I often post about the loss of forests and wetlands to development and how that affects flooding. But the loss also affects wildlife. A new movie, Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story, follows our ever-changing relationship with the natural world. It showcases our ability to destroy, conserve, and recover wildlife and habitat. The […]
Discovery will soon begin in the Texas Attorney General’s case against the Triple PG sand mine in Porter. The AG is suing the mine on behalf of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). TCEQ investigations documented repeated breaches of the mine’s dikes over a period of several years prior to filing the lawsuit. The […]
May 26, 2022, marked the official completion of a 40-year, $480-million flood-mitigation project in the Brays Bayou Watershed. Project Brays was the largest project in Harris County Flood Control District’s history. It included: 21 miles of channel modifications Construction of four stormwater detention basins that cover more than 800 acres Reconstruction of 32 bridges Miles […]
On May 24, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued its forecast for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season. NHC expects an above-average hurricane season for the seventh year in a row. They say an ongoing La Niña and above-average sea surface temperatures set the stage for a busy season. NHC’s predictions reinforce the forecast issued last […]
A best practice in the construction industry is to build detention ponds before you clear all the land. In Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest, we saw what can happen when you don’t. Contractors cleared 277-acres before installing sufficient detention pond capacity. The result: hundreds of homes flooded needlessly. Twice. And silt poured into Taylor […]
If flood risk still concerns you, remember to vote on Tuesday in the runoff election for Harris County Judge. Current Judge Lina Hidalgo has already won the Democratic primary. But two formidable competitors still vie for the Republican nomination. At Stake: Shifting the Balance of Power in Commissioners Court Winning the county judge position back […]
The detention basin at the Laurel Springs RV Resort was supposed to have been a dry-bottom pond. Despite one of the driest springs on record, it’s still holding water. And it’s still leaking into Harris County Precinct 3’s Edgewater Park. Despite: The threat of a lawsuit by the County Attorney. A notice of enforcement from […]
Contractors have cleared two parcels of land totaling 19.7 acres on West Lake Houston Parkway between Upper Lake Drive and Kings Park Way. They are now installing drainage. The developer (High Street Residential) specializes in multi-family housing. A second developer familiar with project confirmed that High Street plans to build apartments. Location The map below […]
When last I reported on Lake Houston dredging, the focus of operations had shifted from the East Fork to Rogers Gully. However, the dredgers were still stationed hundreds of feet offshore. According to State Representative Dan Huberty, shallow water forced them to dredge their way into the Gully. (See below.) Compare Photos Taken Today Now, […]
Last weekend, a contractor killed or maimed 138 nesting egrets and herons in the Cypress Towne Lake Area while clearing land. Little surprise the birds were nesting there. That area was once pockmarked with wetlands that are rapidly being developed. Wetlands provide free stormwater retention. They also provide valuable habitat that supports a remarkable level […]