Flooding has occurred in Harris County since the beginning of the 20th century. One of the first disasters that ever occurred in Texas was in Galveston. The catastrophic event, known as the Category 4 Hurricane, occurred in September 1900, killing between 6,000 and 8,000 citizens in Harris County, even though Galveston is 55 miles away. [39]
In 1935, a major storm flooded Houston which overfilled the Buffalo Bayou by 52 feet. [39] The damage amounted to nearly $3 million which is $52 million in today's dollars. [39] This high cost of damage would continue to be a problem, but soon, there would be new ways to prevent flooding as engineers from all over the world came to Houston to help. [39] “Working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the two agencies created the Addicks and Barker reservoirs in far west Houston to control downstream flooding along Buffalo Bayou.” [39] In 1935, the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) would be created to address the floods of the past and work to find new ways to prevent the damages, but the cycle would continue. [39]
1960s and 1970s
In 1960, problems of flooding in Houston area were still occurring. Heavy thunderstorms flooded the Houston area decades after establishing the HCFCD. Harris County was overflowed by the San Jacinto River which caused the evacuation of 200 families. [19] In 1979, Tropical Storm Claudette brought a record of 42 inches of rainfall to Alvin and some parts of Harris County. [19] Due to this disaster, the city of Houston and its engineers would meet for a conference, in the interests of the city's future.
The HCFCD created conference proceedings on the “the flood problem” a year later. The concluding remarks of this study were finalized by Joseph L. Goldman, Ph.D for the International Center for the Solution of Environmental Problems (ICSEP). He stated that flood problems have occurred in Harris County due to both natural and unnatural causes, claiming that the true reason is due to humans. [52] “The problems that I am exposed to and recognize are those that humans cause. [52] The problems that I am exposed to and recognize are those that are caused by urbanization.” [52] Dr. Goldman also stated that Houston had lost up to $2 billion in flooding during 1979 and that putting a stop to these disasters was imperative. [52] So, the city of Houston worked to devise a plan.
1980s and 1990s
The 1980s conference revealed the flooding of Houston in neighborhoods consistent with those that still flood to this day, such as: Bear Creek, 3rd Ward, 5th Ward, Interstate 45 near Crosstimbers neighborhoods, White Oak, and the famous Downtown Travis Street. [52] Two decades later in 1983, Hurricane Alicia destroyed most of Houston with winds that wreaked terrible havoc. In the aftermath, the San Jacinto River was flooded and there was a record of nine inches of rain over the next month in the city. [52] One thousand residents' homes in Harris County were flooded and the damage totaled $38 million in losses. [52]
The 1990s were a time of prosperity for Houston, but flooding continued to be a problem because Houston is 43 feet above sea level.[26] This plays a huge factor in why flooding is occurring all over the city. Houston is basically a concrete jungle that struggle to drain. All of these facts served as an indication that if we could not find new methods to alleviate flooding, the chaos would still continue in neighborhoods prone to flooding. [19] The 21st Century
Events such as Tropical Storm Allison in 2001, the "Memorial Day" floods of 2015, and, most recently, the "Tax Day" floods of 2016 continue to illustrate Houston's vulnerability to flood damage.[17]{58}