Grand Prairie selects engineering team to update stormwater master plan

Grand Prairie, Texas — The City of Grand Prairie has tasked McKim & Creed, Inc. with providing program oversight as well as professional engineering services for an update to its stormwater master plan. The project team — headed by McKim & Creed and including Burton Johnson Engineering, Inc., RLG Consulting Engineers, Halff Associates and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. — will update Grand Prairie’s stormwater master plan, assess problem drainage areas, and identify methods for alleviating localized neighborhood flooding.

Using 2D surface flow hydraulic modeling, LiDAR data, GIS and updated survey benchmarks, the McKim & Creed team will generate citywide inundation maps that will serve as the foundation for future capital improvement project (CIP) planning. McKim & Creed will provide new 1-ft. LiDAR on which to base this project.

Nearly 37 percent of Grand Prairie's 81-square-mile area lies in a FEMA-designated floodplain and is prone to severe flooding. The city selected stormwater experts McKim & Creed to evaluate current cost-prohibitive solutions and identify more feasible and constructible alternatives.

Known for its innovative perspective on stormwater management, McKim & Creed will study the movement of surface water in the city and develop recommendations promoting better flow while minimizing the need for large-scale pipe replacement.

“We enjoy the challenge of developing innovative, highly effective solutions to stormwater challenges in situations such as this when traditional stormwater engineering solutions aren’t feasible or affordable,” said Street Lee, PE, senior vice president with McKim & Creed. “The McKim & Creed team is deploying innovative tools so that we can help alleviate flooding and utilize the existing drainage system.”

“The City of Grand Prairie is excited to work with McKim & Creed and their team of professional consultants to consolidate and fine-tune our drainage needs,” said Romin A. Khavari, city engineer. “The results will help us prioritize projects and provide an overall updated approach and general strategy for our stormwater master plan.”