The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, has posted an extension on the response date for a special notice synopsis regarding a Request for Information (RFI) for Excavation and Removal of Soil from Flood Pool to May 4, 2018.
USACE’s Galveston District is evaluating the level of interest from government, industry, and others parties for the excavation and removal of geologically deposited soils within the flood pool of Addicks and Barker reservoirs in Harris and Fort Bend counties, Texas.
The concept of the potential project is to allow for the beneficial use of these materials by interested parties while increasing reservoir storage capacity of the Government project, said USACE.
Dr. Edmond Russo, deputy district engineer for Programs and Project Management , indicated that the intent of this RFI is to better understand the level of interest and potential of offering materials from within the reservoirs for use in regional development while simultaneously increasing storage capacity.
“This information is being collected for use in a Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries Project Flood Risk Management Improvement Study, which is authorized under Sec 216 of the Flood Control Act of 1970 ,” said Russo. “ Harris County Flood Control District has expressed interest to be the Non-Federal Cost Share Sponsor of the study, and is their highest priority in partnering with the Corps on Integrated Water Resources Management.”
The study is proposed to be advanced in tandem with a Metropolitan Houston Regional Watershed Assessment, which is authorized under Sec 729 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, as amended.
The HCFCD has expressed interest to cost share the assessment.
According to USACE, the study and assessment await new start appropriations to begin, and would be advanced if funded in an integrated manner to reduce flood risks and improve resiliency of the Metropolitan Houston region.