Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District Kicks Off Planning Effort
8/25/26 – Just days after being sworn in, the five board members of the new Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District held their first working meeting on 8/24/26. They focused on developing an organization that could, in turn, develop a long-range plan.
Three of the five board members live in the Lake Houston Area, including the board chair. So, they are highly focused on getting dredges in the water as soon as possible.
Board Chair William Simpson set the stage by saying, “We’re basically starting from day one on this. Today, we want to strategize around how to move forward and then form some committees to start working.”
After a review of bylaws, they discussed:
- Scope of work/maps/surveys
- Estimate of costs
- Funding plans
- Schedule milestones
- A procurement plan
- Committees
Houston Public Works Set the Stage
David Wurdlow, Houston Public Works’ Sr. Assistant Director of Capital Projects and Grant Management, set the stage by talking about dredging costs and funding sources – both past and potential.
Since Harvey, approximately $175 million has been raised for dredging from a variety of sources and $168 million expended. That leaves approximately $7 million in the kitty.
Wurdlow next identified several possible sources for grants. He emphasized that many grants are designated exclusively for capital improvements and that, by definition, dredging is a maintenance activity. Outside of an emergency, such as Hurricane Harvey, that limits potential funding sources somewhat. However, several sources remain viable alternatives.
Since Harvey, more than 4 million cubic yards of sediment have been removed from the lake and its tributaries through a variety of programs.
Utilizing those remaining funds would require an interlocal agreement of some sort with either Harris County or City of Houston.
Finally, Wurdlow discussed how dredging dovetailed with other flood-mitigation efforts underway in the Lake Houston watershed, such as the SJRA’s sedimentation, sand trap, and joint-reservoir-operations studies.
Identifying Elements of a Business Plan
The discussion then hopscotched through a variety of topics related to things necessary to develop a long-range business plan. They included, but were not limited to:
- Hiring an attorney and a CPA
- Determining ways to finance dredging efforts
- Finding placement areas to drain spoils
- Transporting dredged materials away from the lake
- Working with developers who might use the spoils
- Devoting long-range drainage plans
- Agreeing on scope of work (i.e., maintaining current silt levels or improving them)
- Limiting water-quality concerns related to dredging
- Implementing sand traps to reduce incoming sediment
- Finalizing goals (i.e., dredging XXX thousand cubic yards per year)
- Agreeing on the core mission
- Developing a procurement plan and web site
- Identifying potential partners
- Developing ways to communicate with the public and partners
- Setting up board committees to handle all of the above
The discussion lasted an hour and thirty-eight minutes. The group had more questions than answers. But that was expected at this point. However, the board identified the key questions it needs to answer. And it developed a committee structure to deliver a workable business plan.
Future Meetings
The Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District plans to hold meetings on the third Monday of every month at the Humble Chamber at 11 am. The address is 110 W. Main St., Humble, TX 77338.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/25/2026
3283 Days since Hurricane Harvey
