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The Energy Corridor aims to effectively communicate the flood resiliency improvements that have occurred since Hurricane Harvey and those planned in and around the Energy Corridor.
The Energy Corridor has confidence in regional efforts to improve the resiliency of the District to withstand a variety of water-related events.
A Recent History of Notable Storm Events
Like much of Houston, the Energy Corridor has experienced several recent heavy rainfall events. The rainfall during each of the events produced street flooding and some property flooding.
Hurricane Harvey in the Energy Corridor - 2017
Hurricane Harvey hit the Houston area in late August 2017.
Over the course of the storm, some parts of the Houston area saw over 40 inches of rain, testing the area's stormwater infrastructure.
Hurricane Harvey was the first extreme test of the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs in performing their mission to prevent loss of life and property damage along Buffalo Bayou since they were constructed in the mid to late 1940’s (over 70 years). The dams are not in imminent danger of failing and are continuously monitored to ensure their structural integrity.
The record rainfall amounts led to uncharacteristic flooding in the Energy Corridor. Flooding in the Energy Corridor was primarily due to the releases from Addicks and Barker reservoirs. This rainfall event was extreme in terms of its intensity, duration and overall extent of the rainfall for a single storm.
Hurricane Harvey at Eldridge/Memorial Intersection
More than 3,100 homes were flooded near the Addicks and Barker reservoirs.
Floodwaters receded by the end of September 2017.
Governing Agencies
Various entities play critical roles in the region with overlapping functionality.
Post Harvey, all levels of government (federal, state, local) responded quickly to move projects forward to improve conveyance, storage, and development.
The USACE is responsible for the operations and maintenance of the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs. $47 million in federal funds was allocated for desilting of channels in the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs to return them to the original capacities.
The City of Houston maintains a complete streets initiative to address mobility and provide a holistic approach to handling storm runoff and impervious cover within the public right-of-way.
The HCFCD collects runoff from the storm sewer in regional detention ponds or open channels in their jurisdiction and develops regulations for new development and redevelopment. $2 billion in HCFCD bond funds were allocated for improvements to channels, detention, and maintenance across the County.
Harris County is responsible for development regulations within the floodplain in Harris County
The Energy Corridor - A Resilient Region
Since Hurricane Harvey, the governing agencies have been hard at work. As a result, the Energy Corridor is better prepared for rainfall events than ever before!
Since Hurricane Harvey, numerous projects have been implemented and are in various stages, benefiting the Energy Corridor.
The Energy Corridor is impacted when rain falls within the Cypress Creek, Addicks Reservoir, Barker Reservoir, and Buffalo Bayou watersheds.
Since Harvey, 12.8 billion gallons of storage was added across the four (4) Energy Corridor impacted watersheds, representing an increase in storage of approximately 10% in a matter of a couple of years, instead of decades.
An additional 12.2 billion gallons of storage is planned in the four (4) Energy Corridor impacted watersheds soon. This will represent nearly another 10% in storage volumes within these watersheds for an approximately 20% increase in available storage since Hurricane Harvey.
During Hurricane Harvey, over 76,000 acre-feet of water spilled over from Cypress Creek watershed into the Addicks Reservoir watershed (about 20% of the runoff through Addicks) potentially impacting capacity within the reservoir.
Linear detention provides storage of excess water during rain events. while detention basins are empty of water, the are an aesthetically pleasing design that blend in with their surroundings
The HCFCD constructed 6.4 miles of linear detention in Buffalo Bayou watershed between Eldridge and Dairy Ashford for a total project cost of about $10 million.
The UASCE Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries Resiliency Study was performed to "identify, evaluate, and recommend actions to address changed conditions, including potential modifications to the Buffalo Bayou system to reduce flood risks to people, property, and communities."
Resiliency Studies
In addition to the projects that have been constructed, several resiliency studies are in progress. Hover and click for direct access to the latest study information.
Hurricane Harvey sparked the need for new development regulations in Harris County. Prior to January 2018, requirements regulated finished floor elevations only with respect to a 100-yr storm event. Today, buildings within the 500-yr floodplain must be constructed with a finished floor elevation of 12 inches above the highest adjacent grade (HAG) and with 6 inches of their slab exposed. If the building is considered to be a critical facility, the requirement increases to 36 inches above the HAG, or 24 inches above crown, whichever is greatest.
Flood control agencies in the Houston metro area took swift action following Hurricane Harvey. Recovery in the scale of multi-billion-dollar efforts began just months after the storm. Agencies have since completed hundreds of projects ranging in debris removal to drainage improvements and regulatory changes. Through partnerships, collaborations and with community input, Houston continues to work diligently to assess and implement innovative solutions to prevent future flood disaster.
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