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Yesterday, Harris County Commissioners Court named Dr. Christina Petersen as the new head of the Flood Control District. That the position had been open for seven months since Russ Poppe resigned last July. Below is a brief bio of Petersen distributed by David Berry, the new Harris County administrator. Petersen Background “Dr. Christina “Tina” Petersen […]

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January 25, 2022 Reduce Flooding

Myth Buster: Historic Disinvestment in LMI Watersheds?

When it comes to flood control in Harris County, you often hear claims of “historic disinvestment” in low-to-moderate income (LMI) neighborhoods. Residents allege that they flood because Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) funneled dollars into affluent neighborhoods for decades while ignoring lower-income watersheds. But are those claims true? Not if you look at the […]

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January 24, 2022 Reduce Flooding

Matt Zeve Resigns from Harris County Flood Control District

Flood mitigation efforts in Harris County just took their second major hit in less than a year. Last July, Russ Poppe, the executive director of the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) resigned after months of political backbiting. Now, Matt Zeve, the deputy executive director has resigned, too. Zeve Background and Contributions Zeve joined HCFCD one day after […]

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January 23, 2022 Reduce Flooding

New 1700-Acre MoCo Development Claims “No Adverse Impact,” But Doesn’t Study Other Areas

A new 1700-acre development called Madera at FM1314 and SH242 claims it will have “no adverse impact” on surrounding areas. However, to determine this, the authors of the drainage impact analysis used a controversial technique permitted by Montgomery County drainage regulations. It’s called “hydrologic timing.” The technique doesn’t take into account drainage from other developments […]

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January 22, 2022 Reduce Flooding

Opportunities for Improvement In Flood Regulations

A study has shown that one dollar spent on avoiding damages can save five dollars later on flood mitigation. So, as we focus on flood mitigation, we must not forget flood prevention. Almost half the watersheds in Harris County originate in surrounding counties. If upstream communities do not implement regulations that help prevent flooding, downstream […]

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January 20, 2022 Reduce Flooding

What Does “No Adverse Impact” Really Mean in Drainage Studies?

New developments in many jurisdictions must demonstrate “No Adverse Impact” (NAI) in drainage studies before they can get construction permits. City and county engineers want to know the development won’t harm others before they approve plans. But what does “No Adverse Impact” really mean? It depends on the jurisdiction. Meaning Varies Most jurisdictions require that […]

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January 19, 2022 Reduce Flooding

Harris County Making Another Attempt to Shift Flood Mitigation Funds

Harris County is making another attempt to shift flood mitigation funds from outlying neighborhoods toward the city center. Here’s the latest proposal that will be considered by the Community Resilience Flood Task Force at a noon meeting today. Key Concerns About Proposal This proposal attempts to establish new rules for the Equity Prioritization Frame adopted […]

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January 18, 2022 Reduce Flooding

RV Resort Pumping Stormwater Into Edgewater Park, Bringing in Fill

Lakewood Cove residents reported yesterday and today that contractors at the Laurel Springs RV Resort are pumping stormwater from their detention pond into Precinct 4’s Edgewater Park. The reports are true. And it’s a permit violation. I also found contractors bringing in fill from the outside that I thought was going to be “cut” from […]

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January 17, 2022 Reduce Flooding

Post-Harvey Regulatory Update: Mixed Results to Date

Here’s a regulatory update on the synchronization of flood regs in cities and counties throughout the region. Harris County can spend billions on flood mitigation, but if upstream communities keep sending more water downstream, we may never see improvement. That’s why Harris County Flood Control and Harris County Engineering launched an initiative to harmonize regulations […]

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January 16, 2022 Reduce Flooding

Editorial: Need More Disclosure, Education About Flood Risk

Who teaches young home buyers about flood risk? No one in my experience. More than forty years ago, I bought a new house next to a creek in a Dallas suburb. The trees and the view attracted me. Before I put money down, I asked about flooding and was assured that the home was two […]

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