57-mile Raymondville Drain project clears two federal hurdles
An aerial view of the Raymondville Main Drain, part of the regional drainage system serving Hidalgo and Willacy counties. Courtesy of | Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1

The flood control project spanning Hidalgo and Willacy counties has cleared environmental and feasibility reviews, bringing it closer to congressional authorization.

A proposed 57-mile drainage project designed to reduce flooding across three Rio Grande Valley counties has cleared two major federal reviews, moving it closer to congressional consideration.

Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1 announced Thursday that the Raymondville Drain Project received federal environmental clearance and a favorable feasibility determination from the U.S. Army in September.

The project would expand and improve a drainage system stretching from Edinburg Lake to the Laguna Madre, crossing Hidalgo and Willacy counties, with flood protection benefits extending into Cameron County.

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