This story has been updated at 10:06 a.m., Feb. 6, to correct that the city is working on terracing at Whitcomb, owned by Clear Creek Community Church.

The city of Friendswood is working on both long- and short-term flood-control plans in the city, Deputy Director of Engineering Samantha Haritos said at the council's meeting Feb. 3.

Short-term plans for drainage in the city include detention work at the neighborhood of Imperial Estates, a detention basin at the Forest Bend neighborhood and terracing at Whitcomb, owned by Clear Creek Community Church. The city has worked with the Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District on the Imperial Estates project, but the project will continue as there is more detention area available than originally anticipated, Haritos said.
Working with different groups to move projects along is critical to getting the funding for the projects, Haritos said.

To partner with the Harris County Flood Control District, the city needs hydraulic and hydrology models, which the city will work on procuring, Haritos said. The city may be working with Harris County Flood Control District on the Forest Bend detention basin, if the hydraulic and hydrology model meets the district's requirements. The city also received a Community Block Development Grant of $3.45 million for the Forest Bend detention basin.

Friendswood is also working with League City, other local cities, counties and the Army Corps of Engineers on the Lower Clear Creek and Dickinson Bayou Watershed flooding study, known also as the League City flooding study. The meetings for the study are public, and citizens are encouraged to attend, Haritos said.

"We highly encourage citizens to attend those meetings and get your voice out there; let them know what our needs are and how severe the flooding out here is," she said.