Rep. Cunningham On Lake Houston Dredging District

Texas Rep. Charles Cunningham said he introduced the legislation that created the Lake Houston Dredging District back in 2023.

“When it finally passed last year, all but 15 of the 150 members of the Texas House voted for it, as well as all 31 senators,” he said.

The district was created in June 2025 after the bill passed and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed it into law.

Cunningham’s district encompasses most of Lake Houston, which was created when an earthen dam constructed by the City of Houston began impounding water from the San Jacinto River in April 1954 to serve as a municipal water supply. The dam is located on the southern bank, spanning 3,160 feet. Including the San Jacinto, eight rivers flow into the lake.

Lake Houston was in desperate need of dredging, not only from decades of lack of adequate maintenance, but from the effects of several major hurricanes that left significant silting and damage. Cunningham got an initial $50 million approved, with another $50 million later. Some dredging has already been done.

One reason why the district got such broad support is that it is not a taxing district. Cunningham said the sand at the lake bottom is a valuable resource for all kinds of uses, from construction to fracking. “That lake is like a gold mine,” he said. “There is a lot of sediment left over from past hurricanes.” He hopes access to the sand will prove a strong incentive for whichever company gets the dredging contract. The city wants to buy its own dredging equipment.

Maintaining water quality is another concern. Today, the lake serves about 6 million people, either for residential or commercial water usage.

The district’s board is now forming. Cunningham expected it to be sworn in by the end of May. The city of Houston and Harris County each get to nominate three members, with the seventh member to be agreed on by both. District board members will serve staggered four-year terms. The board will decide to what depth the lake should be dredged. Cunningham said the Corps of Engineers never dredged it to the full depth of its dredging authority.

“Dredging is just one piece of how we want to work with Mother Nature to maintain and restore this lake,” he said.