2.5 - Houston

Question 1

Human causes of increased flood risk in Houston

Answer 1

• Urbanisation of green spaces - e.g. paving front drives
• Suburbanisation - city has grown 15 miles outside 1940 boundaries
• Strict building regulations ignored
• Deforestation
• 25% prairies paved over - used to absorb rainwater
• Mismanagement - elevated detention points redirect water to lower neighbourhoods
• Overflow of federal reservoirs