Floods Hit West Seventh Again, Raising Alarm Over Old Drainage System

West Seventh Street in Fort Worth became a waist‑deep river over the weekend, reminding residents that the city’s drainage problems are still very real.

Visuals
The videos show cars bobbing in waist‑deep water and people scrambling for higher ground—an all too familiar sight for locals who have seen this before.

A neighbor recounted, “Cars were floating and people were walking knee deep in water; it was crazy.”

The flood happened right after tornado sirens went off. One resident, Breilynn Schoenberger, rushed home for cover only to find her street flooded. She watched from the parking garage as water surged through the streets: “Literally floating, there were sirens going off. Yeah, it was crazy.”

Root Cause

Fort Worth has dealt with this issue for decades. City officials say the main culprit is an undersized storm drain system that can’t handle heavy rain. The city estimated a $110 million cost to fix most of the problem, but its total stormwater budget is only $70 million.

Current Plan

Because of limited funds, the city plans to finish the first phase by 2029 and expect full completion a few years later. While crews clear drains before storms, residents are left hoping the next rain won’t trigger another flood.

Community Engagement

The stormwater team is listening to community concerns and is working on a new 20‑year plan. They have posted an online survey to gather input from residents about priorities and worries.