News - Reduce Flooding

Factors that Affect Flood Risk and How to Assess Them

When looking at buying property, your flood risk depends on at least ten factors. Unfortunately, people rarely consider most of them. Even if they do, they may not now how to assess them.

So, here’s a list of key factors that can increase or decrease your flood risk. I’ve also included examples and ways to explore their impact on your property or the property you’re considering buying:

Geography and Topography: The natural landscape of an area plays a significant role in its flood susceptibility. Flat, low-lying areas, river valleys, coastal regions, and areas near lakes or other bodies of water are more prone to flooding because water naturally collects in these locations. To investigate a particular area, check out resources such as the USGS National Map and FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer.
Proximity to Water Bodies: Areas near rivers, lakes, oceans, and other water bodies are at a higher risk of flooding. Riverine flooding, coastal flooding, and flash flooding can all occur in these regions. See any map or web sites such as RiskFactor.com.
Rainfall and Precipitation Patterns: Areas that receive heavy or prolonged rainfall are more likely to experience flooding. Rainfall can lead to flash floods, riverine flooding, and urban flooding when drainage systems are overwhelmed. In Texas, generally the farther east and closer to the coast you go, the more rainfall increases. To see the likelihood of precipitation in any given area, check out NOAA’s Atlas-14 site then investigate local infrastructure standards to see if they meet Atlas-14 standards or something less (prior). Also understand that NOAA is revising Atlas-14 already to incorporate impacts of climate change (see Atlas-15).
Climate and Weather Events: Areas prone to hurricanes, tropical storms, or other severe weather events are at risk of storm surges, heavy rainfall, and coastal flooding. Here are several sites that can help you find reliable climate data.
Soil Type and Saturation: The type of soil in an area can impact its flood susceptibility. Soils with poor drainage or soils that are already saturated from previous rain events are more likely to contribute to flooding. Here’s a USDA national soil survey and how to determine whether flood mitigation projects in any given area properly account for the soil types in that area.
Human Development: Urbanization and land development can increase flood risk. Paved surfaces and buildings can reduce natural drainage and increase runoff, overwhelming drainage systems. Harris County has proposed minimum drainage standards for areas draining into Harris County, but not all surrounding areas have adopted these standards yet.
Deforestation and Land Use Changes: Changes in land use, such as deforestation or the construction of roads and buildings, can alter natural water flow patterns and increase flood risk. Think you’re protected? Unfortunately for homeowners, many wetlands are now being destroyed. The EPA and Army Corps amended the definition of protected “waters of the United States” in light of the decision in Sackett v. EPA in May. It narrowed the scope of the Clean Water Act and the EPA’s power to regulate waterways and wetlands.
Infrastructure and Drainage Systems: The condition and capacity of drainage systems, including stormwater sewers and levees, can affect an area’s flood vulnerability. Inadequate or poorly maintained infrastructure can lead to flooding. After Harvey, Harris County Flood Control embarked on an ambitious expansion of flood-mitigation infrastructure, but recently spending has fallen. More in some areas than others. So stay alert to what’s happening in your area.
Historical Flooding: Areas with a history of flooding are often at continued risk, as past floods can indicate a region’s susceptibility to future events. In Harris County, MAAPnext provides an excellent series of historical flood maps to help you understand your flood risk.
Land-Use Planning and Floodplain Management: Effective land-use planning, zoning regulations, and floodplain management can help mitigate flood risk by restricting construction in flood-prone areas and implementing flood control measures. There’s no zoning in Houston and little in surrounding areas. We do have floodplain management regulations. When purchasing property, always look upstream to see if those regulations are effectively enforced.

Few things affect a property’s value more dramatically than flooding.

Yet flood risk can change over time – for better or worse. So buyer beware. Or buyer be wet.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/3/2023 with some help from ChatGPT

2196 Days since Hurricane Harvey

The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.

New Design for Northpark Entry, Construction Schedule Update

Harper Brothers Construction has encountered another unexpected problem in the Northpark Drive expansion project. While attempting to place 5’x7′ culvert in the median, it uncovered a water line much closer to the surface than it should have been. While developing a solution with the City of Houston, crews will continue to focus on other areas of the project so as not to create excessive delays.

Those areas include:

A new water main near 494 and the UP railroad tracks
Clearing land for the new Northpark entry to Kingwood at 59.

For background detail and photos, see below.

Pics of Water-Line Conflict

This week, Harper Brothers discovered a water main where it should not have been. The contractor proposed water-line workarounds to the City, but the City has not yet agreed to a solution. The issue has to do with a water main running under Northpark to the new Parkwood Baptist Church east of Russell-Palmer. See the pictures below, courtesy of the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA).

