News Story

In October 2023, City Council approved a 15% Stormwater utility fee increase for FY24, effective January 2024. Along with the Stormwater utility fee increases in FY20, FY24 and the recently approved FY25 increase, the Stormwater rate has increased seven times since the utility’s inception.

• These increases are significantly advancing the City’s efforts to keep its residents, homes and businesses safer from flood risks and reducing emergency response needs associated with flooding. Overall, however, known needs continue to exceed the program’s available resources. 

What’s been accomplished so far for the capital improvement projects portion? This portion is funding the initial delivery phase for three large flood mitigation projects over a 15-year timeframe: Upper Lebow, Linwood/W. Seventh Street and the Berry/McCart area.

Over the last fiscal year, the program has advanced these projects in the following ways:

Upper Lebow

• Began project development phase working on preliminary channel design, utility coordination and property acquisition.

• Submitted two Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant applications.

• Submitted a state grant application to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Flood Infrastructure Fund.

• Began property acquisition needed to construct future improvements.

Linwood/West Seventh

• Updated the existing drainage system model to better understand the current flood risk and allow for accurate evaluation and project development of flood mitigation alternatives.

• Held meetings with the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) to understand the impacts of potential outfall improvements to the Trinity River water levels and water quality regulations. 

• Evaluated potential detention and conveyance improvements to identify alternatives to advance into project development.

  Berry/McCart

• Began project development phase on future drainage improvements along Sandage Avenue.

• Collaborated with Texas Christian University regarding potential partnership opportunities.

What’s been accomplished so far for the maintenance portion? As mentioned above, half of the FY24 Stormwater utility fee increase is going toward maintenance service level improvements. Implementation of a five-year plan for these improvements is underway. 

During FY24, Stormwater Field Operations kicked off a proactive citywide culvert inspection program to improve the prioritization of culvert cleaning needs. The City is responsible for approximately 4,000 culverts.  This new program is the outcome of previously unidentified culvert maintenance concerns creating flood risks.

Five new staff were hired for this program in FY24 and as of December 2024, 666 culverts have now been inspected and 586 culverts have been cleaned, exceeding the City’s initial projections for the program’s first year. 

The table below shows the estimated annual culvert inspection and cleaning capacity before and after the recent service level improvements.

The second Stormwater maintenance program service level improvement in FY24 focused on the drainage pipe condition assessment program. A new seven-person team was created to inspect, clean and proactively plan ahead for drainage pipe condition assessments. This program accelerates the condition assessment process, enabling the City to more quickly identify and prioritize locations in need of rehabilitation, keeping the community safer from sinkholes. The work also accelerates the removal of trash and debris from the City’s drainage pipe system, which improves stormwater conveyance, mitigating the risk of flooding due to debris build-up in the storm drain system.

The table below shows the estimated annual pipe inspection and cleaning capacity before and after the recent service level improvements.

During FY24, in addition to the expanded service levels in the above two programs, Stormwater Field Operations:

• Maintained 5.8 miles of engineered channels through silt removal and re-establishing grade.
• Maintained 5.1 miles of bar ditches through regrading and silt removal to improve drainage.
• Restored 1.4 miles of engineered channels by rebuilding highly eroded channel slopes.
• Mowed 1,665 acres of right-of-way to ensure effective stormwater conveyance.
• Inspected and cleaned 6,691 of the total 30,000 inlets Citywide.
• Performed closed circuit television inspection (CCTV) condition assessment on 12.4 miles of drainage pipe to proactively identify and prioritize rehabilitation needs.
• Removed and replaced 1,807 square yards of damaged concrete storm drain infrastructure.

What’s the benefit to taxpayers? As a crucial step in safeguarding the community from future flood-related risks, the FY24 Stormwater fee increase funded multiyear phasing for three capital improvement projects, as well as enhanced service levels for maintenance of culverts and pipes.  The funds from the increase were to be divided between capital flood mitigation projects and maintenance service level improvements.

Brief background: Fort Worth’s Stormwater utility launched in 2006 after five fatalities due to flooded roadways and significant flooding to 300 homes and businesses in 2004. The program’s mission: To protect people and property from harmful stormwater runoff.

To provide your feedback about the Stormwater program’s future priorities for funding and work efforts, please fill out the Stormwater Strategic Plan survey:

• Online
• Access the survey here.