Why Houston's reservoirs aren't likely to fail after Hurricane Harvey

[TexasTowelie]

by Kiah Collier, The Texas Tribune, Neena Satija, The Texas Tribune and Reveal, and Al Shaw and Lisa Song, ProPublica


As Tropical Storm Harvey continues to pummel an already devastated Houston, many residents are terrified that the dams on two of the region's massive reservoirs will fail, releasing a torrent of water into portions of the city that are already submerged — including downtown.

The extra water that has accumulated in the Addicks and Barker reservoirs has strained their earthen dams — which have been considered in critical condition for several years in large part because of how ruinous it would be if they failed.

But the Army Corps says despite the fears, the dams are not in danger of failing. Here’s why:

What are the Addicks and Barker reservoirs?

The two reservoirs, built by the federal government in the 1940s, were meant to hold excess rainwater to protect Houston from catastrophic flooding. The idea was that when heavy rain fell, Addicks and Barker could catch it before it flowed down Buffalo Bayou into west and downtown Houston.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2017/08/29/q-why-houstons-reservoirs-arent-going-fail/

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

[Susan Calvin]

1. Channel 2 in Houston

Is right now showing some helicopter videos that looks like either an uncontrolled release or people weren't impressed well enough with what the release would do.

In split screen with a flood control press conference saying everything is fine.

FB is mostly having a fit about the reporting, saying they're fearmongering about what was only expected. But there sure are a lot of cars underwater that don't look like their owners were expecting anything, and the water is up to the roofs of one-story buildings. Also over, or nearly, major roads and freeways.

Hmmmm.... The anchors seem to be frantically backpedaling.

I still wonder if people on the ground really understood what the release would mean.

[LeftInTX]

2. SMH

Development in those basins...