Did your home flood unexpectedly in Clear Lake City area? (Houston: insurance, lofts)

[Birdman03]

I am interested in identifying areas where home flooding occurred outside of the mapped flood plains in zip codes 77058, 77059, and 77062.

I have been examining maps available online from FEMA and HCFCD and checking them against areas of flooded houses. So far it appears that homes in or next to the 100-yr flood plain were likely to have flooded during Harvey unless protected by local factors, especially elevation above street level.

However simply using the 500-yr flood plain would have greatly over-predicted home flooding. For example the 500-yr flood plan map available from ESRI ArcGIS Online shows that almost all of Bay Knoll / Bay Glen would have been covered by water but that did not occur.

I appreciate your feedback.

[texas7]

Only a very few home in clear lake flooded. Not a
Significant number in any of those zip codes.

[Birdman03]

Originally Posted by texas7

Only a very few home in clear lake flooded. Not a
Significant number in any of those zip codes.

True, there was not a lot of flooding relative to other portions of Houston. There are flooded homes in Clear Lake City located in Flood Hazard Zone A, which is not surprising in a rain event of Harvey's magnitude.

What would be most useful to current/prospective area residents is the identification of home flooding in Zone X - Minimal Risk, where the purchase of flood insurance is optional. From other sources I have been notified that homes did flood in these Zone X - Minimal Risk neighborhoods:

Pipers Meadow (zip code 77598)
Meadowgreen (zip code 77062)
Bay Knoll (zip code 77062)

[Birdman03]

I have been conducting research on flooding risk and flooding damage from Hurricane Harvey in the Clear Lake City area of southeastern Harris County, TX. Please visit my blog at the link below for information and discussion of this topic and flood-related matters for Houston in general.

[url="http://clearlakehydrogeo.blogspot.com"]

[timtemtym]

I grew up in 77062 (Camino South) and my grandparents have been there since they built the very last house in that neighborhood (It was specially designed on a small left-over lot). My grandmother did just fine and so did the neighborhood. Camino South did well during Alicia in 83 and every flood since. The streets do get water, but the homes are good.

But now it seems like a new normal for Houston so not sure if that will always be the case.

[Birdman03]

Originally Posted by timtemtym

I grew up in 77062 (Camino South) and my grandparents have been there since they built the very last house in that neighborhood (It was specially designed on a small left-over lot). My grandmother did just fine and so did the neighborhood. Camino South did well during Alicia in 83 and every flood since. The streets do get water, but the homes are good.

But now it seems like a new normal for Houston so not sure if that will always be the case.

Yes, Camino South drains well via flood ditches along Highway 3 and Sea Liner into Cow Bayou. Except for the Sea Liner ditch itself, that neighborhood does not contain any Floodways, 100-yr floodplains, or 500-yr floodplains.

In addition, many houses in that area are elevated as much as 4 or 5 feet above street level. From what I have seen (I live nearby) one area of concern is the south side of Silverpines Road where houses are not elevated and they border on a drainage structure along the north side of the Bay Area Park and Ride lot. Residents in that area should make sure that ditch is kept clear of debris or vegetation.

Yes, the "new normal" for Houston residents is to look more closely at drainage issues in their area. Checking the mapped 500-yr floodplains is a good place to start.

[timtemtym]

Originally Posted by Birdman03

Yes, Camino South drains well via flood ditches along Highway 3 and Sea Liner into Cow Bayou. Except for the Sea Liner ditch itself, that neighborhood does not contain any Floodways, 100-yr floodplains, or 500-yr floodplains.

In addition, many houses in that area are elevated as much as 4 or 5 feet above street level. From what I have seen (I live nearby) one area of concern is the south side of Silverpines Road where houses are not elevated and they border on a drainage structure along the north side of the Bay Area Park and Ride lot. Residents in that area should make sure that ditch is kept clear of debris or vegetation.

Yes, the "new normal" for Houston residents is to look more closely at drainage issues in their area. Checking the mapped 500-yr floodplains is a good place to start.

Now that you mention it. I do remember the south end of Camino South (We lived on Seacliff@Shell Lake) did tend to pool a lot during heavy rains. That was funny to read and get a flashback. I did flood my car one time on Richvale in the 90's and a lady came out of her house and helped me push it up into her driveway. I left it there overnight and went back to get it and it was just fine.

Isn't that crazy to think of some stranger telling you to just leave your car in their driveway overnight? I didn't even know her name, but my grandmother lived down the street. That was a very VERY different world!

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by timtemtym

Now that you mention it. I do remember the south end of Camino South (We lived on Seacliff@Shell Lake) did tend to pool a lot during heavy rains. That was funny to read and get a flashback. I did flood my car one time on Richvale in the 90's and a lady came out of her house and helped me push it up into her driveway. I left it there overnight and went back to get it and it was just fine.

Isn't that crazy to think of some stranger telling you to just leave your car in their driveway overnight? I didn't even know her name, but my grandmother lived down the street. That was a very VERY different world!

During Allison, I drove complete strangers cars out of the basement garage of Bayou Lofts.

The last one I drove out was a Jeep, and I was spinning the wheels heading up the ramp against the current of water going down.

[Birdman03]

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

During Allison, I drove complete strangers cars out of the basement garage of Bayou Lofts.

The last one I drove out was a Jeep, and I was spinning the wheels heading up the ramp against the current of water going down.

The Bayou Lofts are in downtown Houston on Franklin Street, zip code 77002. Franklin Street crosses Buffalo Bayou on the north side of the central business district. All of Franklin between I-45 on the west and La Branch on the east is in either the 100-year or 500-year floodplains.

The Bayou Lofts building is in the 100-year flood plain - a very bad location for underground parking!