Posting Language
Title
Approve a resolution authorizing the submission of an application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program for funding for the East Bouldin Creek - Annie Street Flood Risk Reduction Project. Funding: Submission of the application has no fiscal impact. If successful and federal funds are awarded, Watershed Protection will be required to contribute 25% in matching funds. In that event, staff will return to City Council to authorize the execution of a funding agreement, accept and appropriate federal funds, and contribute the local match.
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Lead Department
Austin Watershed Protection.
Fiscal Note
This item has no fiscal impact.
For More Information:
Janae Spence, Assistant Director, 512-974-6591; Jennifer Massie-Gore, Managing Engineer, 512-974-7774; Taja Beekley, Capital Improvement Program Manager, 512-974-3301.
Additional Backup Information:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program makes federal funds available to states, U.S. territories, federally recognized Tribal Nations, and local governments for hazard mitigation activities. It does so by recognizing the need to upgrade and modernize the nation’s infrastructure against the growing risks to communities and the need for natural risk mitigation activities that promote resilience with respect to natural hazards.
On March 25, 2026, FEMA published the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the BRIC grant program. The application submission deadline is July 23, 2026. For this grant application cycle, the available funding is $757,000,000 for the National Competition category. These funds help address cost-effective infrastructure and shovel-ready construction projects designed to improve resilience and public safety. The Texas Division of Emergency Management is the state administrator of the BRIC program and requires an earlier sub-application submission deadline of June 1, 2026.
Austin Watershed Protection (WPD) intends to submit a sub-application for construction services, seeking
up to the maximum award amount of $20,000,000 in federal funding. Project cost share is required for all sub-applications funded under this grant program. If successful and federal funds are awarded, WPD will be required to contribute 25% in matching funds. In that event, staff will return to City Council to authorize the execution of a funding agreement, accept and appropriate federal funds, and contribute the local match. Matching funds are available in the WPD’s capital budget.
The proposed improvements focus on the mitigation of localized flooding impacts associated with a failing storm drain system in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood of south-central Austin. The project area is a densely populated residential area in the East Bouldin Creek watershed. The undersized and aging storm drainage system has deteriorated and must be replaced. The project will reduce the flood risk for 95 structures, including single-family and multi-family homes and businesses, by improving the storm drain networks that were constructed in the 1930s. The proposed improvements consist of the replacement of nearly 3,000 feet of aging existing storm drains. It also includes the addition of approximately 2,000 feet of pipe to increase the capture and capacity of the storm drain network. The project scope includes upgrading the outfalls of these systems in East Bouldin Creek at Annie Street, Mary Street, and Johanna Street. Additionally, the scope includes the improvement of aging water and wastewater lines, along with the improvement of sidewalks and alleys throughout the neighborhood. The overall contributing drainage area for the three project outfalls is 80 acres and stretches to the southeast of the project boundaries. The project is bounded by South 1st Street on the west, South Congress Avenue on the east, Annie Street on the north, and West Live Oak Street on the south.
This project is listed in the City of Austin’s Hazard Mitigation Action Plan approved by FEMA.
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