The Zube Park Detention Basin (L500-01-00) is a regional stormwater basin located within northwest Harris County and features a tributary of Little Cypress Creek. EHRA Engineering was selected by Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) to provide surveying, design and construction services for a section of this creek in the vicinity of and including, Zube Park. The work was a component of the Little Cypress Creek Frontier Program for Harris County, one piece of HCFCD’s regional drainage plan for critical infrastructure related to future land development. EHRA worked with HCFCD to design and construct the Zube project among three separate phases.
Completed in 2016, Phase 1 consisted of excavation, fill and grading improvements within the Little Cypress Creek floodplain to establish the ultimate alignment of the levee for the basin. EHRA prepared a Drainage Impact Analysis to ensure that the levee and excavation within the limits of the floodplain and floodway would not adversely impact adjacent property owners. EHRA prepared design and bid documents for Phase 1 on an expedited schedule to fulfill the timing requirements of the federal grant awarded to Harris County for the project.
During Phase 2, EHRA analyzed and designed the flow control weir structure for the detention basin and levee while conforming to the ultimate conditions hydraulic model. The control structure consists of three 5’x5’ and one 11’x10’ reinforced concrete box culverts and a weir in the form of an emergency overflow spillway that doubles as a walking trail bridge over the creek. These culverts were constructed at different elevations to address existing and ultimate flow conditions. The control structure weir, located within a recreational park, was thoughtfully designed to meet ADA standards, meeting a core objective of the federal grant that partially funded this project.
Phase 3, known as the Ultimate Zube Basin, was completed in 2024. This phase lowered the flowline of Little Cypress Creek by six feet and introduced 1.75 miles of in-stream 'natural' channel features to help stabilize the creek banks. Additionally, it included the installation of three stormwater quality basins at key locations within the basin, expanded the capacity under two existing roadway bridges (Becker Rd. and Roberts Rd.) and provided drainage connections to nearby tributaries, park features and parking lots.
Throughout the project, EHRA coordinated extensively with Harris County Community Services Division given the nature of the federal grant and HCFCD and Harris County Precinct 3 being stakeholders. Critical design objectives were met to minimize impacts to the park, playground and exercise trail components. Furthermore, the construction sequencing for this project involved considerable coordination with the US Army Corps of Engineers and HCFCD to make sure construction was compliant with the USACE Individual Permit for the project.
As a full-services firm, EHRA also provided surveying services for the project, including new topographic survey of the creek bed both upstream and downstream of Zube Park; topographic surveying of the bridge structures, channel and roadway improvements of Roberts Road and Becker Road; and land title surveys of the two parcels of land required to widen Little Cypress Creek up and downstream of Becker Road—a necessity for the design and construction of additional channel structures and improvements.
Throughout the construction of these distinct phases, EHRA’s Construction Phase Services team delivered comprehensive construction management services to HCFCD. We provided expert consulting on Natural Stable Channel Design (HSCD) elements, conducted detailed field inspections and offered design support for field adjustments. Additionally, we played a key role in consulting on adjacent construction projects and took the lead in coordinating various pipeline and Centerpoint crossings.
EHRA is a proud partner in the development of Zube and the many beneficial impacts it will have for many years to come. Working with Harris County Flood Control District on this multi-phased project was a special endeavor, overcoming unique challenges and developing thoughtful solutions that we hope will serve the community and enhance the environment for generations.
