GALVESTON, Texas (Dec. 2, 2019) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galveston District and the Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7 (DD7) are set to begin construction of the Port Arthur and Vicinity Coastal Storm Risk Management Project (CSRM). This construction project within the Southwestern Division's Storm Reconstruction and Risk Reduction Program, will increase protection and provide resiliency to the existing hurricane protection system. The first of five planned Construction projects for the area, is expected to begin April 2020.
“The Galveston District would like to recognize the Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7’s for outstanding work and partnership in the effort to fund and construct this monumental project,” said Col. Timothy R. Vail, commander at the USACE Galveston District.
USACE Galveston District received full funding for the new start construction of the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay CSRM as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 appropriated by the United States Congress in November 2018. Projects funded through the supplemental Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 will provide critical, enhanced flood risk reduction to the region.
In 2018 the Southwestern Division established the $5.2B program, funded by the 2018 Bipartisan Budget Act, to reduce the risk of flooding impacts from severe storms. Through the program, SWD is investigating, engineering and constructing 40 projects across Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas and will provide critical, enhanced flood risk resiliency to the region.
The Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay CSRM was federally authorized under the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2018.
The existing Port Arthur and Vicinity, Texas Hurricane Flood Protection Project (HFPP) was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1962, Public Law 87-874. Construction began in March 1966, and was completed in April 1982. The system protects the Port Arthur region from coastal storm surge events coming from the Gulf of Mexico. It also protects from flooding from the Sabine River. The levee system consists of 27.8 miles of earthen embankment and 6.6 miles of floodwall.
For more news and information, visit www.swg.usace.army.mil. Find us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/GalvestonDistrict.
Release no. 19-029