West Houston Association | Issues & Projects

Infrastructure | Drainage 

Home Up Wetlands

Infrastructure Projects & Issues

 

DRAINAGE & FLOOD CONTROL

Wetlands

WATER SUPPLY & WASTEWATER REGIONALIZATION

REBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE

Conservation & Open spacE


External Links:

Harris County Flood Control District

Charting Buffalo Bayou--Multi-year study by HCFCD on 32 miles of Buffalo & White Oak Bayous

City of Houston Council flooding and drainage Committee

City of houston rebuild houston initiative--Rebuilding the City's Street and Drainage Systems

 

CHARTING BUFFALO BAYOU | HCFCD HAS BIG PLANS FOR 32 MILES FROM BARKER RESERVOIR TO THE TURNING BASIN

Harris County Flood Control District has big plans for improving the drainage capacity of Greater West Houston’s Buffalo Bayou from Barker Reservoir to the Houston Ship Channel Turning Basin, a distance of 32 miles and 7 miles of White Oak Bayou.  The plan seeks to integrate reduced flooding risks and damages and the need for stream bank stabilization with opportunities for third parties to collaborate in creating community and environmental enhancements.  The plan is ready for feedback from the public after which a final report recommending action will be completed.  See the external link at the right for more information.

 

GREATER WEST HOUSTON'S INFRASTRUCTURE IS MOSTLY NEW BUT SOME AREAS NEED REBUILD

The West Houston Association advocates aggressively for state of the art new and rebuilt drainage and flood control systems that meets the needs of a growing Greater West Houston.  The Association strongly supports the REBUILD HOUSTON program.  For more on this, click on this link.

GWH area flood control systems are becoming a model for addressing growing suburban locations. Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) has implemented the “Frontier Channel” flood control program on Langham Creek, with the best characteristics of quality growth meeting a critical public need in a cost-effective manner. South Mayde and Little Cypress Creek are the next watersheds to be addressed. The concept institutes “linear”, “on-line” detention as opposed to traditional “off-line” systems and will be financed through development impact fees. The system will include active open space and park land in addition to performing their drainage function.


City System Rebuilding: City of Houston drainage systems are recognized as old and in need of updating. A proposal for a City Charter Amendment has been advanced as a ballot measure in November, 2010 that would establish a dedicated fund for drainage and roadway improvements. If passed, this fund would include a drainage fee on existing residential and commercial properties in the City of Houston and an impact fee on new development in the City of Houston in addition to capturing a portion of the City’s ad valorem tax currently servicing debt on bonds for these improvements after existing bonds are paid off.



 


The West Houston Association has maintained active involvement in regional policies related to drainage and flood control.  Here is archived materials related to City of Houston and Harris County Flood Control District actions.

 

Background on Regional Flood Control

 

Effective flood control and drainage for an area with flat topography like Houston is critical.  In Harris County, the Harris County Flood Control District, established in 1937, has the responsibility for planning, constructing and maintaining regional flood control facilities.  The City of Houston builds and maintains a system of stormwater drainage facilities that link to major tributaries maintained in Harris County by the Harris County Flood Control District. 

 

"The Flood Control District's income is derived primarily from a dedicated ad valorem property tax. The rate is variable, depending on funding needs, and in 2002 was set at just under 4.2 cents per $100 valuation (the statutory limit for the District's tax rate is 30 cents per $100 valuation). Capital projects have been funded on a Pay-As-You-Go (or cash) basis for most of the last decade, but in 2001, an innovative approach to funding the District's future capital project needs was adopted by the Harris County Commissioners Court that provides funding at levels four to five times higher than any time in the recent past.

 

This new funding approach enables an even more aggressive implementation of flood damage reduction projects acrossHarris County. The annual 5-year Capital Improvement Program proposed for the FY2003-04 budget calls for $796 million in projects, which comes from a combination of local and Federal funds. The first year of the plan provides for $202 million in projects." (Source: HCFCD January, 2004)

 

 

 

In December 2003 the City of Houston City Council declined to approve a new drainage fee.  The matter was referred back to Mayor Brown.  The expectation is that it awaits action by Mayor Bill White.  The proposal would have combined the water, wastewater and drainage systems into a single utility and a restructuring the current debt.  A new stormwater fee will be levied to support O&M and other items for stormwater.  Capital expenses of the stormwater system will be financed by funds from the refinancing.  The fee would begin in January 2004.  It is currently estimated to range from $2.00 per month for about 2400 square feet of impervious cover.

