Texas neighbors say officials keep passing the buck on floodwaters, so they raise arroyo walls

Along Coker Road in Socorro, Texas, some residents said protecting their homes from flooding has largely become their responsibility.

They described years of problems from two nearby arroyos and said that, despite repeated requests for help from public officials, neighbors must still build arroyo walls themselves to keep water away.

Here's what to know

Flooding has troubled local families for generations, KTSM reported. Some neighbors, including Coker Road resident Pablo Acosta, have tied those water issues to newer development in Horizon across I-10, with runoff from nearby arroyos continuing to reach homes.

Acosta has contacted city leaders, the mayor, the county, and different departments, but those efforts have not led to a lasting fix.

"They say they're going to talk between themselves," Acosta said. "They're going to have some meetings between City, the County and the Reclamation District from the canals, but every time it just goes silent (and) nothing happens."

With no solution in place, Acosta has taken on reinforcing the arroyo walls himself to try to protect his family and nearby homes.

"They just don't care," Acosta added. "They want the arroyos to wash us out."

More background

Neighbor Willie Gandara contrasted the current conditions with how the area looked before newer land changes upstream.

"Up to 2000, it was beautiful," Gandara noted. "All (the) land was leveled. We had alfalfa, trees. We had everything."

Gandara said he cannot say which level of government should ultimately be responsible for fixing the problem: "I don't know if the County. I don't know if the City, I don't know if the state, but the ones that are giving out the permits for all those developments up there, for all those homes up there. Those are the ones to blame."

What's being done?

Iliana Holguin, the county commissioner for Precinct 3, said she recognized the area's ongoing flooding concerns and that county officials have spent years meeting with residents while trying to address runoff from north of the freeway that they believe is linked to development.

She said funding for drainage work was obtained, but the project has remained delayed by the long series of steps required for public infrastructure.

"We applied for the funding, (and) we obtained the funding," Holguin noted. "But even after the funding is awarded — and it was awarded several years ago — you still have to go through the design. You have to go through the architectural process, you have to go through the environmental."

Where can I learn more?

The flooding concerns along Coker Road echo other disputes where homeowners have been left dealing with runoff while waiting for a public fix.

• A homeowner said a neighbor's trench sent runoff downhill and put the yard at risk.

• In Hoboken, New Jersey, county paving covered critical storm drains and worsened street flooding.

• In Kerr County, Texas, flash flooding swamped homes and roads, leaving residents stranded.

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