Covington Woods Drainage Project Approved By City Council

SUGAR LAND, TX -- A $1.7 million contract aimed at making drainage improvements in the Covington Woods subdivision has gotten the green light from the Sugar Land City Council. The project, which was identified in 2013 to address street flooding, includes the following work along the side streets of Jess Pirtle Boulevard and a portion of Greywood Drive.

• A box culvert and storm drain will be installed at Sugardale and Sugarfield Courts.
• A new 30-inch storm drain on Greywood Drive will connect to recent drainage improvements on Bournewood Drive.
• Pavement will be replaced on Greywood Drive from Pinecroft Drive to Elkins Road.
• Pavement will also be replaced on Sugardale Court and Sugarfield Court.

The project is a continuation of an overall plan to improve drainage in the subdivision and builds on previously completed and ongoing construction projects in the Covington Woods area. The city completed a $7.2 million drainage project in Covington Woods earlier this year.

The drainage work began in Covington Woods last year, and improvements implemented prior to Hurricane Harvey protected residents from historic amounts of rainfall. Despite the storm, the projects have been completed ahead of schedule.

Routine maintenance and targeted drainage projects are important to protect Sugar Land during extreme weather events. Completed projects like Covington Woods, other areas north of U.S. Highway 90A and the Sugar Creek Subdivision protected homes and businesses during Hurricane Harvey, the most extreme rain event in U.S. history.

An analysis of Hurricane Harvey's impact on Sugar Land, along with other past major rain events, is available here. More than 225 homes flooded during Hurricane Harvey, with some homes in Settlers Park and Chimney Stone taking in at least 6 inches of water.

Drainage improvements have already been completed in The Highlands subdivision. Since the hurricane, Sugar Land completed a joint study with Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 2.

The following drainage studies have also been completed:

• River Bend, Plantation Bend, Plantation Colony and Magnolia Plantation subdivisions and Oyster Creek (between Dam # 3 and Dulles Avenue).
• Elkins Road and Knightsbridge Boulevard.
• Settlers Park, Chimneystone, Austin Park and Sugar Lakes subdivisions.
• Lakebend, Sugar Creek Subdivisions and the New Territory/Chatham Avenue intersection.

The studies build on more than $35 million in drainage projects during the past five years to address street flooding in older neighborhoods built in the early 1970s to late 1980s. Other projects to address street flooding are being considered as part of the budget process and capital improvement program.

City staff continues to work closely with residents in the affected areas to share the results of the studies.

A Brazos River erosion study was also recently completed. The objective of the study was to survey critical areas of the Brazos River in the City of Sugar Land, make predictions on bank erosion, perform analysis of risk and consequences and identify priority locations for additional consideration. Recommendations on regulatory actions and the identification of funding sources in coordination with other agencies are still being studied.

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