HOUSTON – (By Michelle Leigh Smith, Realty News Report) – Harris County Judge Ed Emmett urged state and local officials to accelerate flood control efforts, proposing construction of a third reservoir and the conversion of part of the Katy Prairie west of Houston into a permanent nature preserve.
Speaking at his tenth annual State of the County Address, hosted by the Greater Houston Partnership at NRG Center, Emmett called on Houstonians to rethink how the region manages its waterways after the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey.
Emmett expressed concern that the national and international perception of Houston as a flood-prone area undermines the region’s strengths.
“We should turn a perceived vulnerability into an asset,” he said. “Our overriding vision should be to convert the area rivers, bayous, creeks and flood mitigation features into nature preserves or recreational and tourist areas. As County Judge, I might not have the power to bring all these proposals to fruition, but I can certainly be the loud voice making sure they are pursued and not forgotten. We should leverage and coordinate resources and planning at all levels – from federal to local, from Congress all the way to municipal utility districts.”
During his address, Emmett highlighted unfinished projects involving FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and urged more aggressive state involvement. He suggested that the state could fund major initiatives, including a new reservoir and a protected Katy Prairie, possibly using a portion of the state’s “Rainy Day Fund.”
Emmett also proposed managing Lake Houston and Lake Conroe not only as water supplies but as elements of a regional flood control strategy. The existing Barker and Addicks reservoirs required large releases during Harvey, a circumstance that has prompted experts to call for expanded storage capacity.
Looking ahead, Harris County officials plan to present voters with a bond package to finance a prioritized list of flood control projects. Emmett estimated the total could exceed $1 billion.
He said the bond measure would not go to voters until 2018, and emphasized the importance of clear, detailed plans before asking taxpayers to approve funding.
“I know we’re looking over a billion dollars, probably two, maybe more, but people want us to do something and for them to vote for it they’re going to need to know exactly what they’re voting for,” Emmett said.
Emmett also criticized some state leaders for seeking to limit local governments’ flexibility while shifting more of the public school funding burden onto local districts. He encouraged civic organizations to support long-term vision rather than political posturing.
“Harris County has low taxes and exemplary financial ratings, but some state officials want more restrictions on our ability to meet the needs of our residents,” he said. “Those same state leaders have shifted the public school tax burden more and more from the state onto local school districts. In an effort to stir up voters, they attack counties and other local governments, all the while offering no real solutions. Organizations like the GHP should say, ‘Enough is enough. I urge you to support vision, not pandering.’”
Emmett, 68, first became Harris County Judge on March 6, 2007, and is expected to seek re-election next year. He recovered from a mild stroke in August but remained active, working long hours and appearing frequently during Hurricane Harvey media briefings.
A Bellaire High School and Rice University graduate, Emmett served four terms in the Texas House of Representatives beginning in 1978.
He led efforts to preserve and redevelop the Astrodome and was named 2016 Houstonian of the Year by Realty News Report.
At the NRG event, Emmett was introduced by outgoing Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus.