Five Sand Mines Upstream from Lake Houston are Wider than Lake Houston

3/18/25 – Five sand mines upstream from Lake Houston are wider than Lake Houston itself. But that’s not the only statistic that puts the area’s sand mining issues in perspective. The combined size of all upstream mines also exceeds the size of Lake Houston. Let’s look at how these statistics relate to a bill pending in the Texas House: HB-1163.

Width of Lake vs. Width of Upstream Mines

I used Google Earth Pro to measure the width of Lake Houston just above the dam. It’s almost a half mile wider than the FM1960 bridge.

*Just above the dam, Lake Houston is 1.87 miles wide.*

Now let’s look at five sand mine complexes upstream from Lake Houston.

Five Mine Complexes Exceed Width of Lake Houston

These complexes on the West Fork San Jacinto and Caney Creek in the East Fork watershed are even wider than the widest part of the lake. Some of these and other mine complexes contain abandoned mines that still contain exposed sediment and abandoned equipment – both things that pertain to HB-1163.

Let’s look at their size first. Starting at SH 242, heading southeast along the West Fork and then up into the East Fork watershed…

*#3 is a little more than 2 miles wide.*

*#4 is a little more than 3 miles wide.*

*And #5 in Porter on Caney Creek, which enters the East Fork San Jacinto above Lake Houston, is 2.5 miles wide.*

Dangers of Mining in Floodways

Virtually all of these areas sit in floodways or floodplains. #4 above looked like this during the May flood in 2024.

*Looking NW at West Fork during the May 2024 flood. Water flows right to left.* *Notice all the sediment being carried downstream (left) toward Lake Houston.*

Harris County Flood Control estimated that a 2-10 year rainfall caused that.

I measured the speed of water through this area by tracking floating debris with a drone. The water moved between 5 and 6 MPH, which can easily suspend sand and even some gravel.

Texas Water Development Board estimated that Lake Houston has lost about 25% of its volume due to sedimentation. The dirt swept downstream from sand mines has displaced room for water.

This is one reason why we need State Representative Charles Cunningham’s HB-1163. The House Natural Resources Committee will discuss the bill on Wednesday 3/19/25.

Those mines are supposed to be surrounded by dikes that protect them from 100-year floods. But in the photo above, the river has broken through the dikes of four pits.

Mines 50% Larger than Lake that Holds Your Water

I have calculated the surface area of the mines shown below at about 21 square miles.

*Orange outlines show sand mines currently upstream from Lake Houston area.* Surface area calculated *in Google Earth Pro* *at 21 square miles.*

But numerous sources, including the Texas Water Development Board, list the size of the lake at less than 20 square miles.

And the lake continues to lose volume, thanks in part to abandoned sand mines that have not been revegetated.

*This abandoned East Fork mine was supposed to be replanted with native vegetation to reduce erosion.* *But, it wasn’t…*

And during the an April 2023 flood, water swept through the mine and carried that sediment downstream.

Floodwaters sweep through abandoned sand mines on East and West Forks of San Jacinto — *Same mine on East Fork during a flood in April 2023. Stormwater breached the dikes and swept sediment downstream.*

How HB-1163 Would Help

When mines play out, owners should remove equipment and revegetate the property to reduce erosion. But not all do. That means the public must bear the costs or suffer the consequences.

HB-1163 would help remedy excessive sedimentation…at least in part. It would require sand mines to develop an abandonment plan for when they finish mining. It would also require them to post a performance bond that guarantees they execute it.

If they don’t execute the plan, they would forfeit the bond. So the City or County doesn’t get stuck with the tab for cleaning up the mess at public expense.

*Leaking abandoned equipment in abandoned sand mine*s *can poison public water.*

These are more examples of “life out of balance.” And they help explain why the confluence of the West Fork and Spring Creek usually looks like this after a rain.

New Sand Mining BMPs needed to offset sediment pollution. — *20 square miles of sand mines upstream on West Fork (right).* *These are the headwaters of Lake Houston, the water supply for 2 million people.* *Have a cool refreshing glass of muck anyone?*

How You Can Help

Texas residents who wish to electronically submit comments related to HB1163 can do so until
the hearing is adjourned by visiting: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c390.

For those persons who will be testifying, information for in-person witness registration, can be found here: https://mytxlegis.capitol.texas.gov/HWRSPublic/About.aspx

A live video broadcast of this hearing will be available here: https://house.texas.gov/video-audio/. It starts at 8AM on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

Instructions related to public access to the meeting location are available at: https://house.texas.gov/committees/public-access-house-committee-meetings/.

Please let the committee know that you support Rep. Charles Cunningham’s HB1163 and why.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/18/25

2758 Days since Hurricane Harvey