Castlewood hears plans for flood mitigation

A FULL HOUSE of Castlewood Residents attended the Flood District’s meeting last Tuesday, held at the offices of the East Aldine District.
A FULL HOUSE of Castlewood Residents attended the Flood District’s meeting last Tuesday, held at the offices of the East Aldine District.

Harris County Flood Control District and the Harris County Engineering Department have partnered to implement some of the flood control projects included in last year’s $2.5 Billion bond program.

As part of the process, they held an informational meeting with the Castlewood Civic Club last Tuesday, September 10th. The meeting at the offices of the East Aldine District were at full capacity, as residents are very interested in what these projects might accomplish to reduce future flooding in their area.

The civic club president, Connie Esparza, welcomed the HCFCD and the HCED representatives, including Marcus Baskin the project manager of the HC Engineering Department, and Melvin Spinks, consultant with CivilTech Engineering, Inc.

The program consisted of a presentation of the study, a video of the general overview of the Harris County Engineering Department, and then an Open House for comments and interaction with the project team and local residents.

ENGINEER’S DRAWINGS presented at the Castlewood meeting indicated the existing drainage conditions at the top, with asphalt paved roads and ditches used to remove flood water, and the new proposal at the bottom, of a wider concrete street and a deep concrete box drainage culvert below the surface.

Attendees learned about internal drainage systems and related infrastructure that convey stormwater from neighborhoods such as Castlewood, to major drainage channels or bayous maintained by the Flood Control District, such as Halls Bayou and Greens Bayou in this area.

Internal drainage systems include underground storm sewer systems and roadside ditches, and are typically the responsibility of the underlying utility district and/or Harris County.

The presentation included a colored map, showing streets that would get underground storm sewers, varying from 24” to 48” diameter, and some streets that would be rebuilt with curbs and gutters and water inlets.

Additional information is available at the website: www.eng.hctx.net/recovery-and-resiliency, or call 713-274-3954. This is Bond Project E-09.