Video of Mile-Long Sand Pit Leaking Into West Fork
Correction: This sand pit in this post was sold by Hallett to Riverwalk Porter LLC on January 23, 2024.
Last week, the West Fork San Jacinto rerouted itself through a mile-long sand pit at the five-square mile Hallett Mine in Porter. Some people reported problems understanding how all the images in that post related to each other and where the mine was. To help eliminate confusion, I returned to the site this morning show continuous video from one breach to the other. I’ve also included a wider map below.
Location of Mine and Path of Video
The map below shows the relationship of the pit “captured” by the river to the rest of the mine, Porter and Kingwood.
Video and Still Shots of Captured Pit
Clouds were low and I was flying near the base of them. So, the video looks a bit hazy.
Note several things as you watch the video.
- Size of the entry and exit breaches. They’re impossible to measure precisely, but likely greater than 100 feet wide.
- Depth of the pond that used to be filled with wastewater before the dikes broke. See exposed sides where vegetation did not grow.
- Sand being washed downstream before the water receded.
- Dune blocking the West Fork in the upper right near the end of the video.
Here are some still shots with more contrast that show those highlights and other aspects. I’ll arrange these in the reverse order, i.e., flying downriver in the opposite direction starting from the entrance breach..
Water now takes the path of least resistance, flowing through the giant pond.
Have a cool, refreshing glass of Hallett.
This flows straight into Lake Houston.
Downstream Photos Taken on 5/13/23 at US59 Bridge
The City of Houston is launching a new $34 million dredging program to remove another 800,000 cubic yards of sediment accumulating in the West Fork downstream from the bridge.
Hallett contends that sand cannot escape its pits and that this sand comes from river bank erosion on other tributaries such as Spring and Cypress Creeks.
Robin Sedewitz, Kingwood resident contributed the three photos and video below.
Note height of debris in bridge supports.
During Harvey, debris such as this got caught in supports for the old railroad bridge and dammed the river, backing water up into Humble and Kingwood businesses. The railroad ultimately built a new bridge that would let trees pass through. No trees got hung up on the new bridge supports during this flood.
Where to Report Problems
Harris County Flood Control now surveys the river after floods and removes debris. They just haven’t gotten to this debris yet.
If you see problems that need HCFCD’s attention, you can report them here.
The TCEQ regulates sand mines in the State of Texas. To report sand mine issues, visit: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/compliance/complaints/.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5.13.24
2449 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
