City Council Unanimously Approves Additional $29,000,000 for Dredging and Sand TrapsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2023Contact: Jessica Beemer (832) 393-3008
[email protected]City Council Unanimously Approves Additional $29,000,000 for Dredging and Sand TrapsHOUSTON - Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin is happy to announce City Council unanimously approved an additional $29,000,000 in state grant funds for the continued dredging around the canals and channels of Lake Houston. The additional funding will allow dredging activities to start on the east side of Lake Houston in the various canals/channels. The funding will also go towards the implementation of a pilot program testing the efficacy of sand traps upstream of Lake Houston. Building sand traps is a proactive approach to capturing much of the silt and sediment coming down the various tributaries feeding into Lake Houston well before it ever reaches.Tremendous progress has been made since Hurricane Harvey through the completion of FEMA, Texas Water Development Board, Harris County, and City of Houston projects. Since 2018, the total combined efforts of these entities have resulted in approximately 4,004,008 cubic yards of silt and sediment dredged from Lake Houston and its tributaries at a total cost of $222 million that is spread across federal, state, and local funding sources.I would like to offer a very special "Thank You" to former State Representative Dan Huberty and Senator Brandon Creighton for their commitment to seeing this project through and dedication to the long-term maintenance activities on Lake Houston. Harris County Commissioner Precinct 3, Tom Ramsey, and Harris County Flood Control District have been terrific partners. I also want to thank my colleagues on City Council, Mayor Sylvester Turner for his unwavering support for Lake Houston, and Chief Recovery Officer Stephen Costello for his continued diligence on flood mitigation efforts.For more information, please contact the District E office at (832) 393-3008 or via email at [email protected].