Its been over 5 months since Hurricane Harvey left it’s mark on Houston. We’ve seen the hardships and the amazing stories come of the recovery efforts, which speaks a ton about our great city and its people. There is something Houstonians know for sure: that this great city of ours will flood again.
Our city’s common truth about flooding is now:
1. We need flood insurance whether or not we’re in the flood zone
2. Just because we didn’t flood last time doesn’t mean we won’t next time
We better understand flood language
Thanks to the work of folks like Jeff Lindner, Meteorologist from the Harris County Flood Control District, who became famous during Harvey – we now better understand that the 100 year flood zone doesn’t mean it floods every 100 years, it means the likelihood of your home flooding is 1 in 100 (or 1%) each year, or 1 in 500 (or 0.2%) in the case of the 500-year flood zone, depending on where you live related to the flood zone maps.
What do we know about the changes that will come to our flood zones?
Things are going to change! Using very general statements here, we can assume, at a minimum, that what used to be the 500-year flood zone will likely become the new 100-year flood zone. Of course there are areas closer to waterways and drainage systems that may adjust more that that.
We have attended a number of luncheons hosted by the GHBA (Greater Houston Builders Association) focused on the impact of the flooding. Many great professionals are hard at work evaluating the latest flood data and are expected to published new flood zone maps in the next couple of months. Then our City and Counties will need to review and consider adjusting regulations to best manage our latest view of the flood plain.
Considering or starting to build a new custom home?
Make sure you consult flood related professionals – engineers, builders, & surveyors, and get intimately familiar with the current (soon to be old) flood maps. And make an informed decision about how much to elevate your home – both for peace of mind during the next rain and to consider resale-ability in the future, based on the new flood zones.