In 2012, the President signed the RESTORE Act, establishing the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund in the U.S. Treasury Department. The fund's primary objective is to provide necessary resources for projects and initiatives aiming to preserve and revive the environment and economy of the Gulf Coast region.

BPUB, in collaboration with the COB, applied for RESTORE funding for the Town Resaca Watershed Restoration Project. The project aims to restore the system and consists of four phases spanning nine years. The project will address three main objectives:

• The project will restore critical aquatic and riparian habitats within the watershed for various bird and wildlife species that live or migrate through the region.
• The project will improve water quality within the immediate project area and in the Brownsville Ship Channel and Lower Laguna Madre.
• The project will improve community resiliency and economic vitality by increasing the capacity and efficiency of the primary drainage system.

In 2020, BPUB was awarded $4.6 Million over two years for Phase I of the project via a reimbursement contract. Phase I improvements include:

• dredging an estimated 57,000 cubic yards of resaca material (i.e., sediment, sand, debris, litter)
• replacing two deteriorating weir structures and a failed gate valve
• Installation of twelve (10) stormwater interceptors and bank improvements that include planting of native vegetation. In 2024

BPUB was awarded an additional $1.9 Million for the project. Phase I dredging began in April 2022.

Current status:

Dredging = 100% complete

Dredge Map

Engineering design of water control infrastructure and bank improvements: 100% complete.

Water control infrastructure and bank improvement construction: Bank improvements are underway. Water control infrastructure improvements are to begin in Spring of 2025.

*Please note that to receive additional RESTORE funding for the remaining phases (2-4), BPUB/COB must apply for funding for each project phase.

In 2015, the BPUB and COB partnered with the USACE to conduct a feasibility study on restoring the Brownsville Resacas ecosystem. The Resacas Interim Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment, completed in 2018, recommended the National Ecosystem Restoration (NER) plan. The plan involves restoring the Resaca De La Guerra and Resaca Del Rancho Viejo over sixteen contracts. The NER Plan includes an estimated design and construction timeline subject to change based on design and construction schedules. Notably, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recertified the total project cost for the NER Plan identified in the feasibility study with an estimated cost of $311,192,323.17 in 2022.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recertifies the total project costs for the NER plan every five years to account for inflation on labor, equipment, material, and fuel.

Despite the fluidity of the project, BPUB remains committed to successfully restoring the Brownsville Resacas ecosystem.

Additional Documents:

The Resacas Interim Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment

Appendix_A

Appendix_B

Appendix_C

Appendix_D

Appendix_E

Appendix_F

CERTIFICATION OF LEGAL REVIEW

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; WaterSmart Resaca De La Guerra Resilience and Restoration Project:

• The proposed project will remove approximately 44,000 cubic yards of sediment to restore approximately 27 acre-feet of aquatic habitat and add 27 acre-feet of storage capacity, install native vegetation along the resaca banks
  to restore approximately 3,000 linear feet of riparian corridor;
• Remove invasive vegetation in the riparian corridor, add 2,000 linear feet of walking trails, and install three (3) stormwater treatment units to remove sediment, trash, and debris from stormwater runoff before draining into the resaca.
• Total project cost estimated at $4,654,700
• Submitted grant application on June 25, 2024, for a request of $3,000,000
• Funds generated from the Resaca Fee can be used to local share not covered by the grant ($1,654,700)
  Current status: BPUB received a response letter with full funding of $3,000,000.

Pending Financial Assistance Agreement