Flood Protection Isn’t Optional—It’s a Design Imperative

Flooding is the costliest natural disaster in the U.S., responsible for two-thirds of all disaster-related damages since 1980. As intense rain events grow more frequent, designing effective mitigation systems is no longer optional—it’s essential.

At Walter P Moore, we’ve helped lead this effort with flood protection systems that are resilient, practical, and maintainable. One standout: the integrated system we designed for Kingwood High School in Kingwood, Texas, is now a model for flood protection to protect critical infrastructure.

A School Repeatedly Underwater 

Kingwood High School flooded three times in just two years, forcing Humble ISD to rebuild the gymnasium after each event. To break the cycle, our team partnered with Humble ISD and FEMA to assess risks and design a long-term solution. 

Education was key. We led site walks, stakeholder charrettes, and detailed system reviews to ensure everyone—from administrators to FEMA consultants—understood the design options and trade-offs.

Active vs. Passive Flood Gates

Flood protection systems typically fall into two categories:

• Passive systems are systems that provide protection without human intervention. These systems include berms, flood walls, and detention. They also include self-activating systems like float-up gates and barriers that rise with floodwaters. Ideal for emergencies, they don’t rely on human intervention.
• Active systems are those that require human intervention and must be deployed manually, like flood doors or panels, sandbags, inflatable barriers, and portable barriers that need to be secured before a storm. 

A Tailored System

Kingwood’s site required eight feet of protection in the front of the main building and three-and-a-half feet in back. We designed a system that included:

• Float-up gates tied to exterior walls (passive) (note that these gates were outfitted with hydro-pneumatic lifts so that they could be deployed manually in anticipation of a flood making them also active protection with passive backup)
• Custom flood walls enclosing vulnerable areas like the auto shop (passive)
• Pumps and inlets for localized drainage within the protected area (passive)
• Exterior culverts to redirect stormwater from athletic fields—coordinated with the athletic director to preserve field usability (passive)

Smarter Design, Smaller Budget

The initial FEMA estimate for a solution was $35 million. Our engineered design met all performance and FEMA criteria for just $14 million.

Post-construction, we developed a maintenance and operations manual and trained staff on regular testing and deployment, because even the best systems need upkeep to stay ready, and only through training and diligence will the staff know that the system is performing as designed and be ready to intervene when something unusual occurs. Because these systems do not get deployed every day, periodic exercise of the systems helps to keep them ready to activate when necessary. 

Why It Matters 

Kingwood High School is now protected by more than barriers—it’s protected by expertise. This project reflects our belief that great flood protection isn’t just about compliance—it’s about confidence, resilience, and long-term value.

Want to learn how active and passive flood gates could protect your facility? Let’s talk.

Doug Coenen is a Senior Principal and leader in Houston’s Civil Engineering group. He provides oversight on all projects to ensure quality and accuracy.

Ray Drexler, P.E. is a Principal and Senior Project Manager in Diagnostics. His expertise includes evaluating, assessing, and designing repairs for distress related to facades, evaluation and repair of fire-damaged structures, as well as flood mitigation. 

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