What is a stormwater detention basin?
Detention basins are excavated areas of land where potentially damaging excess flood water is temporarily stored and then drained over time as water levels recede. Because Harris County is pancake flat, most of its detention storage must be excavated at substantial cost; still, the Harris County Flood Control District makes extensive use of detention basins to reduce the risk of flooding. They are typically large regional facilities, several hundred acres in size. Locally, two of the largest are Addicks and Barker Reservoirs.
