Orange County Element

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's (USACE) primary mission on the Orange County element is to provide coastal storm surge protection and flood damage risk reduction for the residents and businesses within coastal hazard zones in Orange County.

This element will help Orange County be more resilient to future storm and flood events. While the new levee system will help reduce the risk of coastal surge flooding to its design elevation, no levee fully eliminates flood risk.

The main features authorized for the Orange County element include:

• Approximately 20 miles of new earthen levees
• Approximately 3 miles of new concrete floodwalls
• Approximately 150-200 gravity drainage structures and 14-16 new pump stations, providing interior drainage for areas behind the levee/floodwall
• Approximately 40 closure structures located at road and railroad crossings
• Two navigable sector gates, with adjacent vertical lift gates, at Adams and Cow Bayous
• Restoration of coastal marsh and preservation of wetlands, as mitigation for the ecosystem values lost due to the construction and operation of the project

NOTE: The map shown here illustrates the preferred element alignment, as of March 2023. This is shown in comparison to the previous alignment included in the 2017 Feasibility Report. The element alignment will continue to be refined over the coming months, along with the design of all element features. Importantly, the non-Federal sponsor will be responsible for acquiring all lands, easements, and rights of way needed to construct the element, in addition to relocating any utilities and facilities impacted by the element. Furthermore, the element is being designed to reduce the risk of flooding from a coastal storm surge, while not increasing the impacts from local rainfall flood events within Orange County.

Project Status

The Orange County element is currently in the Pre-construction Engineering and Design (PED) phase. During this phase, the element alignment is refined, and the design of all element features is finalized. Importantly, as the element is still in development, the alignment location and detailed design of the features presented in this brochure are still subject to change. The element delivery team is currently working on a Post Authorization Change Document to validate the technical updates to this element and expect to complete by Nov 2026.

Updates on the design of the element can be found on the element’s website and StoryMap, both of which can be accessed by scanning the QR codes on the back of this brochure. As design progresses, and the alignment is finalized, further outreach will be performed to actively engage affected residents and stakeholders.

Project Partnership

The Orange County element is a partnership of USACE and its non-Federal sponsor, the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD). Design and construction costs for the element are shared between these entities (65% Federal / 35% non-Federal), with USACE being responsible for managing design and construction, while the GCPD will operate and maintain the system. Through their inter-local agreement, Orange County and the Orange County Drainage District continue to be actively engaged with the GCPD in coordinating the element design.​