Author: FBCLID 2

Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 2 has joined the Fort Bend Economic Development Council (FBEDC) with other levee districts in the County to form the FBFMC (Fort Bend Flood Management Committee).  The purpose of this coalition is to come together to form a strong, collective voice to address federal, state, and local regulations and guidelines that affect leveed areas.  You can follow this committee on the FBEDC website.

The FBFMC has engaged consultants to work with the member districts to identify the issues and formulate legislative relief so we continue to benefit from the many years of successful flood management here in FBC.

In 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) changed how flood insurance (National Flood Insurance Program, NFIP) rates are calculated for your home and property.  A new rating system called Risk Rating 2.0 (RR 2.0) was introduced.  RR 2.0 supposably allows FEMA to determine premium rates per property based on factors such as proximity to a flooding source, 1^st floor elevation, replacement cost of rebuilding, etc.  This is not a complete list because FEMA has not disclosed exactly how the rate engine is formulated.

In the past, premium rates were determined by mapped flood zones.  In the 100-year floodplain (aka, special flood hazard area or SFHA) federally-backed or regulated lenders must require that flood insurance be purchased and maintained.  Leveed districts in Ft. Bend County are accredited by FEMA, thus avoiding the SFHA designation. As a result, homeowners received Preferred Rate Policies, saving hundreds of dollars, and were exempt from this mandatory purchase of flood insurance.

Under the new NFIP RR 2.0, flood insurance has become a major concern as premium rates have increased, policy holder numbers across the country have started to decrease, and new guidelines are being implemented that potentially could have a negative effect on us and other levee districts.

Some of the current steps being taken by the EDC and FBFMC to address this concern are:

1. Setting the goal of:  Affordable, voluntary flood insurance for 100-year accredited levee protected areas,
2. Requesting that accredited levees continue to exempt protected communities from SFHA designation and mandatory flood insurance purchase,
3. Requiring FEMA to be transparent with the RR 2.0 methodologies and disclose the full actuarial premium on all NFIP flood insurance bills,
4. Ensuring the data being used by FEMA to set RR 2.0 rates in leveed areas is correct.

Through our participation in the FBFMC under the EDC, this district will continue to monitor and challenge any change that goes against the best interest of our residents and businesses.  We trust you will stay engaged and support our efforts through this coalition on your behalf.

Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 2 (LID 2) has started construction to expand the Michael “Mike” Thelen Pump Station located at 1207 Colony Lakes Drive, Sugar Land, TX. The Thelen Pump Station serves the Ditch F watershed on the northside of LID 2, between Brooks Lake and the Southwest Freeway (US-59/I-69). The expansion project will add four additional pumps that more than double the total pumping capacity. Currently, the Thelen Pump Station houses four stormwater pumps that were replaced in 2020 and will remain in operation throughout construction. When complete, all eight pumps will be able to move over 215,000 gallons of water per minute.

The contractor will fully mobilize at the end of January and begin preparing the site for construction. One of the first major activities is driving steel sheet piles into the ground so the new pumping structure can be excavated safely. Any loud noise created during sheet pile driving will be limited to typical work hours (7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday). The project may take up to 16 months to complete due to major electrical components that require a long lead time to manufacture.  The additional pump capacity is currently scheduled to be available by Summer 2024. Similar to previous LID 2 pump station projects, any building improvements will be constructed to blend into the residential neighborhood as much as possible.

Please feel free to contact LID 2 directly with any questions or concerns: www.fbclid2.com/contact

Ditch B & B-1 Widening

The engineering and design to enlarge Ditches B & B-1 and create additional flood storage is complete. The drainage channels currently require rehabilitation, including desilting and storm sewer outfall replacement. Engineers have finished a design that will increase the size of the channels as much as possible within the existing FBCLID 2 right-of-way. The District is investigating some design alternatives before the plans are finalized for bidding in December. Construction is currently expected to begin in the first quarter of 2023.

Thelen Pump Station Expansion: Bidding Construction Contract

The Thelen Pump Station serves the Ditch F watershed that is located north of the Southwest Freeway (US-59/I-69). The expansion project will add four additional pumps that more than double the total pumping capacity in Ditch F. When complete, the Thelen Pump Station will be able to move over 215,000 gallons of water per minute. Construction is expected to take approximately one year to complete, so the additional pump capacity is expected to be available by the end of 2023. The four existing pumps were replaced in 2020 and will remain in operation throughout construction. Similar to the previous pump station projects, any building improvements will be constructed to blend into the residential neighborhood as much as possible.

André D. McDonald Pump Station: Construction Update

The new pumps at the McDonald Pump Station have been operational for over a year, which increases FBCLID 2 pumping capacity by 400%. However, FBCLID 2 still needs to put the finishing touches on the McDonald Pump Station now that the main construction contract is complete. The final site improvements include enhanced fencing, landscaping, additional parking, and an emergency operations center. After receiving no bids during in the Spring, this Summer FBCLID2 divided the remaining scope into smaller construction contracts to increase interest and competition.

The District recently awarded several contracts to complete all pump station construction. In October, the remaining concrete driveway will be poured. Beginning in November, another contractor will erect brick walls between the pump station and homes at the north end of Oakland Drive. Finally, a landscaper will install new beds, trees, and irrigation to beautify the area in front of the McDonald Pump Station. The rendering below demonstrates what the completed pump station is expected to look like when viewed from Oakland Drive. FBCLID2 will also install an operations center inside the new pump station building. A public open house for all residents in early 2023 after all construction is complete.

Project Map