Surprise water line under Northpark — *Workers discover a surprise. Water line under Northpark* not *where it was supposed to be.*

Harper Brothers Construction suggested another workaround – splicing in a U-shaped pipe that would leave enough room for the culvert it is burying in the median.

But until the City and LHRA agree on a solution Harper Brothers may have to skip past the obstruction and then go back at a later date to fill in the gap.

Second New Water Main Farther West

In the meantime, crews have already started prepping for placement of another water line that parallels Northpark closer to Loop 494. See picture below near Public Storage.

*Looking SE. Note area being cleared in foreground for new water main and feeder roads next to bridge.*

While Northpark will expand inward for most of its length, the feeder road next to the new bridge over 494 and the railroad tracks will expand outward. And because the City doesn’t like to run water mains under a roadway, contractors must also relocate this water main. It’s a much bigger job because it feeds numerous businesses, not just one church.

LHRA actually had to purchase additional land for this portion of the project – enough to accommodate a two-lane feeder road on each side of the bridge.

In the photo above, you can see Harper Brothers prepping land for the new water main and feeder lanes.

Plans for New Entry

The contractor will also soon start clearing the triangular area on the north side of Northpark at 59. Note construction materials stockpiled in the foreground of the photo below. Most, but not all of this area, will become a decorative pond that’s actually a stormwater detention basin in disguise. The pond will hold approximately 11 acre feet of stormwater in the space between the top of the permanent water level and ground level.

A second pond on the south side of Northpark will provide a similar amount of stormwater storage to compensate for the increase in impervious cover caused by road widening.

But not all the trees will go away. TxDoT requires that any trees removed must be replaced with trees of an identical diameter.

*Site of first detention pond. Pond will be framed by trees that remain between Northpark and shopping center on right.*

*Some trees will be relocated to the open area* *currently behind the grove.*

Other trees will be relocated nearby, for instance, around the south pond which is more sparsely populated with trees.

*South pond will have more room for transplanted trees around it.*

In addition, the ponds when complete will have sidewalks and landscaping around them. TxDoT, LHRA and the Kingwood Service Association worked collaboratively on the designs for two years. A well will serve the area and feed an irrigation system to help ensure new plantings survive and thrive.

Here’s what the finished ponds and landscaping should look like.

*North pond (the first) shown on the left.*

For the full entry landscaping plans, click here.

*To see a video rendering of the ponds, click here and then click on the video in the lower right.*

Clearing was to have begun on Tuesday morning after Labor Day. However, that may be delayed now. Late on Friday afternoon several logistical issues involved with relocating the trees became apparent.

CenterPoint Promises to Stake Out Problems Week of 9/3/23

Last week, we talked about 11 conflicts with CenterPoint along the Northpark Drive expansion project. CenterPoint has promised LHRA that it will send crews to “stake out” the problems next week. That is the first step in resolving conflicts.

*Some of the CenterPoint conflicts* *that have culvert placement stalled.*

It’s always something in construction! Stay tuned for next week’s exciting episode of “As Northpark Expands.”

For a look ahead at the next three weeks of construction activity, click here.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/2/23

2195 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 10 days before the peak of hurricane season

Celebrating Completion of new KMS Without Flooding

As I passed the beautiful new Kingwood Middle School (KMS) last weekend, it struck me. Despite many heavy rains during construction that lasted almost three years, neighbors never reported flooding.

Too often, I hear of construction projects that alter drainage and flood neighbors. But Humble ISD seemed to consider that problem from the start and took appropriate measures to prevent it. The District even built a temporary stormwater detention basin before tearing down the old KMS. It protected the neighborhood during demolition and construction before the new permanent basin was completed.

The result is a magnificent architectural gem – a showcase for the entire community – without drama, stress or destruction.

Pictures Taken 8/27/23

*The KMS building now occupies the space of the old athletic fields and the athletic fields occupy the space of the old building.*

Kingwood Middle School (KMS) detention basin — *Note grass on the sides of the stormwater retention basin.*

*The basin will reduce the risk of street flooding in the surrounding neighborhood.*

The current drought has the football-field grass struggling. But somehow, the grass on the sides of the detention basin seems well established. The vegetation on the slopes reduces erosion which could clog the inflow/outflow pipes.

For Photographic History of Project

For photos showing the history of Kingwood Middle School demolition and re-construction, see below.

Thanks to the Humble ISD, its board and contractors for a job well done.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/1/23

2194 days since Hurricane Harvey