Houston – Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher has announced nearly $10,000,000 in federal funding for the Meyergrove Detention Basin, a project aiming to help areas that have experienced repeated flooding.
“It’s a much-needed improvement that will have a real impact on the people of this community,” Fletcher said.
The Harris County Flood Control District said the new storm water detention basin, planned near Brays Bayou, will hold water during heavy rain events and be designed to prevent the bayou from overflowing.
“The water that’s held in the basin will then return back to the bayou when the bayou levels lower,” said executive director of the flood control district Tina Petersen.
Homeowner Randall Kerr lives near the bayou.
“Actually had back-to-back floods right before Harvey so we had three floods in about a four-year period. And Harvey, obviously, was the worst,” Kerr said. “We had four feet of water here.”
He’s hopeful about plans for the new basin.
“I think anything that’s going to help this neighborhood or this area, in general, is great,” Kerr said. “We’ll take any kind of help, period.”
The flood control district said construction is anticipated to start in the fall of this year and be completed by the spring of next year.