Flower Mound residents press council for action on chronic drainage and culvert failures in Cross Timbers

Dozens of residents of the Cross Timbers area appealed to the Flower Mound Town Council at a March 20 work session for repairs and a broader study after repeated flooding, washed-out yards and eroded culverts in neighborhoods including Ridgecrest, Raintree, Sunset Trail, Surveyors Lane and Woodridge.

The residents urged immediate repairs and a longer-term, town-funded stormwater study. At the meeting town staff described a short-term maintenance project — replacement of a failing headwall and about 25 feet of 48-inch reinforced concrete pipe at the Sunset Trail crossing — and recommended residents fill out drainage-assessment forms so staff can inspect private-property issues and prioritize work. James (staff), speaking near the start of the town presentation, told residents to “fill those forms out before you leave and leave that information so we can, get you in the queue.”

Why it matters: Residents say the drainage path that runs from Raintree south across Ridgecrest and under Sunset Trail to Grapevine Lake has become shallower and more obstructed over years of silt and vegetation growth, leaving many yards and low-lying properties frequently waterlogged and accelerating erosion. Several speakers said erosion has undermined fences, deposited sediment on yards and exposed previously buried utilities. The council and staff said the problem requires a combination of right-of-way maintenance, private-property remedies and a possible comprehensive study to identify capital projects.

Residents’ accounts and concerns

Craig Lombatus (2955 Surveyors Lane) opened public comment with photos and video, saying the “drainage issues and how it impacts our property” now expose buried cables, flood front yards and cause “significant” financial burdens for homeowners who have tried to redirect flow…