Drainage and Flooding Report January 2009

Browse Search

k I o t z 4.41 associates Examination of the delineated floodplains in Exhibits 2-6, 2-7, and 2-8 shows that oat -of - bank floodplain areas, while present in some areas, are not extensively spread across the City for those bayous and streams studied with the FEMA hydrologic and hydraulic models under the TSARP program. Recognize, however, not all bayous and streams in the City were studied under the TSARP program for the purpose of base floodplain delineation; watercourses for which neither in -channel nor out -of -bank flooding conditions are shown are watercourses (or portions of a watercourse) for which no FEMA hydraulic model has been developed. 2.3.2 Drainage and Flooding Problem Identification While FEMA-delineated floodplains and the models used for such delineation can be used to estimate or identify areas of potential flooding problems, other techniques can and were also used to identify flooding and drainage problem areas. These latter methods included direct inspection and observation; discussion with knowledgeable persons on the City staff and City Council, citizen reports to the City on severely damaged structures, drainage and flooding problems arising from Tropical Storm Allison and Tropical Storm Erin, flooding data documented by citizens; and formal repetitive loss reports (i.e., multiple reports of flood damage to structures made for flood insurance claim purposes). These latter reports define what are termed repetitive loss data. The City's repetitive loss data were obtained for this study at the request of the Floodplain Administrator for the City and used to approximately locate where structural losses (e.g., residential houses) were occurring. Repetitive loss data help not only identify the location of the flooding problems but are important to identifying recurring and long term problem areas. The agglomeration of these locations in combination with other information on flood damage locations can be used to identify areas (referenced by the subdivision in which 2-6 Klotz Associates Project No. 0 127.008.000 La Porte Citywide Drainage Study January 2009 City of La Porte