 

To be successful, a drainage plan must address the issue on a regional basis. The Achilles heel of the Brown administration's plan was its failure to convince the public that all parties must participate in, and also pay for, a drainage plan that is fair and equitable for all. Everyone, including schools, churches and other nonprofits, uses the drainage system, just as they use the sewer and water systems. No institution demands free water and sewer service, so we must work to make sure all parties view drainage as a utility that is just as essential.


A successful drainage plan must build on weaknesses of the Brown plan by incorporating a stepped-up level of maintenance, an increased capacity in existing conveyance systems, installation of new conveyance systems and development of a regional detention system that includes areas outside of Houston city limits. This must be done in strong cooperation and participation with the Harris County Flood Control District and other counties.

 

COH Flood Control & Drainage Stakeholders Advisory Committee

 

The Stakeholders Advisory Committee has begun discussions of means by which the City of Houston can fund increased levels of drainage improvements within the city limits.  The City of Houston has implemented a citizen's committee to assist them in developing an effective flood control and drainage program.  Here are notes from the latest committee meeting.

 

July 13, 2005

Stakeholders Advisory Committee

(Advising the Houston City Council’s Flood Control & Drainage Committee)

Summary of Discussions Concerning Funding for City of Houston Drainage System Capital Programs

 

This summarizes discussions from a July 13, 2005 meeting of the City’s Stakeholders Advisory Committee (SAG) an advisory group to the City Council’s Flood Control & Drainage chair, Ada Edwards and vice chair, Tony Lawrence.

 

The discussion topic was a continuation of a previous meeting agenda, how to finance the City’s flood control and drainage program.  SAG will continue to discuss financing and implementation at future meetings.  I am unsure how or even if these suggestions will be forwarded to Council.

 

FEDERAL GRANTS

A previously assumed strategy for funding has been determined to be infeasible or not promising because what federal funding is available is mostly allocated to Harris County Flood Control.  Gaining additional funding is not politically practicable.

 

REGIONAL APPROACH

SAG discussed the need to not penalize development in the City with significantly higher impact fees.  With the existing division of responsibilities between counties in the area and between the City and Harris County, a reorganization would very difficult and likely politically infeasible.

 

The Urban Stormwater Study currently being undertaken by Harris County, City of Houston and TxDOT will not discuss governance issues.  Additionally, the Study does not now have a “how to finance” component.

 

DEDICATED FEE & IMPACT FEE

SAG focused on the need for dedicated revenue for drainage capital projects estimated to be in the $2 billion range, the primary focus of which is listed below: 

  1. Revenue from a dedicated (no transfer to general fund) drainage fee for capital projects in the amount of $3.50 to 5.00 avg per month

  2. Implementation of an impact fee on new development

  3. No exemptions from drainage fee

 

IMPLEMENTING THE FEES

SAG discussed how to implement this type of program: 

  1. Should first have a comprehensive plan for drainage improvements with priority projects and implementation schedule

  2. Estimate the funding requirements (The Urban Stormwater Study could help establish some credibility in the size of the problem and its cost.  If that plan had a financial component which it does not now have, it could also suggest the fees as alternatives, further providing credibility.

  3. Gain a supporter(s) on Council

 

A discussion on a related issues ran throughout the meeting:  a limitation of and the need to change a City Charter requirement that City revenue be divided 50/50 between capital projects and maintenance and operations. 

 

HCFCD Urban Flooding Study

Harris County Flood Control District conducted a study of urban flooding.  The Association is supporting this study and has encouraged the City to participate as well.  The Association's statement to Mike Talbot, director of HCFCD follows:

"The West Houston Association Board of Directors has endorsed the proposed Urban Stormwater Management Study and will encourage the City of Houston to participate in that study along with HCFCD.

