By David Taylor / Managing Editor
Harris County Flood Control District is making significant strides in the Aldine area, with a series of completed, ongoing, and upcoming projects aimed at reducing flood risk and improving quality of life for residents. Jeremy Ratcliffe, precinct coordinator for Precinct 2, recently shared insights and updates on these efforts, highlighting the importance of communication, coordination, and community partnership.
“My role is pretty much the liaison between flood control and the commissioner’s office,” Ratcliffe explained.
“Anything flood control related—project updates, attending meetings, representing flood control in Precinct 2—that’s where I kind of start.”
Ratcliffe covers a vast area, from East Aldine to Baytown, Deer Park, Pasadena, and beyond, spending much of the week out in the field to ensure projects move forward smoothly.
Completed projects include the Isom Detention Basin.
Finished at a cost of $12 million, this project includes 1,200 linear feet of channel work and 175 acre-feet of stormwater detention. Funded through disaster recovery and bond funds, it’s a prime example of collaboration between local and federal partners.
Another completed project is the 59 Little York Basin. Completed for $3.7 million, this project features two basins and channel work connecting key business corridors. It also included critical bridge replacements to maintain access for the Houston Police Department’s mounted patrol.
Ratcliffe said there are several projects underway. The Isom Basin Phase Two is currently in final design, this $21 million project is scheduled to begin construction in June 2026. It will add a major basin with 430 acre-feet of detention, transforming a former concrete basin into a flood control standard facility.
Ratcliffe said the channel project along Halls Bayou is in preliminary engineering, stretching from south of Hopper to Pinewood Village Park. Construction dates are still being finalized.
The Regional Detention Basin from Hardy Toll Road to Aldine Westfield, has a $31.7 million budget, this major effort will provide 300 acre-feet of stormwater detention. Half the funding was secured by Representative Wale, with additional support from the Texas Water Development Board and CDBG funds. The site may also offer future trails and amenities.
Beyond large-scale capital projects, Harris County Flood Control is tackling a backlog of maintenance issues thanks to a recent tax increase. This funding is dedicated to everyday needs like failed pipes, debris removal, and erosion repairs, with visible progress in neighborhoods such as Sequoia Estates and Aldine Pines.
“A lot of people look at the larger projects, but it’s that everyday stuff—digging, clearing debris—that keeps the neighborhood sustainable,” said Ratcliffe. “Maintenance work is really making a difference.”
Flood control efforts go beyond drainage. A recent partnership with HARC resulted in the planting of 3,500 trees at the Lauder Basin, part of a broader push for beautification and quality of life improvements.
“We all understand we can’t stop the flooding, but if we can do projects to just help reduce it, where people can stay in their homes, stay in Aldine, call this place home, that’s where we want to be a partner,” Ratcliffe emphasized.
Residents are encouraged to visit the Flood Control District’s website for updates on the 2018 bond projects and to monitor flood gauges in their area.
Ratcliffe reminded attendees at the Housing Forum last week that no project can guarantee protection from extreme events like Hurricane Harvey, but each initiative is designed to reduce flood risk and improve resilience.
“No project is designed to meet the criteria of a Harvey,” Ratcliffe noted. “What we want to do is make sure during heavy storm events, it’s going to provide some type of protection. Will we say it will not flood? We will never say that. Our projects are designed to reduce your level of flooding.”
With ongoing collaboration between local, state, and federal partners, Aldine’s future looks safer and greener—one project at a time.
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