In January 2024, the City of Sugar Land approved a $28 million grant application to address bank erosion along the Brazos River. Referred to as Project Brazos, the proposed scope includes two large bends of the Brazos River near the LID 15 levee that protects Riverstone. The LID 15 levee and Riverstone residents do not face any imminent danger from the Brazos River. This erosion prevention project will provide long-term protection to Riverstone when the Brazos tries to change course in the future. The proposed design, picture below, was recommended by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and their river erosion specialists at the Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg, MS.
The City of Sugar Land, in cooperation with Fort Bend County and the Texas Water Development Board, will manage and fund Project Brazos in the areas near Riverstone. The City already owns the land between the LID 15 levee and the Brazos River, but LID 15 will need to provide access easements to reach these construction areas outside the levee. Fortunately, access roads already exist for both proposed levee crossings. The City is currently starting the Request for Qualifications process and hopes to select a design engineer this summer for the Project Brazos areas near Riverstone.
