An additional $29 million in state grant funds will be going toward ongoing dredging efforts in Lake Houston and its surrounding canals and channels, following unanimous approval by the Houston City Council on May 10.
Term to know: Dredging is the removal of sediments and debris from the bottom of lakes, rivers, harbors and other bodies of water. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, dredging is a routine necessity in waterways worldwide because sedimentation—the natural process of sand and silt washing downstream—gradually fills channels and harbors.
The background: Following Hurricane Harvey in 2017, flood mitigation efforts ramped up in the Greater Houston area and particularly in the Lake Houston area. According to a May 10 newsletter from Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin—who represents Houston City Council District E, which includes Kingwood—more than 4 million cubic yards of silt and sediment has been dredged from Lake Houston and its tributaries since 2018 at a total cost of $222 million. These efforts were paid for through federal, state and local funding sources and were a combination of:
- Federal Emergency Management Agency;
- Texas Water Development Board;
- Harris County; and
- City of Houston projects.
What's next: According to Martin's newsletter, the additional funding will allow dredging activities to start on the east side of Lake Houston and its various canals and channels. The funds will also go toward the implementation of a pilot program testing the efficacy of sand traps upstream of Lake Houston. Per the newsletter, building sand traps is a proactive approach to capturing much of the silt and sediment coming down the various tributaries feeding into Lake Houston well before it ever reaches.
