The state granted some Milam County towns’ wishes last week.
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush said the Texas General Land Office approved nearly $27.3 million in flood mitigation projects to improve roads, drainage, water and sewer infrastructure in the Milam County cities of Rockdale, Milano, Buckholts and Cameron.
These infrastructure projects will directly benefit thousands of residents in a majority low-to-moderate income areas that faced repetitive storm damage in 2015, 2016, and in 2017 with Hurricane Harvey, said Milam County Judge Steve Young in helping announce the windfall to the cities.
“It is huge,” said Rockdale City Manager Barbara Holly. “This should allow us to correct all of the known long-standing drainage problems. This grant is a game changer for the community and we are incredibly grateful to have received this award.”
There is a process to follow before work can begin on the $4,417,469 grant for the projects that will be designed to mitigate high risk flooding in the four county towns.
“The projects will have to have final engineering before bids can be processed. Realistically it will be a minimum of 6 months before we are turning any dirt to accomplish the renovations of the drainage problems,” Mayor John King said of the Rockdale project.
The proposed drainage improvement in Rockdale’s will aid in lessening flood hazards along the Ham Branch Watershed.
• Belton Avenue Culvert, Conveyance Channel, and Detention Basin Improvements: There is an existing low-water crossing of a tributary of Ham Branch over Belton Avenue that during extreme rainfall events, floods the street to depths that result in the roadway being impassable to vehicular traffic, including emergency vehicles. The proposed project will include the construction a new twin box culvert at Belton Avenue that will safely convey flood waters such that Belton Avenue will remain passable during extreme rainfall events. Additionally, storm water detention improvements are proposed both immediately upstream of Belton Avenue, which will help reduce peak runoff rates to the new Belton Avenue culverts. Storm water channel conveyance improvements and storm water detention improvements located immediately downstream south of Belton Avenue and north of Cameron Avenue (US 79) are planned, which includes the 4.79 acres of property acquisition.
• Ham Branch Stream Bank Stabilization Improvements: Two existing tributaries of Ham Branch (East Ham Branch and West Ham Branch) join at a confluence point located just downstream (south) of Cameron Avenue near the city’s downtown. There is visual evidence of stream bank erosion, which has resulted in transport and deposition of sediment and debris within receiving downstream reaches of Ham Branch. The goal of this project is to perform stream bank regrading improvements that will increase flood conveyance capacity of the two reaches of Ham Branch generally located south of Bell Avenue to a location approximately 200 feet downstream (south) of Cameron Avenue. The regraded stream banks and stream bed will be armored with permanent articulated concrete stabilization measures equipped with open cells backfilled with soil that can have native vegetation established.
• Allday Street, Post Oak Road and San Jacinto Drive Drainage Improvements: Localized drainage and flooding issues are currently experienced within a residential neighborhood located on the northwest side of the city due to insufficient drainage infrastructure. The goal of this project is to install new a new storm sewer system that will run along Allday Street from the existing water tower south approximately 1,000 linear feet to an existing low point that currently experiences overland flooding issues. The storm sewer system will continue to the east approximately 900 linear feet where it will tie into an existing storm sewer system located along San Jacinto Drive.
• Meadow Drive and Childress Drive Storm Sewer Drainage Improvements: The flooding here has been the result of insufficient drainage infrastructure. The goal of this project along Meadow is to extend new storm sewer improvements approximately 1,000 linear feet along Meadow from the intersection of Brazos Avenue. This new storm sewer system will intercept and convey storm water runoff in an enclosed drainage system and will relieve flooding near the intersection of Meadow Drive and Cameron Avenue. The goal of this drainage improvement project along Childress is to extend new storm sewer improvements approximately 250 linear feet along Childress north from near the intersection of US 79 to the intersection of Zana Lane and then east approximately 200 feet along Zana Lane. This new storm sewer system will intercept and convey storm water runoff in an enclosed drainage system and will relieve flooding near the intersection of Childress and Cameron and also provide positive drainage along a flood prone area of Zana Lane.
• Burleson Street Culvert, Conveyance Channel, and Detention Basin Improvements: Repetitive flood damage located along Burleson approximately 300 linear feet northwest of San Andres Avenue has resulted due to insufficient culvert capacity and lack of an overland flood route. Structural flood damage has occurred at the residence located northeast of the existing culvert. Acquisition of this parcel and demolition of the structure is planned to accommodate a new flood channel and storm water detention basin to safely store and convey flood flows to a new box culvert under Burleson. Additional channel regrading is planned within the roadside ditch located downstream of the Burleson Street culvert to San Andres Avenue.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Seventh Avenue Drainage Improvements - Repetitive flood damage has historically occurred at an existing residence located along the west side of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard near the intersection of Seventh Avenue due to insufficient drainage infrastructure. The goal of this project activity is to install new storm sewer improvements at this intersection that will safely route drainage to the southwest into a newly constructed open channel. This project will reduce roadway flooding along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and structural damage at the existing residence.
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