Thousands of residents in sprawling subdivisions west of Houston don’t just blame the historic rainfall for the losses they incurred during Harvey: They also fault the federal government, the Wall Street Journal reported. A trial starting today will test the legal claims of these residents and business owners who allege the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers knew homes were at risk of flooding and now, under eminent domain law, owes them compensation. The U.S. Justice Department, which is representing the government, has argued in court filings that the flooding was a one-time, temporary occurrence that doesn’t reach the necessary legal threshold for payment and that residents should have known they were living in an area vulnerable to flooding. The Army Corps built the Addicks and Barker dams west of Houston in the 1940s as part of a broader flood-management plan. Unlike some reservoirs, the areas only fill with water during heavy rainfall. Most days, the more than 25,000 acres is a serene expanse of grassy parkland, golf courses and sports fields. Residents of the neatly-pruned neighborhoods on the edge of the area say it was never clear to them their subdivisions were also part of a reservoir intended to hold water during severe storms.
