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Sims Bayou Watershed
Sims Bayou watershed, showing project elements.
The Sims Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction Project
The Sims Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction Project is a partnership project between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) and the Harris County Flood Control District (the District). The Corps is the lead agency for this project, which includes 19.3 miles of bayou enlargements and environmental enhancements along Sims Bayou from the Houston Ship Channel to Croquet Street, just west of South Post Oak Road. The project is supplemented by three stormwater detention basins that were excavated by the District using local funds. Upon completion, the 1 percent (100-year) floodplain will be removed from approximately 35,000 houses and 2,000 commercial structures. The project requires the replacement or modification of 20 roadway bridges and an additional 925 acres of right of way along Sims Bayou.
Project Cost
The total project cost for the Sims Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction Project is an estimated $379 million, with the federal government funding $254 million and the Harris County Flood Control District funding $125 million.
Estimated Completion Date
Construction of the Sims Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction Project began in 1990 and is scheduled for completion in late 2012. Three stormwater detention basins, which were excavated using local funds, are complete. Remaining work includes widening and deepening the bayou from Robin Boulevard to just west of Croquet Street and four bridge replacements/modifications. The project has steadily reduced the risk of flooding for property owners in the area since its start.
Brief History of the Project
In the late 1960s, the Harris County Flood Control District straightened and widened most of Sims Bayou. While this effort was effective in reducing flooding risks, heavy rainfall events in the 1970s caused further flooding and prompted a second project on Sims Bayou. In 1979, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District received authorization to study Sims Bayou and in 1982 published "The Interim Report on Sims Bayou," which identified a plan to further widen and deepen the bayou from the Houston Ship Channel to Croquet Street, just upstream of South Post Oak Road. Four years later, the U.S. Congress authorized the Corps to begin work on Sims Bayou with the passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986. In 1990, the District and the Corps signed a Local Cooperation Agreement solidifying the project partnership that continues today.
Project Benefits
Construction of the Sims Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction project is expected to be complete in late 2012. Citizens residing in neighborhoods adjacent to Sims Bayou now have a lower risk of flooding than in the past and are benefiting tremendously from the project. In fact, during recent rainfall events in which the Sims Bayou watershed received large amounts of rain in very short periods of time, the bayou remained within its banks. (Of course, it’s important to note that all bayous in Harris County have the potential to flood given enough rainfall.) Citizens also can enjoy Sims Bayou’s enhanced natural appearance as a result of the project. For example, the District and the Corps have planted 18,000 trees along completed sections of the bayou and additional trees at The Hill at Sims Greenway, which is the name of a stormwater detention basin adjacent to the bayou near Scott Street and West Orem Drive.
A New Way to Build a Big Bayou
The Sims Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction Project has been designed and constructed in an environmentally responsible manner, and an increasing number of birds and wildlife can already be seen along completed segments of the bayou and at the stormwater detention basins. To armor the banks of the bayou, the project uses articulated concrete blocks rather than a solid concrete lining. The blocks, which are made of concrete, have openings that allow grass and other vegetation to grow. A cross-sectional geometry that varies in width and steepness was constructed in the process of repairing eroded sections of the bayou. This resulted in aesthetically-pleasing slopes and plateaus for a more natural feel along the length of the bayou. Fish pools are being constructed along some segments of the project and trees are being planted to create habitat. As part of the project’s public involvement process, the project team has worked with the Sims Bayou Coalition and other stakeholders. The public involvement process has had a positive influence on the project and has resulted in environmental enhancements to the project design.
New Bridge Designs Mean Fewer Obstructions
Sixteen roadway bridge replacements/modifications have been made to date and four are in the design phase and are expected to be under construction soon. In addition, a pedestrian bridge not part of the federal project is nearing completion and another is in the design phase. The new bridges are designed to minimize obstruction to the flow of stormwater in the bayou. The new bridges have as small a "footprint" as possible, with most bridge supports located out of the normal flood flow area of the bayou. The result is a more efficient rate of flow for high volumes of stormwater, meaning that more stormwater can drain through the bayou reducing the potential for out-of-bank flooding.
Multi-use Results in Multiple Benefits to the Community
The District strongly encourages multiple uses of District property in ways that are compatible with or can sustain occasional floodwater inundation. Some common multi-use examples include park and recreational facilities, hike and bike trails, and environmental habitat creation and preservation.
The Hill at Sims Greenway
A tall hill is located on the site of a large stormwater detention basin located adjacent to Sims Bayou near Scott Street and West Orem Drive. The detention basin is capable of holding nearly 325 million gallons of excess stormwater and significantly reduces the risk of flooding for area residents. The hill is nearly 60 feet tall and was constructed with 1.6 million of the 2.1 million cubic yards of soil excavated from the site to construct the basin. When standing on top of the hill, the site appears almost canyon-like and features spectacular views of the downtown Houston skyline and Reliant Stadium. It is a model stormwater detention basin and a primary example of how flood damage reduction projects can be more than functional. As it has with some of its other stormwater detention basins, the District hopes to partner with other entities, such as Harris County or the city of Houston, to adopt this site and create park amenities and multi-use features for area residents. Thousands of trees have been planted here.
> Download the Hill At Sims Greenway Info Sheet
> See news story on Hill at Sims Tree Planting
Regional Projects Complement the Sims Bayou Federal Project
In addition to the federal project, the District has excavated three stormwater detention basins adjacent to Sims Bayou that supplement the federal project and give the bayou greater capacity. The District also has acquired two additional sites for future stormwater detention basins near Berry Bayou, a tributary of Sims Bayou. The cost for land acquisition for all five sites is approximately $10 million.
A Successful Example
The Sims Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction Project is a shining example of the District and the Corps embracing community and natural values and federal and local partnerships working to achieve crucial flood damage reduction for the area.
Your Input is Important to Us
Public input has been vital throughout the project. If you would like more information or would like to comment about the Sims Bayou project, please contact the District's federal project hotline at 713-684-4040, or contact the District via e-mail.
For more information, please see the news items below:
> http://www.hcfcd.org/news/2006-0509.html
> http://www.hcfcd.org/news/2006-0201.html
> http://www.hcfcd.org/news/2006-0107.html
> http://www.hcfcd.org/news/07152003.html
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The Sims Bayou Watershed
The Sims Bayou watershed is located in southern Harris County. Most of the watershed is within the City of Houston, and it is almost fully developed, with the exception of the middle reaches around SH 288 where there are large undeveloped areas. The upper reach of the watershed drains the City of Missouri City and the lower reach of the watershed drains the cities of South Houston and Pasadena. The Sims Bayou watershed covers about 94 square miles and includes two primary streams: Sims Bayou and Berry Bayou. There are about 121 miles of streams within the watershed, including the primary streams and tributary channels. The estimated population within the Sims Bayou watershed in 2000 (Harris County portion) was just over 231,000.
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