Reply #26: That's what I used to think too, [View All]

[merci_me]

But back in February the Chronicle ran a three part series of what could happen in Houston if a major hurricane hit Galveston. If a major surge hit the ship channel, the force could send the water rushing up almost every bayou in the city. Of course, it would be within minutes, not the slow rise of the heavy rains we get.

It showed maps of where the banks would overflow and they included the reservoir at HWY 6 and I-10 and the Bear Creek overflow area, a good ways away from the coast. It would depend on how fast and efficient the pumping was at the various bayou stations and anyone who lives near one knows, it ain't so hot. But even with the pumping, where would it go? To the ship channel, where it came surging in?

Just a good quick downpour will flood our street up over the sidewalk. I hate to imagine what would happen if a 1/4 mile away, the Buffalo Bayou overran it's banks. Plus, because of the fact that the city resurfaced many of the streets around here by just pouring more concrete over the cracked concrete, they effectively covered most drainpipes that took water out of our backyards. We like many neighbors installed sump pumps to carry the water onto our driveways, to run out to the street. Unfortunately, the sump pumps require the electricity to be working.

We wouldn't be completely underwater, but there were homes as far in as I-10 and Wilcrest that during Tropical Storm Alison a few years ago, ended up with 2 ft of water from bayou overflowing.