From the City of Bellaire:
We are pleased to announce that Bellaire will receive $54 million from the State of Texas for the Cypress Ditch Flood Mitigation Project. Residents in Bellaire and the surrounding area have been significantly affected by flooding in the last two decades. This project will reduce flooding and flood impacts in Bellaire, the Gulfton area, and along the I-610 corridor.
Thanks to the coordinated efforts of State Representative Ann Johnson, State Senator Molly Cook, Harris County Flood Control District, Bellaire Mayor Gus Pappas, and Bellaire City Manager Sharon Citino, the Cypress Ditch Project can proceed and is an essential component of Bellaire’s Regional Flood Mitigation Program.
“We’re grateful the state budget includes funding for the Cypress Ditch project, an important investment in flood mitigation for Bellaire and nearby neighborhoods. I was proud to work with local leaders to help make this possible, and encouraged to see the state recognize the importance of protecting our region,” said State Representative Ann Johnson.
In a quote from State Senator Molly Cook she says, “This $54 million investment is critical to build regional resilience and prevent future catastrophic flooding in Bellaire and adjacent southwest Houston communities. The City of Bellaire exemplified servant leadership by coordinating this project for the region. Their tireless advocacy at the Legislature brought this funding across the finish line, and I was honored to support them alongside Representative Ann Johnson. I would especially like to thank Chair Joan Huffman for prioritizing this project in the budget, and I look forward to watching it come to fruition.”
Mayor Gus Pappas states, “This appropriation was a perfect example of how government should work at the local and state levels to attack and address real problems that affect the lives and property of its citizens. I am so ever appreciative of our local team as well as State Representative Ann Johnson, our State Senator Molly Cook and to the senate finance committee headed up by Senator Joan Huffman, all for championing and supporting this important project for our region as well as for the support of the small town Mayors in our area.”
The next steps include project planning and development with a target to have portions of the project shovel ready by the end of 2025.
Visit bellaretx.gov/cypressditch for project information. Contact Community Relations Administrator Cheryl Bright cbright@bellairetx.gov with questions.
