Group says officials not making enough effort to decrease flooding

Updated: 6/16/2003 7:46:35 PM

By: Steve Trainor

How often can a tropical storm like Allison occur? Public officials have said they really don't know.  Homeowners are clamoring for political and legal changes to help decrease flooding, and they want better enforcement of the regulations we have now.  "Because of all the development along the banks of the bayou that's being done irresponsibly," said homeowner Heather Lazare.  "Flood plain maps that are available to people wanting to buy a house here in Houston are anywhere from five to ten years behind the actual flood data," said homeowner Lorraine Cherry.  "We're hoping that a large coalition of voters will drive that to the center of the agenda," said Shawn Leventhal with Houston Voters Against Flooding.  These individuals are trying to organize Houston Voters Against Flooding, and they're looking for Houston and Harris County political candidates who will really make flood control a priority.  Flood control is a complex issue. Harris County has some 30+ communities and all of them are individually responsible for their own drainage. When you think about it, that's a lot of agencies that would have to conspire to create all these complaints.  "Well, certainly there's no conspiracy," said Gary Norman, with the Houston Public Works Department.  Those representing agencies dealing with flood plain management insist their careers would be over if this group's accusations were true -- that correct flood plain information is available and that developers are held accountable.  "An engineer goes out, does the surveys and puts his seal on a document, saying that, 'Yes, they have complied with our flood plain ordinances,'" said Norman.  "Each city's flood plain administrator has a copy of the flood plain maps that are available to all the citizens living in that city to view," said Alisa Max with Harris County Flood Control.  But this group isn't convinced.  "We really have to think about what we do to prevent the damage that flooding does and that, we feel, is not being adequately addressed by government," said Leventhal. And they hope those answers come before the next big storm.  You can find out more on the group's efforts, and how to find flood plain maps by going to www.tsarp.org. Click on Do you live in the 1% chance floodplain Map Search, then click on and enter your address.

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