Residents lean on one another in flooded Nottingham Forest

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Michael Suerth pushed us off in a boat. It's a trip he's made many times before and is sadly becoming routine.

"Under different circumstances, this would be quite serene but as we know this isn't quite the case," Suerth said.

Nottingham Forest is waiting in water. The Barker and Addicks reservoir releases haven't stopped, and dirty water sits in their homes.

"You can feel the boat starting to turn a little bit, this has been the case. Sometimes it's a heavy flow and sometimes not too bad," Suerth said.

For those who have been able to get through by boat and get inside, belongings are now placed out in front of their homes.

"It's important to get in as quickly as possible and start airing out the house, pulling up the hardwoods," said Suerth.

Others are making trips back and forth to salvage what they can

"I just stepped in my yard off the driveway," said Suerth.

He pulled us up to his front door in his boat and added, "It's hard to open against the water, our hardwoods have started buckling."

This is home for his two children who are students at Stratford High and his wife who teaches there too.

In his youngest daughter's room, the bed is floating in high water. The situation is similar in hundreds of homes still underwater in Nottingham Forest.

Many homeowners say they did not flood until the reservoir release. Jim Aycock's home is still under water.

"The reservoirs have dropped a little bit but we'd like to see that flow rate reduced some so we can get into our homes and start cleaning up," Aycock said.

It could be weeks but in this neighborhood, hope floats. A neighborhood gathering was held tonight where families can share their stories, lean on one another and try to get some answers from FEMA.

"This storm, as big as it may be, this 500-year flood is not going to break our neighborhood, our little neighborhood will survive," resident Soleil Watt said.

"I never imagined this would happen let alone have this much of an impact," Suerth said.

He has no idea when he may be able to finally dock his boat.

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