Gully Repair, Basin Moving Forward, Bohac Says

The Harris County Flood Control District continues to move forward on projects to reduce flood risks for residents of Mangum Manor and Oak Forest, State Representative Dwayne Bohac, R-Houston, said.

The projects include completely replacing all concrete lining along several sections of Brickhouse Gully and constructing a detention basin to hold the channel’s excess stormwater.

“This is of huge importance to the folks who live near Brickhouse Gully and White Oak Bayou,” Bohac, said. “This is truly a massive undertaking, and we know from experience that we’re in a race to protect people’s homes from flooding.”

The District recently reported that the roughly $940,000 project to replace concrete lining in the channel from White Oak Bayou to 250-feet upstream of Watonga Boulevard was completed in April. The decision was made to replace all concrete panels because they can dislodge and form dams in the channel.

This project will continue upstream to Costa Rica Road at an estimated cost of $3.5 million. Before construction can begin, a project design must be finalized and funding must be approved. HCFCD hopes to bid the project in early 2007 and begin construction in the spring.

A second project by the flood control district consists of constructing the $1.8 million Brickhouse Gully Stormwater Detention Basin located west of U.S. Highway 290 between West 43rd and West 34th streets.

HCFCD completed the preliminary engineering phase of the project and obtained a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to mitigate a loss of wetlands that will occur with excavation. While the design of the basin has been funded, funding for construction is not yet available. However, HCFCD officials said the project is a top priority.

Flood control officials are currently working with the city of Houston to remove a waterline and relocate a sanitary sewer crossing the property that were unknown to officials at the beginning of the project. To date, $150,000 has been approved for utility adjustments. According to the report from HCFCD, “this coordination (with the city) includes both physical adjustments and legal issues regarding financial responsibility for the associated relocation costs.”

The district estimates that it could be early 2007 before utilities are abandoned or relocated and before construction drawings are finalized.

“I am pleased that HCFCD is aggressively moving forward when it comes to replacing the walls and getting the detention basin planned,” Bohac said. “As a state official I will continue to work with county officials to ensure construction on the basin remains the highest priority.”

Brickhouse Gully extends from Gessner and Clay roads, runs east between Clay (43rd Street) and Kempwood (34th Street) and intersects White Oak Bayou in the Watonga area. Many areas in the watershed have experienced flooding from Tropical Storm Frances in 1998, Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 and other torrential rains.

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