HOUSTON — The threat of flooding in and around Houston will never go away but work is undeway to help reduce the risk.
Crews with the Harris County Flood Control District are working around the clock in areas prone to flooding.
Gary Zika, federal projects department manager for the Harris County Flood Control District, said there are two things Houston can do when heavy rainfall fills Houston's bayous. It can be stored in detention basins or moved it out to Galveston Bay.
The district continues working on Brays Bayou so it will be able to handle more water.
Project Brays has been in the works for close to 20 years.
The Harris County Flood Control District is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to widen the channel.
“We’re trying to increase the amount of water that can move down the channel," Zika said.
The work being done will move the banks 30 feet on each side.
“We’re also lowering the concrete a little bit in order to get the same amount of area for the water to move down the channel," Zika said.
The bayou will then be able to handle 30 percent more water, according to Zika.,
There are 3.5 miles left to go but the changes are already working.
“During Hurricane Harvey, we estimated over 10,000 homes that didn’t get flooded because of the improvements that we’ve already done to date," Zika said.
While these are possible solutions to the flooding problems there are no guarantees.
“We never say that you’re never going to flood because Mother Nature will throw something else at you,” Zika said.
The Harris County Flood Control District plans to have meetings across the county over the next few weeks to talk about having a bond election in August to help fund future flood control projects.