We believe the results of such a study will provide an excellent opportunity for consistent region-wide standards for detention and stormwater drainage. It can also provide a vehicle to “educate” the community on the roles of agencies and rational standards required to meet flooding events. It will also enable the public to set reasonable expectations based upon facts.

We would like to recommend an addition to the study. The draft study plan we have seen is oriented to the technical, regulatory and informational aspects of the problem and solutions. We would like to suggest that this study, or a companion evaluation, also address estimated system costs; current available financial resources; the resulting “gap” and potential sources of new revenue.

We would like to offer the services of the West Houston Association for participation in the process."

Article: Flood Gains: It's About Reducing the Risks

By Michael D. Talbott, P.E. Director, Harris County Flood Control District

As originally printed in the Houston Chronicle, Outlook section, March 7, 2004.

Flooding will once again be the center of attention this week, although (hopefully) not due to an actual flood event.

On Monday, March 8th, the Harris County Flood Control District will release important Flood Hazard Recovery Data for the Brays Bayou, Goose Creek, Jackson Bayou, Luce Bayou, and San Jacinto River watersheds of Harris County. Similar Data for the remaining 17 watersheds of Harris County will be released on a weekly basis as the work is completed.

Flood Hazard Recovery Data represents the most current understanding of the 1% and 0.2% floodplains (100- and 500-year) and floodways of these watersheds using the latest engineering and technology.

This information is being developed through the Tropical Storm Allison Recovery Project (TSARP), a partnership between the District and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

The Flood Hazard Recovery Data will be used by FEMA to issue new preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) for all communities in Harris County in late Spring. Issuing the DFIRMs will initiate the administrative process to make the new floodplain information official for flood insurance purposes.

While the Flood Hazard Recovery Data must be considered to be a "preview" of the information that will be contained on the preliminary DFIRMs, and therefore subject to change, the information should be nearly identical. Our confidence is based on the applications of the most advanced engineering methods and technology used throughout the project. One of the most dramatic advances involves a NASA-developed airborne laser technology called LiDAR to establish ground surface elevations with a level of precision never before possible. TSARP has also produced excellent results due to the active involvement of concerned citizens, building officials, and technical organizations to advise us throughout the study process.

Beginning tomorrow, residents of the released watersheds will be able to view our best understanding of where the floodplains lie by visiting www.tsarp.org. On this web site, (as well as the District's - www.hcfcd.org) they will also be able to learn about our area's natural and historic risk of flooding, what is being done about it, and of the importance of carrying flood insurance.

To the District's knowledge, it is unprecedented that Data of this nature is being made available to the community in this accessible a format prior to FEMA issuing preliminary DFIRMs.

Put simply, the District and FEMA want the public to have as much time as possible to become aware of their flooding risks. An informed community is a more damage-resistant community.

Toward that end, it is important that the community keep a series of facts in mind so that the Data can be placed in proper perspective.

A common misconception is that the current county floodplain maps are "wrong." In fact, they are a solid and largely accurate representation of where the highest risks of flooding exist. However, new technologies and engineering methods allow for a more detailed understanding of these risks.

TSARP represents an entirely new study of flooding potential, not an update of old information. As such, it is not appropriate to characterize mapped floodplain changes as an "increase" or "decrease" in flood risk - it is simply a new understanding of our flood risk.

Indeed, a number of technical differences in the new study approach make direct comparisons to the old study inappropriate. For example, the detail of the ground surface defined by LiDAR is unprecedented and represents a significant difference. Another is the use of new (larger) rainfall values than the old study based on additional years of rainfall records.

These and other differences make it impossible to attribute any change in our understanding of flood risk to an individual cause. Also, each watershed is unique and possesses independent flooding conditions; information released from one watershed should not be used to make generalizations about another.

Nevertheless, there will be those who will attribute changes in our floodplains to a single source - new development. Development has played a role in our flooding problems, but not in the way most people realize. Historically, what development has done is place people in the path of a naturally flood prone landscape.

