recover and Mitigation (CDBG-DR and CDBG-MIT), for which HCFCD recently received a one-year extension. Without the extension, the county faced the imminent loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in CDBG funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Texas General Land Office.

A related spreadsheet, dated 9/15/26 (a month ago – and just days before the extension), shows how much the County stood to lose.

With just five months left before the 2/28/27 deadline, only two of seven subdivision drainage projects totaling $112.5 million were completed and only two-thirds of the money had been expended. And of 30 other CDBG-DR and MIT projects backed by grants totaling $850 million, only $69.8 million had been expended – 8% of the total.

But the county needed to spend at least $322 million of the $850 million before 2/28/27. So…

With roughly 90% of the allotted time expired, HCFCD has spent only 22% of the $322 million.
Calculation based on HCFCD spreadsheet

Little wonder that the previous executive director of HCFCD resigned under pressure in June despite Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia’s defense of her performance.

According to the agenda, new management at HCFCD has been working with the GLO “on potential approaches to maximize the benefits county entities can deliver utilizing the grant funds,” so commissioners can take “potential action on a path forward for the programs.”

We should learn more on Thursday about exactly what that means. The GLO says it is looking forward to seeing a comprehensive plan. In other news…

Contract Approvals

HCFCD is asking for contract approvals totaling approximately $31 million. They include:

$1,000,000 for VERSA Infrastructure with four additional one-year renewal terms to provide on-call construction engineering and inspection services
$1,000,000 for Aguirre & Fields, LP with four additional one-year renewal terms to provide on-call construction engineering and inspection services
Reimbursement to MUD #276 for mowing for the next five years in the Addicks Reservoir Watershed under an Interlocal Agreement ($41,130.45/year)
Mowing reimbursement to MUD #439 for the next five years in the Halls Bayou Watershed ($41,964.45/year)
$393,210 one-year joint-funding agreement with the U.S. Department of the Interior/U.S. Geological Survey to research surface water resources and provide technical assistance
Amendment to staff augmentation and geotechnical services agreement with Aviles Engineering ($200,000)
Amendment to agreement with HR Green to provide design, bidding, and construction-phase engineering services for a detention basin in the Sims Bayou Watershed
Change in Contract #2 with Environmental Allies Inc. for the Brookglen Stormwater Detention Basin (Phase 2) in the Armand Bayou Watershed
Extending contract #7 with Allgood Construction for 32 days for the excavation of the Inwood Forest Stormwater Detention Basin in the White Oak Bayou Watershed
$6,186,800 low-bid contract with Ceballos Construction for channel repairs in Vince Bayou, Armand Bayou, San Jacinto/Galveston Bay, Clear Creek and Brays Bayou watersheds for one year with four one-year renewal options
$192,000 one-year contract with SiteOne Landscape Supply to supply wildflower seeds with four one-year extensions (only bid)
With Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. for professional engineering services/program management for the Clear Creek Federal Flood Risk Management Program on basis of highest overall evaluation
$429,619 one-year renewal with ArborTrue for hazardous tree and tree limb removal
$3,500,000 one-year renewal with A. Morfin Trucking for concrete-channel-lining repairs
$977,450 with Outreach Strategists for community-income surveys and evaluation for mitigation projects
$281,250 one-year renewal for CSI Consolidated for de-silting outfalls and storm sewer systems
$2,036,970 with HR Green for professional engineering/support services for the Helms Stormwater Detention Basin and conveyance improvements
$7,263 for additional ClayHr services
One-year Disaster Recovery Renewal Options with:
- GrantWorks for $4,000,000
- Tetra Tech for $4,000,000
- Stuart Consulting for $7,000,000.

Grant-Agreement Approvals

HCFCD is asking for approval of eight grants from the Texas Water Development Board totaling $75 million that were approved by the Texas Legislature in the last session. They include:

$5,000,000 for Kingwood Diversion Ditch Improvements in the San Jacinto River Watershed
$6,500,000 for the West Little York Stormwater Detention Basin in the Addicks Reservoir Watershed
$22,500,000 for repairs along Cypress Creek adjacent to the Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve
$2,500,000 for the Halls Aldine Westfield South Stormwater Detention Basin and Channel Conveyance Improvements in the Halls Bayou Watershed
$10,000,000 for the South Mayde Creek Bypass Channel in the Addicks Reservoir
$11,000,000 for the Cloverleaf Area Drainage Improvements in the Carpenters Bayou Watershed
$15,000,000 for the Helms Stormwater Detention Basin and Channel Conveyance Improvements in the Halls Bayou Watershed
$2,500,000 for channel modification and stormwater detention basins in the Greens Bayou mid-reach area.

Transmittals

HCFCD sent a number of reports to commissioners, including:

Two certificates of substantial completion with:
- RES Environmental for floating islands at a detention basin in the Clear Creek Watershed
- Texas Dewatering for the Addicks and Barker Reservoir Watersheds Package 2
12-month procurement outlook as of Q3 2026, reflecting both Invitations to Bid and Requests for Proposals/Qualifications
Harris County Community Flood Resilience Task Force annual report
Projects scheduled for advertisement to bid for:
- Mowing and maintenance for the East, Northeast, West and Central Regions (separately)
- Friendswood Regional stormwater detention basin
- Watershed repairs to channels in the Spring Creek, Cypress Creek, Little Cypress Creek, Barker Reservoir, Addicks Reservoir, and Willow Creek watersheds
- Installation of Aerating Fountains at Hill at Sims Park.