Drain between Edinburg and McAllen set to expand, Hidalgo County officials say
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Flood relief is on the way for more than 150,000 residents in Hidalgo County; expansion on a drain that lies between Edinburg and McAllen is underway.
While flooding is nothing new to the Rio Grande Valley, the damages caused by storms affect thousands of people year after year.
On Thursday, city and county officials held a groundbreaking that marked the South Main drain's expansion. The existing channel will widen from about 60-80 feet up to 220 feet in some areas.
The expansion will more than double the drain's current capacity, allowing water to flow faster to the Laguna Madre. It will also prevent floodwater from potentially damaging homes and businesses.
Hidalgo County Precinct 4 Commissioner Ellie Torres said the expansion was made possible due to the leftover money from the $190M drainage bond project approved by voters in 2018.
The first phase of the nearly six-mile-long project is said to be completed in one year, providing relief to thousands of residents in McAllen, Edinburg, and unincorporated areas of Precinct 4.
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