Mercer Basin Illustrates Risks of HCFCD Slowdown for Quarter Billion in HUD Funding

8/8/25 – The Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin at FM1960 and the Hardy Tollroad along Cypress Creek illustrates the difficulty HCFCD will face as it attempts to build 11 comparable basins in the next year and a half.

The Mercer Basin, originally projected to take one year – on an expedited schedule – has taken more than two years already and is still many more months from completion.

HUD Funds Come with Expiration Date

In June this year, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) received approval of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR) grants to build 11 stormwater detention basins worth $326 million.

One (Arbor Oaks) is already in construction. But ten more projects valued at $289 million remain to be bid. Is there enough time to complete them before HUD’s immovable February 28, 2027, deadline?

The next ten basins don’t have 2.5 years. So unless HCFCD picks up its pace, low-to-moderate income areas across Harris County could lose a quarter billion dollars in funding. They can’t afford that.

Neither can areas like Lake Houston. Because Commissioners Court will start cancelling projects here to divert funds to the areas that lost grants.

Huge Difference Between Original and Actual Timeline

At 512 acre feet, the Mercer Basin is slightly larger than average. Construction experts tell me that a basin that size should take a year to build. And, in fact, that was the estimate Rodney Ellis gave a community meeting.

But the project slid from the git-go. The county didn’t advertise it to potential bidders until 8/4/23. Then it took HCFCD four months to select a winning bid and issue a “notice to proceed” to the contractor.

Photos Taken 8/8/25 Show Construction Still Far From Complete

And the job, which was supposed to be finished a year ago this week, is still in construction. Worse, construction may not finish this year, according to a contractor I talked to who saw the pictures below.

Mercer Took 2X Longer than Predicted – So Far

From the invitation to bid to today has been 735 days – five days more than 2 years!

Even if all CDBG-DR projects in play went out for bids tomorrow, only 569 days remain until the ultimate, immovable deadline of Feb. 28, 2027. Even worse…

According to HCFCD’s latest bid schedule, 8 of 10 projects on HUD’s list won’t even go out for bid for another 2 to 10 months.

Lastest HCFCD Bid Outlook, Release 6/6/25

Here are HCFCD’s projected bid dates.

So, to summarize:

• Mercer should have taken a year to finish from the invitation to bid, but has taken two years and could take another half year.
• The other DR projects will have 18 months, but could take another 2 to 10 months before they even start bidding.

You can see the concerns. No margin for error. No weather delays allowed. And HCFCD still might not have enough time to complete projects.

George P. Bush announced this money was coming to Harris County more than four years ago when he was still commissioner of the Texas General Land Office. It took HCFCD (and the Harris County Community Services Department) four years to figure out how they wanted to spend the money he allocated. Now they’re leaving 18 months or less to actually build the projects.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/8/2025

2901 Days since Hurricane Harvey

The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.

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