TXGLO approved $46 million to Improve Drainage in Kleberg County and the City of Kingsville
Texas General Land Office
KINGSVILLE (News Release) - The Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush and County Judge Rudy Madrid announce the Texas General Land Office (TXGLO) approved more than $46 million in flood mitigation projects to improve drainage infrastructure in Kleberg County and the City of Kingsville.
These infrastructure projects will directly benefit thousands of residents in a majority low-to-moderate income area that has faced repetitive storm damage in 2016 and in 2017 with Hurricane Harvey.
The city of Kingsville Drainage Master Plan was amended in the year 2020 to include five additional sites, encompassing all areas of the city.
Given the scope of the work needed, external funds are required to accomplish these activities. The project aims to increase community resiliency by reducing economic loss from flooding, protecting public investment in community-owned facilities, minimizing environmental impacts of hazards, reducing obstacles to a timely and safe evacuation of hazard areas, preserving public and private emergency response capability, and minimizing disruption to utilities.
Collectively, these drainage improvements will more efficiently move water from residential neighborhoods and businesses to outflows where it can discharge to Santa Gertrudis Creek and San Fernando Creek, and ultimately to Baffin Bay.
“Texas leads the nation in repetitive flooding that affects counties across our state,” said Commissioner Bush. “This first round of mitigation funding represents a historic investment in protecting coastal communities, minimizing environmental impacts of severe storms, reducing obstacles to a fast and safe evacuation of hazard areas, preserving public and private emergency response capability, and minimizing disruption to utilities. These large-scale drainage infrastructure improvements in Kleberg County will benefit residents – especially low-to moderate income families – for generations to come.”
"For large portions of our county, the current drainage systems and infrastructure just aren't adequate to deal with heavier and heavier storm events," said Kleberg County Judge Rudy Madrid. “Unfortunately, this leaves Kleberg County and the City of Kingsville very vulnerable to natural disasters. This $46 million in funding from Commissioner George P. Bush and the GLO will be instrumental in upgrading our drainage systems to prevent flooding, and thereby help protect lives, safety, and property."
The project will rehabilitate major drainage channels and outfalls which in its current condition is such that floodwaters do not drain from the city quickly or adequately enough, causing major flooding within the city during heavy storm events.
Improvements will include the rehabilitation of three major drainage ditches and their outfalls, one outside of city limits to the southwest and the other two outside of city limits to the northeast. Even though the projects are occurring outside of city limits in mostly undeveloped rural spaces, the benefit to Kingsville is citywide as these drainage ditches and outfalls are the paths that water drains away from the city during floods and heavy storms events.
The project will be accomplished by the following:
Corral Street: Ditch grading, concrete ditch lining, culverts, pavement and driveway repair, outfall structures, and erosion controls of approximately 23,500 linear feet
Kenedy Street: Ditch grading, underground storm sewer, pavement/driveway repair, inlets, outfall structures, and erosion controls of approximately 12,100 linear feet
Johnston Street: Ditch grading, culverts, erosion control, and outfall structures of approximately 12,200 linear feet
Reinforce 9,000 feet of concrete pipe and 23,100 feet of culverts with 130 inlets added.
Install 65 junction boxes and 6,900 feet of curb and gutter to drain water from the road surface.
Surface repairs, including flex base with geogrid for soil stabilization and either a 4” hot mix asphalt or concrete pavement surface.
Replace impacted sidewalks for pedestrian safety 5)Install concrete headwalls at the ends of drainage pipes and culverts to prevent erosion