The Texas Water Development Board recently awarded $4.75 million to the city of Corpus Christi to improve its stormwater system. The grant is funded through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
Corpus Christi will use the money to plan and design a project to upgrade a 12-mile section of the Oso Creek Channel and several miles of earthen channels that take stormwater to Oso Creek. The project is anticipated to improve the capacity of the city’s stormwater system and reduce stormwater pollution.
Oso Creek is the primary natural stormwater conveyance for the region in the southwest portion of the city. It extends 24 miles through the city’s limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction. As recently as July 2021, Oso Creek flooded over Oso Parkway when it was 7 feet above flood stage.
The creek has been subjected to severe floods, including four major storms since September 2010. Each event led to significant flood damage in several neighborhoods, including the Lakes, Kings Crossing, Sun Valley Estates, Oso Parkway, and Cedar Ridge.