Addicks and Barker Reservoir Flooding (Houston, Cinco Ranch: real estate, apartment, townhomes)

[beasley106]

Originally Posted by WRM20

Those subdivisions are out in the County, and there's not a lot of regulations over where you can build. I do think the developers went too far East with their development, some of those subdivisions are inside the footprints of the dams, ie Canyon Gate in Barker. I would be interested in seeing the disclosures the buyers were given regarding potential flooding.

Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't the Army Corps of Engineers own the land where the Addicks and Barker Reservior reside? I am wondering how developers were even able to get permission to build there in the first place since some of the residential subdivisions affected by flooding were located in the reservoir itself (at least since the articles I posted this referenced it)? Anyways I do think Harris County needs to implement more strict regulations/building codes in addition to improving flood control measures similar to what currently exists in South Florida or New Orleans to ensure something like this does not happen again since the city/county was already severely affected by flooding last year..

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by beasley106

Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't the Army Corps of Engineers own the land where the Addicks and Barker Reservior reside? I am wondering how developers were even able to get permission to build there in the first place since some of the residential subdivisions affected by flooding were located in the reservoir itself (at least since the articles I posted this referenced it)? Anyways I do think Harris County needs to implement more strict regulations/building codes in addition to improving flood control measures similar to what currently exists in South Florida or New Orleans to ensure something like this does not happen again since the city/county was already severely affected by flooding last year..

The CoE does own the land in the reservoirs, but not all of the land actually encompassed by the dams. The subdivisions closest to the water were built on private land that, in hindsight, should have been acquired by the government. However, according to a history I read some time ago, the land acquisition for the projects was contentious, and dragged out in the courts for years, as land owners fought the eminent domain taking of their land. They did keep the mineral rights and grazing rights, though. That's one reason dam construction didn't start until the late 40's. I suspect it is also a reason why more land wasn't acquired.

Counties in Texas have very limited powers, and can only do what the State allows. The arena for better regulation of these things is in the Legislature, where any attempt to make it more difficult to develop land will be fought tooth and nail by the bought and paid for legislators who think any regulation of business at all is bad. A faster solution might be for the flood insurance program to start making certain new properties ineligible for flood insurance. That protects current owners, but would make it very difficult to proceed with developments like Canyon Gate, which is just stupidly located - the subdivision is about 13 feet lower than the top of the dam. Where did they think the water would go in a big rain event?

[tewest86]

This is what happens when a dam fails. Once it starts overtopping, it's only a matter of time. The water from the over topping erodes the downstream portion of the dams untill it finally fails.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5CeYKUkgRA

[rverne8]

Originally Posted by WRM20

The arena for better regulation of these things is in the Legislature, where any attempt to make it more difficult to develop land will be fought tooth and nail by the bought and paid for legislators who think any regulation of business at all is bad.

Heartily agree with that statement-how many state legislators (I'm in Michigan but your statement applies here too) ever found a business arrangement they did not like?
What brings me to this forum is an article by ProBublica written in December 2016 about this situation; the article talks about the rain absorptive ability of prairie grass and I was in. A friend of mine has a rain garden on her front lawn and it's a beaut. But I did want to say that private, individual property owners are in on the stupid, craven, overweening desire to build -same here in Michigan. Some people see a wee bit of prairie, swamp, creek or pond and think how 'pretty' it would be with the grass all butch, the swamp drained and a fountain spraying up the water in the middle of the pond. Oh and of course paved cul de sacs, McMansions and wall to wall 'landscaping'
But there are better ways to build housing too. Giving everyone two acres and a lawnmower just is not the way to go. Indeed we can't, as this storm is proving.

Here's the link to the ProPublica.org article
[url]https://projects.propublica.org/houston-cypress/[/url]
thanks for listening
Ray in MI

[SouthernBoy205]

Can someone please help me to understand this?! I live off Enclave Parkway, south of Briar Forest, and I'm scared as hell.

"Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner strongly encouraged anyone living on the east side of Houston's flood control reservoirs with water still inside their home to evacuate.
"Second story housing and above will not be safe," the mayor said in a series of tweets. "Apartments, therefore, are covered by evacuation request. But only residences with water on [the] first floor. Water may stay there for two weeks."
Turner said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be releasing reservoir water into Buffalo Bayou for 15 days, and the Corps has said the releases are necessary to avoid larger catastrophe if the city should receive another heavy rainfall event. The mayor said 15,000 to 20,000 homes could be impacted by flooding due to water releases from the reservoir.
"If not enough heeding of voluntary evacuation request, [a] mandatory order will be considered," Turner tweeted.
(MORE: Harvey, By the Numbers)
The boundaries for those who need to evacuate are anyone south of I-10, west of Gessner, north of Briarforest, and east of reservoirs. Only homes with water inside now. The city will provide transportation to a shelter at the NRG complex in South Houston."

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by SouthernBoy205

Can someone please help me to understand this?! I live off Enclave Parkway, south of Briar Forest, and I'm scared as hell.

"Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner strongly encouraged anyone living on the east side of Houston's flood control reservoirs with water still inside their home to evacuate.
"Second story housing and above will not be safe," the mayor said in a series of tweets. "Apartments, therefore, are covered by evacuation request. But only residences with water on [the] first floor. Water may stay there for two weeks."
Turner said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be releasing reservoir water into Buffalo Bayou for 15 days, and the Corps has said the releases are necessary to avoid larger catastrophe if the city should receive another heavy rainfall event. The mayor said 15,000 to 20,000 homes could be impacted by flooding due to water releases from the reservoir.
"If not enough heeding of voluntary evacuation request, [a] mandatory order will be considered," Turner tweeted.
(MORE: Harvey, By the Numbers)
The boundaries for those who need to evacuate are anyone south of I-10, west of Gessner, north of Briarforest, and east of reservoirs. Only homes with water inside now. The city will provide transportation to a shelter at the NRG complex in South Houston."

If you live "south" of Briar Forest you are not subject to this request...

[SouthernBoy205]

Just making sure! I'm thinking that the flooding will move southward. Idk why. It's so nerve wrecking.

[kfer]

Hello,

I live South of Buffalo Bayou on Eldridge and next week I need to go Clay and Campbell Rd. What is the best way to cross over the bayou? All the way East to 610 and then West on I10? Or West on Westpark to 99 North and the I10 east?

Thank you.

[96tahoe]

You might be able to go westheimer to beltway 8 FEEDER roads since they are high up. I hear people taking the feeders south of the beltway. Take feeder all the way to Clay and go from there.

[Ghost Town]

Is there still flooding remaining somewhere?