The Harris County Flood Control District hosted the first of four community meetings at the Tracy Gee Center, Wednesday, February 8, 2012. Anticipated attendance for the well-organized community meeting was expected to be around 200 people. The actual number attending was more like 500. Those of us who did not show up early had to wait outside for an hour while the first 300 were allowed in.
WHAT IS CHARTING BUFFALO
Charting Buffalo is a study that covers 32 miles of Buffalo Bayou from the Barker Reservoir to the Houston Ship Channel Turning Basin, and 7 miles of lower White Oak Bayou from Loop 610 to the confluence with Buffalo Bayou in downtown Houston. Charting Buffalo aims to integrate options for reducing flooding risks and damages and the need for stream bank stabilization with opportunities for third parties to collaborate in creating community and environmental improvements.
More than 1,500 homes and businesses are at risk of flooding as a direct result of Buffalo and lower White Oak bayous overflowing their banks during a 1% (100 year) flood event. As many as 10,000 structures in the Buffalo and lower White Oak bayou watersheds could be affected by flooding from local drainage issues. There have been 11 flood events in the last 50 years, with 600 structures repeatedly getting damaged. There is flooding away from the bayous when the sewers and ditches are flooded with rain water.
GOALS OF CHARTING BUFFALO
- Reducing flooding risks and damages and improving stream bank stability
- Identifying additional uses of green space created by the Harris County Flood Control District
Mike Talbott Director of Harris County Flood Control District started the meeting by answering the question of what is happening to Terry Hershey Park. He said that we all share a love of nature and place a high value on the natural habitat. The trails in the park environment add enhancement to the neighbors nearby. It is possible to travel by bicycle from the neighborhoods around Wilcrest, Kirkwood, and Dairy Ashford to the park and ride lot. The city does have money for some flood control but not permission to do anything in Terry Hershey Park at this moment.
Jennifer Dyke, Study Manager at Harris County Flood Control District gave a detailed explanation on understanding the Charting Buffalo Report. The report is over 300 pages long with 100 pages of maps. The draft will be available to anyone interested in PDF format on the Charting Buffalo website at www.chartingbuffalo.org. Houstonians are invited to review the draft and provide feedback online, by mail, or at one of the community meetings.
CHARTING BUFFALO STUDY AREA
- Reach 1: Buffalo Bayou state Highway 6 to Beltway 8
- Reach 2: Buffalo Bayou Beltway 8 to Loop 610
- Reach 3: Buffalo Bayou Loop 610 to US 59
- Reach 4: Buffalo Bayou Us 59 to Turning Basin
- Reach 5: White Oak Bayou Loop 610 to Confluence with Buffalo Bayou in Downtown
Charting buffalo is not a construction plan. There is no funding set up now except for the Sabine area near downtown. Harris County Flood Control provides flood damage reduction projects that work with appropriate regard to community and natural values.
Streets and road side ditches are not the responsibility of the flood control district. Large quantities of sediment are being continually washed into the bayou. This increases the flooding risk. This also can cause a decrease in water quality.
Partnering upfront during the process is important. Many members of the 15 member steering committee are members of organizations which have an interest in flood control. Charting Buffalo reviewed the plans of 20 other organizations when coming up with this draft report.
No specific budget has been set at this time. The Capital improvements program would be first opportunity for funding. The flood control district does not have a preferred plan. There are 40 concepts in the report, they will not need all options and might need only 15. The next step would be to look in detail at one of these projects.
HCFCH mailing address:
Harris County Flood Control District
ATTN: Charting Buffalo
9900 Northwest Freeway
Houston, TX 77092
Call Bill Edge at 713-240-2949 to see Houston Homes in 24 hours or less.
Source: Harris County Flood Control, www.chartingbuffalo.org