HOUSTON, TX – On Friday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced funding for the Lake Houston Dam Spillway Improvement Project. The project, which converts Lake Houston’s dam to dam gates, was awarded a total of $47,170,953 ($35,378,214 in federal funds).
Congressman Crenshaw released the following statement in response to the announcement:
“This is great news for the entire San Jacinto watershed. This money will fund the much-needed Lake Houston dam gates to better manage the flow of water. For a community that feels the burden of flooding too often, this is a huge win. I’m grateful to partner with City Council Member Dave Martin, Governor Greg Abbott, Texas Department of Emergency Management Executive Director Chief Nim Kidd, and State Senator Brandon Creighton to make this a reality.”
Background:
Funding for the City of Houston Lake Houston Dam Spillway Project is awarded directly to the State of Texas in full. Phase I funding will be released to the City of Houston from the State of Texas. Once those funds are released to the City of Houston the City will begin the process of permitting, engineering, design, and environmental assessment to increase the outflow capacity of the Lake Houston Spillway Dam. Once Phase I of the project is complete the City of Houston will renew the cost benefit analysis and submit to FEMA for their review. Upon their review of the completed cost benefit analysis after Phase I completion, the additional funds provided to the state of Texas for this project will be released for completion of Phase II construction. Once the funding is received by the City of Houston the two phases are expected to be completed within thirty-six months, with the possibility of extension if needed.
Along with the award of the Lake Houston Dam Spillway Improvement Project Hazard Mitigation Grant FEMA has also announced three other grants impacting the area. Lonestar College's Kingwood Campus has been awarded two public assistance grants for Emergency Protective measures in the amounts of $6,276,131 and $2,502,914. Clear Creek Independent School District was also awarded a public assistance grant for Emergency Protective Measures in the amount of $1,303,060. The funding for these three grants is authorized under Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.
###