Brazos River Authority board approves $9.8 million permitting contract for Allens Creek Reservoir

The Brazos River Authority Board of Directors voted to authorize the General Manager/CEO to negotiate a professional services contract with Gannett Fleming Inc. for permitting and preliminary design work on the Allens Creek Reservoir project and approved a fiscal-year 2025 budget amendment to increase the project budget from $500,000 to $7,230,000.

John King, chief strategic officer for the Brazos River Authority, told the board the project could produce “almost 100,000 acre-feet of water” and described Allens Creek as a “legacy project” for the agency and the basin. The board approved a contract amount not to exceed $9,803,826 for the scope of services presented by Gannett Fleming and its partners.

The approved scope covers four primary task areas: an accurate site survey and utility desktop study; a river geomorphology study to evaluate meander and sediment-transport risks near proposed pump-station locations; preliminary cultural and environmental investigations; and a geotechnical investigation including borings, cone-penetration tests and aquifer/pumping tests. Scott Birch, deputy director of the geotechnical dams and hydraulics practice at Gannett Fleming, told the board the bulk of the field work should occur in the first four to six months after notice to proceed and that the full laboratory testing program could extend to about 12 to 18 months.

Board discussion focused on three themes: the technical risks of siting intake and pump-station infrastructure near an actively meandering reach of the Brazos River; whether the preliminary studies provide a clear “go/no-go” decision point; and stewardship of funds. Director Lattimore asked whether the studies so far indicated any “fatal flaw.” King responded that earlier, pre-ownership studies existed and “to this point, we have no indication to think that there's anything that would cause a stop point,” and that the current phase is intended to identify and reduce uncertainty ahead of permitting and final design.

Scott Birch said the geotechnical work proposed is intended to reduce uncertainty for permitting and design but noted it represents roughly “40 to 50% of the full investigation” compared with Corps of Engineers recommendations to sample at tighter spacing during final design. Birch also described the team’s planned methods — traditional borings, cone-penetration tests and aquifer performance testing — and estimated an overall core project staff of about 30 engineering and science personnel, with an additional 30–40 drilling and field staff during peak field operations.

John King and the presenters emphasized river dynamics as a critical design risk. As Birch explained, portions of the Brazos in the site area have migrated over recent decades; the geomorphic study will help evaluate whether a pump station sited near a large meander would remain connected to the active channel or could become isolated in an oxbow, adding long-term cost and operational risk.

The resolution approved by the board: to authorize the General Manager/CEO to negotiate and execute a professional services contract with Gannett Fleming Incorporated for permitting and design services for the Allens Creek Reservoir project in Austin County in an amount not to exceed $9,803,826; and to amend the FY25 Allens Creek Reservoir project capital-improvement budget from $500,000 to $7,230,000 to reflect timing differences in project delivery.

The motion to adopt the resolution was made by Director Krone and seconded by Director Lattimore. The board vote was recorded as follows: Presiding Officer Flores, yes; Director Huber, yes; Director Lloyd, yes; Director Giese, yes; Director Henderson, yes; Director Krone, yes; Director Lechants, yes; Director Lattimore, yes; Director Embro, abstain; Director Parks, yes; Director Ruiz, yes; Director Savage, yes; Director Taylor, yes; Director Weldon, yes; Director Wilson, yes. The resolution passed.

Meeting participants and staff also noted next steps: completion of the survey, geomorphology, cultural and environmental reviews and initial geotechnical borings to supply the baseline information needed for a Corps of Engineers (Galveston District) Section 404 permit application and other regulatory approvals. Board members discussed gating the program and confirmed the contract contains options to stop future phases if studies reveal unmitigable conditions.

Why it matters: Allens Creek sits in Austin County near Sealy and is positioned to supply lower-basin needs near Fort Bend and Brazoria counties as the region grows. The authority holds a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality water-right permit authorizing impoundment of 145,000 acre-feet and anticipates a long-term yield near 100,000 acre-feet; the board framed the current contract as a necessary step to move the project through permitting and toward design while reducing technical and environmental uncertainty.