
The worst finally seems to be over in Texas, although as of Sunday night parts of Dallas were still experiencing street closures and local flooding. Last week’s devastating storms killed at least 27 people, with several still missing, and caused unprecedented flooding in many areas.
After several years of water shortages and drought, scientists at Texas A&M University have declared May the wettest month in the state’s history. The National Weather Service says Texas received 37.3 trillion gallons of rainfall in May, or enough to cover the entire state with water 8 inches deep. Rivers throughout the state were at flood stage at 108 locations during the recent storms. The Houston Chronicle released a series of aerial photos of the flooding.
May was also the rainiest month in Oklahoma since recordkeeping began in the 1890s. The state received 14.41 inches—more than 9 inches above normal—leading to heavy flooding. The second-wettest month on record for the state was 10.75 inches in October 1941.
We will be following up on the effects of the flooding, the effectiveness of flood warning systems, and lessons learned from a stormwater management perspective in upcoming issues, much as we did with the previous Texas floods.
Janice Kaspersen
Janice Kaspersen is the former editor of Erosion Control and Stormwater magazines.