Files
Date of Award
5-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Landscape Architecture
College
Arts and Sciences
Department
Landscape Architecture, Disaster Resiliency & Emergency Management (LADREM)
Faculty Advisor
Juncheng Lu
Studio Coordinator
Jay Kost
Faculty Chair
Dominic Fischer
Publisher
North Dakota State University
Rights
NDSU policy 190.6.2
URI
https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf
Abstract
Communities across Texas face increasing hydrological pressures from natural climate variability, changing precipitation patterns, and rapid urban growth. Although directly attributing extreme precipitation events to anthropogenic climate change is complicated by internal variability and observational limitations (de Vries et al., 2023; Griffin et al., 2024; IPCC, 2021; National Academies, 2016), cities such as Houston are preparing for more frequent and intense storms. Historical floods—including Tropical Storm Allison, the Memorial Day and Tax Day floods, and Hurricane Harvey—have exposed the limits of Houston’s predominantly hard-infrastructure flood management. The Brays Bayou watershed, particularly the Meyerland neighborhood, shows heightened vulnerability, where impervious surfaces, engineered channels, and road networks disrupt natural hydrology.
Traditional flood-control strategies rely on rigid, concrete infrastructure, which can accelerate runoff, reduce infiltration, and constrain ecological functions. Drawing on water urbanism and the hydro-social cycle (Mathur & da Cunha, 2014; Spirn, 1998; Linton, 2014), this study proposes an adaptive soft-infrastructure approach that treats water as an experiential and cultural element of urban life rather than solely a hazard. Its novelty lies in combining geospatial hydrological modeling with a design-oriented framework, overlaying soft-infrastructure strategies onto engineered landscapes to enable multifunctional flood adaptation in dense urban areas.
Methodologically, the study uses ArcGIS and SAGA GIS to model surface runoff, watershed connectivity, land-use change, and repetitive-loss patterns across Brays Bayou. (Should I add second step of the research is …) A systematic review of global and Asian soft-infrastructure precedents evaluated strategies on four criteria: (1) hydrological effectiveness, (2) compatibility with dense urban forms, (3) adaptability to existing infrastructure, and (4) cultural or experiential value. Techniques examined include green corridors, bioswales, multifunctional parks, floodable plazas, adaptive streetscapes, canal revitalization, urban terraforming, and multi-level public spaces.
Preliminary results suggest that retrofitting Brays Bayou edges, streets, parks, easements, and other urban areas with multifunctional landscape systems can slow runoff, increase infiltration, and partially restore historic floodplain behavior without extensive land acquisition. Strategies that visibly integrate water—through connected green corridors, adaptive streetscapes, and floodable community spaces—show the greatest potential. Constraints include narrow rights-of-way, incompatible grades, underground utilities, limited soil and vegetation space, public acceptance, and maintenance demands.
These findings are applicable to other U.S. coastal and flood-prone cities, demonstrating that soft infrastructure can simultaneously achieve ecological, hydrological, and social objectives. Future research may involve long-term monitoring, development of transferable design frameworks, and deeper integration of community engagement to ensure culturally grounded, resilient, and sustainable solutions.
Recommended Citation
Obaid, Khulda Aamir, "Temporality Waters: Connecting People to the Brays Bayou Through Memory, Culture, and Identity Experiences in Houston, Texas" (2026). Landscape Architecture Theses. 13.
https://digitalcommons.ndsu.edu/landscape-architecture-theses/13
ThesisPresentation_Obaid.pdf (9616 kB)
ThesisSupplement_Obaid.mp4 (470876 kB)