Does That Big Ditch Flood In Walnut Bend?

[jessncook]

We are moving to houston and are looking at some houses in Walnut Bend. Does anyone know if the big drainage ditch that runs along the east side of the neighborhood backed into the houses on Blue Willow during Allison?

Thank you,

Jess Cook

[TexasVines]

We are moving to houston and are looking at some houses in Walnut Bend. Does anyone know if the big drainage ditch that runs along the east side of the neighborhood backed into the houses on Blue Willow during Allison?

Thank you,

Jess Cook

I lived in Lakeside (right next door) from 1974-1984 and the ditch never flooded and that was before it was enlarged.....the streets in Walnut Bend would get about 6"-8" deep in water sometimes, but it never even got up into the yards even during Alicia in 1983

the ditch has been dredged since then and there are tons of friends that still live in the area and I have heard of no flooding of any of the houses

it will get up pretty high, but it does not get in the houses during any of the big events I know of.....it was great for catching crawdads (they like bacon on a string), turtles (red ears, soft shell, box, and snappers) and snakes (water moccasins and copperheads further towards the back of Walnut Bend where it is rockier)

it is a great neighborhood I have friends that are buying their parents houses or their friends parents houses when they retire and decide they might move....if it was flooding that would not be happening

Walnut Bend was great to grow up next to.....Lakeside was always a bit better about keeping all their deed restrictions enforced, but Walnut Bend has gotten tighter on theirs as well

[dmoneybangbang]

I used to go to a high school over in that general area and had some friends who lived in the neighborhood. Overall it is a pretty nice neighborhood with mature trees. The streets do flood pretty bad when there's a big storm. However, since you are moving to Houston there are nice neighborhoods with patches of ghetto apartment complexes. Walnut Bend has many nice neighborhoods surrounding it, but also has clusters of low income apartments. I wouldn't say this area is in anyway a crime high area, but you might be unpleasently surprised by the strip center at briar forest and wilcrest. I think the neighborhoods west of walnut bend around brair forest and diary ashford are better. I'm pretty familiar with the area since I spent all my high school years hanging out in that area.

[jmancuso]

yeah, avoid moving in near an apartment complex.

[TexasVines]

sadly those apartments have been ghetto since the day they were new.....some friends of mine caught all the bundles of shingles on fire in the early 80s when they were building the ones across from the Lakeside swimming pool.......too bad the whole damn things did not catch

another friend tried to burn up the ones further down Lakeside drive when they were abandoned for a while in the late 80s.....they were going to tear them all down because of asbestos, but then found a way to "safely renovate and leave the asbestos"

my friend was not real smart and only poured gas on a bunch of lumber he piled in one of the units.....gas burns off to fast to really get a fire started that is why their is charcoal starter instead of gas....he should have used some starter fluid or some gas and diesel mixed......sadly they did not burn down and not a surprise they are ghetto again after the Katrina trash was allowed to infest Houston

no one in the neighborhood goes to the shopping centers at Briarforest and Wilcrest they all go up to the front of the neighborhood and go to the Randalls Flagship that is in the old Citywest Mall (yep there is a mall in behind all those bigboxers)

I would say if you were really concerned further down Briarforest would get you away from the ghetto apartments, but I still know a ton of people in Lakside and Walnut Bend and the crime is no worse now than before and they will hire off duty constables from Raddick at precinct 5 to patrol and that helps

lastly I wish and I am sure everyone in a 20 mile radius of those crap filled ghettos wishes they had burned years ago (don't give up hope I still have stupid friends in Houston too), but the neighborhood was always very safe (except your bike will disappear if left in the yard guaranteed) and the neighborhoods around there are very tight and generally the trash stays in the area of the apartments

the back of Walnut Bend had an issue where there was a bridge across that same ditch at Valley Forge to get to Paul Revere......the ghetto kids would come down the street and open mail boxed, bump into cars, and say nasty things to little kids in the yards.....finally a bunch of parents met there one day with sticks and bats and clubs and told the ghetto kids the bridge was closed and take a different route.....I think that bridge burned not long after that and I don't remember who it was actually owned by (the city or the neighborhood), but the neighborhood made 100% sure it was immediately torn down and not rebuilt and it is still not rebuilt today and I believe a fence now blocks that street from even getting to the ditch

another issue used to be on Lakeside drive north of Briarforest they would have nothing, but a solid line of junked cars including ones with tires off of them ect.....that ended when a friend of mine was driving down the street and a little girl ran out from inbetween the cars and he hit her and killed her (he was found to be in no way at fault) and then the city finally stopped allowing parking on that street

if you live in the front of the neighborhood ovwer towards the ditch you will never have any issues with the apartment dwellers other than any normal issue anyone in Houston might have with trashy people.....closer to the apartments I imagine you hear the thump of their hooptie these days

I would double check with the neighborhood association about the flooding, but I never knew anyone that was ever flooded in that area....as for the apartments and crime they are a neusense, but criminals in Houston have cars too and travel so I don't think you will have any extra issues because of the proximity of these particular garbage apartments.....everyone in the neighborhoods front and back know what the issue is and I think even the trash in the apartments knows that the neighborhood knows they are trash and the neighborhood has patrols and people really do know their neighbors and their neighbors comings and goings so they tend to fan out to do their crime....I would say other than the fact they are RIGHT THERE to look like hell they will be no more of an issue than any other area in Houston has....and who knows maybe one day they finally will burn (pray everyone) or they will get torn up enough by the katrina trash that they will not be able to be "remodeled" again....the bad thing about them is especially further down Lakside Drive they are large 3-4 bedroom units so the welfare mom can really cram her and her trashy kids in there....one day that property will be too valuable and too torn up and too close to nice areas and schools for them to be rehabbed again (you can only polish crap so much) and they will be torn down for some townhomes or something that can be allowed to join the neighborhood swim and tennis clubs.....when that day finally comes those people in that area will really see property values rise.....it can't happen soon enough

http://www.walnutbend.org/walnutbend/outside_home.asp

[NenaE]

Looks like some parts of Blue Willow Dr. have more flood prone issues than others. Anytime you have a water source, you have a potential flood issue. Depends a lot of times on how much rainfall hits in how much time. And if the canals have been properly maintained. Sometimes it's just too fast & heavy for the drains to keep up. Here is a flood zone map, just plug in your street.

Link: http://www.collinssoftware.com/web/Houston_TX.htm

I toured the Walnut Bend/Lakeside area a few years ago. One of my relatives had a beautiful house there when I was young. Streets closer to Buffalo Bayou are definitely more prone to flood, they are much lower than the street you speak of. In the low area, by the bayou, I saw a lot of new development on the north side of the culdesacs, where no homes were even thought of being built in the 1950's & 60's. I asked my Geology teacher why they would build over such a strong water source, he said it could be done with the right technology, deep pilings. I, for one, wouldn't sleep good at night, especially in a heavy rain. (Seen new homes on Briar Forest built on/over the bayou as well). Some people would do anything for a Memorial Dr. area house. You are right to ask the questions you do.