First Street Foundation, a non-profit risk-research group, estimates (based on what it says are “well known” Atlas-14 flaws) that a so-called 100-year flood event in Houston could likely happen every 8 to 23 years. NOAA’s Atlas 14, a massive, years-long effort, which hasn’t even been fully implemented yet, may already be seriously out of date […]
While speaking to a public meeting of the Harris County Community Flood Resilience Task Force, Scott Elmer, the Flood Control District’s new Chief Partnership and Programs Officer, predicted that some projects in the 2018 flood bond likely will not get done because of a funding gap. Elmer made this remark while discussing a list of […]
Harris County’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has produced an excellent presentation designed to help you get ready for emergencies of almost any type. While it primarily focuses on hurricanes, it also covers other natural and man-made disasters such as tornadoes, train derailments, plant explosions, and more. Complexity Complicates Times of Chaos Some […]
Two pieces of good news came out of the Texas General Land Office (GLO) in two days! Yesterday, the GLO announced that both Houston and Harris County met their respective expenditure goals for Harvey disaster-relief funds. Today, Commissioner Dawn Buckingham M.D. announced the approval of more than another $128 million worth of flood-mitigation projects in […]
The Texas General Land Office (GLO) announced today that for the first time ever since Hurricane Harvey, both Houston and Harris County have each met their benchmarks for expending disaster relief funds – in the SAME time period. They may have individually met performance benchmarks before, but never together in the same review period. Both […]
Third in a Series on the City of Houston Planning Commission’s Livable Places Initiative In the first two posts in this series, I discussed how the Houston Planning Commission’s Livable Places Initiative had the potential to: Despite well intentioned efforts to help limit the growth of impervious cover, the Commission has not conducted a flood […]
Second in a series on the Houston Planning Commission’s Livable Places Initiative “Livable Places” is a new initiative by the City of Houston Planning Commission designed to increase housing affordability and equity while increasing the walkability of neighborhoods. To achieve these goals, the Commission is recommending new rules that govern development, platting and parking. They […]
First in a series on the Houston Planning Commission’s Livable Places Initiative, and updated on 6/18/2023 On 6/8/23, the City of Houston Planning Commission approved an initiative called Livable Places that it has worked on since early 2020. Goals include creating a more affordable, walkable and equitable City. Planning Commission Website All laudable goals! However, […]
Since I last reported on damage to the Tree Lane Bridge over Ben’s Branch in January, the situation has worsened considerably. Pictures Taken on 6/12/23 Show Extent of Damage The bridge will probably not collapse in the next big rain. However, the cumulative damage to all these components underscores the need for urgent repair. It […]
Stormwater can cause more than flooding. For all those headed to the beach this summer, the Texas General Land Office (GLO) offers a useful website that monitors water quality and safety. It’s called Texas Beach Watch. About Beach Watch The program tests bacteria levels at beaches along the coast and Galveston Bay. It measures Enterococcus […]