Name
Session 18: Special Film: How Science Saved Houston From Sinking – a Look at Land Subsidence and How Proper Planning and Management Can Turn It Around
Date & Time
Thursday, October 15, 2026, 2:10 PM - 2:50 PM
Description
Hear the important story about how the Houston area, in the past 50 years, realized the fact that the land was subsiding to an alarming and precarious extent due to groundwater over-pumping, and took coordinated measures (local, state and federal) to plan, manage, finance, regulate and build infrastructure to address the problem. With the result that Houston, which formerly had one of the worst land subsidence problems in the U.S., now has some areas where the subsidence rates have dropped to near zero. In this film, produced by the non-profit water news outlet WaterLoop.org, the host, Travis Loop, examines the solutions that began in earnest in the 1970s, interviewing experts from a subsidence district, the U.S. Geological Survey, a purification plant, and a flood control district. The film shares a variety of success stories and lessons learned, which may give you ideas for better water management at your facility.