Quantifying our flood risk is a fairly recent development - the 1% (100-year) flood was not adopted as a standard until the National Flood Insurance Program was established in 1968, local floodplain regulations were not established until the early 1970's, and the first detailed studies of flooding for Harris County were not published until 1985. The unfortunate result is that most of the chronic flooding problems in our region are found in areas that were developed before adopting the standard of measuring risk (the 1% flood), and before regulations.

Part of the study effort to understand Tropical Storm Allison confirmed that floodplains today are smaller than they were 100 years ago - evidence that the massive flood damage reduction projects have been very effective. Flood risks continue to be reduced every day as flood damage reduction projects are provided, and building regulations are enforced to help ensure that new problems are not created.

On Monday (and for weeks thereafter) there will undoubtedly be those who will check to see if their residence falls within the estimated mapped floodplain, and if it does not will improperly surmise that they posses no flood risk.

It is imperative to keep in mind that every portion of Harris County possesses some risk of flooding due to the flat terrain, clay soils, and high levels of annual rainfall. Intense local rainfall can cause flooding well away from any channel as water tries to flow overland, and severe storms can produce more rainfall than what is depicted by the mapped floodplains (both scenarios were very evident with Tropical Storm Allison).

Moreover, as advanced as our engineering technologies have become, mapped floodplains still represent simulations (albeit highly informed) of a theoretical rainfall event - about 13 inches of rain in 24 hours for the 1% (100-year) event. Although there are extensive checks against actual storm and flooding events to be sure the computer models can reproduce observed information, the mapping is not directly based on any flooding event that has ever occurred - it is still theoretical.

The Data should also be viewed as a snapshot in time of flood risk. Ongoing and future flood damage reduction projects will help shrink floodplains in many areas, while preventing their enlargement in others.

For example, Brays Bayou watershed is in the first group of Data to be released, and is one of the areas where historical flooding is well documented. Brays Bayou also has underway the largest flood damage reduction project in the history of Harris County, a $450 million effort being conducted in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The District will start using the Flood Hazard Recovery Data on "Project Brays" now and we will apply similar knowledge to all of our other current and planned projects as it becomes available.

The countywide potential of Flood Hazard Recovery Data and TSARP will not be fully realized, however, if the District alone uses the information, or if people wait for the new DFIRMs to be approved before applying the knowledge.

The Harris County Flood Control District is not a floodplain administrator, nor is it a regulatory agency. It is a special purpose district charged by the Texas legislature (in part) with responsibility for "the control, storing, preservation and distribution" of Harris County's rivers, streams, tributaries, and flood waters.

Local regulatory oversight of floodplain maps rests with each of Harris County's 35 communities. Typically, communities have waited for floodplain maps to be formally approved by FEMA before adopting them into their building ordinances. However, in light of the fact that Flood Hazard Recovery Data represents the latest information, it is advisable (at a minimum) that each community ensure that developers applying for permits are asked to confirm that the new information was made available.

Government cannot address flooding alone, however. You will recall the damage suffered by the Texas Medical Center during Tropical Storm Allison. Since that time, various institutions in the Medical Center have undertaken a significant effort to flood-proof buildings and tunnels to protect themselves and ensure they do not suffer similar damage in the future. They deserve tremendous credit for setting an example of enlightened flood control leadership that other institutions and land developers are following. 

Individuals too have a responsibility. They have a responsibility to pay attention to the Flood Hazard Recovery Data as it is released and make informed decisions about protecting themselves against a possible flood, including a responsibility to carry flood insurance whether or not they are required to do so.

While flooding will be the center of attention over the next few months because of the new floodplain maps, I can assure you we will focus on actual flooding again in the future. The storm will be called by a name other than Allison (that name has been retired) or it may not have a name at all.

This is not to say that we cannot reduce the risk of flooding. We can do that, we have done that, and we are doing that - in a more innovative and effective manner than at any time in the Harris County Flood Control District's 67-year history.

