One reservoir designed to protect Houston from surging stormwaters has exceeded its capacity, according to a briefing by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and another is not far behind. With heavy rainfall still predicted from Tropical Storm Harvey, the reservoirs may contribute to even more destructive flooding in Houston.
Floodwaters rose to record highs in both the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs, located about 20 miles west of downtown. An official with the Army Corps of Engineers said that the pool elevation at Addicks had reached 108 feet—the height of the spillway—as of Tuesday, up from a level of 105 feet recorded at 5 p.m. on Monday.
