COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Once again the weather here in Texas has stolen the headlines for all the wrong reasons after extreme flooding resulted in water rescues across the state.
The severe drought is to blame for flooding in the Lone Star State according to the Director of Hazard Reduction & Recovery Center at Texas A&M University Michelle Meyer.
"We've been in a big drought for quite a while now, and often following droughts when you have rain come down," Meyer said. "The environment isn't ready for it and you are more likely to have flooded in these scenarios."
The majority of Texans hadn't seen a drop of rain for months, but that all changed on Monday when some in the lone star state received 50% of their annual rain in just 24 hours. Furthermore, these situations are going to continue to be regular occurrences, according to Associate Professor of Engineering at Texas A&M Ali Mostafavi.
"You're seeing changes in climate patterns or climate scientists have shown that our models show that we are going to see more and more of that and by accepting this fact, we have to design and construct our next generation of infrastructure systems," Mostafavi said.
Texas A&M University's college of engineering is working on hazard mitigation plans and disaster recovery plans that will help those in the future better live with the ramifications of climate change.
"I think engineering is at the forefront of addressing climate resiliency issues for cities," Mostafavi said. "As I mentioned, our infrastructure has been built and designed historically based on historic events. And as engineers, we are coming up with new ways that we can design infrastructure."
When it comes to planning, the first thing you need to think about is where you're located. The geography of your surroundings plays a key factor in how residents prepare for extreme weather.
"We have to think about geography first," Meyer said. "People who live near rivers, and river basins. Those that live near potentially lakes, although lakes do rise a little slower. Drainage canals through a city that can get overrun and you can have some flooding in those areas."
Dr. Meyer suggests that homeowners review their insurance plans, make sure their policy is up-to-date, and check whether or not you qualify for or even need flood insurance.
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