Construction is scheduled to start soon to fix a gap in the Rio Grande flood control levee near Peñitas, according to a Friday news release issued by the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission.
The IBWC awarded a $6.4 million contract on Dec. 23, 2021, to Conti Federal Service, LLC to make the repairs.
“By closing the levee gap, this project will provide flood protection for the cities of Peñitas and Mission, Texas,” Juan Uribe, USIBWC area operations manager for the Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project, said via the news release.
The project is entirely located inside the USIBWC Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project and sits adjacent to the international border with Mexico, according to IBWC. The levee segments are located adjacent to the Peñitas pump station.
Construction will include approximately 800 linear feet of levee improvements.
“The major construction features include levee construction, construction of floodwalls, replacing an existing gatewell structure, and the construction of levee ramps,” the news release said.
Work was divided into two phases, the first of which focused on the rehabilitation of Hidalgo County Irrigation District 1’s pump house in Edinburg and the construction of a portion of floodwall adjacent to the pump house. The first phase was already completed, and the second will begin in January with the design. Construction for the second phase is expected to start in the first quarter of 2023.
“Phase 2 will tie into the floodwalls built under Phase 1 and will effectively complete the levee work in this area, closing the gap near the pump house that has existed since the flood control system was constructed,” the news release added.
IBWC will prepare and submit the levee certification package to the Federal Emergency Management Agency once construction is complete.
“Our partners at Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 1 have been instrumental in moving this multi-phase project forward for the betterment of the community,” Uribe said.
