Data-driven insights for local properties

📊 Environmental Assessment Report

This comprehensive report analyzes both flood risk and industrial pollution exposure for this property. The assessment combines multiple data sources including USGS elevation, FEMA flood zones, historical storm modeling, and EPA Toxic Release Inventory records.

🌊 Part 1: Flood Risk Analysis

Property Overview

This section shows the fundamental characteristics of the property, including its elevation above sea level, FEMA flood zone designation, and our calculated overall flood risk rating based on historical data and topographic analysis.

Address
4517 RUSK ST HOUSTON 77023
Building Size
1,400 sqft
Total structure area from HCAD building records.
Elevation
36.72 ft
Height above sea level from USGS data.
FEMA Flood Zone
X
Moderate to Low Risk - Outside 500-year floodplain
Overall Risk
Very Low
Risk based on FEMA zone and simulation.

Risk Assessment Outputs

These detailed metrics show the technical outputs from our flood risk model. They include predicted water depths at the property during a 5000-year flood event and estimated flood damage based on USACE methodology.

Risk Rating
Very Low
Flood Depth
0 ft ±0.5 ft
No flooding at current water level.
Water Surface Elevation (WSE)
N/A
Water surface elevation data not available.
Area Inundated
N/A
Data not available
Nearest Bayou Stage
N/A
No nearby bayou within monitoring range
Depth-Damage Estimate (HCAD Valuation)
$0
Property not flooded at current water level. No damage to calculate.
Depth-Damage Estimate (Neighborhood Comparison)
$0
Property not flooded at current water level. No damage to calculate.
Analysis Method
COG Bathtub Model
Raster-based flood inundation query

Flood Simulation

This simulation shows whether the property would flood based on a 5000-year flood event with 3m (9.84ft) water level. Use the interactive tool to explore different scenarios.

✅ Property Would Be Safe
Safety Margin: 26.72 feet
Severity: Safe

Adjust Flood Simulation

The analysis above uses default settings (5000-year flood, 3m/9.84ft water level). To explore different flood scenarios with interactive maps, return to the main tool:

Open Interactive Analysis Tool

Flood Risk Recommendations

Based on the property's flood risk profile, here are specific action items to consider.

  • FEMA Zone X (minimal hazard) - flood insurance available at preferred rates.
  • Review the interactive flood simulator to understand how different rainfall events could affect this property.
  • Contact Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) for drainage projects and flood information.

🏭 Part 2: Industrial Pollution Exposure

Property Pollution Ranking
Moderate
Higher pollution than 74% of Houston homes
This ranking compares pollution levels within 2 miles of this property against 10,000 randomly sampled Houston metro properties. Lower percentiles indicate higher pollution exposure.
Industrial Pollution Nearby (Last 10 Years)
415 thousand lbs
Very High
63.6x more than typical Houston property
≈ 21 dump trucks of chemicals within 2 miles
Total chemical releases from all industrial facilities within a 2-mile radius over the past decade (2014–2024). Data from EPA's Toxic Release Inventory tracking air, water, and land discharges.
💨 Air Pollution (Last 10 Years)
415 thousand lbs
Very High
86.0x more than typical Houston property
Chemicals released into the air from nearby facilities over 10 years. Includes both fugitive emissions (leaks, evaporation) and stack emissions (smokestacks, vents). May affect local air quality.
💧 Water Pollution (Last 10 Years)
105 lbs
High
Most Houston properties have none nearby
Chemical discharges to surface water (bayous, streams, drainage) from industrial facilities within 2 miles over the past decade. May impact local waterways and drainage systems.

❤️ Why It Matters

High chemical activity nearby can indicate industrial zones, truck traffic, or potential odor and noise issues. These factors may affect air quality, long-term property desirability, and neighborhood character. This data helps you understand the industrial footprint around your property.

🏙️ Houston Metro Benchmarks

Comparison with typical Houston properties (based on 10,000 randomly sampled homes). All measurements are for chemicals released within a 2-mile radius.

