A project designed to reduce flooding in Sebastian is now open for bids.

Officials wants to expand an existing detention pond located at County Line Road between Willacy and Cameron counties.

Willacy County leaders say this existing detention pond already helps hold storm water, but soon it'll be able to hold more.

The county is accepting bids through next Thursday for the $1 million project. Plans call for expanding the existing detention pond by more than two acres, while also improving the ponds that are already there.

County leaders say the improved pond will capture stormwater from 300 to 400 acres and eventually flow into a drainage channel.

"In my opinion, and what we've seen, the way this has worked, we have some video of it, not even three months ago, when we got about three inches of rain, how much water it actually holds and it keeps it from going into town indiscriminately through different streets. It's very important to us," Willacy County Precinct 4 Commissioner Ernesto Garcia said.

The county hopes to select a contractor in about two weeks.

County leaders say once construction begins, the project is expected to take three to six months to finish, weather permitting.