Council Approves Construction Contract for Packery Channel Restoration

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - At today's regularly scheduled business meeting, City Council awarded a $12.3 million construction contract to Callan Marine, LTD, for the Packery Channel Restoration project. With this action, Council also accepted and appropriated three Federal Emergency Management Agency- Public Assistance (FEMA - PA) reimbursement grants to fund the project.

The need for the Packery Channel Restoration project comes from damages sustained during Hurricane Harvey. Hurricane Harvey made landfall in the vicinity of Rockport as a Category 4 storm on August 25, 2017. As the storm's eye passed to the north of Corpus Christi, torrential winds caused a sudden and intense water flow reversal in the Packery Channel. The high-velocity flow caused extensive erosion that undermined the channel's southern wall and adjoining walkways.

On August 26, 2017, a major disaster declaration was issued for Nueces County, opening the door for FEMA-PA Funds. The City received an official FEMA-PA award letter on September 14, 2021, declaring that the Packery Channel Restoration project had cleared final eligibility. The FEMA-PA award is intended to fund 90% of the repair costs, leaving the City a 10% local share of $1.5 million.

The restoration project includes repairs to the channel's shoreline protection, sidewalks, bollards, storm drains, handrails, and other damaged structures. Construction is anticipated to begin this year and will last eighteen months.

"This is not a good news item! It is a great news item. This project is important to not only the Island community but Corpus Christi, our entire region," District 4 Council Member Greg Smith said.

"I want to thank our state and federal partners along with our own city team for all of their hard work and commitment to this project," said Mayor Paulette M. Guajardo. "Restoration to the Packery has been a long time coming, and we are making swift progress with restoration now that FEMA funding is approved."

For more information, please call Sr. Public Information Officer Melanie Lowry at 361-826-3837 or by email at [email protected]