The project is located in Metropolitan San Juan and it includes the Rio Piedras Drainage Basin and its tributaries, which drains 24 square miles.  The majority of the project area is highly developed with an affected population of 250,000 and commercial and public structures valued at over $3 billion.

The project was authorized for construction by Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 1986.  The project sponsor is the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER). The project includes six discreet project segments that will be constructed through separate contracts between now and 2027.  The  project was appropriated $1. 552 Billion under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 to address damages from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.

• $46.0 million covers construction of the first 1.3 miles of channel beginning in San Juan Harbor and ending about ½ mile downstream of the De Diego Expressway Bridge over Río Piedras.

• $3.7 million includes seismic retrofit for the Kennedy Avenue Bridge. Contract was awarded to PRE-CON Marine, Inc., in April 2002 and was completed in September 2004. Contract was modified to include installation of a 36-inch waterline as betterment at a cost of $6.8 million (100% Non-Federal Cost). This added work was completed in December 2005.

• A Contract which included channel excavation along the Margarita Channel a confluence wall and dredging of the lower Puerto Nuevo Channel,was awarded in June 2010 to Dragados USA at a cost of $55M. Construction was initiated in November 2010 and was completed in May 2014 Contract.

• $84 million was awarded to Dick Corporation in November 2002 and it was completed December of 2010. Contractor completed the secant pile wall box culvert, Option B, which is the last 300 feet of the culvert near the port facilities bulkhead, and the open channel work north of Kennedy Avenue, which is the upper limit of this contract. Modification of the 90” sewer line segment was completed under a separate contract which was awarded in August of 2011 to Dragados USA at a cost of $38 million. The contract was completed in December 2015. Full flood damage prevention benefits of the Bechara Sector are being realized with this segment.

• $22 million was awarded to Río Construction in April 2003 and they proceeded to complete the east abutment wall. The contract was terminated by default after difficulties and lack of progress of work by Rio Construction. The Corps of Engineers proceeded with negotiations with Surety Company and was able to award a new contract to Carro & Carro Construction in September 2007. Notice to Proceed was issued on 26 November 2007. Contractor completed all work on this contract in July 2014 which included both abutments of the bridge and drill shaft reinforcement for the east and west piers.

Work under the Upper Margarita channel contract is nearly completed. The $18.5 million contract, covers the area upstream of the Margarita Channel to the downstream crossing of the De Diego Highway bridge and is part of the Río Puerto Nuevo flood control project, that seeks to avoid future floods that affect the Puerto Nuevo and San Patricio areas. Construction began in August 2014.

The 2D Wall Contract consists of construction of 700-feet-long right and 350-feet-long left channel walls on Rio Puerto Nuevo in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Construction contract was awarded in FY17 and is currently schedule for completion in October 2020. The contract was delayed due to Hurricanes Irma and Maria.