WASHINGTON (JUNE 7, 2019) -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District commander, Col. Lars N. Zetterstrom, and the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) executed the Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) for construction of the Clear Creek, Texas, Flood Risk Management Project yesterday in Galveston, Texas.
HCFCD will construct the Clear Creek Project, using its own funds and federal funds, under the authority provided in Section 1043(b) of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014, as amended.
"Section 1043 PPAs are a priority of the administration, and Clear Creek is only the second of many to come in the nation," said the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Honorable R.D. James. "Federal funding for this project is provided by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, which included Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief."
A PPA is a legally binding agreement between the government and a non-federal sponsor, in this case HCFCD, for construction of a water resources project like Clear Creek. It describes the project and the responsibilities of the government and the non-federal sponsor in the cost sharing and execution of work. Clear Creek is a Flood Risk Management project that was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1968. The project is located in Harris and Brazoria counties, Texas, with 17 cities within the watershed.
"We are proud of the continued collaboration among Harris, Galveston and Brazoria counties and our district's staff who have worked tirelessly to ensure the Clear Creek Bayou Flood Risk Management Project is completed," said Col. Lars Zetterstrom, commander of the USACE Galveston District. "The signing of the Project Partnership Agreement June 6, 2019, is a momentous step in this project being constructed and I am confident that this project, once completed, will bring flood risk reduction benefits to the communities along Clear Creek both adjacent to and downstream of the areas being improved."
The modified authorized project consists of approximately 15 miles of channel conveyance improvements and 500 acre-feet of inline detention along Clear Creek, more than five total miles of conveyance improvements along three tributaries of Clear Creek, and a previously-constructed second outlet channel with a gated structure between Clear Lake and Galveston Bay. The project will provide flood protection for more than $36 million in land and improvements based on 2011 price levels.
"After a 20-year construction hiatus, we are grateful and excited to move forward with an improved federal project that will reduce flood risks and improve quality of life for citizens of the Clear Creek watershed," said Russ Poppe, Executive Director of the Harris County Flood Control District. "We are also excited to continue our successful relationship with USACE implementing federal projects under local-lead authorities.
"Section 1043(b) presents another opportunity for us to work together to deliver a project effectively and efficiently under a unique model," added Poppe. The ASA(CW), USACE, OMB, our local congressional delegation, and other local elected officials have each had a key role in where we are now, and we want to thank all for their efforts and support."
Now that the PPA is signed, HCFCD will execute construction and the remaining design. The estimated completion date is September 2025.
For more information regarding the Clear Creek, Texas, project, go to: https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects/.
Release no. 19-014