PeriodTotalAirWater
Typical Houston Property (2014-2024)6,524 lbs4,822 lbs0 lbs
This Property (2014-2024)415,004 lbs414,898 lbs105 lbs
Typical Houston Property (2024 Only)2 lbs1 lbs0 lbs
This Property (2024 Only)81,205 lbs36,767 lbs0 lbs

📊 How This Property Compares to Houston Metro

Based on a random sample of 10,000 Houston properties, this chart shows the distribution of pollution levels across the metro area. The highlighted bar indicates where this property falls compared to other homes. Lower percentiles mean higher pollution exposure.

0-9thMost Polluted
9.9%
10-19th
10.1%
20-29th
9.9%
30-39th
10.1%
40-49th
9.7%
50-59th
10.2%
60-69th
6%
70-79th
5.8%
80-89th
4.3%
90-100thLowest Pollution
34.2%
Higher pollution than 74% of Houston homes
Each bar's width represents the percentage of Houston homes in that pollution range. This property ranks in the 20-29th percentile (top 25% most polluted).

Top chemicals released near this property (past 10 years):

Zinc compounds, n-Hexane, Nitric acid, Toluene, Ammonia

View the full list of 22 chemicals below.

Chemicals Released (2014-2024, 10-Year Total) (22 chemicals)

#ChemicalCAS#Air (lbs, 10yr)Water (lbs, 10yr)Total (lbs, 10yr)
1Zinc compoundsN982176,605 lbs0 lbs176,605 lbs
2n-Hexane110-54-3125,432 lbs0 lbs125,432 lbs
3Nitric acid7697-37-235,906 lbs0 lbs35,906 lbs
4Toluene108-88-331,681 lbs0 lbs31,681 lbs
5Ammonia7664-41-725,000 lbs0 lbs25,000 lbs
61,2,4-Trimethylbenzene95-63-68,648 lbs0 lbs8,648 lbs
7Lead compoundsN4203,127 lbs54 lbs3,181 lbs
8Cyclohexane110-82-72,389 lbs0 lbs2,389 lbs
9Copper compoundsN1002,021 lbs0 lbs2,021 lbs
10Lead And Lead CompoundsN4201,554 lbs0 lbs1,554 lbs
11Xylene (mixed isomers)1330-20-71,434 lbs0 lbs1,434 lbs
12Ethylene glycol107-21-1856 lbs0 lbs856 lbs
13Chromium compounds (except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region)N090143 lbs0 lbs143 lbs
14Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region)N09038 lbs0 lbs38 lbs
15Manganese7439-96-52 lbs26 lbs29 lbs
16Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)N51125 lbs0 lbs25 lbs
17Nickel compoundsN49522 lbs0 lbs22 lbs
18Chromium7440-47-33 lbs12 lbs15 lbs
19Copper And Copper CompoundsN10010 lbs0 lbs10 lbs
20Copper7440-50-80 lbs6 lbs6 lbs
21Nickel7440-02-01 lbs4 lbs5 lbs
22Lead7439-92-10 lbs3 lbs3 lbs

Top chemicals released near this property (2024 only):

Zinc compounds, Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), n-Hexane, Toluene, Nitric acid

View the full list of 10 chemicals reported within 2 miles for 2024.

Chemicals Released (2024 Only) (10 chemicals)

#ChemicalCAS#Air (lbs/yr)Water (lbs/yr)Total (lbs/yr)
1Zinc compoundsN9829,014 lbs0 lbs20,571 lbs
2Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region)N09012 lbs0 lbs17,487 lbs
3n-Hexane110-54-312,290 lbs0 lbs12,290 lbs
4Toluene108-88-311,886 lbs0 lbs11,886 lbs
5Nitric acid7697-37-2755 lbs0 lbs9,446 lbs
6Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)N5115 lbs0 lbs3,795 lbs
7Lead And Lead CompoundsN420161 lbs0 lbs3,041 lbs
8Xylene (mixed isomers)1330-20-71,434 lbs0 lbs1,434 lbs
91,2,4-Trimethylbenzene95-63-61,210 lbs0 lbs1,210 lbs
10Lead7439-92-10 lbs0 lbs45 lbs

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