8/18/26 – This afternoon, Fox26 reporter Greg Groogan interviewed new Harris County Flood Control District Executive Director Marcus Stuckett about his priorities. Stuckett inherited the job just six weeks ago after the previous director resigned under pressure, when it became apparent that Harris County could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding. The […]
8/17/2026 – Daniel Ramos, Executive Director of Harris County’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB), presented a detailed general fund budget for Fiscal Year 2027 this morning to a special meeting of Harris County Commissioners Court. The budget contained an estimated $327 million/12% increase over the 2026 budget. That increase could raise the average homeowner’s […]
8/16/26 – On Monday 8/17/26, Harris County will hold a Special Meeting of Commissioners Court to discuss the 2027 budget and a tax increase to cover a projected $129 million deficit in the general fund. The agenda shows that the meeting will start at 9 am. Ironically, Item #1 has to do with “salary grievances.” […]
8/15/2026 – The lawsuit between the Army Corps of Engineers and residents upstream of the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs has been delayed again. The government is still deciding whether to file another appeal to the United States Supreme Court. It was supposed to have made a decision by August 7, 2026. However, the government advised […]
8/14/26 – Yesterday, someone asked me why flood mitigation takes so long. It’s a simple question that ultimately demands another question. How can we speed it up? Let me outline what I’ve learned about the “why so long” issue before wading into whether we can speed it up. The process isn’t always linear. Surprises in […]
8/13/26 – The American Flood Coalition (AFC) is a nationwide advocate for flood-risk reduction at the local, state and federal levels. August 2026 is a landmark month for federal disaster recovery, according to the group. CDBG-DR Simplification On July 10, Congress passed a bipartisan proposal to authorize the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) […]
8/12/2026 – On 8/11/26 in a two-part meeting, the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District (LSGCD) voted to increase groundwater pumping and ignore subsidence…at least for now. The first part of the meeting included a discussion of how they arrived at their recommendations and public comments on “Desired Future Conditions” (DFCs). The second part included formal […]
8/10/26 – The watchdog group “Montgomery County Concerned Citizens” led by former MUD Director Paul Cote has raised several red flags about issues that affect the future of the county’s groundwater supplies. They include: Groundwater as a Safety Net These controversies come amid a cautionary tale out West. Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir which […]
8/8/26 – The major action these days on the Northpark Drive Expansion project centers around the Loop 494 intersection. While Northpark is open and flowing in both directions, Loop 494 is totally blocked off and will remain so for the next month as contractors work on the bridge. However, there’s good news to share. There […]
8/7/26 – Yesterday, Harris County Commissioners discussed the largest tax hike in Harris County history. Before raising taxes a penny, they should examine the efficiency of the departments they oversee. To see why, review the recent history of the Harris County Housing & Community Development (HCD) Department and Flood Control District (HCFCD). Together, they manage […]