Houston A Year After Harvey: Where We Are and Where We Need To Be Presentation By Jim Blackburn Baker Institute and Bayou City Initiative August 30, 2018 Harris County Watersheds Population By Watershed Homes Flooded DuringNumber of Harvey Homes By Watershed Flooded in Hurricane Harvey 26,750 30,000 24,730 25,000 20,000 17,090 14,880 15,000 9,450 12,370 11,980 9,120 7,420 3,790 10,000 6,010 2,200 1,890 510 2,720 5,000 310 1,910 230 190 0 490 0 Percentage of Population with Flooded Homes - Per Watershed 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% Spring Creek Watershed 1% Willow Creek Watershed 1% Addicks Watershed 2% Barker Watershed 2% Luce Bayou Watershed 2% Armand Bayou Watershed 3% Cypress Creek Wshed. (w/ Little Cypr. Crk) 3% Galveston Bay Drainage 3% Vince Bayou Watershed 3% White Oak Bayou Watershed 3% Buffalo Bayou Watershed 4% Brays Bayou Wshed. (w/Willow Waterhole) 4% Spring Gulley & Goose Crk. Watershed 4% Greens Bayou Wshed. (w/Halls Bayou) 5% Sims Bayou Wshed. (w/Berry Bayou) 5% San Jacinto River Wshed. (w/Ship Channel) 5% Cedar Bayou Watershed 6% Clear Creek Watershed (w/Turkey Creek) 7% Hunting Bayou Watershed 10% Percentage of Population with Flooded Homes - Per Watershed 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% Spring Creek Watershed 1% Willow Creek Watershed 1% Addicks Watershed 2% Barker Watershed 2% Luce Bayou Watershed 2% Armand Bayou Watershed 3% Cypress Creek Wshed. (w/ Little Cypr. Crk) 3% Galveston Bay Drainage 3% Vince Bayou Watershed 3% White Oak Bayou Watershed 3% Buffalo Bayou Watershed 4% Brays Bayou Wshed. (w/Willow Waterhole) 4% Spring Gulley & Goose Crk. Watershed 4% Greens Bayou Wshed. (w/Halls Bayou) 5% Sims Bayou Wshed. (w/Berry Bayou) 5% San Jacinto River Wshed. (w/Ship Channel) 5% Cedar Bayou Watershed 6% Clear Creek Watershed (w/Turkey Creek) 7% Hunting Bayou Watershed 10% Harris County Passes $2.5 Billion Bond Issue But Money Alone Is Not Enough Corps Funding So Far Clear Creek - $295,165,000 Brays Bayou - $75,000,000 Hunting Bayou - $65,000,000 White Oak Bayou - $45,000,000 Watersheds Set To Receive Federal Funding County Bond-Funded Projects Plan For Houston’s Resilient Future Vision Information Action Plan For Houston’s Resilient Future Vision Information Action 1. Vision: Learning To Live With Water 1. Vision Making Room For the River Waal Slide Courtesy of Anne Loes Nillesen 1. Vision: Make Room For the Bayous? 100-Year = 22% of county 500-Year = 33% of county Reality Check: Recent Rainfall Events Image: Jeff Lindner, Harris County Flood Control District Obsolete Map Dangerous Real Estate Bell Curve Of Standard Distribution 100-Year Flood Average Bell Curve Of Standard Distribution 100-Year Flood Average 1% Event or 100 Year Event Bell Curve Of Standard Distribution Allison Bell Curve Of Standard Distribution Tax Day Bell Curve Of Standard Distribution Harvey Bell Curve Of Standard Distribution TBD TBD Bell Curve Of Standard Distribution TBD TBD Rice SSPEED Center Conference February 2018 Scientist after 1. Vision scientist discussed the increasing rainfall due to We Are climate change Honest About Consensus that Climate future storms will Change be bigger 1. Vision: We Look Forward Not Backward 1. Vision: It Is More Important To Protect People Than To Sell Real Estate 1. Vision: Provide Equity and Transparency What is the Hurricane Harvey Registry? • Collaboration aimed at examining the long-term impact of Hurricane Harvey through a brief survey on housing, personal and