Despite investigations by local, county and state authorities into construction practices at the Laurel Springs RV Resort near Lakewood Cove, contractors seem to have stepped up the pace of construction. They’ve also launched a major cleanup effort around the detention pond. Contractors triggered a cease-and-desist letter from the County Attorney, with the threat of a […]
Several readers recently asked for a an update on the demolition of the remaining Forest Cove townhomes on Marina Drive. Three clusters remain near the Forest Cove Community Center. The vacant townhomes destroyed by Hurricane Harvey have become magnets for gangs, graffiti, dope dealing and illegal dumping. The people who wrote me avoid using the […]
How soon we forget. Hurricane Harvey was just 4.5 years ago. Since then I have documented dozens, if not hundreds of questionable practices that erode margins of flood safety. It Didn’t Have to Be That Bad Harvey was the largest rainfall event in the history of North America. However, with better regulations and construction practices, […]
Sprint Sand & Clay has begun excavating a new Woodridge Village detention pond on the former site of Perry Homes’ aborted development. Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) signed an excavation and removal (E&R) contract with Sprint last November to remove up to 500,000 cubic yards for just $1000. In exchange for the dirt-cheap fee, […]
Since last month, dredgers have removed one island and have started on another in the massive complex of sand bars laid down during Harvey and Imelda on the San Jacinto East Fork where it meets Lake Houston. Current Location The sand bar already eliminated was toward the top and left side of the frame above. […]
My posts earlier this week about repair of the Northpark Drive drainage ditch between Loop 494 and the Kingwood Diversion Ditch sparked a flurry of questions. People wanted to know when the Northpark Drive expansion project would begin. Last July, local leaders felt it would begin before the end of 2021. Obviously that didn’t happen. […]
Construction activity at the Laurel Springs RV Resort near Lakewood Cove kicked into overdrive today as workers laid forms to prepare for concrete and more pipes went into the ground. Also, the detention pond seemed to change shape in ways that could reduce its capacity. Getting Ready for Concrete The shot below shows what will […]
This morning, I posted about what appeared to be a premature victory lap on the repair of the Northpark Drive drainage ditch with a plea to Git ‘Er Done. Well, this afternoon, Montgomery County Precinct 4 Commissioner James Metts and his drainage supervisor Mike McKay Got ‘Er Done. Barely Enough Time to Take Photos They […]
Update: 6PM Thursday 2/17/22. After I posted the article below on Thursday morning, MoCo returned and finished the job on Thursday afternoon. Use the post below only for context. Last Saturday night, Montgomery County closed Northpark Drive to excavate the ditch in the median between Northpark Drive and Russell-Palmer Road. Here’s a nighttime video Precinct […]
A reader recently sent me a link to a fascinating conservation webinar by a group called Texan by Nature. It begins with an eye-opening presentation on Texas Land-Use Trends by Roel Lopez, Director of the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute. According to Lopez, Texas comprises 171 million acres. 95% of that is private and 83% […]