Houston approves new post-Harvey flood construction rule
Source: Associated Press
Houston approves new post-Harvey flood construction rule
By JUAN A. LOZANO
1 hour ago
HOUSTON (AP) — Houston officials on Wednesday approved a new building regulation that will dictate how high new homes and other structures must be elevated to avoid floodwaters.
The regulation, approved by a vote of 9-7 during a sometimes contentious City Council meeting, comes more than seven months after Hurricane Harvey flooded thousands of homes in the nation’s fourth-largest city.
Under the rule, new structures in the 100-year and 500-year flood plains would be constructed 2 feet (0.61 meter) above the ground or above the projected water level in a 500-year flood, an event in which 17 to 19 inches (32 to 48 centimeters) of rain falls in 24 hours. There’s a 0.2 percent chance of such an event happening in any given year.
The city’s current rule applies only to property in the 100-year flood plain. It requires that buildings be constructed 1 foot (0.3 meter) above the water level in a 100-year flood, an event in which 13 to 14 inches (33 to 36 centimeters) of rain falls in a 24 hour period. There’s a 1 percent chance of such an event occurring in any given year.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/5b37c3f0f6604c17bd813de9748f8530/Houston-approves-new-post-Harvey-flood-construction-rule