Land sinking from groundwater pumping made flooding worse in parts of Fort Bend County

When water is pumped from underground aquifers, the layers of clay and sand above can compress. The ground surface drops. This process, called subsidence, has lowered some parts of the greater Houston area by several feet since the early 1900s. Sunken land floods more easily.

The Fort Bend Subsidence District was created in 1989 specifically to regulate groundwater pumping and slow future sinking. The district encourages switching from groundwater to treated surface water to reduce the draw on aquifers.

For a home buyer, this matters when reviewing flood maps. An area that did not flood 50 years ago may flood now because the ground is lower. Always check current FEMA flood maps and ask about local flood history.