Argyle Mayor Donald Moser said Thursday that engineers are already investigating the cause and possible solutions to flooding that inundated about a dozen properties Tuesday.
"I have indicated to our town manager, we need answers quickly," Moser said. "These are people's homes and we need to see that some answers are received ASAP."
Moser went in person to see the flooding Tuesday on Skyline Drive and Valley View Court near Interstate 35W and Crawford Road. The Mayor said he has spoken with residents about flooding in the past but Tuesday's flood was the worse one yet.
"What are the factors? What are the fixes short term and long term and then what is the price of that going to be," Moser said.
Residents affected by the flooding said it is a classic example of new development causing unexpected consequences for existing neighbors. It is development that the Town of Argyle approved.
Resident Ted Downing helped prepare a power point presentation for the Argyle Town Council about flood problems that he said grew worse the past few years since new construction occurred uphill from older homes.
The power point includes engineering plans for the new development prepared around the year 2000 that show a detention pond above the existing houses down below.
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"The detention pond wasn't designed to hold enough water," Downing said.
Using a drone Thursday, NBC 5 found that pond in a wooded area behind newer homes on the hillside above the older homes. After rain had passed, water was still draining out of that pond and down through private property below and then onto Valley View Court.
The new development added rooftops and pavement that increased run off on what used to be raw land that soaked up more water in the past, Downing said.
"There may be no one at fault any more, but what can we do to come up with a solution at this point in time," he said.
Texas law says water may not be diverted from one private property to another without permission.
A message left Thursday at the office address of the original developer of the newer hillside lots was not returned.
Mayor Moser was elected just two years ago, long after initial decisions about the new development were made.
"We don't want to ignore it because from what we understand, they've tried to bring it to previous Councils and it's been ignored. And we're not going to ignore it," Moser said.
The town would be responsible for figuring out how to pay for a fix at this point. Moser said the small Town of Argyle may need state or federal help to fund the storm water solution.
