THIS NOTICE IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATION PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY.  THIS OPPORTUNITY IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO THE CONTRACTOR UNDER IBM05D0001, S&B INFRASTRUCTURE, LTD. 

The International Boundary & Water Commission, United States Section (USIBWC), requires the services in accordance with the scope of work (SOW) entitled Geotechnical Analysis and Engineering Evaluation of the Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project Levee System Within the Lateral A to Donna Pump to Retamal Dam Levee Reach, Hidalgo County. 

The United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) has recently conducted hydraulic, aerial, geophysical, and exploratory geotechnical studies of the Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project (LRGFCP) to assess the ability of the associated levees to safely contain flood flows in the Rio Grande.  From these studies, the USIBWC has determined that certain reaches of the levees require rehabilitation improvements in order to meet FEMA requirements for the safe containment of 100-year flood flows.

The LRGFCP extends from the town of Peñitas, Texas at its upstream end, to 28 miles above the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of about 158 river miles.  The LRGFCP has two diversion dams, Anzalduas Dam and Retamal Dam, approximately 17 and 57 river miles below Peñitas, which divert portions of the flood flows into the Main Floodway and the Mexico Floodway, respectively.  The LRGFCP was constructed to provide flood protection to urban, suburban, and irrigated lands in the Rio Grande delta in both the United States and Mexico. 

For planning purposes, the LRGFCP has been divided into several reaches.  The work under this Scope of Work is for Lateral A to Donna Pump to Retamal Dam Levee reach within Hidalgo County.  The Lateral A to Donna Pump to Retamal Dam levee reach is approximately 14 miles in length from Carlson Settling Basin to the Retamal Diversion Dam.  This levee reach begins 5500 feet west of South Jackson Road near the McAllen-Pharr City limits to US 281 south of Donna near the Las Palomas State Wildlife Park.

Due to FEMA certification requirements, the USIBWC now requires that a full geotechnical evaluation of this levee reach be conducted.  The geotechnical investigations shall evaluate foundation stability for the added loading, slope stability, as well as potential for seepage or piping through and/or below the levee in critical and questionable areas.  The USIBWC requires that a determination be made if additional work is needed based on the evaluation results in order to assure the levee is structurally sound and meet the FEMA levee certification criteria.  The USIBWC goal is to ensure that this levee reach will provide adequate safety and protection against a 100 year flood event and the loadings that an event of that magnitude would impose on the existing levee, to include any levee raising that is needed to meet the 3 foot required freeboard.