The long, levee

 
I did not have gray hair, and both my hips were still the ones God gave me, when the Wharton Levee Project was launched.

 

It was clear from the beginning that this would be transformational for Wharton, but it was not clear how long it would actually take.

 

I was still a newspaper reporter at the time. (People liked me back then about as much as they like me now.)

As I recall, the unofficial start was inside the city council chambers. The Corps of Engineers were there. The city manager was there. The city council was there. Even I was there. It was a momentous day.

 

There were a few highs and a lot of lows in the subsequent years. Almost doesn’t count.

 

And then Hurricane Harvey struck on Aug. 17, 2017.

 

The scars from wrecked lives and the scars from wrecked homes, and the scars from wrecked businesses birthed a bitter silver lining — the federal approval of the Wharton Levee project.

 

And it was not just federally funded. It was fully funded. With no local “match” required.

 

This will be at least a three-phase project as I understand it. The work on the first phase is expected to begin soon. The price tag of the entire project is expected to be $134 million.

 

An update on the Levee Project will be the topic of the chamber’s next Lunch and Learn, which will be Tuesday, April 19. You can get more information at whartonchamber.com/lunch-and-learn, or contact helpdesk@whartonchamber.comor 979-532-1862.

Thank you, Wharton. “Players win games, but teams win championships.”

Hurricane Harvey, Wharton, Texas, Augut 2017.