Experts are discussing the best way to deal with flooding in Fort Worth, which might involve improving the city’s infrastructure ahead of what could be a much rainier remainder of the year.
August 2022 was one of the wettest months on record, with a total rainfall of approximately 10.7 inches. This is significantly higher than the second-highest amount of precipitation for that year, which was clocked in November at 6.4 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
In response to August 2022’s rainfall, Gov. Greg Abbott issued a Flooding Disaster Declaration, as rain and thunderstorms created flooding conditions in multiple counties across Texas, including Tarrant, Kaufman, and others.
Weather experts said it is still possible for El Niño conditions to bring more precipitation than usual for the remainder of 2023, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Dane Steinhagen, who lives in the Linwood neighborhood of Fort Worth, said his house was flooded three times in just four days during August 2022. He said he spent $50,000 out of pocket to fix the damage caused by the historic rainfall.
“Every time there’s a storm, and it looks like it’s going to [rain] two inches, we all freak out,” said Steinhagen, according to the Fort Worth Report. “We’re all in our garages or our balconies watching the street, phones ready to call the city of Fort Worth to say, ‘Hey, we need emergency vacu-trucks to come out and start pushing this water through.’”
A panel of experts and city officials met at Texas Wesleyan University’s Nick and Lou Martin University Center on October 18 to discuss flash flooding in Fort Worth, risks to the community, and ways to prepare. The panel included Jennifer Dyke, assistant director of Fort Worth Transportation and Public Works, Rachel Ickert, chief water resources officer for Tarrant Regional Water District, Tom Galbreath, chairman and principal of Dunaway Associates, and Nick Fang, a civil engineering professor at the University of Texas in Arlington.
Dyke said solutions to flooding issues in the city would likely be costly.
“Our current resources aren’t enough to tackle all the needs,” Dyke remarked, as reported by FWR. “It comes down to balancing how we use the resources we have most efficiently and effectively to provide that value to our community, really focusing on prioritizing life safety and protecting homes and businesses.”
Steinhagen said he wants Fort Worth to enhance the drainage system under Templeton Drive to prevent homes from being damaged by flash flooding.
“Until they fix the street, it’s just a gamble and a tossup before the next storm,” said Steinhagen, per FWR. “No one cares about what it looks like or how the money gets there. We want to see some action done in 2024.”
