Legislation Details

File #: 25-3920    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Grant Status: Passed
File created: 6/12/2025 In control: Commissioners Court
On agenda: 6/26/2025 Final action: 6/26/2025
Title: Request by the Flood Control District for approval to submit an application to the Texas Water Development Board FY24 Flood Infrastructure Fund Grant Program for grant funds in the amount of $21,000,000, with a required match of $7,000,000, for the SAFER Study (Project ID Z100-00-00-P044, Bond ID Z-08, Countywide).

 

Primary Department: Flood Control District

Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Tina Petersen, Ph.D., P.E., Executive Director

 

Secondary Department: N/A

Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: N/A

 

Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA

Type of Request: Grant - Application

 

Project ID (if applicable): Z100-00-00-P044

Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Texas Water Development Board

 

MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A

MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A

Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal:  N/A - Goal not applicable to request

 

Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A

Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): HCFCD, HCTRA, HHS

 

Request Summary (Agenda Caption):

title

Request by the Flood Control District for approval to submit an application to the Texas Water Development Board FY24 Flood Infrastructure Fund Grant Program for grant funds in the amount of $21,000,000, with a required match of $7,000,000, for the SAFER Study (Project ID Z100-00-00-P044, Bond ID Z-08, Countywide).

end

 

Background and Discussion:

It is recommended that the Flood Control District be authorized to apply for grant award funds from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) is to fund the SAFER Study countywide project. TWDB funding is available for projects scoring highly on the FIF’s prioritization list. The proposed SAFER Study project is a large-scale planning study that will include 11 watersheds within Harris County. The Flood Control District plans to source the required local cash match ($7,000,000) from the Bond Program.  The local match will be from Commissioners Courts previously approved SAFER study funding.

 

Expected Impact:

Project recommendations identified during the SAFER Study will be significant in geographic scale and in the associated benefits that would be provided for a significant area of Harris County, benefiting residents and the public. The SAFER Study will not only evaluate the effectiveness of large-scale flood mitigation projects within strategic locations, but also how potential large-scale projects will function collectively with the existing flood damage reduction system to provide benefits across Harris County.

 

The Flood Control District will utilize its resources and applicable consultants during the design and construction phases of the project, as well as the management of the grant approval process in compliance with Harris County statutes, applicable laws of the state of Texas, and Policy regarding Federal Grant Awards. 

 

Alternative Options:

The alternative is to not apply for the grant funding, wherein existing flooding risks remain in place, or the project will need to be entirely funded with local funding.

 

County Strategic Plan Goal:  2. Connect our community with safe, reliable, equitably distributed, and well-maintained infrastructure.

County Strategic Plan Objective: H: Improve the condition and resilience of County transportation, flood control, and other infrastructure.

Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1):   N/A

Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2):  H2: Evaluate the feasibility and potential impacts of substantial, large-scale flood mitigation measures to provide equitable and transformational regional benefits.

Economy Initiative (Goal 3): N/A

Health Initiative (Goal 4): N/A

Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): N/A

Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A

 

Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:

 

Prior Court Action (if any): N/A

Date

Agenda Item #

Action Taken

 

 

 

 

Location:

Address (if applicable):

Precinct(s): Countywide

 

Fiscal and Personnel Summary

Service Name

N/A

 

 

Current Fiscal Year Cost

Annual Fiscal Cost

 

Labor

Non-Labor

Total

Recurring Expenses

Funding Sources

 

Existing Budget

 

 

 

 

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Total Existing Budget

$

$

$

$

Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form)

 

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Total Additional Budget Request

$

$

$

$

Total Funding Sources

$

$

$

$

Grants - Proposed Budget

 

Labor

Non-Labor

Total

No. of Grant Years

Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Bonds

$7,000,000

$

$7,000,000

2

Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item.

$

$

$

 

Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total)

$21,000,000

$

$21,000,000

 

Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs)

 

Current Position Count for Service

-

-

-

-

Additional Positions Request

-

-

-

-

Total Personnel

-

-

-

-

 

Anticipated Court Date: 6/26/2025

Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.

 

Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item

 

Contact(s) name, title, department: Yesenia Martinez, Commissioners Court Coordinator, Flood Control District

 

Attachments (if applicable): Order, Application, Documents for signature: 0201, 0201A, 0201B, 0171