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Harris County Flood Control District to Release Flood Hazard Recovery Data
New Data on Floodplains and Floodways
First Phase of Completed Data to Be Released March 8
CONTACT:
Lillie Laws
Harris County Flood Control District
713-684-4015
> View press release, plus FAQs (PDF, 368KB, 01 March 2004)
March 1, 2004
The Harris County Flood Control District (the District) announced that, on March 8th, it will release Flood Hazard Recovery Data for the Brays, Goose, Jackson, Luce, and San Jacinto (North of I-10) watersheds as part of the Tropical Storm Allison Recovery Project (TSARP).
Flood Hazard Recovery Data represents the 1% and 0.2% floodplains (100- and 500-year) and floodways of these watersheds using the latest engineering and technology. The Data has been developed by the District and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and will be used to produce new Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) for communities in Harris County. The DFIRMs are expected to be released in preliminary format by FEMA in late Spring.
Communicating Now About Possible Changes in Mapped Floodplains
"In essence, Flood Hazard Recovery Data is a preview of the preliminary DFIRMs," explained Mike Talbott, Director of the Harris County Flood Control District. "To our knowledge, data in this format and detail has never been released to a community prior to the release of preliminary DFIRMs. We want to provide the public and their communities as much time as possible to learn about possible changes to the mapped floodplains and floodways in their area."
Advances in Technology Promote the Understanding of Flood Risks
Advances in technology - in particular a laser technology called LiDAR that was developed by NASA and used extensively in the TSARP project to define the ground surface - have allowed the District and FEMA to obtain and document a more precise understanding of Harris County's flood risks than previously possible.
"This project has used the best engineering and technology available to define the primary flood risks in Harris County. Advances in technology are also allowing us to communicate more effectively with the public about what we have found," Talbott said.
Address Searches via the Internet
Beginning on March 8th, Flood Hazard Recovery Data will be available through the TSARP Web site, www.tsarp.org.
Residents in the Brays, Goose, Jackson, Luce, and San Jacinto watersheds will be able to view Flood Hazard Recovery Data for their area by typing in their street address and zip code. They will be able to view a map of their neighborhood and see the latest information on flood boundaries for the 1%, and 0.2% floodplains (100- and 500-year) and floodways for these areas.
Engineering information regarding these watersheds will be able to be ordered on the TSARP web site including LiDAR topographic data, hydrologic and hydraulic computer models (with supporting information), and plotted channel water surface profiles.
As additional Flood Hazard Recovery Data becomes available for the remaining 17 watersheds in Harris County, it will be released every Monday in the order in which work is completed.
Data Is For Educational and Informational Purposes
The District stressed that the Flood Hazard Recovery Data is intended for educational - not regulatory - purposes. While the floodplain and floodway boundaries are believed to be what will be reflected in the preliminary DFIRMs, they are still subject to change.
In addition, the Flood Hazard Recovery Data is not subject to an appeal. When preliminary DFIRMs are released in late spring, individuals who believe that their floodplain designation is in error will be given an opportunity to file a technical appeal with FEMA through their local floodplain administrator.
Community Outreach and Education
Since the inception of TSARP in late 2001, FEMA and the District have embarked on an extensive outreach effort to keep the community informed about the progress of the project. To date, more than 100 presentations have been given to community and professional groups across the county.
It is hoped that the release of the Flood Hazard Recovery Data will spark further community interest in flood risks, TSARP, and the National Flood Insurance Program.
The District encourages organizations that are interested in learning more about TSARP and the Flood Hazard Recovery Data to have members visit the Web site at www.tsarp.org, or to schedule a presentation by contacting the District's Planning Department at 713-684-4015.
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