Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium
“Living with Flooding”
NNMD welcomed property and business owners, law enforcement, and other constituents.
The guest speaker for the quarterly Business Network Breakfast was Christof Spieler PE, LEED AP, representing the Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium. Spieler provided a summary of an in-depth review of studies by the Consortium that were completed after Hurricane Harvey.
The Consortium was created to bring together and listen to local experts. The group has completed and published a number of studies, and its recommendations are shaping local flood policy.
Some of Spieler’s highlights were:
- Before the storm, reduce the extent of flooding and locate homes and businesses where they will not flood – use realistic threat assessments, provide flood information flyers and plaques on buildings, develop local detention, maintain storm drains and ditches. Preserve open space and develop watershed-based building regulations and one-stop flood permitting.
- Minimize harm to those affected by flooding – keep them and their critical belongings safe by using flood warning and alert systems, targeted evacuations, using schools as refuge. Make senior living facilities, power supplies and wastewater facilities more resilient, and ensure key road links remain accessible.
- Prepare a smooth and comprehensive recovery that brings residents’ lives and businesses back to normal as soon as possible – physically, financially and emotionally. Plan for buy-outs in advance, encourage the purchase of flood insurance, and develop common intake and coordination systems with case management in place.
Spieler summarized by suggesting that our region consider flooding as a human problem. Follow this link to find out more details on the Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium.
The event concluded with NNMD President Wayne Norden highlighting current projects geared to enhance safety and beautification of NNMD, current projects include monument markers, mini murals, litter abatement, and surveillance cameras in hotspots.
