F-26 Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program

F-26 Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program
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Advisory

Note: Bond ID C-19 has been consolidated with Bond ID F-26.

Recent Actions

December 13, 2022 - Harris County Commissioners Court authorized the acquisition of two tracts of land for channel conveyance improvements.

June 28, 2022 – Harris County Commissioners Court approved $562,720 in additional engineering and related services in support of the Little Cypress Creek Watershed Master Drainage Plan update, and to provide management and staff augmentation in support of the Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program.

April 26, 2022 – Harris County Commissioners Court approved the acquisition of one tract of land for channel conveyance improvements and stormwater detention.

January 25, 2022 – Harris County Commissioners Court has authorized the acquisition of two tracts of land for the Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program for channel improvements and stormwater detention.

January 4, 2022 - Harris County Commissioners Court accepted an updated Watershed Master Drainage Plan incorporating new Atlas 14 rainfall data in support of this program.

October 26, 2021 - Harris County Commissioners Court authorized the acquisition of two tracts of land in support of this project.

September 28, 2021 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized the acquisition of two tracts of land for the purpose of channel improvements and stormwater detention.

August 10, 2021 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized the acquisition of one tract of land in support of this project

July 20, 2021 –Harris County Commissioners Court authorized an amendment in the amount of $588,611 to provide professional engineering and related consulting services in support of this project.

May 25, 2021 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized the acquisition of one tract of land in support of this project.

March 30, 2021 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized the acquisition of four tracts of land in support of this project.

December 1, 2020 - Harris County Commissioners authorized the acquisition of a tract of land in support of this project.

November 10, 2020 - Harris County Commissioners approved an additional $749,980 for engineering and related services in support of this project to update the Master Drainage Plan for the Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program.

September 15, 2020 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized an agreement not to exceed $1 million with an engineering firm for program management services in support of this program.

September 15, 2020 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized an agreement between Harris County Flood Control District and Harris County for county construction and maintenance of a public hike and bike trail along the east side of Little Cypress Creek at Louetta Road.

August 25, 2020 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized the Flood Control District to negotiate an agreement for engineering and program management services in support of this project.

August 25, 2020 – Harris County Commissioners Court approved $1,250,288 for archeological and environmental consulting services in support of this project.

June 30, 2020 - Harris County Commissioners Court authorized the Flood Control District to accept environmental and archeological services in support of channel conveyance improvements in support of this project.

May 19, 2020 - Harris County Commissioners Court approved updates to project details in the 2018 Bond Program List. Update changes project title and funding to reflect consolidation with Bond ID C-19. Additionally, the purchase of eight tracts was authorized for this project.

April 28, 2020 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized the purchase of one tract for this program.

April 7, 2020 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized to purchase one tract of land in support of this project.

March 10, 2020 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized the acquisition of three tracts of land in support of this project.

February 11, 2020 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized the acquisition of a tract of land in support of this project.

January 7, 2020 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized the acquisition of a tract of land in support of this project.

December 17, 2019 – Harris County Commissioners Court approved an additional $1.5 million for surveying services in the Little Cypress Creek watershed.

December 3, 2019 – Harris County Commissioners Court approved the acquisition of 11 tracts in support of this project.

March 12, 2019 – Harris County Commissioners Court approved a $1.35 million agreement with an engineering firm for additional services needed to update the master plan and provide program management and staffing in support of this project 

January 8, 2019 – Harris County Commissioners Court authorized negotiations with an engineering firm for final design of this project.

December 18, 2018 – Harris County Commissioners Court formally accepted the Little Cypress Creek Watershed Master Drainage Plan and authorized the Flood Control District to proceed with implementation of the master plan, acquisition of right-of-way and design and construction of stormwater detention basins and channel improvements to reduce flooding risks in the Little Cypress Creek watershed.

Project description

The Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program is one component of the Harris County Flood Control District’s overall Frontier Program, which is an organized effort to plan for regional drainage infrastructure in advance of future land development.

The Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program focuses on the 52-square-mile Little Cypress Creek watershed in northwest Harris County. This area, which is experiencing rapid development with construction of the Grand Parkway, lacks sufficient natural drainage to accommodate expected growth.

