The Harris County Flood Control District has released a Report Summary of results from the 600-page Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis. HCFCD will hold an online community meeting Tuesday night to discuss the results. It may help to review this summary or HCFCD’s before the meeting. Objective: Protect Homes/Businesses from Bigger Rains The objective of the […]
On Friday, October 16, 2020, stakeholders in the Lake Houston Spillway Improvement Project met at the dam to review gate alternatives and progress on the project. The main item of interest: a review of options still under consideration to increase the outflow during major storms, such as Harvey. History of Project Shortly after Harvey, representatives […]
A seven-month-long TCEQ investigation of Colony Ridge construction practices resulted in a 184-page report that confirmed allegations of erosion and silt flowing uncontrolled into ditches and streams. The investigation resulted in a “notice of enforcement.” TCEQ Alleges Permit Violations Affecting Human Health TCEQ found the Colony Ridge developer in violation of its Construction General Permit […]
The City of Plum Grove on the San Jacinto East Fork has sued the developer of Colony Ridge over alleged breaches of an agreement that governs development in the City’s extra territorial jurisdiction. Colony Ridge is the world’s largest trailer park. Specifically, the City claims that Colony Ridge: Allowed stormwater runoff from the development to […]
When Noxxe Oil & Gas declared bankruptcy in February of this year, the company left behind dozens of pump jacks, tanks, trucks and other pieces of oilfield equipment that Harvey destroyed in Forest Cove. The Texas Railroad Commission (TRRC) seized the assets but has been slow to clean up the mess. As a result, thieves […]
On 8/11/2020, Harris County Commissioners Court approved creation of a new Community Flood Resilience Task Force (CFRTF). The first five of 17 appointments to the Task Force have been made by the County Judge and each of the four Commissioners. The first five will select the remaining members. I seldom insert myself in a story. But […]
Camcorp Management is building a new high-density development in Montgomery County called Brooklyn Trails on a tributary of Ben’s Branch upstream from Kingwood. The development’s detention pond is apparently 30% smaller than new Atlas-14 regulations would require for this area. The developer’s engineering company (A&S Enginners, Inc. at 10377 Stella Link in Houston) submitted its […]
During the last month, more than a dozen people have written me expressing concerns about nearby developments with high-density housing. They felt it might contribute to flooding their properties. They may be right. But the story is not simple. Many people see benefits, too. Whether you are for or against such developments will depend on […]
With Hurricane Delta behind us, now we face a political storm. KPRC Channel 2 News reported earlier this week that the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is putting the State of Texas back in charge of the City of Houston’s $1.3 billion Harvey relief dollars. That wouldn’t happen unless something was seriously […]
Earlier this week, Hurricane Delta blew up from an unnamed tropical depression into a hurricane in a matter of hours. An Associated Press story by Seth Borenstein discussed a possible trend of rapid intensification of storms. Delta set a record, going from a 35 to 140 mph storm in just 36 hours. Storms Gaining 35 mph […]