HOUSTON – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Harris County officials expect no problems with the aging Barker and Addicks dams in western Harris County.
The dams were built in the 1940s after massive floods swamped downtown Houston in 1929 and 1935.
Both are listed among the six dams across the nation most critically in need of repair. Those repairs are underway, but won’t be completed until 2020.
Some critics suggest that a high volume of floodwater collecting in the reservoirs behind the 70-year-old dams could cause a catastrophic failure, sending a wall of water from west Houston to the center of the city.
Cynthia Neely’s house would be in the water's path if such a scenario played out. Neely is a member of Residents Against Flooding, which is currently suing the city of Houston over a drainage policy she and others contend has aggravated flooding along Buffalo Bayou.
She’s heard the dire predictions.
"That’s terrifying.” Neely said. “I mean, we will be wiped off the map. I mean, we’re going to the bank and the grocery store and getting water, and what difference will it make? I mean, I don’t know. We might not even be here.”
Richard Long, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, says those doomsday predictions have never been true.
“There’s absolutely no reason to be concerned about a catastrophic failure.” Long said.
A $75 million project to repair both of the dam’s floodgates is currently underway. The repairs won’t be completed until 2020, but Long says both dams are still sound.
“We’re going to have significant amount of water," Long said. "It all depends on how much rain we actually do receive. But at this time it’s nothing the projects will not be able to handle.”
The Army Corps of Engineers will be running stress tests tomorrow to ensure that is true, and they’ll be monitoring both dams closely as long as the heavy rains last.