This week, Mother Nature has shown us why Aqua by the Bay is a bad idea

Having experienced flooding and seen the catastrophes along the Texas coast unfold this week, I urge our commissioners to accept that flooding is real.

The Village of the Arts had over 2 feet of flooding. Samoset experienced the same. The lift station at Bayshore Gardens had over three days of continual pump outs due to the flooding and leaking sewers. Roads were underwater. Infrastructure desperately needs replacement. Flooding needs to be taken seriously by those that represent us. It will only get worse as storms intensify due to higher temperatures and sea level rise.

Flooding is also manmade. Approval is given to developers to raise their developments to keep them above flood plain, ignoring the areas not raised around them. Those areas suffered more profound flooding. This is exactly what is being proposed in Aqua by the Bay.

Aqua by the Bay wants to raise its development above flood plain, which is in a Coastal High Hazard Zone, and build a sea wall. Water has to go somewhere in storms. The sea wall will force the water to other lower-lying areas, and the end result will be greater flooding both in depth and breadth.

Cortez will be affected. El Conquistador Parkway will be affected. IMG will be affected. Bayshore Gardens will be affected. This week, Mother Nature has shown us why Aqua by the Bay is a bad idea and needs to be denied.

This story was originally published September 1, 2017 at 2:33 PM with the headline "This week, Mother Nature has shown us why Aqua by the Bay is a bad idea."