Years ago, when I was a supervisor at Cameron County's Road and Bridge Pct. 1, one of the most knotty and troublesome headaches we had was the provision of basic services to the area's colonias.
The term "colonias," as popularly defined, refer to illegal subdivisions which were established without the basic infrastructure such as adequate drainage, in flood zones, and without adequate roads.
But the term is not entirely correct. Colonias run the gamut, with some being actually legally-platted subdivisions that were built on inadequate sites.
Such was the case with the Valle Escondido Subdivision (colonia) at the bend in FM 149 (Southmost Road) before it turns into Oklahoma Road.That subdivision was properly platted and registered with the county long before such niceties as flood plain restrictions and rural-grade roads were implements into the county subdivision rules.
As a result, the colonia was built just across the street from an old water reservoir. The area depended on drainage from a WPA-constructed irrigation system that was designed to bring water to the fields, and not to drain it away. The jerry-rigged irrigation-drainage district simply dug a ditch to the channel at the Port of Brownsville and hoped that in times of heavy rains, the runoff would gradually subside as it seeped toward the channel. With luck, and a low tide, it might just go into the Gulf before it could impact the precinct's low-lying areas.
Well, it never quite worked out that way.
Southeast Brownsville had undergone considerable economic growth since the antiquated drainage system was implemented that translates into increased development pressures. Older residential areas such as Valle Escondido were often developed without consideration of upstream hydrology, downstream impacts, and before the adoption of the National Flood Insurance Plan (NFIP).
During a washout, all the county crews and drainage district could do was try to keep the ditches clean and hope for the best.
The issue came to a head in September 1991 when a "flood event," as FEMA called it, pelted the area with almost 10 inches of rain in one day. The runoff from the city and southeast areas south the lowest point. That point was Valle Escondido.
The water remained standing in the residents' homes for days. Their sewage systems – septic tanks – overflowed and seeped into the houses. Kids would develop rashes and would be sent home from school. After the rains, sweltering heat worsened the situation. A stench pervaded in the air.
Through this all, colonia leader Jose Luis Almazan was a burr on the county's side. Indefatigable and persistent, he forced the county and the drainage district to find a solution to the chronic flooding. After a time, in conjunction with the Cameron County Planning, Development and Management Department, he was able to secure funding from the state to construct an outfall to the Rio Grande that would automatically commence draining runoff to the river when it reached a certain level and prevent another catastrophe.
Not only did the City of Brownsville, Cameron County and the State of Texas have to become involved, the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife and the International Water and Boundary Commission also had to be consulted and brought on board.
Today, that outfall has not only prevented flooding to the colonia, but has opened that corner of southeast Brownsville to normal economic development. In time, Almazan shifted his attention to the housing needs of his neighbors.
Recognizing his grassroots leadership abilities, we nominated Jose Luis to the Resident Advisory Committee of the Cameron Willacy Counties Colonia Self-Help Center in 1996. Since then, the center has been active in procuring more than $4 million in state grants for affordable housing services in the area's colonias.
On Thursday, Mr. Almazan was given a long-deserved recognition by the Cameron County Commissioners County for his volunteer efforts on behalf of residents in the county's colonias. Judge Carlos Cascos presented him with a Distinguished Service Award on behalf of the court.
Luis has been an advocate for colonias for the better part of his adult life and time has weighed upon his frame. He now has the need to use a walking cane and you can see him making the rounds around the county courthouse visiting the various offices. We're sure that this recognition, long overdue, will hardly slow him down. Congratulations Jose Luis!
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