Identifying Opportunities to Strengthen Climate Resilience in Flood-Prone Urban Communities in Harris County, Texas

The US is experiencing more frequent and intense precipitation events, largely driven by climate change. These storms have caused severe flooding, leading to billions of dollars in damages, ecosystem degradation, community displacement, and casualties. Urban centers in the South-Central US have experienced two of the most costly flooding events in US history: Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Katrina. To counter this growing risk, investing in flood mitigation is critical, especially as existing infrastructure ages and urban areas grow. Moreover, ensuring that investments are effectively distributed is essential for building community-wide resilience.

While structural flood mitigation projects can reduce the risk of damage in many cases, sometimes relocation may be necessary. This project uses Harris County, Texas, home to the highest concentration of federally-funded relocation projects in the nation, as a case study to develop a flood vulnerability assessment. The assessment will consider flood likelihood, societal factors that influence flood susceptibility, and past flood mitigation efforts, specifically buyouts and nature-based solutions. By modeling flood exposure under various climate scenarios, mapping community flood sensitivity across the county, and examining the distribution of flood mitigation investments, this project will identify overlooked vulnerable areas to prioritize for future mitigation projects to help guide ongoing flood mitigation efforts in Harris County and identify areas of highest need to reduce flood risks.