Harlingen water pumps help ease flooding

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The city of Harlingen recently received several large pumps to help deal with flooding issues.

City officials have identified several flood-prone areas where the pumps can be deployed. One of those problem areas lies at the corner of Liberty Avenue and Colorado Street.

Harlingen started with 3 six-inch pumps and then acquired 1 eight-inch version. The newest model can pump out 2,000 gallons of water per minute.

Harlingen Public Works Director, Christopher Torres, said the city got the pumps specifically to deal with hurricane season.

“The city of Harlingen is very proactive when it comes to hurricane season," Torres said. "Hurricane season for us is not June 1, right? We start January 1, and we don’t end until December 31.”

Torres said the city has not had an occasion to use the pumps before the formation of Tropical Storm Alberto. He said there have not been any serious rains since the city got them.

“We have been training our staff to be able to use them in the event that we do have a large rain event," he said.

The pumps require a two-person crew to operate. When it comes to deployment, crews will monitor known trouble spots to see whether or not the pumps would be needed.

“Typically, whenever you see anywhere between 4 to 5 inches of water come in an hour, then you know, we will need to deploy these," he said.

Torres added that the city has also been proactive in trying to prevent flooding before it happens. The Public Works department has been widening several draining ditches allowing more water to be stored.

“What that really allows, is for more capacity of water to be stored, right? In the past, ditches would be not as wide, and so once they reach capacity, then they start overflowing.”

Depending on where flooding might happen, The Public Works Department said it only takes about 20 to 30 minutes to get a pump wherever needed.

The city has 8 rain gages placed around Harlingen that city crews manually check to have a better sense of how much rain is falling in different parts of town.