LUMBERTON, Texas — Hardin County has been slammed from localized flooding throughout the majority of the year. Just last week between 13 and 15 inches of rain fell, submerging Lumberton neighborhoods as well as the city park.
Hardin County Judge Wayne McDaniel says that problems like this prove that Lumberton needs a Drainage District.
The city's maintenance foreman told 12News, many people don't know that they're already taking steps to better protect city infrastructure from future flooding. However, because of safety reasons the park will remain closed for now.
Heather Robertson is a stay at home mom living in Lumberton. She usually visits Lumberton City Park a few times a week, but it's been closed since November 9.
She thinks having a good accessible park is crucial for parents around the city.
"It's actually very valuable. Especially one that has the fence, so you don't have to worry about them going into the creek, or running off into the road it makes your anxiety levels for a parent kind of lessen," said Robertson.
The heavy localized rainfall last week in Lumberton destroyed several parts if the city's only public park.
"This ain't the first time this has happened. It's just over time, and time, and time you know? It just keeps getting worse and worse. But as far as the park, it is up and running nothing else got damaged," said Maintenance Forman, Mike Reese.
Residents claim that the city's rapid growth is to blame for some flooding.
"I don't think that it flooded as bad before they started putting the subdivision across the street," said Robertson.
Reese says that there is only so many places for the water to go as construction around the city continues to boom.
"The more concrete you put, that's less place for water to go. So the bigger the town grows, the more concretes there, water has nowhere to go," said Reese.
To combat flooding issues, the city plans to expand an existing 30 acre detention pond near the park next year.
"It's gonna possibly help out a little bit. I mean not a whole lot, not like it's gonna help out the homes over here," said Reese.
However, Hardin County Judge Wayne McDaniel is looking towards a more permanent solution. A Drainage District.
The only thing that stands in the way of this is a city vote, and some residents want more clarification on what the project entails.
"He'll probably need to explain more on it, for us to understand his full idea," said Robertson.