15 Mar Real Solutions to Drainage & Flood Control

Flooding is one of the most pressing issues our community faces, and for years our City has struggled with the issues of drainage and flood control.

Galveston is a barrier island that is just seven feet above sea level, and as such, our problems are uniquely challenging and require innovative solutions. Couple this with the fact that some approach this issue politically with promises of fast fixes, which does a disservice to the entire community and gets us no closer to a true solution.

Flooding and Drainage control requires a well-thought-out Master Plan. It must incorporate short- and long-term solutions with realistic timetables that take advantage of all available resources, including Federal and State Funding. At Our February 24th Council meeting, we approved further updates of our Master Plan in response to recent funding for strategically placed Pump Stations and the eventual development of a Ring Barrier by the Army Corps of Engineers. This Master Plan is the most comprehensive one we have had to date. It will help us identify problems at a very high level. Using machine learning, cameras, physical surveys, and other techniques, we will identify 18-20 major problem areas to address, which will give us the most improvement for the entire Island. We are also working with the Army Corp of Engineers and the GLO to address the problem on new fronts.

The good news is that we don’t have to wait. Our Master Plan is becoming a reality. We have nearly a dozen projects that are ongoing across the Island. We are making significant progress with the planning and construction of two Pump Stations to facilitate drainage in the Eastern Harbor and English Bayou areas, the lowering and repaving of Broadway by TxDOT, and an aggressive program of upsizing our storm drains and improving our Outfalls.

There are no quick answers, but there are answers. We are achieving real progress, but we must stay the course to get the job done.

If we expect perfection or overnight solutions that are not based on the reality of our situation, we may turn back to the days when promises were made, but nothing was accomplished. I trust you to see how determined I am, and I ask that you support me as we continue to do everything in our power to make a real difference. As your Mayor, I will continue to make this a top priority because it is vital to our shared future. If you agree, I hope you will honor me with your support and vote.

Craig