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To: Howlin

I don't know what percentage it is in Texas but I'm going to go out on a limb here and state I don't believe the majority of the rebuilding which gets done there is due to hurricane activity. From my experience in living in Houston, it's heavy rains which cause flooding in the same areas' time after time. I'm not even talking about catastrophic flooding either, I'm addressing heavy thunderstorms which in the past might have caused minor street flooding but now floods entire neighbourhoods. I don't have any statistics or facts to back up my observation so take it what it may be worth.

In '91 I moved back to Houston after being away for 10+ years. I went to work for a company on the NW side of Houston. During the 3 years I was there one of my co-workers had her home flood twice. The 2nd time she'd had new living room furniture for a week.

Some of the problem with flooding in Houston is the newer subdivisions creating flood area's out of locations which weren't initially in a flood zone.

I'm trying to remember which storm it was in Houston that flooded the Medical Center. I think it may have been Alicia (am guessing though since I didn't live there when the storm hit). I do know that after that particular storm hit and flooded so much of the area, steps were taken to make sure it didn't happen again.


25 posted on 03/11/2006 8:48:31 AM PST by Sally'sConcerns (I never knew there were so many union supporters on FR.)
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To: Sally'sConcerns

It was TS Allison that caused the massive flooding around the Medical Ctr. You would be astounded at how much flood prevention has occurred since that time. Just about every new subdivsion now has lakes surrounding it. They are really just nice-looking flood control measures, but it was a really creative way to deal with flooding issues.

There are bayous and drainage areas all over town now.


31 posted on 03/11/2006 9:22:38 AM PST by Aggie Mama
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To: Sally'sConcerns

I lived in Houston between 93 and 99. Must have been in two or three good floods from rain. One time, they were doing part of the beltway 8 construction (I believe -I might be mistaken, it's been awhile) that constricted water in Clear Creek and a bunch of people got seriously flooded. Water was starting to get into my garage and was inches from my front door when the rain stopped.

I wasn't in the 100 year flood plain, but my subdivision was abutted by a newer subdivision which was graded higher, and water from storms would sometimes cause street flooding in the older areas (this is in Pearland).

I've been in several floods in both Houston and New Orleans, and every one of them was caused by rainstorms, not hurricanes.

The problem is in flood prone areas. Some areas shouldn't be built in.


54 posted on 03/11/2006 1:25:01 PM PST by Knitting A Conundrum (Act Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly With God Micah 6:8)
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To: Sally'sConcerns

I don't know what percentage it is in Texas but I'm going to go out on a limb here and state I don't believe the majority of the rebuilding which gets done there is due to hurricane activity.



Based upon the graph that is cited and the explanation given of it being "(A repetitive-loss property is one with multiple insured losses due to floods within a 10-year period.)" then I think your assumption is accurate. Texas hasn't been hit by that many hurricanes over any 10-yr span that would accumulate that type dollars. It is the flooding that occurs around densly populated areas cause by torrential rains that occur at times here. It also isn't all along the coast but can reach inland along the major rivers as they flood from time to time.

Example is Allison nothing more than a suped up tropical storm that dumped something approaching 40 inches of rain in the Houston area. Much of this flooding occurs in areas well above sea level but gets rising water when the rivers and drainage systems can't handle the incoming water.


57 posted on 03/11/2006 2:01:51 PM PST by deport
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To: Sally'sConcerns

TS Allison flooded the Medical Center in 2001. It also flooded in June of 1976 after 12 inches of rain fell in a few hours.


62 posted on 03/11/2006 4:44:10 PM PST by Ptarmigan (Proud bunny hater and killer)
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