HOUSTON — Houston and Harris County officials say they’re keeping a close eye on the disturbance heading toward the Gulf of Mexico and taking preventative steps to mitigate flooding.
Crews from Harris County Flood Control District spent Tuesday afternoon pulling large debris out of Buffalo Bayou on Houston’s East End.
By unclogging the critical channel, they’re hoping to allow more water to drain toward the Gulf faster during a heavy rain event.
HCFCD crews have also moved heavy machinery used to widen Brays Bayou away from the channel.
Houston Public Works staged barricades near the city’s most flood-prone underpasses, and the city’s Office of Emergency Management used social media to urge locals to sign up for push alerts, review their prep plan, and see a map showing flood-prone roads.
“We’ve got conference calls, we’ve let our partners know what’s happening, we’ve started checking things off of our to do list, making sure staff’s available, making sure we can provide information,” said Francisco Sanchez of the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Sanchez says as of Tuesday, Harris County was holding two daily conference calls with other municipalities and agencies.
“A lot of questions: will it develop, will it get a name, what will the impacts be, and where will it go?” said Sanchez. “All those are still unanswered questions.”
Sheldra Brigham, a spokesperson for the Houston Fire Department, said Tuesday that HFD had staged high water rescue vehicles at seven fire stations near areas that typically flood: 5,57,58,37,21,102 and 71.
“Harvey got everyone on edge, but this is nothing like Harvey, and everyone needs to understand that,” said Ed Emmett, Harris County Judge, on Tuesday morning.
Still, Judge Emmett says officials have applied lessons from that storm toward preparing for this one.
“The lesson learned from Harvey: the state sent their assets to where it already hit, but then the rains went other places, and so we have to make sure that we have assets available to cover the potential rain, wherever that comes,” said Judge Emmett.