AUSTIN — Today Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, Texas State Senator Lois W. Kolkhorst, Mayor Alice Jo Summers and Mayor Mark Zimmerman announced the Texas General Land Office (GLO) approved $14 million in flood mitigation projects to improve drainage infrastructure in Lavaca County and the cities of Hallettsville and Moulton. These infrastructure projects will directly benefit thousands of residents in a majority low-to-moderate income (LMI) area by improving stormwater conveyance through the project area, reducing flood hazards, enhancing emergency vehicles ingress and egress during storms, and protecting the city's infrastructure. 

“Across Texas, we must ensure our communities are more protected against devasting storms in the future,” said Commissioner Bush. “The grants we are announcing today are from the first round of mitigation funding to help vulnerable communities along the Texas coast increase public safety, prevent property damage or loss, and minimize potential hardship on Texans following storms. GLO is proud to partner with communities like Hallettsville and Moulton to address this tremendous need.”

“Improving and upgrading storm water drainage systems throughout Lavaca County has been an area of critical need for years,” said Mayor Alice Jo Summers of the City of Hallettsville. “During Harvey alone, parts of the county got more than 19 inches of rain… and it was truly overwhelming. This welcome funding from Commissioner George P. Bush and the GLO will help the City of Hallettsville restore and improve our drainage systems to carry water away from our community, help ensure reliable water delivery service during storms, and keep roads open for emergency vehicles.” 

"Our community is very fortunate to be awarded these funds. Improving and upgrading storm water drainage systems throughout Lavaca County has been an area of critical need for years," said Mayor Mark Zimmerman of the City of Moulton. "During Harvey alone, parts of the county received more than 19 inches of rain ... and it overwhelmed our infrastructure. On behalf of our City Council, City Staff and Citizens of Moulton, I want to extend our sincere appreciation to the Honorable Commissioner George P. Bush and to the dedicated staff of the GLO. I want to assure you that the City will make the best use of these funds towards improving the health, safety and welfare of our community. The proposed project will help our community restore and improve drainage systems to carry water away from the community, help ensure reliable storm water management during storms, and keep roads open for emergency vehicles."

Texas State Senator Lois W. Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) offered her support for the grant saying, “The damage done by floods and hurricanes in our area has been a major issue. That's why I commend Commissioner Bush for recognizing our local needs and allocating these funds. This goes a long way to solve real problems and is a great example of the federal, state and local governments working together."

In May 2020, Commissioner George P. Bush announced the kick-off of the application process for the first round of more than $2.3 billion in Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to protect Texas communities hit by Hurricane Harvey and severe flooding in 2015 and 2016. During the first round, the GLO conducted three competitive application programs from the CDBG-MIT Action Plan. Those programs include:

• 2015 Floods State Mitigation Competition – GLO awarded $31,426,781 to four grantees.
• 2016 Floods State Mitigation Competition – GLO awarded 21 grantees with $135,462,438.
• Hurricane Harvey State Mitigation Competition Round 1 ($1 billion of $2,144,776,720 total)

Applications closed for the first round of funding October 28, 2020, and the GLO evaluated all 290 submitted applications in accordance with the HUD approved scoring criteria. Eligible applications with the highest scores were awarded funds. The second round of the competition will award the remaining $1,144,776,720 in mitigation funding to Hurricane Harvey eligible entities.

HUD defines mitigation as activities that increase resilience to disasters and reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of loss of life, injury, damage to and loss of property, and suffering and hardship, by lessening the impact of future disasters. HUD requires that at least 50% of total funds must be used for activities benefiting low- to moderate-income (LMI) persons.

The State of Texas CDBG Mitigation Action Plan: Building Stronger for a Resilient Future outlines the use of funds, programs, eligible applicants, and eligibility criteria as required by HUD. The plan was sent to HUD on February 3, 2020, after an extraordinary public outreach effort including a 50-day public comment period and eight regional public hearings, far-surpassing HUD requirements. HUD approved the plan March 31, 2020. For more information, please visit recovery.texas.gov/mitigation.

City of Hallettsville: Flood Control and Drainage Project - $9,882,441.85

LMI Percentage: 56.19%

Improving and upgrading storm water drainage systems throughout the city has been a critical problem for the city for many years and is part of the Lavaca County Hazard Mitigation Plan.

The proposed activities will increase resilience to disasters, reduce the long-term risk of loss of life, injury, damage to and loss of property, suffering and hardship by lessening the impact of future disasters at the following locations:

Donna Dr and Kahn St (approx. 1,281 feet north of Fairwinds St to Willis St)

• Regrade existing 5,454 LF of bar ditches
• Upgrade the existing storm sewer system with 11 new curb inlets and outfall

Market St (between 1st St and 2nd St), Ridge St (between Page St and 2nd St) and 2nd St (between Promenade St and Market St and between Ridge St and Rickaway Branch Creek)

• Remove and replace 6,823 LF of new curb and gutters; 26 Storm Sewer Inlets; 9 Grate Inlets; and

3,387 LF of Pipe

FM 957 (between Park Rd 3 & Park 2 Rd) and Park St (from FM 957 to 150 ft west on Park St)

• Remove 303 LF of bar ditches and install 303 LF of pipe with 6 grate inlets to capture the flow.

Crockett St (midway between La Grange St and Texana St)

• Remove the low water crossing and install 36 LF of box culvert to pass the flow under the roadway
• Install 160 LF of new curb and gutters and resurface the road

Texana St (between Russell Street and approximately 130 north of Church St) and Glendale St (between 5th St and Depot St)

• Remove 5 concrete flumes
• Install 16 storm sewer inlets
• Install 2,914 LF of new curb and gutters and resurface the road.

City of Moulton: Drainage Improvements and Flood Mitigation Project - $4,298,611.68

LMI Percentage: 52.13 % 

During Harvey, Moulton received over 19.5 inches of rain in a short time flooding much of the low-lying areas of the city. This flooding, caused by other hurricanes and tropical storms, has caused localized impoundment to streets and damage to residences and businesses. The flooding impairs emergency service vehicle ingress and egress and washes out roadway base and bar ditches. The flooding during Harvey also caused water service interruption. Wastewater system surcharged by storm water resulted in wastewater treatment plant overload and spill.

The project improvements will restore and improve flow conveyance through the project area, reduce flood hazard, enhance emergency vehicles ingress and egress during storms, and protect the city's infrastructure. 

The city of Moulton will execute the following improvements: 

• Acquire easements of two parcels for channel widening at South Pecan Street (south of Cedar Lane).
• Improve 10,400 LF of streets and drainage including Arnim Street, Pecan Street, Hackberry Street and Main Street.
  1. Regrade existing bar ditches
  2. Replace corrugated metal culverts
  3. Regrade drainage channels
  4. Install concrete ribbon curb along the proposed roadways and rehabilitate existing pavement.