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Delivering Results: 2020 Comprehensive Plan - Mitigating Future Flooding
02/04/2025

As part of our commitment to delivering on the 2020 Comprehensive Plan Priority Recommendations, we are proud to highlight our efforts to mitigate future flooding in Jersey Village. Since the approval of the Comprehensive Plan, the city has implemented significant projects to enhance flood resilience and protect our community.

 

One of the major initiatives was the construction of a berm around the golf course and drainage improvements in the Wall Street neighborhood. The total construction costs for these projects were $1,756,567 for the berm and $5,889,960 for the Wall Street neighborhood drainage improvements, amounting to a total cost of $7,646,527. Remarkably, these projects were funded entirely through grants, including a FEMA HMGP Grant for $5,734,896, a CDBG-DR Grant for $1,792,344, and the Texas Infrastructure Resiliency Fund for $119,288. No city funds were required for the construction of these projects.

 

The berm project involved creating a berm at a height of approximately 107 feet around the 131-acre golf course, which tapered off with the natural topography of the green space to blend in with its surroundings. The addition of a pump station made the 131-acre area self-contained when it comes to rainfall, with the capacity to hold up to 155 acre-feet of water. This berm slows the discharge of water into White Oak Bayou and has significantly lowered the water surface elevation (WSE) in a 10-year storm by nearly 0.75 of a foot in the tributary where the water currently drains. The project ensures that the area is self-contained up to a 500-year-rain event.

 

In the Wall Street neighborhood, we constructed 8,815 linear feet of storm sewer piping, with the maximum size being 60 inches. Previously, there was 4,133 linear feet of storm sewer in the neighborhood with a discharge of 1,180 cubic feet per second. The additional linear feet now provide a discharge of 1,078 cubic feet while retaining more than double the amount of water in the previous stormwater system.

 

These two projects are intricately connected. The stormwater pipes run to the golf course, and when the bayou levels rise, a flap gate closes to prevent bayou water from entering the stormwater system. The stormwater then flows towards the golf course, where a pump station is activated to pump the water out of the stormwater system and into the golf course.

 

Additionally, the city has actively pursued grant funding for home elevations. Over 60 homes have been awarded grant funding for elevation, ensuring that these homes are elevated 3 feet above the 100-year floodplain. This measure significantly reduces the risk of flood damage and enhances the safety of our residents.

 

Since 2017, the city has received over $28,730,000 in grant funding for flood mitigation projects. These grants are highly competitive and securing them is a testament to our commitment to enhancing flood resilience and protecting our community. We are proud of the progress we have made and look forward to continuing our work to make Jersey Village a safer and more resilient community.

 

Stay tuned for more updates on our ongoing efforts to deliver on the 2020 Comprehensive Plan Priority Recommendations and enhance Jersey Village, making it an even better place to live, work, and play.