BY KELLY SCHAFLER
The breakdown
The bottom line
Finding funding Sugar Land and Fort Bend County will receive funding to begin various erosion-control projects in the city limits.
Project funding came from Texas’ 2023 legislative session and funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Texas General Land O ce, city and county o cials said. On Jan. 16, Sugar Land City Council voted to approve a $28 million grant application to the Texas Water Development Board to go toward ero- sion mitigation near the Riverstone community. Li said the funding was set aside for the city via House Bill 1 in the 88th Texas Legislature, and the city should have access to funding in March after the TWDB approves the allocation. Meanwhile, funding from the GLO should be made available in June, Vogler said. However, to help get started on the design of the other joint city and county projects as soon as possible, Vogler said the county will fund up to $12.45 million toward the Brazos River projects. “The county is fronting money to get this thing moving because, as with any grant, there’s
Tackling erosion is a balancing act: Too much vegetation in river channels can reduce a river’s capacity and slow water’s speed during heavy rain events, which can extend the river’s flood plain, Vogler said. Meanwhile, certain vegetation can also strengthen the river’s bank and mitigate erosion, he said. Despite the federal and state investment toward the Brazos River, officials said the stone toe dike and tie back projects will only mitigate future erosion—not repair the erosion that’s happened. “It sounds like it’s a lot of money to spend on riverbank erosion, but those areas … protect $8 billion in public infrastructure and homes,” Li said. “Over 700,000 county residents [are] going to [benefit] from the project.”
Texas Water Development Board: $28 million
Texas General Land Office:* $38 million
Total: $66 million
*THROUGH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SOURCES: CITY OF SUGAR LAND, FORT BEND COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
timelines and short windows of opportunities, so we’ve got to get going,” Vogler said. “Hopefully we’ll get reimbursed for what we invest upfront out of the grant funds.”
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SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION
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