Dannenbaum Engineering Corporation worked with Jersey Village City Staff to identify concepts to reduce flood damage in the city.[/caption]The city of Jersey Village brought on Dannenbaum Engineering Corporation in September to conduct a $650,000 long-term flood recovery study, which is expected to wrap up in June.
Since that time, a team led by Dannenbaum composed of civil engineers, hydrologists and environmental scientists has been working with city officials and local residents to identify strategies the city can take on to mitigate flooding during the next major rainfall event. Jersey Village has been repeatedly impacted by flooding along White Oak Bayou, including when 238 structures within the city flooded during the Tax Day floods last April.
The Dannenbaum team wrapped up Phase 2 of the study in March, which entailed an assessment of flood-prone structures in the city, the creation of a drainage plan to offset flooding impacts of future development and the identification of concepts for how the city can reduce flood damage during future storms.
The third and final phase of the study involves combining proposed solutions into an overall flood damage reduction system—along with financial implementation strategies—for the city to consider at a public meeting this summer. Here are four concepts the Dannenbaum team has proposed following its Phase 2 analysis that could be included to some extent in the final recommendation.
Improvements to street drainage on Wall Street and Capri Drive
Neighborhood and street drainage systems are typically designed to handle storm events where rain falls at a rate of about one to two inches per hour, but can lead to water ponding during more extreme events. Streets in Jersey Village are designed to flood during extreme events, but standards are in place to try to ensure water does not flood buildings.
Wall Street and Capri Drive have proven to be especially susceptible to flooding during major rain events. To alleviate street ponding and home flooding on these streets, inlet and storm sewer capacity could be increased. The city could make these improvements with little coordination with other entities, Dannenbaum officials said.
Improvements along White Oak Bayou
Of the 238 structures that flooded during the Tax Day floods, at least 210 of them were determined to have been caused by overflow from White Oak Bayou. Dannenbaum included channel improvements for floodwater traveling through White Oak Bayou among its considerations. Proposals also target three bridges over White Oak Bayou—Tahoe Bridge, Lakeview Bridge and Equador Pedestrian Bridge—where improvements are recommended.
Modification of Jersey Meadows Golf Course
Dannenbaum officials have proposed modifying the detention facilities at the Jersey Meadows Golf Course in an effort to increase the amount of stormwater the course would be able to retain. Plans could also involve developing a better system to prevent sheet flow from the golf course from flooding nearby city streets, including the previously mentioned Wall Street and Capri Drive.
Various nonstructural measures
These measures are not considered primary recommendations and would be implemented on a case-by-case basis. Nonstructural measures could include non-voluntary home buyouts for homes in the 100-year floodplain, razing buildings, floodproofing and other forms of floodplain management and regulation that could be implemented through city ordinance.
Below is a map of proposed projects.