By collaborating with land owners and developers, the program is working to identify a large-scale, mutually beneficial plan for drainage that cost-effectively maximizes stormwater mitigation and water quality, as well as opportunities for public recreational amenities and open space.

The Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program includes multiple projects in the watershed, including nine stormwater detention basins and stormwater conveyance improvements along Little Cypress Creek and its tributaries. The program will be funded under several Bond IDs included in the 2018 HCFCD Bond Program.

Bond ID F-26 includes funding for the program’s watershed Master Plan, as well as for stormwater conveyance improvements on Little Cypress Creek itself, from Cypress Rosehill to the confluence with Cypress Creek. These improvements will widen and deepen Little Cypress Creek in a way that increases its capacity to convey stormwater, while compensating for any loss in the stream’s environmental value.

To facilitate the greater vision of the Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program, the Flood Control District developed a Master Drainage Plan (MDP) to serve as the technical framework for the proposed flood risk reduction projects in the watershed. Projects in the Frontier Program include nine stormwater detention basins in addition to channel stormwater conveyance improvements to Little Cypress Creek and its tributaries.

The MDP outlines the hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) analyses, proposed land use assessments, water quality requirements, cost estimates, proposed right-of-way acquisition, and reevaluation of the Interim Guidelines for New Development in the Little Cypress Creek Service Area. Originally approved by Harris County Commissioners Court in December 2018, the Little Cypress Creek Watershed Master Drainage Plan Atlas 14 Revision, approved January 4, 2022, increases the amount of proposed stormwater detention and adds channel stormwater conveyance improvement projects downstream of Cypress Rosehill Drive to the confluence with Cypress Creek.

Master Drainage Plan

PDF


Interim Guidelines for New Development

PDF


Major Components

Major components of the Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program plan include: 

F-27 Zube Stormwater Detention Basin L500-01-00 

F-28 Kluge Stormwater Detention Basin L500-02-00

F29 Mueschke East Stormwater Detention Basin L500-06-00 

F30 Schiel Stormwater Detention Basin L500-09-00 

F-31 Mueschke West Stormwater Detention Basin L100-10-00

F-32 Hegar Stormwater Detention Basin L500-11-00

F-33 Kleb Woods Stormwater Detention Basin L512-01-00

F-34 Mason Stormwater Detention Basin L512-03-00

F-35 Bauer-Hockley Stormwater Detention Basin L514-01-00

Little Cypress Creek Tributary L112-01-00

Property acquisition is underway for several components of the Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program Master Plan, including stormwater detention basins and future channel projects to increase stormwater storage and carrying capacity within the Little Cypress Creek watershed.

Innovative Approach

This innovative approach is in contrast to typical efforts in which individual land owners and developers install drainage infrastructure that serves their site alone, resulting in smaller, isolated stormwater detention basins and minimum-width channels for stormwater management. By taking a regional approach, the Frontier Program protects existing developments and provides proper drainage access for newly developing properties. 

Developers participate in the Frontier Program by paying a $4,000-per-acre fee to develop in the watershed service area. Developers also participate by excavating a portion of regional drainage facilities and by dedicating property for right-of-way. The Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program will use impact fees primarily to acquire right-of-way along the channel and for stormwater detention basins. 

The program calls for stricter stormwater detention requirements to mitigate runoff from new developments and will result in at least seven regional detention basins with a combined minimum storage of 14,000 acre-feet.

Virtual Community Engagement Meeting

The Harris County Flood Control District held a Community Engagement Meeting for the Mueschke East Stormwater Detention Basin and Little Cypress Creek L100-00-00 Stormwater Conveyance Improvements projects in the Little Cypress Creek watershed

Date: Thursday, March 3, 2022
Time: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

You can submit a comment and see the meeting presentation and video by clicking the links below.

Meeting Summary Presentation Virtual Meeting Video

Virtual Community Engagement Meeting

A virtual Community Engagement Meeting for this project was held on:

Date: Thursday, August 6, 2020
Time:
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

You can submit a comment and see the meeting presentation and video by clicking the links below.

Meeting Summary Presentation Meeting Video Submit a Comment

Community Engagement Meeting

Community Engagement Meeting for this project was held:

Location: Richard and Meg Weekley Community Center
Date: November 14, 2018
Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

You can submit a comment and see the meeting presentation and video by clicking the links below.

Meeting Summary Presentation Meeting Video