Harris Co. Commissioner calls for more flood control from upstream 'neighbors'
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - The dangerously high water suffered by folks in Kingwood has triggered a call for greater flood mitigation efforts from neighboring Montgomery and Liberty Counties.
That urgent request is coming from Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey.
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"The reason I chose now is people don't want to talk about flooding until you are flooded. If we are not willing to do anything now, I guess we are not willing to do anything at all," said Ramsey.
Ramsey insists there are "reasonable" flood water detention projects both neighboring counties could undertake which would safeguard their own residents, as well the millions of Texans living downstream.
Ramsey says he is urging Montgomery County and Liberty County leaders to adopt stricter flood mitigation standards and asking the San Jacinto River Authority to initiate additional flood control projects.
The Commissioner says if the counties are unwilling or unable to partner on solutions, the State may have to intervene with its authority.
FOX 26 asked Ramsey what is likely to happen in the future if insufficient action is taken.
"We will continue to flood. The property values of people will continue to go down and people will no longer want to move to Harris County," said Ramsey.
Ramsey says both the undeniable population growth in Montgomery County and the emergence of the expanding Colony Ridge community in Liberty County have generated new and potentially dangerous flood control challenges for the region.