As hurricane season approaches, Orange County residents are looking ahead with hope as work begins on a major flood mitigation effort: a 560-acre detention pond designed to ease flooding from Tiger Creek. While the project won’t be completed in time for this year’s storms, local officials and residents alike believe it will be a game-changer for flood-prone areas in Vidor and surrounding communities.
Located near Highway 2802 and Dixie Drive, the project is being led by the Orange County Drainage District and funded through a $31 million grant from the Texas General Land Office—the largest grant in the district’s history. The pond will temporarily store excess rainfall runoff, then release it at a slower rate to reduce the risk of overwhelming nearby neighborhoods.
“There’ll be an overflow whenever Tiger Creek reaches a certain level. It will come into the pond and then discharge on the lower end at a slower rate,” said Neal Ford, General Manager of the Orange County Drainage District.
Neighborhoods along North Tram Road and Vista Lane, which have historically suffered from flooding during severe rain events and hurricanes, are expected to benefit most. Ford emphasized that even though many hurricanes bring damaging winds, it’s often the intense rainfall that causes the worst flooding. “It’s going to make a tremendous difference,” he said.
The project is currently in its environmental assessment phase, which includes mitigation for wetlands and habitats. Construction will occur in multiple phases over the next two years, with the largest section prioritized first. Future phases could include additional ponds on the west and possibly the south sides, depending on environmental requirements.
Officials anticipate completing the environmental phase by 2026, with the first section of the pond ready within two years.