What to know
Ed Shackelford, director of operations for the San Jacinto River Authority, said he learned of an issue with water getting through the joints and spillway of the concrete dam that will require further maintenance work.
Shackelford said he learned from Houston-based Schnabel Engineering that water could overflow the dam if the problem is not fixed.
“Schnabel is of the opinion that significant issues exist at the Bear Branch Dam Spillway and, if unaddressed, will likely result in continued deterioration of the spillway system and uncontrolled release reservoir,” Schnabel Engineering said in a statement to SJRA. "A more comprehensive approach to rehabilitating both the service and auxiliary spillways is strongly recommended [immediately]."
SJRA said a total of $3.8 million in additional funding will be needed for the two-phase project, which will likely be completed in 2029 due to additional costs and work, he said.
“If the schedule were perfect, we could be in design ... the first of the year and probably be going out for construction in the middle of 2027,” Shackelford said. “It would take probably 18 months to two years to construct.”
How we got here
U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Kingwood, was able to allocate $3.6 million in community project funding from the federal budget in February 2024 to begin a rehabilitation project for the Bear Branch Dam and spillway, as previously reported by Community Impact.
According to prior reporting, the project will also receive $1.4 million from local municipal utility districts, and construction was projected to be completed in 2026.
A funding source for the additional money needed for the project was not discussed at the meeting.
By the numbers
According to the SJRA, the total $14 million cost of the project includes the following:
Phase 1: $6.58 million
- Opinion of probable construction cost: $5.5 million
- Planning: $350,000
- Engineering/design: $550,000
- Construction: $450,000
- Opinion of probable construction cost: $5.5 million
- Construction contingency: $550,000
- Engineering/design: $550,000
- Construction Services: $550,000
