Harris County Launches $25 Million Channel Restoration for Addicks Watershed

Harris County leaders announced the start of a $25 million restoration project targeting channels that feed the Addicks Reservoir watershed, aiming to repair storm damage and restore stormwater capacity after major events such as the 2016 Tax Day floods and Hurricane Harvey. County officials said the work will reduce flood risk for neighborhoods and businesses in northwest Harris County by strengthening conveyance into the Addicks and Barker reservoirs.

The project is the third repair package in the Addicks Channel Rehabilitation and Restoration program and covers roughly eight miles of channel repairs. Scope includes placement of about 11,000 linear feet of storm pipe, removal of approximately 50,000 cubic yards of sediment, and placement of roughly 115,000 tons of rock for slope stabilization. Officials say the work will address a backlog of maintenance across about 24 channel sites that have not received consistent upkeep.

Harris County Flood Control District Executive Director Tina Petersen described the restoration as an effort to clear a maintenance backlog and improve the system’s ability to move stormwater into reservoirs. Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey and Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones spoke at the Jan. 20 kickoff event, stressing the importance of regular maintenance alongside larger flood-control projects. Ramsey emphasized restoring capacity to channels that have never received consistent maintenance, while Briones noted the emotional toll past floods have taken on affected families and the voter support that enabled new maintenance funding.

Funding for the work comes from a voter-approved maintenance program approved in November 2024. The Flood Control District expects to spend about $5 million annually across multi-year maintenance work, with this $25 million package forming part of that longer-term effort. Officials point to the restoration as a practical complement to large-scale infrastructure, addressing wear, erosion, and sedimentation that reduce channel capacity and increase local flood risk.

For residents, the project means active construction and maintenance in and near the Addicks watershed over coming months and years, with localized impacts likely where crews place pipe, remove sediment, and stabilize slopes. Homeowners and business owners in northwest Harris County should expect work on roughly eight miles of channels and related equipment and access needs at specific sites.

Harris County Flood Control District maps and more project details are available on the HCFCD website for residents tracking specific locations and timelines. As the work progresses, county officials say the maintenance program will continue to target sites across the county to reduce future flood impacts and restore long-neglected stormwater infrastructure.