Description

Bear Branch Dam was designed and constructed, on behalf of The Woodlands Development Company, in the early 1980s to manage storm water flows on Bear Branch and provide storm water detention for The Woodlands. Over time, the dam’s spillway structure has experienced increasing surface deterioration and erosion resulting from the design standards and construction methods utilized in the dam’s original construction. Additionally, the dam’s soil cement armoring on the upstream side of the spillway has experienced significant deterioration since its construction. As conditions worsen along the spillway structure and soil cement armoring, it is indicative that replacement of the spillway structure and soil cement is necessary.

SJRA received Environmental Infrastructure Funding for the project through the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in early 2024, and proceeded into Preliminary Engineering with a combination of federal and local funds to evaluate the dam’s condition and identify replacement alternatives. Preliminary Engineering was completed in 2025, and resulted in a recommendation for an expanded project to replace the entire spillway structure, including the service spillway, auxiliary spillway, and soil cement. A request for additional Environmental Infrastructure Funding through USACE was submitted in spring 2025 to help fund design and construction of the project. If federal and local funds are secured, the project will proceed to final design.