Wichita Falls pivots stormwater strategy, taps HDR for major flood mitigation study

Wichita Falls pivots stormwater strategy, taps HDR for major flood mitigation studyUnable to cash-fund large-scale drainage improvements through its existing stormwater utility, the Texas city is preparing to court federal and state partners to tackle historic flooding along the Wichita River and East Plum Creek.

The city generates about $2.6 million annually for capital projects through its stormwater utility, which is insufficient for major flood control projects that could cost hundreds of millions.

Staff plan to present a professional services agreement with engineering firm HDR to prepare a preliminary engineering report on flood mitigation alternatives.

The study will focus on the Wichita River and East Plum Creek, aiming to calculate the cost-benefit ratios required to compete for grants from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, or the Texas Water Development Board.

Without a funding partner, city staff noted that the only viable alternative to execute the large-scale projects would be taking on municipal debt.

Wichita Falls, Texas, is overhauling its approach to stormwater infrastructure funding as it sets its sights on large-scale flood mitigation projects for the Wichita River and East Plum Creek. During a July 22, 2026, city council meeting, staff outlined a necessary shift away from the city's traditional pay-as-you-go model for drainage improvements. Currently, the city’s stormwater utility fee—which charges commercial customers $63 per month for every acre of impervious surface and residents $5.10 per month (based on 2025 rates)—generates approximately $3.8 million in annual revenue. With 20% dedicated to operations and maintenance, only about $2.6 million remains for capital projects each year. Historically, the city has allowed these funds to accumulate for three to five years to cash-fund smaller, prioritized drainage projects without taking on debt. However, a staff member noted that this financial model is vastly inadequate for the scale of improvements needed on the Wichita River and East Plum Creek. For context, staff estimated that a previous channelization project on Holiday Creek, completed in 1998 in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, would cost approximately $250 million to replicate today. To bridge this massive funding gap, the city is preparing to actively court external funding partners, specifically targeting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Texas Water Development Board, and FEMA. As a first step, staff announced plans to execute a professional services agreement with global engineering firm HDR at an upcoming council meeting. HDR will be tasked with preparing a preliminary engineering report to evaluate flood mitigation alternatives for the targeted waterways. Crucially, the engineering report will calculate the cost-benefit ratios of various alternatives, a strict requirement for securing federal grant money. Staff warned that the city must present projects with high benefits and low costs to successfully compete against other U.S. communities for the limited federal and state dollars. If the city fails to secure a funding partner for the targeted flood control improvements, staff indicated that the only remaining option to execute the projects would be to borrow the money—a move the city has historically been unwilling to make for its drainage priorities. The renewed focus on flood control follows a long history of devastating floods in Wichita Falls, most notably in 2007, which flooded 167 homes in the Tanglewood subdivision and prompted the creation of the city's 2011 drainage master plan. While the city has completed or initiated eight of the top 20 projects identified in that master plan, the lack of improvements along East Plum Creek has left a significant portion of the city's east side vulnerable to ongoing flood hazards.