HARLINGEN, Texas (KVEO) — The City of Harlingen received a big boost for its plan to mitigate flooding in the area.
The Texas Water Development Board awarded Harlingen a total of $5,613,300 to put through a regional flood plan study that focuses on areas that drain into the Arroyo Colorado.
Although the money was awarded to Harlingen, the plan encompasses 297 miles of land in the Rio Grande Valley. Cities that fall in the area for the study include Combes, Harlingen, La Feria, Mercedes, Rio Hondo, Rangerville, San Benito, Palm Valley, Primera, Progresso, Santa Rosa, and other remote areas of Cameron and Hidalgo counties.
According to Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell, this flood plan will help the entire Rio Grande Valley.
The RGV has experienced five federally declared flood events in the past five years.
Harlingen officials hope to form a concise effort to prevent flooding by partnering with entities within the region.
The flood study aims to determine how much funding is needed to construct a fully-fledged drainage project.
City officials hope to begin the study in March 2021 and complete it by September 2022.
