PROJECT ALERT NOTICE (TX) Tropical Storm Harvey

Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2017 16:57:10 EDT

Summary: Tropical Storm Harvey has slowly moved east over the last 24 hours, but the rain is still falling and the rivers continue to rise.

Tropical Storm Harvey has moved slowly eastward and the more intense rain has shifted east of Houston and moved more into Louisiana. Rainfall totals over the last 24 hours have exceeded 15 inches along the coast southeast of Houston and ranged from 6-10 inches over the city. As rivers reach major flood stage and, in many cases, exceed historic peaks, the rescues, evacuations, and flooded properties continues. Fourteen people have lost their lives in the course of this event.
As of this morning, there were 10 gages damaged and not reporting. More than 17 crews have been out to do repairs and high water measurements. The Texas-based crews have been joined by USGS employees from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma to help with the large number of measurements and repairs needed. High water has made it impossible to reach many streamgage sites, but crews have positioned themselves on all sides of the flooded areas and have been able to get many critical tasks done. Yesterday, crews were able to measure flow at more than 16 sites with most of them in major flood stage. Currently, there are 57 gages in flood stage. Basins effected include the Brazos, San Bernard, Colorado, San Jacinto, and Trinity.
The Addicks-Barker reservoirs west of Houston received National attention when the unprecedented decision was made to release from the dams. The intent is to use the reservoirs to hold water during a storm and release the water slowly after an event passes. But the historic rainfall required a release decision to keep the water from flowing freely over the dams. The gage below the Barker Reservoir was inundated, so a crew was dispatched first thing this morning with a police escort to get into the closed off areas and either repair the gage or deploy an RDG to replace it.
The more intense rain bands from the storm are now impacting the Trinity River basin on the east side of Houston. The areas initially hit when Harvey came ashore near Corpus Christi are becoming more accessible, so repairs, measurements and retrieval of the storm surge sensors has begun.
The Texas USGS staff has continued to interact with cooperators, the NWS, and the State Operation Center to provide information and address specific needs. This includes 40 rating extensions to help the NWS with river forecasts that will exceed previous levels.