Lots of attention goes to
subsidence reports for New Orleans, but Roy Dokka, an engineering geologist at Louisiana University is switching the channel to another city -- Houston.
According to Dokka portions of Houston are sinking at a rate of 1/2 inch per year. Combine that with rising sea level and you have a huge problem. This sinking of the city has made flood plain maps out of date and
storm surge models inaccurate. Both now understate the actual risk.
Some of the sinking is natural subsidence and part is caused by ground water pumping. The subsidence problem was recognized decades ago and in 1975 the State of Texas created the
Houston-Galveston Subsidence District to limit the amount of water withdrawn. Unfortunately the subsidence problem continues and Dokka is trying to focus renewed attention upon it.
Read the full story about
Houston Subsidence at MySanAntonio.com.
Labels: Subsidence
