I love Texas. A “can do” attitude. Nothing too big to take on as an engineering challenge. The East Coast of Texas is an economic machine that helps drive the USA economy. But every so often humility in the face of unknowns would allow “outsider” voices to be heard and it may help.
December 7, 2016 In a stunning and ultimately foretelling narrative of the August 2017 Harvey Hurricane flooding, ProPublica and The Texas Tribune researched the science and the statements of public officials covering repeated devastating floods to strike the city of Houston … spanning over 100 years! With an attitude that we’ll keep rebuilding it as long as you (Federal Government) will pay for it an every increasing number of developments are being built in flood prone areas.
Texas is a state that prides itself of letting free market forces work … but apparently there are exceptions if you can get the Federal Taxpayer to pay for mismanagement. A complete lack of zoning laws and outdated flood management practices in Harris County Texas along citizens and leaders that apparently do not recognize science are among a few of the observations made by scientists and flood management practitioners from around the country. No outside observers interviewed in the above referenced ProPublica article agreed (actually they were stunned) with comments and actions taken by Harris County public officials.
September 4, 2017 Bloomberg Businessweek: Harris County and Houston is situated on a swamp. There will always be water problems and being sited next to the Gulf of Mexico with increasing water temperatures portending ever greater water events calls for a change in the way development is managed. Otherwise … development will continue unabated … water events will create more misery and the USA Federal Government and it’s taxpayers will be picking up ever greater bills to rebuild developments that never should have been built.
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