Construction on the expansion of a Cypress-area stormwater detention basin is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026, said Emily Woodell, the chief external relations officer for the Harris County Flood Control District, at a Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce luncheon May 8.

What you need to know

Located north of Little Cypress Creek between Kluge Road and Longwood Trace Drive, the project will store 200 acre-feet of stormwater, Woodell said. That equates to about 65.17 million gallons of water.

Once the expansion is complete, the basin will have enough space to fill half of Downtown Houston with a foot of water, she said.

In case you missed it

Stormwater detention basins have been a key strategy the HCFCD has implemented to mitigate flooding along Cypress Creek, Community Impact previously reported.

In 2023, the HCFCD purchased a portion of the Longwood Golf Club property with plans to mitigate flooding in the surrounding neighborhoods.

“It's no secret to anybody in this room that flooding is Harris County's No. 1 natural disaster,” Woodell said at the May 8 luncheon.

About the program

Established by the Texas Legislature in 1937, Woodell said the HCFCD is focused solely on mitigating flood risk in Harris County and is celebrating its 88th anniversary in mid-May.