New flooding text alerts launch for the Houston area

HOUSTON — When there’s heavy rain in the Houston region, residents can get a text message right to their phone to warn them about flood risks.

The new text and email alert program launched Tuesday in Harris County and the surrounding areas. More than 250 flood gauges from 10 counties, cities and water authorities are part of the network.

The new alert system covers Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Galveston and Waller counties. It also includes the City of Sugar Land, the City of Mont Belvieu, The Woodlands and the San Jacinto River Authority.

County leaders say one of their biggest takeaways from Harvey was the need for a timely, automated notification system.

“It’s real time, and the beauty of it, it’s completely customizable,” said Rob Lazaro of the Harris County Flood Control District. “People can select the gauges that are most relevant to them, either near their home, their work, or all of them, and they can get real-time updates as the weather progresses.”

Lazaro said residents must opt in to this system. Users will only get alerts for the gauges they’ve chosen.

Users can select alerts to go off based on the rainfall amount and bayou levels government officials use or a threshold specifically chosen by the user. When the rainfall or water levels exceed those numbers, the user will receive a text, email, or both.

Grants and voter-approved bond money paid for the new alert system.

People can sign up  for the text and email alerts here.

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