environmental health • Hurricane Harvey Registry website also includes list of relevant recovery based resources Who should complete the Registry’s survey? • Any adult in the Harvey-impacted, Greater Houston area • Whether Harvey impacted you severely, lightly , or not at all it is important to share your Harvey HarveyRegistry.rice.edu experiences with the Registry Why should you participate in the Registry? • Research will help shape public health solutions by informing community members and stakeholders • Registry will enable data-driven preparation for future weather events Plan For Houston’s Resilient Future Vision Information Action 2. Providing Excellent Information Addicks Gov Owned Land 103' Hurricane Harvey Weather Channel 35 Corps of Engineers Forecast – 8/24/2017 Thursday 07:00 CST Corps of Engineers Forecast, Addicks and Barker, 8/25/2017 Friday O7:00 CST Corps of Engineers Forecast, Addicks and Barker, 8/26/2017 – Saturday 11:00 hours Corps of Engineers Forecast, Addicks and Barker, 8/26/2017 – 11:00 hours Corps of Engineers Forecast, Addicks and Barker, 8/27/2017 – Sunday 08:00 hours Serious Flooding West and East of Reservoirs Started That Night Corps of Engineers Forecast, Addicks and Barker, 8/27/2017 – 0800 hours Levee Comparisons - Katrina and Harvey Image from KTRH Channel 2 and Corps of Engineers Be Honest Addicks- Barker Failure Impact Zone 2. Information: Use Technology Wisely Hurricane Ike (September 13) and FAS2 Prediction Made by Nick FANG at the Phil Bedient Water Resources Research Group at Rice University. 2. Information: Electronic Device Flood Warning System 2. Information: Perhaps We Need Automated Flood Barrier Systems Rather Than Signs 2. Information: We Should Have Flood Information Markers Throughout the City 2. Information Anyone Moving Into or Living in Hurricane Evacuation Zone Should Be Notified Plan For Houston’s Resilient Future Vision Information Action 3. Action: In Three Separate Zones 3. Action: Zone A Soil Value Exchange (SVX) and Texas Coastal Exchange (TCX) Repair Addicks and Barker Reservoirs Action: Zone B Watersheds Set To Receive Federal Funding County Bond-Funded Projects Buy-outs – Fastest Option For Relief Some Homes Just Cannot Be Protected Watersheds Vulnerable to Downstream Impacts of Upstream Development Unique Problems of the San Jacinto River Watershed Unique Issues of the Greens Bayou Watershed Percentage of Population with Flooded Homes - Per Watershed 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% Spring Creek Watershed 1% Willow Creek Watershed 1% Addicks Watershed 2% Barker Watershed 2% Luce Bayou Watershed 2% Armand Bayou Watershed 3% Cypress Creek Wshed. (w/ Little Cypr. Crk) 3% Galveston Bay Drainage 3% Vince Bayou Watershed 3% White Oak Bayou Watershed 3% Buffalo Bayou Watershed 4% Brays Bayou Wshed. (w/Willow Waterhole) 4% Spring Gulley & Goose Crk. Watershed 4% Greens Bayou Wshed. (w/Halls Bayou) 5% Sims Bayou Wshed. (w/Berry Bayou) 5% San Jacinto River Wshed. (w/Ship Channel) 5% Cedar Bayou Watershed 6% Clear Creek Watershed (w/Turkey Creek) 7% Hunting Bayou Watershed 10% Bayou Greenways Plan Totally Compatible Expand To County? Zone C Cat 3 Storm Surge Landfall San Luis Pass 25 Feet in Houston Ship Channel Smaller Than Irma and Maria Does Not Include Climate Change The Galveston Bay Park Plan Start Permitting the Galveston Bay Park Plan Now Harris County Could Take The Lead All Plan For Houston’s Resilient Future Just Do It Vision Resilience Information Action Thank You.