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: Negotiation
Project ID (if applicable): A500-08-00-W001
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): University of Houston
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): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for approval to negotiate an interlocal agreement with the University of Houston, to study and monitor floating vegetated islands at the Stormwater Detention Basin at the Reverend William and Audrey Lawson Park (Clear Creek Watershed, Project ID A500-08-00-W001, Precinct 1).
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Background and Discussion:
This is a request to authorize negotiation for an interlocal agreement that will study and monitor the floating islands at the Reverend William and Audrey Lawson Stormwater Detention Basin. The University of Houston will study and evaluate the performance of floating vegetated islands as a stormwater quality best management practice in flood control detention basins, and support for potential grant funded project.
Expected Impact:
The University of Houston will study and evaluate the performance of floating vegetated islands as a stormwater quality best management practice in flood control detention basins.
Alternative Options:
The alternative to approving this item would be to not enter into an interlocal agreement with the University of Houston, which would result in no study and assessment of floating vegetated islands at the Reverend William and Audrey Lawson Stormwater Detention Basin.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 5. Minimize the impact of climate change and disasters.
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): N/A
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: N/A
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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08/26/2025 |
406. |
Grant |
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06/12/2025 |
247. |
Award |
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03/27/2025 |
563. |
Advertisement |
Location: Near the intersection of Cullen Boulevard and Dagg Road.
Address (if applicable):
Precinct(s): Precinct 1
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Anticipated Court Date: 1/8/2026
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): Map
Prepared by: (name, title, department, phone #) Jonathan Holley, Environmental Services Department Manager, HCFCD, 346-286-4155
Briefing Information for Leadership
(For information requested below, feel free to use details from background and discussion section)
1. Project Scope (what is the scope of this particular project/if relevant use background and discussion on previous pages to populate this response section): The purpose of this project is a pilot demonstration of floating vegetated islands as a best management practice for stormwater quality treatment and habitat enhancement. Construction of the floating vegetated islands has been awarded under a separate contract that is now ongoing until March 2026. This request will allow for negotiation of a new interlocal agreement with the University of Houston (main campus) to study and monitor the performance of these floating vegetated islands once installed and planted for water quality performance, efficacy, and maintenance.
2. Project Benefits (i.e., # of structures removed from floodplain, # of road miles with reduced flooding during flood events, acres of floodplain reduction, etc.): The pilot project helps the Flood Control District meet Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit obligations and this study will provide valuable data on this best management practice as a potential feature on other future Flood Control District projects.
3. Bond ID and Bond Title (if applicable): C-05
4. Project Status (what efforts are underway and/or upcoming?): A construction contract was awarded in June 2025 to RES and will be complete in March 2026. A grant application was submitted to TCEQ to the Nonpoint Source Program in August 2025 and a decision is still pending.
5. Time to complete construction (anticipated date of when construction will be completed and/or # of days needed to complete construction or N/A): March 2026
6. Precinct and stakeholder involvement (if applicable) (what efforts, if any, have the Precinct(s) and/or stakeholders undertaken regarding this project): Precinct 1 has participated in coordination and layout of floating vegetated islands and on a separate fountain project in the stormwater detention basin.
7. Prioritization score and quartile (if available): 1st Quartile, Prioritization Score 7.6
8. Is this project funded by a federal/state/local partnership, if so please specify (i.e., FEMA, CDBG, EPA, TWDB, City of Houston, etc.): Grant application submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Nonpoint Source Program, but an award decision is still pending.
9. Any general discussion or background that should be mentioned: The monitoring and performance assessment of the floating vegetated islands will also consider the effects of proposed fountains on improving water quality.