Richardson officials propose $4.86 million in drainage projects

Richardson officials proposed $4.86 million in drainage projects for the next fiscal year, which will include flood prevention and erosion control across the city.

Assistant Director of Engineering Katie Barron presented the city’s proposed projects for fiscal year 2026-27 to City Council on June 1.

The overview

Richardson’s Drainage Utility Program was established in 2011 to meet state and national stormwater management requirements and manage floodplains, stormwater and discharge.

The program is funded by a flat monthly rate of $6.25 charged to commercial and residential properties to pay for contract services, including storm drain maintenance and street sweeping, city operations, and flood prevention and erosion prevention projects.

Magner said the city’s drainage fund has evolved over the last several years as council has supported fee increases.

“That’s allowed us to take on bigger, more consequential projects, as well as keep up with the inflationary pressures that we see on a lot of the services that we engage our partners to perform for us,” Magner said.

Barron proposed $4.86 million in drainage funding for the FY 2026-27 budget, a slight increase from this year’s projected $4.73 million.

Breaking it down

Richardson identifies watershed and erosion projects through regular watershed studies, which identify flooding concerns and mitigation strategies, as well as creek bank erosion assessment that identify the impacts of erosion. The city has completed seven watershed studies that have identified 157 total projects, Barron said.

Barron said staff prioritized the projects based on need and budget, focusing on work that would reduce flooding in residential areas.

“Drainage projects are very expensive, and being able to fit those into a program, we have to pick and choose,” Barron said.

The city is planning four larger projects from fiscal year 2027-28 until 2030 on West Arapaho Road, Cambridge Circle, Creekside Drive and Spring Valley Road.

After the creek bank erosion assessment, Barron said city staff evaluated 105 sites that were ranked at medium or high severity to prioritize projects based on their threat to infrastructure and development. Six projects were included in the 2026 bond program, and Barros recommended three additional projects, totaling $1.1 million, for inclusion in the FY 2026-27 drainage fund.

Also of note

Barron said the city is also working on several watershed improvements identified by studies. Infrastructure at Edith Circle, Westwood Drive, Tam O Shanter Lane and Ridgedale Drive will be under construction this year. The city also plans to start work on erosion projects at Mohawk Creek, Cheyenne Drive and Waterview Drive later this year.

Barron proposed several channel maintenance projects to address erosion issues and clean out channels at Prairie Creek, Floyd Branch and Cottonwood Creek West Fork.

The city also conducts pipe inspections and storm drain repairs yearly, and Barron said staff plan to inspect roughly 45,000 feet of pipe next year. The storm drain repair projects will be determined based on this year’s inspection.

“The purpose is to remove any intrusions in the pipe [and] replace broken pieces,” Barron said.

What’s next

Magner said potential rate changes to the drainage program could be presented during budget discussions this summer.