Tomball residents see major flooding after 30 minutes of heavy rain, part of decades-long issue

TOMBALL, Texas (KTRK) -- In a neighborhood in Tomball, residents told ABC13 that after just 30 minutes to an hour of rain, their cul-de-sac becomes completely flooded.

They said it's been a problem for decades and that it's only gotten worse.

Video captured Tuesday night showed just how quickly the water took over the street after heavy rain moved through the area.

"It was pouring down. But then within 30 minutes, the whole street was so flooded it was on the porch," resident Brittany Anderson said.

Neighbors said this isn't a rare event, but that it's a pattern.

They said it often makes its way into homes and cars.

"Our neighbors over here, their car has been flooded out. Same thing with the people at the end of the street. They've lost vehicles. They've lost their trucks," said resident Nick Wisniewski.

Many said they think it has to do with the drainage infrastructure in the area.

"I think it's the ditches and maybe the culvert maybe needs to be cleaned out," Anderson said.

Tomball's Public Works Department told ABC13 it's working to address flooding through its Drainage Master Plan Capital Improvement Projects.

The department said the Lovett/Carrell Drainage Project, which focuses on this neighborhood, is currently in the engineering and design phase.

Public Works said it's also actively trying to get funding for the more than $14 million construction project that started last year.

The department said it's scheduled to be completely designed in the Spring of 2027.

In the meantime, officials said they've partnered with Harris County Precinct 3 to regrade drainage ditches over the past year, and they plan to continue that work while the larger project moves forward.

For the people who call this street home, those long-term plans can't come soon enough.

With every forecast for rain comes another round of uncertainty.

"If it's flooding after just 2 hours of rain, imagine what happens if it's a whole day or two of rain like during Hurricane Harvey," Wisniewski said. "That's my concern."