[Magdalen] Houston

[Lynn Ronkainen]

...I call the "efforts" to accommodate too much concrete (new outer loops and tollways, 100s of new subdivisions , to name a few) by the USArmy corps of Engineers 
: "TX mathmagic". 
They forecast scenarios, calculate "additional run-off" added to the existing "area" loosely defined, then come up with formulas for widening already existing rivers, creeks and bayous (words often used interchangeably), and/or digging huge sloped sided grass-planted basins, also based on mathemagical calculations, that "confirm" safe retention of water in case of flooding (??!!?) for new communities, which are then often dug larger and deeper so they can become a "water feature" of the new community, which still conforms to the formula because they've dug it larger to accommodate the water they're adding for decorative purposes.

No one knows or wants to say ENOUGH, NO MORE, so the city and the area E, W, and N keep building and expanding. 
When I moved in 1987 the middle class subdivisions in the unincorporated areas 20+ miles from the city were very transient- corporate employers transferring people in and out, sometimes in just a few years. People had no sense of potential tragedy in the form of nature events if they didn't actually experience them. The '90s saw more new residents who moved in for long term OR like us, transferries laid off and unable to move without a job at the other end in a new location.

Such is life. I have been thinking for a while about moving away from TX but it is complicated. 

Have confirmed Sunday tickets home (for now at least), have figured out the rest of our itinerary- blessed to be seeing even more family and old friends than our original scenario included. My house/condo is still dry. I am blessed. 
Lynn


On Aug 30, 2017, at 9:40 AM, ME Michaud <michaudme at gmail.com> wrote:

One of our local meteorologists (that is, he's a college instructor, not
someone on teevee) commented on the amount of Houston that's been paved
over because of rapid overdevelopment.
(Lynn's part of town has more undeveloped land than downtown.)

He wrote:
Dump a glass of water on a granite counter.
Dump a glass of water on a sponge.
Note the difference.
-M

On Wednesday, August 30, 2017, Roger Stokes <roger.stokes65 at btinternet.com>
wrote:

> The problem is the sheer volume of water that has to be dispersed. I read
> that there has been something like 6 cubic miles of water dumped on Houston
>