A major drainage channel serving most of Primera and all of Combes is being widened to help move stormwater out of those communities more efficiently, according to Cameron County Drainage District #5.

The project covers nearly three miles of the channel between U.S. 77 and the North Main Drain, where water will be carried to the Arroyo Colorado.

Crews are making the channel wider and reshaping it so it can hold more water and move it more efficiently. The district estimates between 5,000 and 10,000 people could benefit from the project.

Officials point to the March 2025 floods as an example of why the improvements are needed. General Manager Rolando Vela said the area received about 22 to 23 inches of rain within 28 hours, more than what the drainage system could handle.

"It's so important because we're flat. The only way we can move water is by digging open drains and to get it more efficiently moving," CCDD5 General Manager Rolando Vela said. "Obviously, the wider you make a channel, the more you can store water and the more water you can convey."

Vela said the district does not have an exact number yet for how much more water the channel will be able to handle. He said widening it will give the channel more room to hold and move stormwater during heavy rain events.

The project costs between $100,000 and $150,000 using local taxpayer money. Work started Monday and is expected to take about a month.

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