In response to Hurricane Harvey, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete 1.9 million cubic yards of emergency dredging on a section of the West Fork of the San Jacinto River near West Lake Houston Parkway.

Because this is an emergency project authorized by FEMA—unlike the Corps’ usual projects, which are funded by Congress—the dredging will only return the river to pre-Harvey conditions. This means cleaning up remaining debris—such as large trees—and dredging large sandbars created by the flooding last August.

The Corps plans to begin the $50 million project in mid-July and complete it by the end of the year.

After the dredging is complete, the Corps is not responsible for consistent dredging to maintain the river. However, Harris County—along with other local jurisdictions—has submitted an application for federal funding to complete a study of the river and its watershed to identify flood mitigation strategies.