TXDoT Contractors Removing Huffman Floodplain Fill
8/28/26 – Days after TXDoT contractors were caught on camera depositing fill dirt in the Lake Houston floodplain near FM1960, they started removing it. Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger personally visited the site on 8/22/26 and stopped the illegal operation.
The contractors took dirt excavated from an FM2100 detention basin outside of any known floodplain. Then they deposited it inside the floodway and floodplain of Lake Houston at a mobil home park east of the lake on the south side of 1960. Such fill reduces the room for floodwater storage and increases flood risk for other property owners.
City regulations passed in 2018 after Hurricane Harvey prohibit such operations. See Ord. No. 2018-258, Sections 19-34 and 19-43.
Removal Operation Not Yet Complete
Neighbors noticed unusual activity at the fill site starting around after 7pm on 8/27/26. A large excavator started putting the illegal fill into dump trucks. The trucks then hauled it somewhere else, presumably out of a floodplain. The crews reportedly worked under lights until about 5:30am today and returned around 4pm this afternoon.
Neighbors say that last night’s work did not remove all of the illegal fill and they’re happy to see the removal operation continuing.
However, that silt fence still doesn’t reach the ground and a thunderstorm is moving through the area as I write this.
Flickinger stated earlier that the owner would likely be forced to relocate the fill and pay a fine. At this hour, it’s not clear how much the fine was or where the fill is being relocated.
Status of Similar Case Near 59 Bridge
Last year, I caught on camera a separate floodplain-fill operation at 21915 Savelle Road near the confluence of Spring Creek and the San Jacinto West Fork just west of the US59 Bridge. That case was much larger and is still bogged down in legal action.
According to Dustin Hodges, Flickinger’s Chief of Staff, City of Houston Legal and Houston Police Department (HPD) Environmental are reviewing that case right now.
State and Federal authorities have also become involved:
- Houston Public Works Floodplain Management Office (FMO) alerted Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for stormwater quality violations. However, the City has not yet heard back from TCEQ regarding any actions taken.
- FMO also alerted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galveston office about the violation of illegal fill in their navigable waterways. USACE advised the City that they do not provide updates regarding investigation status.
- FMO has asked for guidance from the City’s legal and HPD teams before taking additional actions.
The last time I checked on the Savelle site in late May, I had not noticed any fill being hauled away.
How to Report Floodplain Fill Operations
If you see someone dumping fill in a floodplain or floodway:
- Take pictures and note the location.
- Check FEMA’s flood hazard layer viewer to verify it is in the floodplain or floodway.
- If so, send the location, photos and FEMA flood map to the appropriate authority.
Understand that regulations may vary by jurisdiction. The appropriate authority may also vary by jurisdiction. It could be the county engineer, city engineer, county commissioner, city council member, flood control district, TCEQ, or USACE.
When in doubt, contact me and I will help you figure it out.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/28/26
3286 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.
