IFCD 3 Projects: Keeping the District Ever Ready

In case you haven’t noticed, our community has experienced high temperatures and an extreme lack of precipitation this summer. In a recent Waterways blog, we shared information about what IFCD 3 does when there’s no rain, and therefore no floods to control. Even when it’s not raining, our team still has plenty to do, including tackling maintenance projects along our waterways and within our facilities.

Routine maintenance and as-needed repairs requires staff of IFCD 3’s interagency teammate Dallas County Utility and Reclamation District (DCURD) to constantly scan our waterways and pay careful attention to our in-house equipment to maintain our flood control assets. From reinforcing existing structures to checking for cracks and anomalies along canal walls and inspecting waterways for erosion, each project follows a step-by-step process from identification to completion. This process typically looks something like this:

  1. On an ongoing basis, DCURD staff inspects the community’s waterways and District facilities for erosion, damage and any signs of decay.
  2. If IFCD 3 equipment or a waterway and its surrounding area appears to require major attention, the team adds it to the agenda for discussion at an upcoming board meeting.
  3. After board review and approval, staff will determine if the project is within the scope of the District’s internal capabilities or if it requires the help of an outside expert. If the project requires outside resources, we reach out to appropriate contractors to collect project quotes, including costs, timeframes and any other critical specifics.
  4. The most appropriate quote will be presented to the board for review and approval.
  5. Once the contract is approved by the board, the project officially begins and the selected team starts work.
  6. A DCURD project manager tracks progress, addresses questions and processes any new information identified to keep the project on time, on specification and on budget.
  7. When projects are completed, IFCD 3 stakeholders are periodically updated on projects through our various communications channels, including website, social media, the fall Newsletter and/or spring Annual Report… not to mention the WaterWays blog.

Regardless of the current season’s rain levels, we remain focused on maintaining our waterways and continuing to protect Valley Ranch from potential flooding when the rains return.

For additional insight into how IFCD 3’s functions and focus change from season to season, follow along on Facebook and Twitter, or visit our ever-growing library of WaterWays posts.

Irving Flood Control District III