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The Brazos River rises and falls due to the amount of rainfall upstream of the District within the Brazos River watershed.  When significant rainfall occurs upstream, the National Weather Service will issue forecasts for the Brazos River to alert residents of anticipated conditions so that informed decisions can be made related to potential impacts from rising water. The nearest river gauge and forecast site is the Brazos River at Richmond, at the US 90A bridge, approximately 8.8 miles upriver from the I-69/US 59 crossing. The forecast estimates the level of the river at the gauge, the level provided is in gauge feet (not feet above sea level).  To convert gauge feet to sea level add 27.02’.  Because LID 17 is downstream from the gauge, the water level in the Brazos River will be lower than at the gauge, generally about 6-7’.  The Districts’ consultants monitor the river levels and forecasts.  When necessary, the District responds, per the Emergency Action Plan, with required activities to protect the District and properties therein from potential harm.  For reference;

• A gauge elevation at the Richmond gauge of 37 would correlate to gravity outfall being restricted at Pump Station 2 (south of UH) such that pumping operations might be required if there is rainfall within the District.
• A gauge elevation at the Richmond gauge of 43 would correlate to gravity outfall being restricted at Pump Station 1 (north of I-69/US59) and pumping operations might be required if there is rainfall within the District.
• On September 1, 2017, following Hurricane Harvey the Brazos River crested at a high of 55.19’

For additional information regarding current Brazos River levels, you may visit the following websites;

• “Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management”
• “National Weather Service Brazos River Forecast at Richmond”
• “US Geological Survey Water Resources Site for the Brazos River at Richmond”

Residents in the Avalon at Telfair may have noticed some work in the big ditch (known as Ditch H). The Fort Bend Drainage District is repairing the side slopes of the ditch to fix some naturally occurring erosion. The ditch is close to the FBCLID 17 East Levee so we wanted to give our residents an update of the work.

Natural erosion of Ditch “H” seems to be caused by multiple sand layers within the side slopes of the ditch. When water levels rise in the ditch, the fine sands get saturated and are carried away when the water levels recede in the ditch creating voids that result in erosion or “sloughing” of the side slopes. The District has been watching the erosion because of its proximity to the bottom of the District’s levee.

Although this erosion repair project is being done by the Fort Bend Drainage District, our FBCLID 17 worked closely with the Drainage District on possible options for repair. We helped to prioritize this erosion repair project by purchasing the timber pile material used for the project. In return, the Drainage District provided the labor and equipment to install the timber piles and to re-establish the side slopes. This work will be ongoing for a while to protect the side slopes of Ditch H and reduce erosion into our levee.

General The District is a political subdivision of the State of Texas, created by order of the Fort Bend County Commissioners’ Court, adopted on July 9, 2002, and operates pursuant to Chapter 49 and 57 of the Texas Water Code.

The District is a conservation and reclamation district created pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 57, Texas Water Code and Article XVI, Section 59 of the Texas Constitution. The principal functions of the District include constructing and maintaining levees and other improvements on, along and contiguous to rivers, creeks and streams within and adjacent to the District; reclamation of lands within the District from overflow from these streams; the control and distribution of the waters of rivers and streams within and adjacent to the District by straightening and otherwise improving them; the provision of proper drainage and other improvements of the reclaimed land within the District and developing and maintaining recreational facilities.

The District contains approximately 2,331 acres of land and is located approximately 22 miles southwest of the central downtown business district of the City of Houston and lies wholly within the boundaries of the City of Sugar Land. The District also lies within the boundaries of the Fort Bend Independent School District. Access to the District is provided by U.S. Highway 59 (Interstate 69) to University Boulevard