Houston Public Media Reports Houston City Council Not Attempting to Curb Floodplain Development
Houston Public Media yesterday reported that City Council approved a new floodplain development upstream from the Addicks Reservoir. This is what happens when you pit one person’s property rights against another’s. Engineers and developers say they take precautions to prevent downstream flooding. But still, people downstream flood.
Hmmmm. Wonder why that happens? Here’s a pretty balanced report that explains why, and why politicians approve such developments.
Impact of Land-Use Changes
It’s filled with examples of people who said, “I lived here for 30 years and never flooded before. What happened?”
The experts say it’s usually due to some kind of land-use change upstream from them.
My Personal Experience
I had a similar experience years ago when I lived on Spring Creek in the Dallas area. I bought a house guaranteed to be two feet above the hundred year flood plain. But after they built the Collin Creek Mall in Plano upstream from me, I found I was almost flooding on tiny rains. The Army Corps came back out and resurveyed the creek.
They determined I was now 10 feet BELOW the hundred-year floodplain.
That was the last house I will ever own near water. Highly recommended listening (or reading).
Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/6/2019
646 Days since Hurricane Harvey