For Most, Life Returned to Normal Today, But Flooding Is Not Done Yet
5PM 1/25/24 – After four days of near constant rainfall, life returned to normal this morning. The sun came out. Birds sang. But for some, the ordeal is not done yet.
Crests on several creeks and area rivers are moving downstream and should converge on the Lake Houston Area this weekend.
According to Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner, waves of water are still working their way down through our river systems. Low lying areas along both forks are already flooding upstream
Another disturbance will likely produce a few showers Friday afternoon into the evening hours, but accumulations will likely not top a half inch, according to Lindner.
Then dry and cooler weather over the weekend will give the area a chance to dry out. And rivers, creeks, and streams will have time to recede.
Lake Updates
Reservoirs throughout the region are passing large inflows through their gates.
At 5PM, Lake Conroe was three feet above normal and releasing 19,435 cubic feet per second adding to peaks on the West Fork San Jacinto.
Lake Houston was two feet above normal. Its floodgates have remained wide open since last Sunday and water is pouring over the spillway portion of the dam.
River Forecasts Show Peaks Traveling Downstream
Throughout today, flooding continued along several creeks and rivers as upstream flood waves moved downstream. Many of the creeks will be cresting today and falling while several of the rivers will continue to rise into Friday and the weekend as run-off accumulates and moves downstream.
Upper Spring Creek:
upstream of Hegar Road, Spring Creek has crested and is starting to fall quickly. It is near crest from Hegar Road downstream to SH 249. Conditions along the creek and the bridge crossings west of SH 249 will improve into tonight. The creek is still rising downstream of FM 2978 and some minor low land flooding will be possible near the creek banks tonight.
Attempts to cross some of the bridges this morning resulted in high water rescues. Never drive into high water.
Little Mound/Upper Cypress Creeks:
Mound Creek has crested and begun a very slow fall. The flood wave has reached Sharp Rd. on upper Cypress Creek and Cypress is rising. It will get to or just over bankfull tonight. Portions of Sharp Rd. may become flooded.
Flow may get high down at Katy Hockley. But at this time Lindner is not expecting any widespread impacts at or downstream of Katy Hockley as the capacity of the channel increases from Katy Hockley to US 290.
West Fork of the San Jacinto River:
The river leveled off today, but will begin a second rise tonight into Friday. Upstream flows at SH 242 and SH 99 as well as flows from Lake Creek are moving downstream.
The US 59 turn arounds under the US 59 bridge are under water and will remain flooded well into the weekend.

Several streets on the north bank of the river are flooded including Lakeshore, Northshore, River Bend, and Lake Point.

The majority of the flooding will occur south of Hamblen Road, according to Lindner.

However, he says a few locations north of Hamblen could see high water. And I took this photo West of 59 near the river this morning. Homes there were already surrounded by floodwaters.

Most structures in these areas are elevated and could potentially become cut-off into the weekend as water levels remain elevated.
Large portions of the Kingwood Golf course are or will be flooded.

Kings Harbor was well above water this morning, But the pier was not. Cue Mr. Clean.
At predicted levels, Lindner says that back water will also begin to affect tributary drainage channels into the river and higher than normal water is likely along tributaries such as Bens Branch. However, no flooding of homes is expected in Kingwood.

East Fork of the San Jacinto River:
The river has exceeded its banks and will continue to rise into the weekend from north of Plum Grove to Lake Houston.

This afternoon, when I took the shot above, I visited the Plum Grove VFD and found high-water rescue teams prepping for tomorrow and the weekend.
FM 1485 west of the river bridge over the East Fork will be flooded and impassable for an extended period of time starting this afternoon.
Additionally, some roads on the west side of the river just downstream of FM 1485 will be flooded and elevated structures cut-off. Elevated structures downstream on the east river bank off River Terrace Rd. will be cut-off.
The East Fork is forecasted to remain well above flood stage through the weekend.
Jeff Lindner, Harris County Meteorologist


Lower San Jacinto River below Lake Houston:
Upstream flow through Lake Houston will route into the lower San Jacinto River with high flows lasting through the weekend. Minor flooding is forecasted along the river from below Lake Houston to Galveston Bay. Low lying areas of Sheldon, Banana Bend, and Rio Villa will experience flooding of roadways and may become cut-off (Rio Villa).
Higher than normal flows will impact vessel traffic around I-10 and vessels should be properly secured for a period of prolonged increased flows and high water levels.

Trinity River:
Major flooding is forecasted from below Lake Livingston to Goodrich and near Liberty. Some homes below the lake will be flooded. Several subdivisions will be cut-off around Liberty and at the current forecasted levels…widespread extensive flooding over portions of Liberty County near the river and its tributaries can be expected.

For More Information
Conditions are changing rapidly. For the most current information, always go straight to the source,
Current water levels and inundation can be found at www.harriscountyfws.org
River forecast can be found at National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service
‘Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/25/24 at 5PM based on information provided by Jeff Lindner‘Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/25/24 at 5PM based on information provided by Jeff Lindner
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