SUGAR LAND, TX —Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., delivered three checks totaling $68,382,016 for Brazos River erosion repair projects in Simonton and the City of Sugar Land on Thursday. The funding is the culmination of years of work by Fort Bend County Pct. 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers and partners at the Houston–Galveston Area Council.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our efforts to safeguard Fort Bend County and its residents from future storms,” said Commissioner Buckingham at a press conference held at the Sugar Land Airport.
The three checks are for:
- City of Sugar Land Evacuation Route Erosion Repair – $4,063,600
- Fort Bend County Erosion Repair Project – $38,492,516
- Simonton Pinch Point Project – $25,825,900
While the funding goes to Fort Bend County and the City of Sugar Land, it helps the entire region by protecting evacuation routes for residents of Galveston and Brazoria counties during extreme weather events.
“Brazos River erosion protection is an issue that’s one of my priorities,” said Meyers. “I initiated efforts to fund solutions for the Simonton Pinch Point of the Brazos River when I chaired the Water Resources Committee at the Houston–Galveston Area Council (H–GAC). So, I sincerely appreciate Commissioner Buckingham securing millions of dollars of additional funding for Brazos River erosion protection.
Meyers began by seeking funding to stop Brazos River erosion in Simonton, where an entire neighborhood is threatened at the river’s pinch point off FM 1093. Erosion also endangers two locations in Sugar Land: the bridge over the Brazos at 59/IH 69 and the riverbanks at Memorial Park. So, Meyers began seeking a regional solution that also funds erosion control in those Fort Bend locations.
“Commissioner Meyers, with his leadership, came up with a concept to allocate some of the Harvey funds to regional projects,” said Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman at Thursday’s press conference.
The grants will fund the repair of riverbank erosion by clearing, grubbing, excavation, stockpile, backfill, offsite disposal, installation of stone, and seeding. of Commissioner Andy Meyers
Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman, center, with members of city council prior to Thursday’s check presentation at the Sugar Land Airport.
Work on the grant funding began after Hurricane Harvey when flooding drastically increased Brazos River erosion. At that time, Meyers chaired the Houston-Galveston Area Council Water Resources Committee, and he began looking for funding from H–GAC that could be provided to the Texas Land Office and distributed to Fort Bend County to fund erosion control projects.
“I am grateful to Judge KP George, Andy Meyers, other county commissioners, Mayor Joe Zimmerman, City Council, and all our local partners for their dedication and collaboration in this vital endeavor,” Buckingham said.
Buckingham took a helicopter tour of endangered areas. The tour enabled her and other leaders to envision the improvements these safety mitigation projects will make in the region.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our efforts to safeguard Fort Bend County and its residents from future storms,” said Buckingham. “With more than $68 million allocated for crucial erosion repair projects, we are taking proactive steps to ensure the safety and resilience of our communities.”
