October 6, 2008 -- Storm debris collected from Hurricane Ike far surpasses that of Hurricane Alicia. “As of Sunday, October 5, 2008, we have hauled nearly 3 million cubic yards (over 76,000 truck loads) of debris. This is about the same amount that was hauled away during Hurricane Alicia,” said Harry J. Hayes, Solid Waste Management Department Director. As of Sunday, City crews and contractors are 65% complete with the first pass of the entire city (through lane miles collected).
Originally, damage assessments predicted about 5 million cubic yards of storm debris. “Our debris estimate has moved to an estimated 7.5 - 9.2 million yards,” said SWMD Director Hayes. “This number remains fluid as we continue to update the debris estimation daily based on city lane miles collected. I do believe, however, that it is fair to say that we will far surpass our early estimations which were based on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers model.” The Corps of Engineers model estimates debris based on storm severity, number of homes and businesses in the area, rain, and then estimates a debris amount per home.
The City of Houston has switched projection models to lane miles collected as it appears to more accurately reflect the reality of what is actually being picked up. The city of Houston has 6,078 lane miles according to data provided by the Department of Public Works and Engineering.
