Conti Federal successfully completed this design-build project to rehabilitate and improve the Rio Grande Levee at the Edinburg Pump Station in Hidalgo County, Texas.
The Rio Grande Canalization project covers 106 river miles from Percha Dam, New Mexico to American Dam in El Paso, Texas and includes 130 miles of flood control levees in New Mexico and Texas.
Due to the projects location, which is directly adjacent to the international border with Mexico and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) border wall, this venture will incorporate DHS tactical infrastructure requirements and coordination with the DHS to design and construct a bollard wall as part of the floodwalls.
Awarded by the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC), this design-build project addressed subsurface soil problems that provided seepage corridors and a poor foundation. Conti Federal managed the design and construction of 160 linear feet of concrete floodwalls and approximately 800 linear feet of earthen levees to meet Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements.
The major construction efforts included preparing right-of-way, removing/stockpiling existing excavated material, levee widening, erosion control, installing two new sections of floodwall with bollard walls, construction of floodwall foundations, completing construction of an existing gate well structure, backfilling, and grading of levee embankment material, installing aggregate roadway surface, removal and replacement of chain link fencing, and revegetation.
Conti Federal’s partnerships with local trade partner Foremost and the designer of this project, Arcadis, combined with a solid relationship with the end user, the owner of the Edinburg Pump Station, Hidalgo County Water District, supported the company in delivering a successful outcome for this project. With open and transparent communication maintained with the USIBWC, issues were addressed and resolved through a shared understanding of the mission. The collaboration with the USIBWC local and regional leadership was an exceptional experience.
This project is a unique addition to Conti Federal’s project portfolio of military construction projects specializing in resiliency and flood protection in partnership with the USIBWC.
