On July 1, 2020, the City of Houston published a new Infrastructure Design Manual (IDM) acknowledging that Harris County and Harris County Flood Control adopted the new Atlas 14 data on June 4, 2019. The City stated that they would consider and edit the new Atlas 14 information for a future release date.
Fast forward to January 4, 2021, and the City of Houston has prepared and signed a supplement to chapter 9 of the IDM, bringing its detention requirements more in line with what both Harris County and Harris County Flood Control adopted in 2019.
Detention is storing a calculated volume of rainwater and releasing it at a controlled rate so as to not overwhelm the existing stormwater infrastructure. Detention ponds and other stormwater infrastructure play a major role in the way a site is designed, and the upcoming changes will result in detention pond designs becoming much larger in size. This will likely add to project costs and occupy additional valuable acreage that could otherwise be utilized for a larger development area.
These changes are scheduled to go into effect on March 31, 2021, and will greatly impact detention rates for sites of all sizes. Current projects will be grandfathered from the new requirements as long as plans are submitted to the City for review prior to the effective date.
Changes to section 9.2.01.H. of the IDM are summarized below:
Detention Waivers:
Calculation of Detention Volume:
If you still have questions about how these changes to the Infrastructure Design Manual (IDM) will affect your project in Houston, contact us today and our engineering team is happy to assist!
Bryson’s comprehensive land development engineering experience includes specializing in K-12 and private industrial work, as well as experience in higher education, multifamily development, and minor public roadway design. He has worked closely with various school districts and clients on projects ranging in complexity from small elementary school additions to large capacity high school campuses and football stadiums. He is frequently called upon to provide his clients with a level of service that ensures permit documents are received in a timely manner to ensure the project stays on schedule. Bryson’s well-rounded experience allows him to be efficient and proactive on complex projects that require the highest degree of attention to detail, and his proactive communication style is key to coordinating large teams of subconsultants, contractors, clients, and stakeholders.
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