Posted on January 19, 2022
The Freeport Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Project is one of three projects included in the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay CSRM Program. Freeport and its vicinity features an existing hurricane flood protection system that was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1962 and protects the area from coastal storm surge events from the Gulf of Mexico.
The current levee system was designed and constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in the 1960s. It serves to reduce the risk of flooding caused by storm surges, as well as riverine flooding from the Brazos River and Oyster Creek, for over 45 square miles of urban, industrial, and residential area within the City of Freeport, Texas and its vicinity. The system has seen several major storm surges since being constructed by USACE. The most recent were caused by Hurricane Rita in 2005 and Hurricane Ike in 2008.
The non-federal sponsor for this project is the Velasco Drainage District (VDD). The Freeport Project is cost shared 65/35 between the federal government and the non-federal sponsor respectively. The 86th Texas Legislature passed SB500 and SB2212 to assist the non-federal sponsors with their non-federal contributions.
Project Need
The existing Freeport Hurricane Flood Protection Project (HFPP) is being evaluated for repair and replacement where needed. With the recent developments in technology, USACE is utilizing advanced modelling capabilities to model severe storm combinations to provide an increased level of protection over the next 50 years.
The recommended Freeport Project will raise approximately 13.1 miles of existing levee system, construct approximately 5.5 miles of floodwall, and install navigable gates in the Dow Barge Canal to reduce storm surge penetration in that area.
Project Status & Schedule
USACE is currently in the early stages of preconstruction engineering and design (PED) for the Freeport Project. The project team expects to complete PED by the spring of 2023, followed by construction which will take approximately 3.5 years.
The Galveston District awarded an architect-engineer (A&E) SATOC (Single Award Task Order Contract) to the Joint Venture (HDR & AECOM). The SATOC was awarded in October 2019. The A-E will perform 100% of the design of the project and all necessary programmatic tasks including surveys, and subsurface soil investigations.
