The Harris County Flood Control District recently celebrated the groundbreaking of an $18.6 million project to construct Compartment 1B of the T.C. Jester Stormwater Detention Basin in the Cypress Creek watershed.

Located on approximately 44 acres along T.C. Jester Boulevard, Compartment 1B is designed to provide approximately 793 acre-feet of stormwater storage capacity, adding significant space for stormwater during heavy rain events.

The overall basin is planned to include four stormwater detention compartments on both sides of T.C. Jester Boulevard between Cypresswood Drive and Cypress Creek. Together, the completed compartments are expected to provide approximately 1,200 acre-feet of stormwater storage capacity.

Construction on Compartment 1B is now underway and is currently expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2027.

The project is moving forward with support from federal, state and local funding partners. Compartment 1B has received state community-directed funding through the Texas Water Development Board and federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding.

Why This Project Matters

Stormwater detention basins give excess stormwater a place to temporarily collect during heavy rainfall. As water surface elevations in nearby channels recede, the stored stormwater can gradually drain back into the drainage system.

That additional storage can reduce the amount of stormwater entering Cypress Creek and its tributaries at the same time, helping reduce flood risk in surrounding communities.

This is especially important in the Cypress Creek watershed, where regional drainage studies have identified stormwater backing up from Cypress Creek into tributaries as a major contributor to flooding.

Residents traveling near the construction area should watch for construction traffic, follow posted warning signs, and avoid entering active work areas.

Follow the progress of Compartment 1B and the T.C. Jester Stormwater Detention Basin and explore other flood risk reduction projects underway throughout the Cypress Creek watershed.