Major Watershed Planning Project Positions HR Green at the Forefront of Regional Flood Mitigation in Texas

HR Green is playing a pivotal role in one of the largest watershed planning efforts in Southeast Texas, supporting Jefferson County Drainage District No. 6 (DD6) in developing a Regional Watershed Plan covering more than 1,200 square miles.

Our team played a critical role in the study from the very beginning, assisting Jefferson County DD6 with procurement of the $8.5M Flood Infrastructure Fund grant to perform the study. The project focuses on updating previous studies for Taylors and Hillebrandt Bayous and launching new analysis for the Pine Island Bayou watershed.

Efforts have centered on the Hillebrandt Bayou system—an area with some of the region’s highest flood risks—where we’ve delivered advanced hydrologic and hydraulic modeling using HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS 2D, including over 500 crossing structures. Informed by calibrated models and a robust structural inventory, we identified and evaluated targeted flood mitigation strategies, paving the way for a long-term, actionable, and fundable implementation plan.

As the current phase nears completion, our team is gearing up for the next stage of this critical initiative, supported by a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant. This next phase will expand flood risk reduction strategies into the Taylors and Pine Island Bayou watersheds, with a focus on major infrastructure such as storm sewer diversions, large diameter tunnels, and channel conveyance and detention storage—continuing our commitment to protecting communities and building regional resilience.