In the wake of Hurricane Harvey--literally--Harris County, Texas, outside Houston, is looking at a massive and expensive project that could keep floodwaters at bay. KHOU reports:
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - On Tuesday, Harris County took the first steps toward building what could be billions of dollars’ worth of underground tunnels to spare homes and businesses from flooding.
Commissioners voted to move forward on negotiating a contract with Fugro USA Land, Inc. to study the idea over several months. Officials estimate the study will cost between $200,000 to $400,000 and cover the entire county.
Several months after Hurricane Harvey, many survivors in the West Houston neighborhoods near Buffalo Bayou are still facing several months of recovery.
“A few neighbors are back, but many are displaced,” said Will Hickman, whose home stood just 300 feet from the bayou. “We are building about three feet higher than the former house, and that’s not even the Harvey levels.”
Hickman is hoping government will fix the region’s flood control infrastructure to prevent another Harvey-level flood. That includes clearing bottlenecks and increasing capacity of the bayous, or even building a new canal or tunnel.
