Drainage Issues

Dodson & Associates, Inc. has one of the most complete reference libraries of drainage criteria manuals for cities, counties, state and federal agencies, and special districts across the United States and in some other countries. This library is continually being expanded, and it also includes other publications that relate to hydrology, hydraulics, and flood plain management. Publications dealing with flood plain policies, financing, and all other areas of watershed and flood plain management are also included.

If you work for an agency that has a drainage criteria manual, hydrology manual, watershed management manual, or other such publication, please notify us so that we can either confirm that your publication is already included in our library, or so that we can arrange to purchase a copy. 

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Dodson & Associates, Inc. has also prepared drainage criteria manuals for several cities and counties in Texas, including the following:

Dry Creek Drainage Study

Rosenberg, Texas

This project includes a hydrologic and hydraulic analysis of existing, proposed, and ultimate conditions within the Dry Creek watershed of Rosenberg, Texas. Significant flooding problems exist along Dry Creek through the City of Rosenberg upstream of Airport Road.  Dodson & Associates, Inc. will be addressing these flooding issues by implementing flood control features that would serve to alleviate persistent flooding problems while providing capacity for additional growth within the city.  There are three main objectives to this project.  The first is identification of the current capacity of the existing Dry Creek drainage system from its headwaters downstream to Smithers Lake.  The second objective is to analyze a project that might be implemented in the near future to provide a reduction in flooding problems within the city along Dry Creek.  The third objective is identification of an ultimate plan that will provide regional benefits to the city as it continues to grow.

Harris County Drainage Criteria Manual

Harris County (Houston), Texas

Dodson & Associates, Inc. was selected by the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) in 1994 to prepare a drainage criteria manual for Harris County. Harris County is a large county both in terms of geographic size (1,765 square miles) and population (about 3 million). The HCFCD has one of the most extensive and sophisticated flood plain management and engineering programs in the country.

The initial phase of this ongoing project involves a complete update of the existing 1984 criteria manual to provide an interim manual that reflects current policies and criteria enforced by the HCFCD. We are nearing completion of this first phase of the project.

Subsequent phases will involve the development of a completely new manual in which modifications to existing hydrologic and hydraulic methods, design criteria, and HCFCD policies will be included. In preparation for the new manual, Dodson & Associates, Inc. is preparing numerous "issue reports" on such topics as flood plain policies, design storms, infiltration losses, hydrograph routing, hydraulic modeling, and many others.

Montgomery County Drainage Criteria Manual

Montgomery County, Texas

Dodson & Associates, Inc., in cooperation with D. A. Vogt Engineering, Inc., prepared a drainage criteria manual for Montgomery County, Texas.  The Manual establishes standard principles and practices for the design and construction of drainage systems within the County.  Design factors, formulas, graphs, procedures, tables, and figures were included in the Manual to establish guidelines for the solution of drainage problems involving determinations of the quantity of runoff, rate of flow, method of collection, storage, and conveyance of storm water.  Over seventy drainage criteria manuals from throughout the United States were collected for use in preparing the Manual.  The final product achieved the following objectives:

Accuracy: Methods and criteria exhibit sound engineering theory and judgment.  They are accurate and appropriate for use in developing drainage and flood control projects within Montgomery County.

Simplicity: Methods and criteria are simple and direct and can be used by most engineers with only a minimum amount of specialized training.

Consistency: Methods and criteria are consistent with common engineering practice in the United States in general, and in the Houston metropolitan area in particular.

The Montgomery County Drainage Criteria Manual is a comprehensive document that addresses the following topics:

·         Hydrologic Analysis

·         Open Channels

·         Culverts and Bridges

·         Secondary Drainage and Overland Flow Design

·         Erosion and Sediment Control

·         Detention Design

·         Leveed Areas

·         Flood Plain Development and Watershed Analysis  

City of Lufkin Drainage Criteria Manual

Lufkin, Texas

This project involved the development of a complete manual detailing hydrologic and hydraulic design and analysis standards for this east Texas city of about 35,000 residents.  The purpose of the project is to identify existing flooding problems and to recommend cost-effective interim and future improvements to alleviate the problems identified.  Digital data files developed using aerial photogrammetry are being used for floodplain mapping and preliminary design of watershed improvements.  In addition, a complete design of ultimate development is being prepared, with recommended designs for drainage facilities required for ultimate development.