The city of Bellaire is moving forward with Phase 1 of the Regional Drainage Improvement Program, according to a Feb. 16 City Council meeting. The drainage program, also known as the Cypress Ditch project, is a mitigation project to reduce flooding in Bellaire during heavy rain events.
Latest update
During the City Council meeting, officials with Quiddity Engineering, the program managers contracted by the city, presented an update on the current status of the Cypress Ditch project and future action items.
Deputy Program Manager Casey Goforth said the first phase of the Cypress Ditch program includes three different categories of projects: South Basin projects, North Basin projects and Channel projects.
In the first phase, the city will decommission and demolish the current wastewater treatment plant and construct the north and south basins.
As of Feb. 16, Bellaire is waiting for the city of Houston to finalize a land swap agreement that includes the city of Houston treating Bellaire’s wastewater.
Once collaborations between Bellaire, Houston and the Harris County Flood Control District are in place, Bellaire will be able to use an upgraded lift station to transport its wastewater to Houston’s wastewater treatment plant across the street, Goforth said.
Then, demolition and reconstruction can begin, with the final goal being a flood mitigation system comprised of a series of “interconnected engineered designs and collaborative efforts with local agencies,” the presentation states.
The Cypress Ditch Improvement Project will help fight against future flooding during extreme weather events. (Courtesy city of Bellaire)
How we got here
After Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Bellaire officials estimated 30% of homes had structural flooding. A few months later, the city formed the Flood Hazard Mitigation Task Force to identify and assess flood hazards and recommend solutions.
The Cypress Ditch was a topic of interest, as it serves as the primary storm drainage channel for all of Bellaire and portions of Gulfton, City Engineer Beth Jones said.
The drainage project will expand the ditch’s overall stormwater capacity by 60% through making the side slopes steeper and reconstructing the lined portion of the channel between South Rice Avenue and Brays Bayou, as previously reported by Community Impact.
Looking ahead
While interlocal agreements are still being finalized, design and demolition plans for the two basins are underway, according to Quiddity Engineering’s presentation. Construction for the south basin is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027, and by the third quarter of 2028 for the north basin.
Channel projects, which include widening the banks of the ditch and increasing outfall capacity, will wrap up in the fourth quarter of 2029, if not sooner, Goforth said.
Additionally, the approval of a $15 million contribution from the Harris County Flood Control District to the city of Bellaire for the construction of the project was tabled for a future meeting.