New Feature on ReduceFlooding.com
11/9/2025 – In a continuing effort to make ReduceFlooding.com as useful to readers as possible, I have added a new tab on the Reports Page. It’s called Real-Time Conditions and Floodplain Extents. The information on this page comes from national, state and local sources.
On one page, you can find numerous links to sources that can help you understand your flood risk when you are deciding whether to evacuate, fleeing from a flood, or buying a home.
For instance, want to see how high the water got during a particular flood in the Humble/Kingwood Area downstream from the US59 Bridge? Check out the interagency Flood Decision Support Toolbox below.
Key Links
The new tab contains the following links all in one easy to remember place at the top of the Reports page.
- Texas Geographic Information Office (TxGIO) Flood Viewer displays lake levels, river heights, and other real-time weather conditions across Texas.
- Interagency Flood Risk Management Flood Decision Support Toolbox shows real-time weather information and includes the estimated depth of water in hypothetical flooding scenarios. You can answer questions like “Will my house flood if a flood event causes the San Jacinto River to rise 10ft?”
- TexMesonet displays real-time and seasonal data from weather stations across the state including precipitation, soil moisture, and other measurements.
- Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) DriveTexas provides verified, real-time highway conditions across Texas and has information critical during emergencies, such as contraflow planning for evacuations.
- National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer – shows the extent of floodplains nationwide.
- National Water Prediction Service – Monitors and predicts river levels/flood peaks. Also acts as gateway to other NOAA information such as weather forecasts, precipitation estimates, extreme events, etc.
- Harris County Flood Warning System – shows a network of gages throughout the Houston region that provide precipitation and stream levels during various time periods. Includes historical information.
- Harris County Flood Education Mapping Tool – shows channels and mapped floodplains in Harris County. Not real time, but useful for cross reference with flood warning system.
- Houston Public Works Floodplain Viewer – is similar to Harris County Flood Education Mapping Tool, but shows additional street level detail, making it easy to visualize extent of mapped floodplains. Useful for homebuyers.
Caution: Flood Maps May Not Yet Be Updated to Atlas 14
Please be aware of the date on maps that show the extent of floodplains. As of this writing, most pre-date NOAA’s Atlas 14 rainfall probability statistics. When FEMA officially updates maps, the floodplains will likely expand. For instance, Harris County Flood Control District advises people that 100-year floodplains could become 500-year floodplains when FEMA releases updated maps.
Additional weather related links can be found on the Links page under the Weather/Flood/Climate Tab.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/9/2025
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