A group of students from Texas A&M University School of Law recently published a report, Flooding Events Post Hurricane Harvey: Potential Liability For Dam and Reservoir Operators and Recommendations Moving Forward. The report reviews current dam and reservoir operations in Texas and examines the potential liability that such operators may face for actions and decisions taken in response to storm and flooding events.
In the report, the authors offer recommendations for best practices for dam operators, including flooding notifications and building community relations, as a means to engage and educate the public and thereby reduce the potential for disputes and litigation.
The report is the work of students enrolled in the Natural Resources Systems Capstone Seminar at the law school under the supervision of Gabriel Eckstein, professor of law and director of the Texas A&M University Law Program in Natural Resources Systems, and Howard S. Slobodin, adjunct professor of law and general counsel of the Trinity River Authority of Texas.