Flooding is a serious consequence of subsidence especially in the Houston-Galveston area as much of the land is either within coastal zones or has limited green space to absorb surficial water. Other impacts of subsidence include localized faulting and infrastructure damage.
A perfect example of the effects of subsidence in coastal areas is the Brownwood Subdivision located in the City of Baytown. The Brownwood subdivision originally had over 400 homes built in 1940s. As a result of large volumes of groundwater withdrawal, the area experienced as much as 10 ft of subsidence that resulted in some homes being inundated and others experiencing frequent flooding. Brownwood is now mostly underwater and has been turned into the Baytown Nature Center that provides habitat for native plants and animals. The Houston History Magazine wrote an article in March 2019 that includes links to original video footage of the site and interviews with the residents of Brownwood. .
Brownwood Subdivision in 1944 to 2002. Slide the arrows to see the impact of subsidence.