Houston’s flooding shows what happens when you ignore science and let developers run rampant

[rangerrebew]

Houston’s flooding shows what happens when you ignore science and let developers run rampant
 
Ana Campoy
David Yanofsky
August 29, 2017

Since Houston, Texas was founded nearly two centuries ago, Houstonians have been treating its wetlands as stinky, mosquito-infested blots in need of drainage.

Even after it became a widely accepted scientific fact that wetlands can soak up large amounts of flood water, the city continued to pave over them. The watershed of the White Oak Bayou river, which includes much of northwest Houston, is a case in point. From 1992 to 2010, this area lost more than 70% of its wetlands, according to research (pdf) by Texas A&M University.

https://qz.com/1064364/hurricane-harvey-houstons-flooding-made-worse-by-unchecked-urban-development-and-wetland-destruction/?utm_source=YPL&yptr=yahoo

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Wow, a whole article blaming Trump for the floods there. Surprising.

[LateForLunch]

Wow, a whole article blaming Trump for the floods there. Surprising.

Most cities choose not to allocate large amounts of funding for drainage. They figure (correctly) that if they have a major disaster like this, the money to deal with it will come from the federal and state government.

Unless and until city governments are held accountable for poor urban planning (including things like inadequate oversight of drainage) these things will continue to happen.

That being said, it is possible that even if they had built a lot of drainage infrastructure, they would still have been overwhelmed. Also the problem might have been exacerbated because people would doubtless have pointed to the canals and estuaries and said, "See! There's no danger of flooding," - and done more building or refused to evacuate high risk areas until they drown. More dead people as a result of over-confidence.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Most cities choose not to allocate large amounts of funding for drainage. They figure (correctly) that if they have a major disaster like this, the money to deal with it will come from the federal and state government.

Unless and until city governments are held accountable for poor urban planning (including things like inadequate oversight of drainage) these things will continue to happen.

That being said, it is possible that even if they had built a lot of drainage infrastructure, they would still have been overwhelmed. Also the problem might have been exacerbated because people would doubtless have pointed to the canals and estuaries and said, "See! There's no danger of flooding," - and done more building or refused to evacuate high risk areas until they drown. More dead people as a result of over-confidence.

We also subsidize development in flood area by providing flood insurance from the federal government.

[Wingnut]

Most cities choose not to allocate large amounts of funding for drainage. They figure (correctly) that if they have a major disaster like this, the money to deal with it will come from the federal and state government.

Unless and until city governments are held accountable for poor urban planning (including things like inadequate oversight of drainage) these things will continue to happen.

That being said, it is possible that even if they had built a lot of drainage infrastructure, they would still have been overwhelmed. Also the problem might have been exacerbated because people would doubtless have pointed to the canals and estuaries and said, "See! There's no danger of flooding," - and done more building or refused to evacuate high risk areas until they drown. More dead people as a result of over-confidence.

Largely those projects are left to the developer to install.  Supposedly to current code using approved materials.   

[LateForLunch]

Largely those projects are left to the developer to install.  Supposedly to current code using approved materials.

Houston does not have zoning laws. To say that the Houston area lacked consciousness of or action plans from a civil engineering POV is a grotesque understatement. The population of that area has steadfastly voted down any measures to zone, limit or restrict development.

Even if they had, it might not have made much difference when discussing the volume of rainfall they have experienced. Except for the loss of life, the policy of simply dealing with this after-the-fact may turn out to be the most expedient long-term one, even in terms of cost.   

It's a little too late now to discuss how it might have been prevented. Now the discussions must focus on what must be done NOW to prevent it from happening again (and if that is prudent in terms of cost-benefit projections).

If I were considering the issue, I might not think in terms of planning or deploying assets to deal with something that would likely happen only once every five centuries.

[RoosGirl]

Largely those projects are left to the developer to install.  Supposedly to current code using approved materials.

I don't know about other states, I think some are slowly catching up with Florida SOP, but that is not the case in Florida.

[Cyber Liberty]

Even if there was direct government funding to abate this issue, the example of New Orleans is a useful window on the process.  Grants were provided by the US Government for Levee improvements for years, and the local politicians simply stole the money for their own pet projects.  Because it's gubmint money there is no incentive to ensure it goes to its intended purpose, in fact to the contrary.

[Wingnut]

I don't know about other states, I think some are slowly catching up with Florida SOP, but that is not the case in Florida.

I live in an Idyllic sea level community on the gulf of mexico. I am surrounded by water on three sides.  Which is great if I have to fight off the Antifa or a shithead millennial looking for a place to sleep off a bender   Having said that... my 1000 or so  pleasant valley sunday florida community neighbors  ....  hold that thought.  I need to kill a ...

[RoosGirl]

nother beer?

[Wingnut]

nother beer?

Don't mind if I do.

[roamer_1]

nother beer?

Taking too long... So it was either a 5th or a gator.

[roamer_1]

Nope! there he is...

[RoosGirl]

In between 'seasons' right now for gator. ;)

[LateForLunch]

Wingnut! HELLO!!! Bets are  hinging on your answer, please tell us all, WHAT DID YOU KILL??? (NOTE: You need not answer if your attorney advises against it).