Four government entities spanning two counties signed an agreement Monday, Aug. 31, to coordinate flood protection across the Katy area. The coalition pledged to study Cypress Creek water flows, improve Cane Island Branch drainage and expand a regional flood-warning system.

The memorandum of understanding, signed at the Brookshire-Katy Drainage District headquarters in Brookshire, formally creates a regional flood resiliency coalition. The agreement is nonbinding and carries no financial obligations. Individual projects would still need separate funding and government approval.

Brookshire-Katy Drainage District General Manager Stan Kitzman, Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey and Waller County Precinct 4 Commissioner Justin Beckendorff signed the document, Covering Katy reported.

The MOU names five formal parties: Harris County, the Harris County Flood Control District, Waller County, the City of Katy and the Brookshire-Katy Drainage District (BKDD).

Katy Mayor Dusty Thiele attended the ceremony with Council Member-at-Large Paul Follis, Ward A Council Member Johnston Dietz and Ward B Council Member Michael Miehl.

"The neighborhood that I lived in for 26 years flooded both at the Tax Day Flood and Harvey," Thiele said. "And I always say, my old neighbors, anytime it starts raining one inch, or two inches, they have PTSD from that time because as an old insurance agent, the hardest claim to have is a water claim."

The coalition's initial priorities include a study of how water flows through Cypress Creek between Harris and Waller counties, coordinated drainage and detention improvements along Cane Island Branch, additional flood-warning gauges and common drainage standards for new development. A Cane Island Branch drainage study by Precinct 4 and the BKDD was recently completed, according to Briones.

Briones said Hurricane Harvey caused roughly $870 million in damage in the Katy-Brookshire area alone, affecting about 155,000 structures. According to the coalition announcement reported by My Neighborhood News, 43 people died and more than 160,000 homes in Harris and Waller counties were damaged during Harvey and the 2016 Tax Day floods combined.

Kitzman, who also serves as a Texas state representative, said previous leaders recognized the need for a third reservoir after Addicks and Barker were built.

That reservoir was never constructed. About 200,000 people now live around Katy, he said.

The BKDD Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the MOU on June 8 and authorized Kitzman to execute it. The coalition says the partnership could benefit more than 1 million people in Harris and Waller counties. Waller County's population has grown about 15% over the past five years, according to the coalition announcement.

The signing came as Tropical Storm Edouard approached Southeast Texas. The BKDD board also approved up to $15,000 for professional help with a FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance grant application targeting a potential $300,000 award for hydraulic modeling of historically flood-prone areas.