Community Flood Resilience Task Force Membership Finalized

Replaces Old Harris County Flood Control Task Force

Also: New State Flood Group to Meet Thursday, April 8

April 5, 2021

The initial five members of Harris County’s new Community Flood Resilience Task Force have now selected the remaining twelve members of the task force. The new task force replaces the outdated Harris County Flood Control Task Force, founded nearly fifty years ago in the wake of discontent over flood control practices and plans to channelize Buffalo Bayou.

The first five members of the new task force were appointed by Harris County Commissioners’ Court last fall. The county describes the task force as a “multidisciplinary, community-driven body that Commissioners Court established to ensure Harris County develops and implements equitable flood resilience planning and projects that take into account community needs and priorities.”

Here are the current members of the task force. Here are the bylaws.

The task force, which is not subject to the Open Meetings Act, is to hold meetings at least every other month or at least six times a year.

However, the first official meeting of the task force will be in May and will be open to the public, according to Vanessa Toro, senior policy advisor to County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Toro will be joined in supporting the task force by Lance Gilliam, who previously worked with Commissioner Rodney Ellis on flood control, disaster recovery, housing, and community development policy.

Part of the mission of the task force is to advise the County’s Infrastructure Resilience Team and Commissioners Court on equitable resilience planning efforts and flood resilience projects, wrote Toro in a recent email announcing the new members of the task force.

Here is how you can sign up to join the mailing list for the task force.

San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group Meeting

The newly formed San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group will have its online monthly meeting on April 8 at 9 a.m. Known as Region 6, the group, a project of the Texas Water Development Board, is still in the process of acquiring members.

Here is information about the meeting agenda and how to join.

Harris County Flood Control District Executive Director Russ Poppe is the chair of the San Jacinto group.

SC

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