Drainage Improvements of North Port Acres Area

AWC provided hydrology and hydraulic analysis for more than 400 properties in the northern Port Acres area of Port Arthur, Texas. Funded through FEMA Disaster Recovery grants following Hurricane Harvey, this project was critical in helping the City of Port Arthur plan and secure construction funding for essential drainage improvements. The project focused on areas near 67th Street and Garnett Avenue, which experienced repeated flooding during Hurricane Harvey and subsequent severe rainfall events. AWC conducted detailed drainage modeling and developed improvement plans designed to convey a 25-year, 24-hour storm event. Recommended improvements included replacement of the main drainage trunk line, driveway culvert upgrades, and the cleaning and regrading of roadside ditches. One of the project’s greatest challenges involved coordination with multiple agencies, including TxDOT and Drainage District No. 7, due to the project’s proximity to Highway 365 and an active TxDOT overpass redesign.

During construction planning, AWC discovered three abandoned pipelines containing residual product located beneath a major open ditch originally slated to serve as the main drainage trunk line. AWC developed and analyzed an alternative alignment that rerouted the trunk line along Highway 365, then through Jade Avenue, 66th Street, and Garnett Avenue. This alternative not only avoided costly utility conflicts but ultimately saved the City between $1 million and $1.25 million. Implementing this revised alignment required additional coordination and design work, including the redesign of the sanitary sewer system, construction of conflict structures, and accommodation of existing water and service lines within narrow neighborhood streets. Through proactive problem-solving, close collaboration with the City of Port Arthur, and effective coordination with TxDOT and DD7, AWC delivered a cost-effective and efficient design solution.