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At the Sept. 23, 2025 City Council Workshop Meeting, City staff and Pape-Dawson (formerly Costello Engineers) presented an update on the General Land Office (GLO) Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Drainage Improvement Project Status.
The City was awarded a CDBG-MIT grant totaling over $47.5 million in November 2021 for critical drainage improvements. Since that time, City staff and engineers have advanced the project through planning, construction design, state and federal permitting, and property acquisitions. Final construction activities are expected to begin within the next few months.
Per the grant agreement, the project completion date is November 2026. The improvements span three major watersheds (Dry Creek, Rabbs Bayou, and the Theater Ditch) and include six remaining activities designed to reduce flooding impacts that place citizens’ lives and property at risk. Once completed, these improvements are anticipated to benefit more than 33,455 residents of Rosenberg.
Dry Creek Channel Improvements (Estimated Construction Start: March 2026; End: November 2026)
- Channel improvements from SH 36 to FM 2218 will build upon the City’s on-going regional program for Dry Creek.
- Major channel improvements from Louise Street to FM 2218 include expanding and deepening the channel and concrete lining locations to create additional flow capacity and depth for Theater Ditch South improvements.
- Upstream of Louise Street, channel improvements include regrading and bank establishment, with additional improvements in future phases.
Dry Creek Detention Ponds (Estimated Construction Start: January 2026; End: October 2026)
- Pond 1 at Airport Avenue and Graeber Road is a 29.8-acre pond that will provide 145-acre feet of detention volume.
- Half of the Pond 1 will be a dry-bottom pond that does not hold water, while the other half will be a wet-bottom pond.
- Pond 2 upstream of Louise Street is a 16-acre dry pond that will provide 48-acre feet of detention volume.
Theater Ditch North (Estimated Construction Start: January 2026; End: May 2026)
- Channel improvements from Ave H to South of Ave I include regrading the channel to establish side slopes and vegetation for improved flow conveyance.
- Additional channel improvements are planned in future phases.
Theater Ditch South (Construction Start: November 2025; Ends October 2026)
- Channel improvements from just north of Avenue N to Dry Creek include deepening the channel by 3 to 5 feet and concrete lining the channel which will create additional flow capacity.
- Replacing box culverts at Avenue N and Laurel Street will further reduce flooding in and along Avenue N.
Rabbs Bayou and Pond (Construction Start: October 2025; Ends September 2026)
- The Rabbs Bayou pond is a 22-acre dry-bottom detention pond that provides 59 acre-feet of detention volume.
- Channel improvements from Lane Drive to the detention pond include replacing culverts on Lane Drive, Wilson Drive and Pecan Park Drive. Phased road closures and detours will occur on these roads during construction.
- These improvements will reduce flooding along Lane Drive and the surrounding areas by reducing 100-year ponding levels by 6 inches and up to 2 feet within this area.
Graeber Storm Improvements (Construction Start: October 2025; End: Summer 2026)
- This project includes the installation of a box culvert system along Graeber Road designed to capture and drain stormwater from Avenue N and upstream from an area of 63.7 acres which includes areas to Jones Street.
- Curb inlets at Junker Street and Avenue N will improve stormwater collection and reduce localized flooding.
- Graeber Road will be closed to through traffic during construction. The City recognizes this closure will affect school traffic for Navarro Middle School and George Junior High School, as well as nearby businesses. To minimize disruption, a detour plan is being developed to keep traffic moving as smoothly as possible. The City appreciates the patience and cooperation of residents, schools, and businesses as these essential improvements move forward.
For more information on the CDBG-MIT Drainage Project and other infrastructure improvements, visit RosenbergTX.Gov or contact Citizens Relations at 832-595-3301.
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