County weathers more rain and flooding
Neighborhood south of Woodlands again bears brunt of storm damage
In the 6½ years that Lori Howard has lived in her home on Glen Loch Drive in the Timber Lakes-Timber Ridge subdivision just south of The Woodlands, it hadn’t flooded once — until the Tax Day flood in April pooled about two inches of water into it.
The flood waters crept into Howard’s closets, spoiling the pillows and blankets that her grandmother had left her, and leaving behind a thick, sticky film that Howard and her husband, Eugene, spent three days on their hands and knees, breathing in bleach fumes, to clean up.
Because their house is on slightly elevated ground, it wasn’t hit nearly as badly as some of their neighbors’ homes.
When torrential downpours again slammed the flood-prone community Memorial Day weekend, the flooding stopped short of seeping into Howard’s home, but just two streets down, one neighbor’s house was flooded up to the roof, she said. Several houses along the streets in the subdivision, now lined with debris from the second flood, have “For Sale” signs in the front lawns. And as the threat of more rain and the start of hurricane season looms, Howard said the anxiety is getting worse.
“There’s a panic attack that happens the closer (the water) gets to the house,” Howard said.
Back-to-back disasters
The torrential downpours that brought up to 20 inches of rain in parts of the county last week caused more damage than the Tax Day flood, which
flooded about 600 homes countywide in April, according to county Judge Craig Doyal.
Gov. Greg Abbott issued disaster declarations June 1 for 31 Texas counties, including Montgomery, following the Memorial Day weekend flooding, which damaged 880 homes and businesses in the county. First responders performed more than 400 high water rescues and about 150 roads were impassable over that weekend.
The area got only a short respite from the rain as a third storm rolled in last Wednesday, again soaking the ground and flooding roads. Periodic rains hovered over the county into the weekend, keeping officials and residents on guard for further flooding and road closures.
The storms last week temporarily closed down a section of Sawdust Road between S. Millbend Drive and Grogan’s Point Road due to damage to the bridge and guard rail. And in Creekside Park, the rain damaged a water supply facility in the Timarron subdivision, prompting a ban on outdoor water usage and the closure of the township’s pools in that village last weekend. Road to recovery
The latest wave of storms came just as victims of the flood in April were recovering and getting assistance.
President Barack Obama joined Abbott and Doyal in declaring the April 18 flood event a disaster on May 9, making the flood victims eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency aide. FEMA opened two Disaster Recovery Centers in Montgomery County last week — including one in The Woodlands — to help victims register flood damage and apply for aid with house repairs, temporary housing, medications and transportation.
In order for victims of the latest floods to qualify for federal assistance, the federal government will have to declare another disaster.
At Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch on Glen Loch Drive, a nonprofit dedicated to therapeutic horseback riding for people with special needs, the May floods hit just as they were planning to start up lessons again for the first time since the April floods.
In April, up to 10 feet of water washed through the ranch causing more than $100,000 in damages, although the horses were safely evacuated. After weeks of volunteer hours cleaning up downed tree limbs and fences and getting the facilities back in order, the second floods came through, again forcing the evacuation of the horses. What was different this time, however, was that the staff and volunteers had the foresight to rebuild with future floods in mind. The tack and feed rooms were rebuilt to be sturdier and supplies were stored above the flash flood level.
Now, whenever heavy rains are in the forecast, the staff is prepared for the worst, said MG Tindall, the ranch’s president.
“Anytime we’re in for a lot of rain, we stage the trailers for an exit,” Tindall said. “We’re ready to go … that’s the prep we’ve learned.”
While the continuous rain has pushed back resuming lessons, Tindall said she hopes to get the ranch back up and running by Tuesday.
“We will rise above this challenge,” Tindall wrote on the ranch’s website.
But not all those who live in the hard-hit areas are as hopeful. Howard, whose Timber Lakes – Timber Ridge house is down the road from Inspiration Ranch, said she believes many of her neighbors are planning to abandon the neighborhood entirely.
But, as a homeowner, Howard said she has little choice but to hunker down and hope her house is spared. As a real estate agent, she understands that selling any home in danger of flooding is nearly impossible.
“If you own here, you just can’t (sell),” she said. “Who’s going to buy here?”
Howard said she has already had to contest her home’s tax appraisal this year because it didn’t take into account the drop in value this year’s flooding has brought.
The Montgomery County Commissioners Court voted in May to move forward with applying for a FEMA grant that would help the county buy out a number of the severely damaged homes in the areas that have been repeatedly hit by flooding.
Before the flooding, the house on Glen Loch Drive was the Howards’ dream home. The garage, which is big enough to fit three cars and a full bathroom, was perfect to serve as Eugene’s “Man Cave” and a home for his prized Corvette. The price and proximity to Woodlands amenities, as well as the relative seclusion, fit well for her.
Still, after the stress brought on from the flooding, Howard is already using her real estate savvy to start looking for a new place to live. One that is not in a flood zone.
“We will eventually flood,” Howard said. “(My husband) is going to have to give up the idea of the ‘Man Cave.’ We’ll find another unique property.”