Drainage and Levee Improvements
On Monday, October 12 FBCLID 2 will start a major construction project to improve drainage inside the levee. The $9,730,180 construction contract was awarded to TLC Construction in August 2020 and the project scope includes four different areas around the District:
Ditch A Widening Phase I
The contractor will remove over 100,000 cubic yards of material from Ditch A to increase flood storage. The project limits begin at the at the downstream end of Ditch A, by the pump station behind Clements High School. Ditch A Widening Phase I will end at the upstream Sweetwater Blvd. bridge, near the Sweetwater Country Club golf course. The Ditch A Widening Phase II, from Sweetwater Blvd to the upstream end behind Austin Park, is scheduled for bidding and construction in 2021.
Ditch E Rehabilitation
The erosion and shoaling issues on the Ditch E slopes will be repaired and the bottom of the drainage channel will be armored with articulating concrete block, similar to past projects in the other FBCLID 2 ditches. The City of Sugar Land is also participating in the project and replacing all the storm sewer outfalls in Ditch E. The entire 1.5-mile drainage channel will be rehabilitated, from the downstream end near Austin Parkway to the upstream end near Williams Trace Blvd.
Ditch C Repairs
The contractor will completely reconstruct failing ditch slopes using better soil and install new armoring in the ditch bottom where the sloughing has caused damage. Three areas of repair are planned in the upstream end of Ditch C and Ditch C-1 and are scheduled to be complete by the end of the year.
East Levee Raising
The fill material that is removed from Ditch A will be used to increase the height of the East Levee. The levee raising will begin at the north end, near Highway 6 and work south towards Austin Parkway, then LJ Parkway, and finally Commonwealth Blvd. In 2021 the Ditch A Widening Phase II project will create additional levee fill material for the South Levee, from Commonwealth Blvd to the West Levee. Before the contractor can increase the height of the East Levee, 17 trees will need to be removed from the western levee toe. The tree species being removed are not considered a Protected Tree as defined by the Texas A&M Forest Service.
The attached map highlights all the project locations. TLC Construction will mobilize in all four project areas in October. Please be aware of equipment and traffic when traveling through these construction zones. The project is scheduled to be complete by Fall 2021. Please contact FBCLID 2 directly with any questions or concerns: www.fbclid2.com/contact.
