Quick Action by Resident Halts Spring Creek Environmental Abuse
2/13/26 – Three days ago, Jennifer Stewart, one of my readers, was riding her bike up the Spring Creek Greenway when she witnessed a river of sludge pouring out of a construction site. It was going straight into the creek at a high rate of speed. She immediately contacted me and within the hour I had taken dozens of drone photos documenting the environmental abuse.
Within a couple more hours, I notified Harris County Flood Control. The next morning, I posted about the illegal discharge and how to report it to the proper authorities. Many readers complained to the TCEQ, Harris County Flood Control, Harris County Engineering, and Harris County Pollution Control.
Today, I returned to the site to see if the contractors were still pumping sludge into the creek. I’m happy to say that they were NOT. County environmental investigators had quickly issued citations to Spring ISD, its contractors and environmental consultant.. The County gave them until 2/14/26 to bring their site into compliance with federal, state and county environmental regulations – or else they will receive more citations.
Today, instead of pumping more sludge into Spring Creek, the contractors were installing pollution-prevention measures that should have been in place all along. For instance:
- Riprap (rock used to protect channel embankments) that reduces erosion
- Silt fences that filter sediment out of water escaping from construction sites
- Rock gabions (baskets filled with rocks), also designed to filter runoff.
Who knows how long the contractors would have continued circumventing best management practices had it not been for Stewart who: a) recognized the violations, b) documented them, and c) reported them quickly? Thank you, Jennifer!
Magnitude of Sediment-Pollution Problem
Sediment pollution is widely regarded by hydrologists and water-quality regulators as the single largest pollutant by volume in U.S. surface waters. It is not always toxic, but it is often the most structurally damaging because it alters channel geometry, reduces floodwater storage, and transports contaminants.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has repeatedly identified sediment as the most common cause of water-quality impairment in the rivers and streams it has studied.
- USGS studies indicate that construction activities are a major source of sediment in small streams.
- Roughly 25–45% of assessed U.S. streams show impairment linked directly to suspended sediment or siltation.
Sediment Discharges Amplify Other Threats
Sediment discharges contribute to the loss of hydraulic conveyance of rivers and streams. When that happens, channel cross-sections shrink and floodwaters rise.
According to ChatGPT, a 10–20% loss of conveyance area can raise flood elevations dramatically. Some estimate the increase could exceed Atlas-14 rainfall increases of about 30% in this area. Also…
Rainfall is episodic. But sediment is cumulative.
Sediment ranks at the top of long-term flood threats for the Lake Houston Area because it:
- Increases dredging dependence
- Is difficult to regulate retroactively.
It also buries spawning beds for fish and kills aquatic vegetation that filters water.
Importance of Reporting Violations
Regulatory agencies depend on the help of an educated public to report problems promptly when they see them.
Emily Woodell, a spokesperson for Harris County Flood Control District, had this to say about the Spring Creek construction site. “We sent our teams out there and they are working with the Harris County Engineering Department (HCED) on the effort. HCED is actually the entity with regulatory authority, and they issued a citation to the developer.”
“We always want to hear about these kinds of issues. The best way to submit them is via our Citizen Service Center on our website. The requests go straight to our Fast Action Service Teams to investigate and take the appropriate action. It takes all of us being the eyes and ears on the ground, and we truly appreciate every report.”
Pictures Taken February 10, 2026
Compare the pictures taken on February 10 to the ones farther below (taken today). Today’s show installation of pollution-prevention measures and a dramatic improvement in water quality. But first the “problem” shots.
Photos Taken 2/13/26
Note the dramatic changes in pictures taken today.
ABC13’s Brianna Willis also covered this story. Spring ISD told her (not on camera) that they take environmental compliance seriously.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/13/2026
3090 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.
