What we know
Shared in part April 28 at a town hall in The Woodlands, feasibility studies for dams on Birch Creek and Walnut Creek are now being recommended for future construction. As previously reported by Community Impact, the two projects were part of the San Jacinto Regional Watershed Master Drainage Plan completed in 2020.
The feasibility study cost $1 million and was funded in 2022 by The Woodlands Water Agency, Harris County Flood Control District, the city of Humble and the Texas Water Development Board to develop the conceptual design and estimated flooding impact of the dams.
Breaking it down
According to the full study, construction of the two dams would reduce overall downstream river levels from Walnut Creek to the West Fork of the San Jacinto River.
The study also states one of the major challenges to the Walnut Creek dam would be the recent construction of a solar power farm. However, San Jacinto River Authority engineer Matt Barrett said the land owners of the farm have been in communication with engineers regarding a potential relocation effort for the farm.
What's next?
There is no funding available immediately for the two projects, but Barrett said the SJRA would now be able to petition the TWDB and the federal government for grant funding for the projects.
The study says the Walnut Creek dam would cost just over $193 million to construct, and $2.8 million to maintain annually. The Birch Creek dam would cost $105.3 million to construct and would cost $2.1 million annually to maintain for up to 50 years.
