Cameron County to pursue $13M TWDB grant for regional drainage master plan with Hidalgo County

Cameron County staff notified the Commissioners Court it will seek a Texas Water Development Board Flood Infrastructure Fund award of $13,000,000 to develop a regional master drainage plan covering Cameron and Hidalgo counties. Staff described the grant as 90% provided by TWDB with a 10% local match and said the planning work would produce 30% engineering designs, alternatives and cost estimates to position projects for construction funding.

The court approved moving forward with procurement of engineering services subject to legal and purchasing review and noted an executive‑session item would also discuss the matter. Staff estimated the planning effort would take approximately 36 months once funding is secured. Commissioner discussions covered procurement pathways and use of preapproved engineering firms to expedite the process. The motion to proceed was approved subject to purchasing and legal review.