FANNETT, Texas — Jefferson County Commissioner Bo Alfred and residents of the Hamshire-Fannett community held a meeting June 1 to discuss solutions to the ongoing flooding issue.
It has been two weeks since a storm dumped 15-inches of rain in Fannett in less than 24 hours and for some families, that was the third time they have flooded in four years.
Members of the community said it has left a lot of them storm fatigued.
“When you talk about what has happened over the last several years, with Harvey that brought 54 inches of rain, Imelda, and this flooding we had a couple of weeks ago … It feels like it has increasingly gotten worse,” Matthew Francis, Fannett community member, said.
A few of the many solutions discussed included the Texas Department of Transportation, granting a ditch to Drainage District No.6, to use out of Interstate 10 and run water directly to Taylors Bayou, TxDOT digging and widening the ditches along Interstate 365, and 10x6 boxes being placed across the interstate to help move water out at a faster rate.
Commissioner Alfred and his team are working to apply for grants to get more relief funds to the Hamshire-Fannett community.
Alfred said the meeting was vital as citizens prepare for hurricane season.
“It was very fruitful today,” Alfred said. “We received an abundance amount of information from people that have to live in their homes and know the flow of water. They posed some information that I have to bring back, sit down and talk to the higher-ups a DD6 to see what the plan is.”
Commissioner Alfred is working to have another community meeting with the drainage district present.