Costello said he didn't read the Corps' report or raise the topic of reservoir flood pools in his years as a councilman from 2010-2015.

Jim Blackburn, an environmental lawyer and Rice professor, has authored papers on post-Harvey solutions and worked on lawsuits related to Houston flooding and its dams for decades. Blackburn said he finds Costello's denials of knowledge about reservoir development dangers "hard to believe."

Blackburn said Costello and other engineers involved in flood pool developments should consider whether they abandoned their duties under state administrative code to "protect the health, safety, property and welfare of the public."

"I think it's reflective of a cavalier attitude of engineers about a lot of these issues and I think that's one of the issues that has to change in our community," Blackburn said. "... Our engineers have to have a much stronger sense of their duty to the public, and if he doesn't remember, then shame on him."

// our flood czar. Impressive