I don't feel as if you adequately warned me for this one.

That **** was pretty intense on the west side for 30 min

Agreed. Power went out 4 times but came back within minutes every time. Had winter storm flashbacks every time.

Does anybody have a good resource that tracks number of rain days? I know some construction software does to track potential project delays. But is there a google-able source that will tell you "It has rained x number of days over the past 30 days in Houston and x total days ytd." ?

Looking at the forecast this week got me curious. It seems like we haven't strung 2-3 dry days together over the last month or so.

NOAA has long-term rain day data. Not sure about YTD:

https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/search/data-search/normals-annualseasonal-1991-2020

I find it strange we have forecasts for another 4-6 inches of rain in NW Houston over the next few days but there's been minimal release from Addicks or Barker dams since the rain last week. Addicks has been hovering at ~92 feet. Would it have not made some sense to release water between storms and reduce the risk of SH6 flooding? It's not like the bayou levels are high right now.

TriAg2010 said:

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I find it strange we have forecasts for another 4-6 inches of rain in NW Houston over the next few days but there's been minimal release from Addicks or Barker dams since the rain last week. Addicks has been hovering at ~92 feet. Would it have not made some sense to release water between storms and reduce the risk of SH6 flooding? It's not like the bayou levels are high right now.

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For whatever reason, the Corps is usually very slow to start releasing water from the reservoirs, even when it is not raining and Buffalo Bayou is already down to normal. Probably trying to hold more water in the reservoirs to "make it hurt" so we are more likely to jump at their plan to channelize Buffalo Bayou and level most of the remaining habitat between Hwy 6 and Downtown.

Back in 2004 it rained nearly every day in June, trying to get a job done outside and it kept getting pushed back. Looks like we're in that pattern.

Used the window to get some yard stuff done. Had a large tallow branch come down in the wind and electrical storm - fortunately landed in the yard and not on the roof. Will make for some good firewood somewhere down the line.

Ag_07 said:

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Or maybe they're OK with the reservoir do it's job and hold water rather than risk letting water out and raising the level of the bayou right before a forecasted rain event.

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We can agree to disagree here I guess. There hasn't been any risk of flooding rains for at least the last 3 days. Yet the gates appear to have stayed mostly closed and the reservoir levels have stayed basically flat. That was their release window...now the rest of this week and through the weekend, they probably can't do much if any releases. If we get the 4-6" of rain they predict, Hwy 6 (and maybe Eldridge too) will be under water, and the traffic on the West side of town will be terrible for the next week or two.

I don't know about minimal but bayou levels are slightly elevated and flowing pretty good just east of the barker dam on Buffalo bayou.

Almost 3" at my place since 6pm...

They used to have a rule that if there was more than a certain chance of rainfall they wouldn't release any water. I'm not sure post Harvey what their algorithm is.

Who got caught in that super pour around 7pm near bw8 and 290?

txags92 said:

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Ag_07 said:

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Or maybe they're OK with the reservoir do it's job and hold water rather than risk letting water out and raising the level of the bayou right before a forecasted rain event.

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We can agree to disagree here I guess. There hasn't been any risk of flooding rains for at least the last 3 days. Yet the gates appear to have stayed mostly closed and the reservoir levels have stayed basically flat. That was their release window...now the rest of this week and through the weekend, they probably can't do much if any releases. If we get the 4-6" of rain they predict, Hwy 6 (and maybe Eldridge too) will be under water, and the traffic on the West side of town will be terrible for the next week or two.

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I'm fairly certain the reservoirs can handle another 4-6" of rain without flooding anyones homes. Sure hwy 6 and eldridge may flood, but its the reservoirs' primary purpose to hold water back so that the homes and businesses downstream don't have further property eroded away nor flood from the bayou. If anything, HWY 6 should have been built higher up, but I'm guessing TxDOT decided the risk wasnt worth the cost.

Building them higher only lowers the volume