Flood Management Committee | Fort Bend Economic Development Council

The Flood Management Committee of the Fort Bend EDC takes a regional approach to flood management within Fort Bend County.

What We Do

The Flood Management Committee of the Fort Bend EDC and its members speak with a collective voice when presenting concerns and opinions to those local, state and federal agencies that directly impact our levee systems which protect the vibrant community that is Fort Bend County.

The sustainability of Fort Bend County (FBC) is intertwined with its levees. Over $35 Billion in property investment and approximately 150,000 residents are protected by nearly 100 miles of levees. Nearly 27 percent of the total value in Fort Bend is protected behind levees.

These levees are entirely locally constructed without any federal funding. Each of the levees is operated and maintained under the oversight of a Levee Improvement District (LID) or a Municipal Utility District (MUD) run by its own set of directors.

The County, the cities and the LIDs share the common goal of protecting their residents from flooding.

Committee's Goals & Objectives

Committee Goal: Affordable, voluntary flood insurance for 100-year accredited levee protected areas. 

Objectives:

  • Accredited levees continue to exempt protected communities from mandatory flood insurance and associated floodplain management regulation.

  • No increase in the federal regulatory base flood elevation (BFE)

  • Transparent and challengeable Risk Rating 2.0 data and methodologies:

  • with an appeal process for the policyholder or communities to have data corrected or to challenge premiums, and

  • that allows independent, objective analysis of FEMA data, methods, and models.

  • Co-equal participation, decision making, and leadership of levee owners and USACE in formulating policy and programs to improve levee reliability and safety.

  • Mandatory disclosure requirement on all NFIP flood insurance bills of the full actuarial RR 2.0 premium and explanation of the premium determination (i.e., risk rating separate from price, fees, discounts, etc.)

  • Ensure the data being used to determine risk in leveed areas, and RR 2.0 premiums, is correct and meets the OMB requirements for the Information Quality Act

  • Require Agencies to consistently account for economic benefits of damages avoided.

What Is A Levee Improvement District (LID)?

Levee Improvement District, or LID, is a political subdivision of the State of Texas with taxing authority and bond capacity. The LIDs, funded through users within each special district, construct, manage, and maintains local levees. Each individual LID is managed by a board of levee directors, appointed by Commissioners Court or elected by voters in the district.

LIDs are created and operate pursuant to the powers granted to them by the Texas Constitution and are subject to the administrative supervision of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Residents should contact their local LID for more information.

Flood Management & Levee Safety 101

Learn more about the role of levee's, accredited levees, and why we must support reasonable regulation that appreciates the role of accredited, self-funded levee protection.

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It is critical that we, as levee improvement district directors, speak with a unified voice on issues so vital to levee safety, growth, and development. Our accredited levees are some of the best in the nation, and we must work together to advance policies that support responsible flood mitigation efforts.
Ken Beckman, Committee Chair
Collaboration

The committee provides a forum for members and associate members to collaborate on flood risk management efforts and to promote policies, projects and initiatives that advance flood risk reduction within Fort Bend County.

Commentary

Utilizing expert consultants who possess decades of experience in flood mitigation efforts and federal congressional interaction, the committee monitors and comments on state and national legislation where it has the potential to impact LID districts and Fort Bend County.

Oversight

Cooperating with FEMA, USACE, and other federal, state and local agencies, the FBEDC Flood Management Committee encourages oversight agencies to hasten the accomplishment of flood risk reduction and management in Fort Bend County.

Flood Management

The committee serves as an aggregated body leveraging the combined value and voter populations of Fort Bend County to promote any and all flood management related activities in our county and our region.

Fort Bend County LIDs have invested more than $450 Million in local dollars to improve the county's levees since Hurricane Harvey.

Local oversight. Local control. Local funds. Levees work!
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"It has never been more important that we, as a community, remain vigilant in our efforts to maintain local control of our levees, ensure they remain the best in the nation, and work collaboratively to develop public policy that supports quality growth.
Jeffrey Wiley, President/CEO FBEDC

Legislative Priorities

Across Fort Bend County, the region, and the nation, levee improvement districts and related stakeholders must engage in legislative vigilance. Quality flood mitigation and control efforts, including levees, are part of a larger effort to protect communities. The FBEDC Flood Management Committee is engaged at all levels to support responsible flood protection policies and regulations that protect people and property.

Permanent Flowage Easement- Addicks and Barker Reservoirs

Over 10,000 homes and businesses flooded during Harvey in late August 2017 from floodwaters stored behind Addicks and Barker Dams located west of Houston.

Thousands of claims have already been brought by these landowners against the Corps of Engineers (i.e. the federal government) under the U.S. Constitution to recover their flood damages.

An initial trial involving the first handful of these flood claims recently resulted in a finding that the federal government took a permanent flowage easement on these properties when they were flooded behind these dams, and that these claimants were thus entitled to their damages caused by such flooding and for the taking of this permanent flowage easement (the government has appealed these findings).

This permanent flowage easement means that the government has the legal right to flood these properties in the future and no longer must pay for any damages they may cause at any elevation below Harvey flood levels (101.6 ft of elevation).

The only compensation flood claimants can get for their Harvey damages and for this permanent flowage easement is now, however, time is running out to file such flood claims.

If property flooded during Harvey 2017 by water stored behind Addicks or Barker Dams, claims need to be filed before August 28, 2023 to preserve rights. 

In cooperation with the Fort Bend Drainage District, FBEDC has worked to isolate impacted properties and determine strategies for plaintiff contact as well as simplify presentation by county outside council focused on information geared toward residents taking action, not understanding the details of the court case. 

Committee

The FBEDC Flood Management Committee was created by the FBEDC Board of Directors to engage those interested in flood mitigation and reasonable and responsible public policy that protects land usage and private property rights while mitigating flood risk. Any member of the FBEDC board is eligible to serve on this committee. Members currently include:

  • FBEDC board members

  • LID directors

  • MUD directors

Associate members (engineering companies, public sector leadership, construction companies, developers)

Kendall Beckman, Chair
Sienna Plantation LID
Angie Lutz
ABHR
David Oliver
ABHR
Rick Ramirez
City of Sugar Land
Joe Zimmerman
City of Sugar Land
Debby Coffman
First Colony LID
Richard Sherrill
First Colony LID
Ron Frerich
First Colony LID 2
Mark Vogler
Fort Bend County Drainage District
Stacy Slawinski
Fort Bend County Engineer
Rashid Khokhar
Fort Bend County LID 2
Jerry Kazmierczak
Fort Bend County LID 7
Don Burns
Fort Bend County LID 10
Mike Rozell
Fort Bend County LID 11
Glen Gill
Fort Bend County LID 15
David Gornet
Fort Bend County LID 17
Francis Ming
Fort Bend County LID 17
Sam Popuri
Fort Bend County LID 17
Kalapi Sheth
Fort Bend County LID 19
Dan Noltensmeyer
Fort Bend County LID 20
Andrew Van Chau
Fort Bend County, Precinct 3
Daniel Wong
Fort Bend EDC Executive Committee
Jeff Perry
Levee Management Services
Craig Kalkomey
LJA Engineering
Sonal Shah
Fort Bend County MUD 46
Hicham Chiali
Coats Rose
Laken Kilgore
Coats Rose

Partners & Stakeholders

The FBEDC Flood Management Committee works collaboratively with area and regional stakeholders to promote regional solutions. There are more than 20 LIDs in Fort Bend County.

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