An already-swollen reservoir west of downtown Houston overtopped its spillway Tuesday, sending an “uncontrolled release” of Harvey’s flood waters into nearby neighborhoods that may be underwater for “weeks,” as a separate levee breach south of the city prompted an urgent warning for residents to leave immediately. Floodwaters in the the Addicks Reservoir, located about 19 miles west of downtown, went over the top of the 108-foot spillway for the first time in history,
threatening immediate surrounding subdivisions. Jeff Lindner, a meteorologist with the Harris County (Texas) Flood Control District, said it was “something we’ve never seen before” at a news conference. “This is not going to happen fast, this is a slow rise,” Lindner told reporters, adding the flow of water going over the reservoir into neighborhoods will increase as the levels in the reservoir behind continue to rise. READ MORE
