Years After Harvey, Pearland Invests in Flood Protection

Years After Harvey, Pearland Invests in Flood ProtectionPearland City Council approved a contract worth nearly $8.8 million on Sept. 28 to improve drainage in four local subdivisions: Hickory Creek, Garden Acres, Herridge Miller and Brookland Acres. The project will repair about 47,000 feet of roadside ditches, which is almost nine miles. Crews will replace old storm sewer pipes that carry water under roads and driveways, add new drains and manholes, and install safety features at the ends of those pipes. They will also fix any pavement and driveways damaged during the work.The plan goes beyond ditches. Workers will rebuild a section of the bank along Hickory Slough that has collapsed. The project also covers traffic control while construction is underway, steps to keep soil from washing away, and landscaping to restore the areas once the work is done. City officials chose these neighborhoods because they have flooded badly and repeatedly over the years.Part of the money comes from about $16.7 million the Texas General Land Office gave Pearland after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. That storm damaged close to 1,800 homes in the city, with water rising as high as four feet in some places. Construction is scheduled to start in November and should last until early 2028. For residents who have dealt with flooding again and again, the upgrades are meant to help keep water off their streets and out of their homes.