Fort Worth lands $90m flood mitigation grant as water department secures AAA bond rating

Fort Worth lands $90m flood mitigation grant as water department secures AAA bond ratingThe Texas city is advancing major stormwater capital projects and celebrating a historic financial milestone for its water department, 20 years after catastrophic flooding prompted the creation of its dedicated stormwater utility.

Fort Worth was recently awarded a $90 million flood infrastructure grant for the Upper Lebeau flood mitigation project.

Standard & Poor's has upgraded the Fort Worth Water Department's bonds to a AAA rating, marking a historic financial first for the city.

A newly established culvert inspection program has evaluated 2,600 of the city's 4,000 culverts since fiscal year 2024, resulting in 1,600 cleanings.

The city's stormwater utility has successfully mitigated flooding for 125 homes in the Westcliff and Greenfield Acres neighborhoods.

The City of Fort Worth has secured a $90 million flood infrastructure grant for its Upper Lebeau flood mitigation project, a major capital milestone announced during a May 5 city council worksession. The funding announcement coincided with the 20th anniversary of the city's stormwater utility, which was established following a catastrophic 2004 flooding event that resulted in five fatalities. Since its inception, the utility has leveraged initial nominal fees into significant capital project investments aimed at protecting residents and property from hazardous stormwater runoff. During the worksession, city staff outlined a series of recent operational and infrastructure milestones. A new culvert inspection program, launched in fiscal year 2024, has rapidly accelerated maintenance efforts. Crews have already inspected 2,600 of the city's 4,000 culverts and cleaned 1,600, directly mitigating local flood risks. The utility has also completed targeted residential flood mitigation projects, protecting 125 homes in the Westcliff and Greenfield Acres neighborhoods. In areas where immediate infrastructure improvements are not feasible to prevent hazardous road overtopping, the city has maintained high-water warning flasher systems at more than 60 locations. Additionally, the utility launched a vehicle navigation notification system in 2024 to reroute drivers away from high-water areas ahead of time. The stormwater team's ongoing efforts were recently recognized with a 2025 Excellence Award from the Texas Floodplain Management Association, underscoring the utility's operational transformation over the past two decades. In a separate but significant financial development for the city's broader water infrastructure, City Manager Jay Chapa announced that Standard & Poor's (S&P) has assigned a AAA rating to the Fort Worth Water Department's bonds. Chapa noted the historic nature of the upgrade, stating it is the first time in his memory—dating back to before 1994—that the city has achieved a AAA rating.