AUSTIN — Today Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced the Texas General Land Office (GLO) approved $2,028,234 in Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery funds for Wharton County to conduct a planning study and improve flood, drainage, water and sewer facilities.

"Hurricane Harvey devastated communities across the Texas Coast," said Commissioner Bush. "These recovery funds are critical to improving local infrastructure that will protect lives, homes and businesses from future storms. We continue to work with our partners in communities across the region to leverage these resources efficiently and effectively to benefit Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey."

With these funds, Wharton County will conduct a Hydraulic Analysis Study of Lower Peach Creek from Lee’s Lane to the San Bernard River. The study will be used to evaluate localized rainfall flooding and regional Colorado River flooding and to assess 2-year, 10-year, 25-year, 100-year, and 500-year flood risk in the region.

Wharton County will also widen 4,500 linear feet of the existing County Road 130 diversion channel and construct a new 8,000 linear feet diversion channel between County Roads 150 and East Alabama Road. The project will also include improving existing culverts on County Road 133 near the intersection with County Road 150.

Additionally, Wharton County will install concrete foundations and generators at two water treatment facilities in Louise, Texas.

Texas GLO Hurricane Harvey Recovery Funds:

Commissioner George P. Bush and the Texas General Land Office was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to lead the historic Hurricane Harvey housing recovery efforts funded by $5.676 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

The GLO allocated $413 million of the allocation for infrastructure projects and $275 million for local buyout and acquisitions to protect communities affected by the storm. The GLO allocated the funds to regional Council of Governments’ (COGs) based on a HUD approved needs assessment. The locally-led COGs then conducted methods of distribution (MODs) for determining infrastructure and buyout and acquisition amounts for cities and counties within each jurisdiction. COG boards are comprised of officials from the impacted communities elected in part to prioritize funds allocated for recovery programs. The MOD process requires public engagement and the GLO reviewed each MOD for compliance with federal rules and requirements before approving each plan.

To review the approved MODs, please visit https://recovery.texas.gov/action-plans/hurricane-harvey/index.html.