Looks Like High Density Was Best For Houston All Along

[gwarnecke]

Appreciate the kind words. We're alright, we'll rebuild. Many neighbors are far worse off.

[LocalPlanner]

I think the only real link between density and flooding is that, at a large city or metro level, density allows the option of more population without as much impermeable surface (pavement) per person (though in a small area like a neighborhood, with density you might have a higher % impermeable unless there's parks or open space). More living units are under one roof, street pavement ratio per person drops, and you would hopefully not need as much parking lots or structures because walking / biking / transit are more doable options.

Whether or not to develop in floodplains / Katy Prairie / etc. is a policy decision that is only tangentially related to density.

That said, you could build density that still requires everyone to drive, so that much of the drainage benefits wouldn't be realized. This is what Houston did from the 1960s - 1990s, with suburban sprawl apartment complexes, and neglecting to build sidewalks or walkable streets. We've improved our style of density since then, in some areas.

[KerrTown]

The problem with flooding in Houston is its randomness. Alief and Sharpstown were spared, but West Memorial took the brunt of the flooding with the reservoirs being recordly-filled (even excess water was flowing off the spillways) and being on the convergence of the two reservoirs meeting Buffalo Bayou.

When the anchors on Channel 11 were making their way to Channel 8's studios during the studio flood, Darby Douglas was complaining about flooding through Midtown making the usual 5-10 minute trip into an hour's ordeal with the detours.

[westsidewolf1989]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

The problem with flooding in Houston is its randomness. Alief and Sharpstown were spared, but West Memorial took the brunt of the flooding with the reservoirs being recordly-filled (even excess water was flowing off the spillways) and being on the convergence of the two reservoirs meeting Buffalo Bayou.

When the anchors on Channel 11 were making their way to Channel 8's studios during the studio flood, Darby Douglas was complaining about flooding through Midtown making the usual 5-10 minute trip into an hour's ordeal with the detours.

I'm just basing my response off this map (which I'm sure is not fully up-to-date / has some holes, but haven't found anything more detailed), but it seems West Memorial homes that flooded were right along the bayou. Alief / Sharpstown aren't really close to any bayous or reservoirs, which would explain the lack of flooding (comparatively, anyways).

https://apps.texastribune.org/harvey...mage-analysis/