Next Challenge For City: Ditch Clean Out in Right of Way Under Kingwood Drive West of High School

About a half block west of Kingwood High School, G-103-36-03, a small drainage ditch without a name, cuts under Kingwood Drive. More than a hundred homes near this ditch flooded during Harvey. Before Imelda, Harris County Flood Control District did an emergency “de-snag” on the ditch. That means they cleaned out fallen trees that were forming “beaver dams” and backing water up.

But the right of way under Kingwood Drive has remained about half blocked by sediment. That’s what those red warning signs represent in the picture below. Clearing the right of way is the City of Houston’s responsibility.

Now, would be a good time to clean out this ditch while the City has crews working a block east of here at Kingwood High School.

Location of Blockage

*Screen capture from HCFCD’s Kingwood Area Drainage Assessment.* *The purple in the upper right is Kingwood High School.*

When I clicked on the upper warning sign, I found a link to this image from 2019.

*Sediment and vegetation half blocking twin culverts under Kingwood Drive in 2019.* *Photo by HCFCD* *looking south from north of westbound lanes.*

Pictures Taken Today Show Same Blockages

*Here’s how the same scene looked on 3/8/22.* *The ditch stops before it even reaches the culvert.*

*Closer shot of same culverts shows sediment and vegetation blocking culvert entrances.*

*Still looking south, but across the median toward the eastbound lanes.*

*Looking north from eastbound lanes at sediment and vegetation blocking the ditch as it goes through the median of Kingwood Drive.*

I’ve brought this issue to the attention of Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin and his staff. I’m confident this was just an oversight and look forward to doing another positive story when they complete this job, too.

Posted by Bob Rehak on March 8, 2022

1652 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Location of Blockage

Pictures Taken Today Show Same Blockages

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