1/11/2026 – At the end of 2025, the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) issued an update on the status of four flood-mitigation projects. During Hurricane Harvey and again in May 2024, SJRA came under withering criticism for releases from Lake Conroe exceeding 70,000 cubic feet per second that flooded downstream residents. The four projects represent […]
1/10/26 – The impenetrable tangle of Frankenvines in front of Kingwood High School met its match today. Mayor John Whitmire joined Houston City Council Members Fred Flickinger and Twila Carter, City Parks Department workers, and an army of more than a hundred volunteers to tackle the thorny problem. Young and old, men and women, they […]
1/9/2026 – On 1/8/2026, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey put Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) on notice that he is concerned about HCFCD’s ability to meet state and federal grant deadlines for an estimated quarter billion dollars of flood control projects. Missing the deadlines could possibly result in the loss of funding. Ramsey cautioned […]
1/8/2026 – City of Houston Council Member Fred Flickinger has announced that the fifth round of Median Madness will happen this Saturday, January 10, 2026. The event begins at 8:30 AM and will go to noon. The rally point will be at the Kingwood High School parking lot at 2701 Kingwood Drive. Co-sponsors for this […]
1/7/26 – The final Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) spending numbers are in for 2025. And they show a disturbing story of deception that calls for political change. The latest numbers show that HCFCD is fixing the worst flooding last, not first, as promised. See the two graphs below. Compare Spending to Flood Height […]
1/6/2026 – The Texas General Land Office (GLO) which manages more than $14 billion of flood mitigation funds has invested in the development of flood-prone land. But it won’t explain why, even as the agency proclaims “transparency above everything.” Partnership with Developer of Flood-Prone Land Since 2020, I have posted more than 40 articles about […]
1/4/26 – January 5, 2026 is the last day to file public comments on a proposed new definition of Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS). The new definition could eliminate federal protections for roughly 80% of the wetlands in the United States. A regulatory impact analysis by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that approximately 70 […]
1/2/25 – According a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) investigation, a massive breach of an abandoned sand mine on the West Fork San Jacinto in August 2025 was “an unforeseen incident.” The report also says that the new owner of the property wants to use the pit as a “recreational pond for livestock management.” […]
12/30/25 – Part III of the top flood-related stories of 2025 concerns a slowdown in flood-mitigation activity at Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) and how it is already becoming an issue in the election of a new Harris County Judge. Let’s look at the slowdown part first. Spending Drops for Fifth Year The graph […]
12/28/2025 – This is the second part of a three part series on the top flood-related stories of 2025. Part I covered the major disasters of the year. Part II will cover the government response in terms of regulations and funding for flood mitigation efforts. And Part III will cover the progress of mitigation. Government […]