It wasn’t a fair fight. 24 trillion gallons of water does not fit into 627 square miles of Texas landscape.  I have read and have heard several discussions concerning the ability of the Houston area to absorb the water dumped on the area during the days hurricane Harvey hovered over Houston and was curious,

how much water can an area the size of Houston handle?

And, more interestingly,

how much grassland would be needed to absorb a hurricane the size of hurricane Harvey?

Using estimated rainfall information provided by news outlets (Washington Post, NPR) and a water absorption study published in the Farmer’s Magazine in 1861,  what are the numbers?  The absorption study assumes starting with dry land and the average absorption numbers calculated in the study.  Using high and  low rainfall estimates of 9 and 24 trillion gallons and absorption levels of 4, 6, 9, and 12 inches this is what I found.

It would require an area from 104 to 829 times the size of Houston to absorb the high and low waterfall estimates of Hurricane Harvey.

If Harvey had covered the state Texas, on the low end Texas would be ok.

On the high end even an area the size of the state of Texas could not handle all the rain.  It is hard to conceive the amount of rain which hit the area but is easy to understand why the extreme level of flooding occurred in the area.

How much water can an Acre of dry land absorb? Volume depends on the depth of absorption.

Total water converted to gallon/tons.  Acres required to absorb the water, depth of absorption.

Square miles required to absorb hurricane Harvey.

Houston is 627 Square miles. How many Houstons would it take to handle Harvey?.

Texas is 268,597 square miles. Could all of Texas handle Harvey?.