Recovery efforts and flood prevention planning is underway after heavy rain in April and May flooded roadways, caused blackouts and damaged hundreds of homes and businesses in Montgomery County.
Extensive flood damage in May led the federal government to issue a disaster declaration for Montgomery, San Jacinto and Grimes counties June 11. The declaration was made after Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for Montgomery and 30 other Texas counties June 1. A disaster declaration was also signed by county Judge Craig Doyal on May 27.
Montgomery County received as much as 20 inches of rain between May 26 and June 6, creating floods that damaged 880 homes and 20 businesses, according to county officials. The Conroe area typically receives an average of 48 inches of rain per year.
The May rainfall event follows a similar flood that took place April 17-24, known locally as the “Tax Day floods,” during which 5-15 inches of rain fell in Montgomery County.
“To have the kind of rain that we had back in April is always surprising,” Doyal said. “But to immediately turn around within 30 days and see the same type of event again is almost unbelievable. I’ve never seen this much rain back to back, and I’ve lived [in Montgomery County] my whole life.”
Doyal said the Montgomery County, local municipalities and other agencies are studying solutions to mitigate future flooding concerns, such as improving the county’s flood warning system and drainage system.
Recovery assistance
The federal disaster declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to offer recovery support services to affected residents, such as rental payment assistance for temporary housing, home repair grants and low interest loans. This marks the second time Montgomery County has received a disaster declaration since the “Tax Day floods” in April, officials said.
“Families and businesses in Grimes, Montgomery and San Jacinto counties had barely caught their breath after the tax day flooding when another extended run of storms dumped up to 20 inches of rain across Texas,” said U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands.
Following the floods in April, 600 homes were damaged by floodwater and 50 homeowners applied for the FEMA’s voluntary buyout program, a protocol through which the agency purchases homes from willing sellers subject to repeated flooding, according to the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management.
Regional nonprofit organizations are providing disaster recovery services as well. Montgomery County Community Assistance Recovery Efforts and Services, a collaborative effort consisting of local nonprofit, governmental and faith-based organizations, is coordinating recovery assistance efforts.
“I think having a collaborative network allows us to leverage resources, avoid duplication of services and have a very coordinated response,” said Mary Vazquez, United Way of Greater Houston senior director of community impact.
The group, led by the United Way of Greater Houston and Interfaith of The Woodlands, has established three donation and distribution hubs throughout the county. The organizations offer basic needs, such as food, clothing, transportation and short-term housing assistance in their respective regions, said Nicole Robinson Gauthier, Montgomery County United Way senior director of donor relations.
In addition, the United Way established a disaster center June 10 at its Montgomery County office to offer case management to assist residents in need. The center helps residents advance through the recovery process by connecting them with local organizations that can help with short-term recovery issues like cleaning homes to long-term aid, such as grant and loan applications.
“Disaster recovery is a very long-term process,” Vazquez said. “It can take many months for individuals to get back into their homes.”
In addition, The Church of Latter-day Saints in Conroe offers hygiene supplies, home cleanup kits and other materials to affected residents, according to the county.
Preventing future floods
Following the damage experienced throughout the area, officials are working to mitigate future flooding concerns.
The county, SJRA and city of Conroe are partially funding a study that will evaluate improvements to the SJRA’s early flood warning system. The agencies are requesting $460,000 in grants from the Texas Water Development Board and have agreed to match the amount if the grant is approved.
Phase 1 of the study could be completed by December 2017. If approved, it would evaluate ways to upgrade the existing alert system, improve communication and water measurement infrastructure, and improve flood protection planning in the Lake Conroe watershed.
“We want to create an early warning system with the SJRA so we can let people know when flooding could be an issue,” Doyal said.
In addition, Conroe City Administrator Paul Virgadamo said the city is evaluating possible upgrades to drainage on Woodland Hills and Pine Springs drives as well as Teas Nursery Road, where rain caused washouts of the roadway. He said any improvements would likely be completed this year.
“We made some temporary repairs, and we want to go in and figure out exactly what we need to do as far as storm sewer size or culvert size; then we will go in and do a permanent fix,” Virgadamo said.
Doyal said two of the biggest barriers for the county to address flood control issues are a lack of jurisdiction and funding as the county lacks a flood control district.
Doyal said after the flooding in April and May, more people may be interested in the possible formation of a flood control district, but the option has not been discussed among local officials.
However, Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador said local residents have not supported a flood control district in the past. Creation of a flood control district requires voter approval because it would create an additional taxing entity.
“Historically, those are hard to pass because you are going to be taxing people [who] do not live in a flood plain,” Meador said. “A big part of our county doesn’t have flood issues.”
