Tropical Storm Harvey has hit the Stonegate area, and people who live nearby are calling it a flooding hotspot.
PORT ARTHUR, Texas — With 38 days left until hurricane season, flooding is top of mind for everyone, especially residents of Port Arthur's Stonegate neighborhood.
Tropical Storm Harvey has hit the Stonegate area, and people who live nearby are calling it a flooding hotspot.
Currently, the City of Port Arthur is investing $17.8 million to improve drainage in the area off Ninth Avenue.
The city is using federal funds to complete the Stonegate Drainage Improvement Project, which aims to expand the size of current infrastructure and improve the city's drainage system.
“During Harvey, the entire golf course was flooded with four or five feet of water. There was only one home on the golf course that didn't flood,” said Mickey Hahn, clubhouse manager at Babe Zacharias Golf Course. he said.
The golf course off Jimmie Johnson Boulevard serves as a reservoir to protect the Stonegate area during flooding.
To help with this, the City of Port Arthur is draining water from golf course ponds and expanding drainage infrastructure.
“We're going to dig out the pond, widen it, and use it as a detention pond. We hope that if a similar flood occurs again, it will alleviate the flooding problem for our neighbors across the street,” Hahn said. said.
Hani Thome, a consultant with Golden Triangle Consulting Engineers, told 12News this will help the drainage system protect against heavy rains and hurricanes.
“Simply put, what this project will do is increase the size of the infrastructure and improve retention on the golf course. This will remove water from the roads very quickly without causing further flooding. It's the same thing that happened with Harvey,''' Thome said.
Gail Watson's wheelchair-bound sister had to be rescued by boat during Harvey. Now she is urging others to be patient as the $17.8 million Stonegate drainage improvement project could take up to two years to complete.
“People will complain about the traffic and I have to go this way and it takes longer to go the other way, but in the end something will be done and everyone will be happy. , I think we're finally happy that we're not going to be without water in our homes or cut off water to our streets,'' Watson said.
There will be community meetings where residents can ask questions, voice concerns and learn more about the project. It will be held Thursday at 6 p.m. in a conference room at the City of Port Arthur Public Health Facility.
