HARLINGEN — Thursday marks one year since Hurricane Alex, a system that — coupled with the ensuing Tropical Depression No. 2 — gave the impressive lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project its first test in more than 20 years.
With hurricane season’s arrival, the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission has been making preparations in the event of possible weather systems. the goal: protecting South Texas residents and their property.
Tropical Storm Arlene is expected to make landfall sometime Thursday along northeastern Mexico.
IBWC has conducted its annual pre-flood season meeting with federal and state agencies, flood warning notices have been publicized, and “we have also performed inspections and maintenance on dams, levees, and structures that are part of the lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project,” said Sally Spener, agency public affairs officer.
“this work included cleaning of vegetation and debris in the Arroyo Colorado, the flood channel that goes through the City of Harlingen,” Spener added.
Despite last year’s hurricane and tropical storm that tested the floodway system, requiring the diversion of water at the Anzalduas Diversion Dam in Hidalgo County into the floodway system through portions of Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties, Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos is not convinced that the system has been tested.
“my concern has always been the integrity of the system if we get bashed with a hurricane comparable to Hurricane Beulah,” Cascos said. the damage from that 1967 storm included the flooding of Harlingen via the Arroyo Colorado after a weir failed.
IBWC pointed out in a report that a dike was constructed in 1968 to ensure that the Arroyo Colorado would receive its design flow of 21,000 cubic feet of water per second during a major event.
Spener said IBWC routinely monitors tropical weather in the Gulf of Mexico and has been keeping track on the system in the Gulf.
“Let’s hope it brings much-needed rainfall to Texas and northern Mexico,” she said. “in any event, we are prepared should it pose a more serious threat to the Rio Grande basin.”
Spener said that other than clearing the Arroyo Colorado, construction also continues on levee improvements in the lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project.
“last year’s flood conditions caused some delay in that work, but dry conditions since then have allowed us to make significant progress,” she said.
She pointed out that the embankment work is essentially complete on some 90 miles of levee while the majority of the embankment work is complete on another 15 miles.
“However, there is still ongoing work on such things as structures, levee road surface, etc.,” Spener said.
As per IBWC flood operation plans, if a tropical depression, storm or hurricane were to come within 100 miles of the Rio Grande watershed, or if forecast rainfall could produce a major flood, staff would go on “stand-by alert” status to initiate preparations, she said.
Spener said that contractors constructing levee improvements would be required to execute their flood protection plans, which require them to ensure that any levee segments under construction be restored to their pre-construction state in advance of a flood.
Emma Perez-Treviño writes for The Brownsville Herald.
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