C-05 Reverend William A. Lawson Stormwater Detention Basin

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Note: Bond ID F-03 has been consolidated with Bond ID C-05.

Recent Actions

November 30, 2021 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized a change in the construction contract for the South Belt Stormwater Detention Basin excavation Phase 3, adding 74 calendar days and resulting in no change to the contract amount.

August 10, 2021 – Harris County Commissioners Court amended an interlocal cooperation contract with the University of Houston Clear Lake in connection with floating treatment wetlands at this basin

May 25, 2021 - Harris County Commissioners Court approved an amendment to a Joint Funding Structure between Harris County and the Flood Control District for the construction of recreational trails at this basin. Court members also approved naming the basin in honor of the Reverend William A. Lawson

September 29, 2020 - Harris County Commissioners Court authorized an additional $12,000 to the contract amount for construction of this project.

September 15, 2020 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized the acquisition of one easement in support of this project.

May 19, 2020 – Harris County Commissioners Court approved updates to project details in the 2018 Bond Program List. Update changes project title to include Unit ID; project funding also updated based on engineer's estimate and consolidation with Bond ID C-05; and project type changed because no funding partner has been identified.

May 2020 – Construction began. April 28, 2020 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized negotiations with an engineering firm for materials engineering and testing services in support of this project.

February 11, 2020 - Harris County Commissioners Court authorized a joint funding structure between Harris County and the Flood Control District for construction of trails at the Christia V. Adair Stormwater Detention Basin.

January 28, 2020 - Harris County Commissioners Court awarded a $16.96 million contract for construction of the South Belt and Christia V. Adair Stormwater Detention Basins.

November 12, 2019 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized negotiations with various political jurisdictions for agreements in support of collaborative efforts to implement the Clear Creek Federal Flood Risk Management Project and Clear Creek watershed bond projects.

August 13, 2019 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized negotiations with an engineering firm for materials engineering and testing services in support for this project.

November 13, 2018 – Harris County Commissioners Court awarded a $428,051 contract for engineering services to provide design, bidding and engineering services in support of this project.

Project Description

Phase 3, the final phase for the design and construction of the bond project to expand the South Belt Stormwater Detention Basin (HCFCD Unit A520-03-00), was substantially complete in fall 2022. Stormwater detention basins reduce flooding risks and damages during heavy rain events by safely storing excess stormwater and slowly releasing it back to the creek when the threat of flooding has passed. The basin provides stormwater storage needed for mitigation of expected increases in stormwater flows resulting from channel conveyance improvements to Mud Gully (HCFCD Unit A120-00-00, also known as Beamer Ditch), Turkey Creek (HCFCD Unit 119-00-00), and other projects. The basin is designed to hold up to 1,550 acre-feet, or 505 million gallons, of stormwater.

In a cost-share partnership with Galveston County, Phase 1 of the South Belt Stormwater Detention Basin was completed in 2018, followed by Phase 2 completion in 2019. The final phase of the South Belt Stormwater Detention Basin excavated more than 1.1 million cubic yards of material from the basin and removed 50,000 cubic yards from a nearby FM 1959 site where it had been mistakenly placed in the floodplain of Clear Creek in 2018. The Flood Control District bought the FM 1959 site in early 2020 so that the inappropriate fill could be removed, and the site could be investigated for additional stormwater storage benefits. Since the Reverend William A. Lawson Stormwater Detention Basin project required filling in a 50-foot-deep portion of the stormwater detention basin, the material excavated from the South Belt and FM 1959 sites were used for this purpose, resulting in a cost savings.

To further extend 2018 bond funding, the Reverend William A. Lawson Stormwater Detention Basin project was paired with the third phase of the South Belt Stormwater Detention Basin project for construction. These two stormwater detention basins complement, but are separate from the Clear Creek Federal Flood Risk Management Project.

Location

The basin will be located on an approximately 22-acre site near the intersection of Cullen Boulevard and the Sam Houston Tollway, just north of Christia V. Adair Park.

Stage

The stormwater detention basin is currently under construction. Construction started in April 2020 and is expected to be complete during fall/winter 2022.

Bond Listing

Bond Project C-05 is a “Local Only” bond project, which means there is no other funding partner at this time and total project costs would be paid with bond funding. Total estimated funds for construction of the Rev. William A. Lawson (formerly Dagg Road and Christia V. Adair) Stormwater Detention Basin and Phase 3 of the South Belt Stormwater Detention Basin is $18.5 million.

Bond List

List of 2018 Bond Projects

C-05 Reverend William A. Lawson Stormwater Detention Basin - Image 1

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As the first step of construction on the site just north of Christia V. Adair Park, contractors filled in a 50-foot deep portion of the site's former sand pit. The fill does not reduce the capacity of the stormwater detention basin because the storage area is above the water level to the top of the stormwater detention basin's banks.

C-05 Reverend William A. Lawson Stormwater Detention Basin - Image 2

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During construction, dump trucks, excavators and bulldozers enter the work area via Dagg Road or Kilnar Road. Motorists should exercise caution to when passing near construction access points and along truck routes.

The University of Houston Clear Lake Environmental Institute Houston (EIH) is evaluating some innovative techniques to improve stormwater quality using floating wetlands. These techniques are being tested and are currently deployed on Potter Pond at the University of Houston Clear Lake campus. Results from the EIH study will help the Flood Control District to determine some answers to questions about deployment (installation, construction, anchors), vegetation (types, sizes, best location)and maintenance (vegetation/equipment upkeep and material types). Ideally, the Flood Control District will choose two of these island types to scale the project up and fill large surface areas (2,000 – 3,000 Sq. Ft.) at the Reverend William A. Lawson (formerly known as Dagg) Stormwater Detention Basin.

Floating Wetlands video (begins at 2:06 mark)

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Project Lifecycle

Every flood damage reduction project is unique. Yet each project begins and ends, with common and predictable milestones along the way. Whether a project moves forward – and how quickly – depends on many factors, including the availability of funding at each milestone, shifting community priorities for flood damage reduction, and other changing circumstances (such as the price of trees or concrete) from year to year.