As devastating as Tropical Storm Allison was for Harris County, it did have some positive aspects - especially a renewed public awareness of flooding and flood damage reduction as one of the most important issues affecting our community. 

We are also witnessing an unprecedented energy and long-term commitment by the majority of our county's communities to tackle local flooding issues.

I am confident that countywide we can harness this energy to understand our flooding problems and continue to construct new stormwater systems that will improve our quality of life - by reducing the devastation of flooding and creating wonderful open space for use between floods.

 

City Changes to Chapter 9, Stormwater Design Requirements

 

The City of Houston Public Works and Engineering Department has posted changes to its Storm Water Design Requirements, Chapter 9.  Effective date of the new requirements was January 1, 2005. Changes were made to a portion of the requirements related to "time of concentration" calculations.  These changes have been made are posted on the City of Houston website.  We have posted the current (Feb 1, 2005) version of Chapter 9 on our website. 

 

 The West Houston Association has provided comments to the Director of Public Works and Engineering stating our opposition to the changed requirements as drafted.  (Link to WHA Comments) (PDF File)

 

The Houston City Council Flood Control & Drainage Committee Stakeholders Advisory Group (SAG) is formed to advise Council on issues relating to facilities and services.  Minutes of SAG meetings are posted here:

 

Click for the City of Houston Stormwater Management Program site

 

Much of the work of the Stakeholders Advisory Group has been to review the proposals to improve Houston's rating in the Community Rating System (CRS) that relates to the National Flood Insurance Program.  At one of the SAG meetings, a review of the CRS and NFIP was presented.  This PowerPoint may be viewed by clicking this link: Presentation on Community Rating System

Harris County Flood Control Director Mike Talbott writes about flood control in Harris County

WHA has supported the new implementation dates for the data.  the schedule of implementation will phase in 10 days after data release for non-grandfathered slab elevation settings and 30 days after data release for non-grandfathered preliminary subdivision plat applications. We further understand grandfathering will be for permit applications received on or before the 10-day period or 30-day period in the case of subdivisions plans. Harris County has published new flood plain maps for portions of the county.  New watersheds will be available periodically.  These maps and additional data are available at this website: Tropical Storm Allison Recovery Project. 

MARCH 29, 2004--The City of Houston Mayor Bill White is proposing an increase in the City water and sewer rates which, along with a refinancing of the current debt, would finance a drainage capital and maintenance program. 

The City of Houston has signaled that it will immediately begin requiring new development in affected areas to use the new data on flood plain locations.   "Public Works Director Jon Vanden Bosch said he has recommended that the city's requirement for developers to detain runoff be set at one-half of an acre-foot for every acre a project covers. An acre-foot equals 326,000 gallons, or the amount that would cover an acre of ground with water one foot deep."

The city's current detention standards, Vanden Bosch said, range from .2 to .45 acre-feet per acre. The requirements, which apply regardless of whether a project is in a flood plain, are intended to reduce the impact of new construction on flooding downstream. 

Under Vanden Bosch's plan, a 10-acre development would be required to have a detention pond that could hold at least five acre-feet of runoff. 

White said he would review the recommendation and discuss it with the City Council flooding and drainage committee before making a final decision. An ordinance would not be required to enforce the new standard, Vanden Bosch said. 

The mayor said he had asked Vanden Bosch to review the detention requirements as part of a broad effort to reduce Houstonians' flood risks."  
Houston Chronicle March 10, 2004

The Houston City Council voted to hike water and sewer rates an average of nearly 10%.  The hike and a refinancing of current water and sewer debt will help launch a badly needed drainage operation and capital program for the City.  Mayor Bill White is proposing an increase in the City of Houston Water and Sewer rates and a refinancing of current debt to provide for a capital and maintenance program for the City's aging drainage system.  Below is a series of presentation charts used by the City of Houston to introduce the subject.

This slide presentation was prepared by the City of Houston in preparation for the City Council vote to increase water rates to undertake drainage improvements:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 


2011 Quality Growth Partners

 

West Houston Association  |  820 Gessner Suite 1310, Houston, Texas 77024  |  713.461.9378  |  info@westhouston.org