Grant Funding for Regional Drainage Master Plan
Press Release
Corpus Christi — Nueces County, in partnership with Jim Wells and Kleberg Counties, will lead a $2,250,000 regional drainage master plan study that focuses on the entire Baffin Bay and South Corpus Christi watersheds. Nueces County ranked high in the 2020 Flood Intended Use Plan for 75% grant funding ($1,687,500) from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) for this regional study. The remaining funding is comprised of both cash and in-kind service contributions from all three counties. Numerous letters of support from various stakeholders were received for this study, including Senator Hinojosa, State Representative Herrero, and State Representative Hunter.
“We are pleased to serve as the lead entity to conduct this historical planning effort for our region, along with our neighboring partners, Jim Wells and Kleberg Counties. The regional drainage master plan study will be important to the basin to provide a comprehensive planning tool for minimizing the risk to human lives and reducing property loss based on past flooding events,” said Barbara Canales, Nueces County Judge. “In light of potential flooding from Tropical Storm Beta, the results of this regional study will help local stakeholders better identify current flood risk, prioritize future capital improvement planning and evaluate future impacts to the watersheds due to growth and development.”
The scope of the project will include developing basin-wide hydrologic computer models along with detailed and limited-detail hydraulic models of the mainstems and primary tributaries in Baffin Bay and South Corpus Christi Watersheds. Nueces County plans to hold a public workshop in early November to provide a general overview of the proposed planning process.
TWDB recently approved the 2020 Flood Intended Use Plan and the prioritization for the 2020 Flood Infrastructure Fund cycle on August 17, 2020. TWDB’s governing Board also established $770,000,000 available for projects statewide, of which $231,000,000 is allocated to grant funding for applicants.