Your Most Common Flood Control Questions Answered
Flood control can be a complex topic, especially when it requires an understanding of weather, engineering, technology and the latest innovations. At IFCD 3, we do our best to educate the community about how organizations like us work to prepare for and prevent flooding. Below are answers to a few of the most common questions we get from Valley Ranch residents about flood control.
What is a flood control system?
Flood control is extremely important for reducing or preventing the harmful effects of flood waters. A flood control system consists of the management and methods used to reduce the effects of flood waters or high-water levels. Flood control systems include various structures that divert excess water by redirecting rivers, slowing natural changes in embankments and coastlines or preventing water from flowing towards an undesirable location.
What are some common methods of flood control?
There are two main types of flood control methods. These include nonstructural flood control and structural flood control. Nonstructural flood control means removing people and property from risk areas. Structural flood control involves reconstructing landscapes to form blockades. Common techniques of structural flood control include creating levees, dikes, dams and canals.
At IFCD 3, the majority of our flood control methods are structural. Read our previous blog about the different types of structural flood control methods you can find in Valley Ranch.
Can you predict floods?
Specialized scientists called hydrologists study past flood patterns to help predict where and when floods will happen in the future. However, these predictions are only estimates. There are many factors that scientists study to predict floods, including:
- Soil and Groundwater: The type of soil and the amount of groundwater in an area can tell scientists how much water the earth can absorb. For example, soil used for crops can absorb much more water than sand or bare rock. This means that areas where the earth can absorb a lot of water are less at risk of flooding.
- Runoff: Runoff happens when there is more water than the soil can absorb. This extra water will flow on top of the land and is usually a sign that flooding can occur in the future.
- Snow: Melting snow contributes to runoff and increases groundwater levels. When snow melts quickly, the ground might not have enough time to absorb the water. Meteorologists do their best to predict where possible flooding may happen, based on where they think it will snow heavily.
Is there a season for flooding in Valley Ranch?
Flooding can occur during any time of year. However, Valley Ranch tends to experience larger levels of rainfall during winter and spring, while summer is considered the “off season” for flooding. Our team uses the dry summer months to work on maintenance and construction projects.
What causes Valley Ranch to be at risk of flooding? Valley Ranch is located along the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. Up until the second half of the 20th century, the area north of what is now LBJ Freeway in the northeast quadrant of Irving was ranch land. Most of this ranch land was designated as a flood plain, placing any structures built there at risk for damage or destruction from overflow of the Elm Fork during heavy storms. In 1983, the Texas State Legislature created IFCD 3 to ensure that the region would stay dry as the land was developed into Valley Ranch.
To learn more, read our recent blog about the founding of Valley Ranch and how IFCD 3 was created.
If you want to learn more about IFCD 3 and our mission to deliver flood control to Valley Ranch, explore the rest of our website, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.