Laredo riverfront committee reviews draft scope for flood‑risk study tied to potential federal border infrastructure

Ramon Chavez, assistant city manager for the City of Laredo, told the Mayor's Riverfront Committee that the city is preparing a multi‑phase technical study of flood risk along the river corridor and plans to solicit qualified consultants.

"I'm a licensed professional engineer in the state of Texas and also a certified flood plane manager in Texas," Chavez said as he introduced the draft scope, which staff described as a procurement document not yet public because it is part of an ongoing solicitation process. The draft lists work in three phases: (1) existing conditions, geomorphology validation and baseline assessment; (2) evaluation of infrastructure, obstructions and flood‑impact assessments for future projects; and (3) hydrology and hydraulic modeling tied to FEMA maps.

Chavez said the study would examine the corridor from the Columbia Bridge to the Laredo city limits — "approximately 41 miles of river corridor" — and evaluate bridges, levees, monitoring systems, existing buoy installations and "proposed federal border security improvements" among other infrastructure elements. He said the consultant selection will be based on qualifications and that staff intends to validate prior technical reports as part of phase one.

Several members told Chavez the study should make room to assess the impacts of any federal border wall or related installations. "The only reason that you guys are doing this study is because they're putting up the wall and the city council is concerned about the additional flooding risk that the wall will cause," Ricardo Deanda, a committee member, said. Deanda urged the committee to include a timeline in the contract so experts can quantify flood risks and propose mitigation measures the city could use when negotiating with federal agencies.

Committee members also pressed staff on whether elements such as buoys in international waters would be considered; Chavez said the scope deliberately includes existing and proposed infrastructure so the consultant can assess how any such features would affect flood conveyance and public safety. The draft also directs consultants to review current FEMA flood maps and to perform hydraulic and sediment‑transport analyses to determine whether map updates are warranted.

Staff said they expect to post the RFQ in July but acknowledged there is no dedicated funding for the study yet. Chavez and other staff noted that inclusion in FEMA mapping work could cover a portion of the cost, but they did not identify a confirmed funding source or total budget. Members asked that the procurement contract include firm delivery dates and milestones; staff agreed to pursue a timeline in evaluation and contracting.

The committee asked staff to circulate the draft materials to members and agreed to follow up at a meeting before the July 27 City Council session so the committee could prepare to present any formal recommendations. Staff said they will publish the solicitation materials and an anticipated selection schedule once procurement is ready.

The meeting concluded with staff noting the study's intended uses — planning, infrastructure investment, regulatory coordination, emergency preparedness and operational resilience — and with an agreement to return with a timeline, funding options, and the circulated action items that members had requested be presented to council.

Next steps: staff expects to release the solicitation in July (exact date not specified) and to provide an updated schedule and funding status to the committee before the next meeting.