The Latest: Harris County judge hopeful worst of flood over

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett says he's hopeful the worst is over for the flood-ravaged area that includes Houston and says the focus should move to getting the recovery right and providing people with the help they need as soon as possible.

Emmett, the county's chief administrator, says he knows people's nerves are on edge and that some subdivisions still are threatened with flooding that began with heavy rains Sunday night.

Two areas of concern are reservoirs on the county's west side that continue to take on water from overflowing streams and where officials anticipate some new flooding of a few homes on property that borders the reservoirs.

The commander of the Army Corp of Engineers district, Colonel Richard Pannell, says the levees are holding and he has confidence they will continue to hold.

Authorities say four boys were rescued from a nearly submerged boat after a dangerous 11-mile ride along a flooded creek north of Houston.

Authorities said Wednesday the dams — at 50 percent capacity — are working well and were classified as high risk only because they're about two decades beyond their life expectancy and in a populated area.

A chance of thunderstorms continues through Friday, as the nation's fourth-largest city recovers from high water that forced evacuations, disrupted travel and canceled school for more than a million students in the region.