Texas Border Business
On Thursday, May 27, Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez, Hidalgo County Precinct 3 Commissioner Everardo “Ever” Villarreal, and a representative from U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar’s office met with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Brigadier General Christopher G. Beck. General Beck is the Commander and Division Engineer of the Southwestern Division (SWD), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
During the meeting, General Beck gave an update on the repairs being performed to the levee and reviewed an emergency plan should the region experience heavy rains.
Levee Status Report
· Repairs to the 3 levee breaches have been completed.
· All additional repairs to the Rio Grande levee are on schedule and should be completed by the deadline of June 1, 2021.
If our region experiences heavy rains, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a contingency plan and is prepared to take steps to mitigate the impact of a hurricane on our levee system.
Official Statement from Commissioner Villarreal
“I am grateful for the quick response we received from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers regarding this issue. Yesterday’s meeting with General Beck left us with a sigh of relief as Hidalgo County residents can now rest assured that we prepared for this upcoming hurricane season.”
Official Statement from County Judge Richard F. Cortez“The repairs to our levees are crucial in keeping our residents and their homes safe, especially as Hurricane Season begins next week. Our meeting with General Beck alleviated our concerns regarding a possible breach. We know the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are ready to assist us if our area is hit with severe weather and our levees are damaged.”