8/28/25 – NOAA’s Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program (SCIPP) just published its annual report. It includes new research findings on three key elements of tropical systems: a lengthening tropical season, stalling storms, and tropical cyclone size at landfall. SCIPP publishes fascinating reports tailored to the south central region of the U.S. including Texas, Oklahoma and […]
8/27/2025 – This week marks the 8th anniversary of Hurricane Harvey and the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina – two of the most destructive storms in recent American history. So I wanted to see what the hurricane stats tell us about this part of the hurricane season as far back as we can reliably see. […]
Montgomery County has finally updated its drainage criteria manual…eight years after Hurricane Harvey caused widespread flooding that exposed shortcomings in its previous manual which dated to the 1980s. Unanimously Approved MoCo Commissioners approved the new manual unanimously this morning. The draft of the new manual was first proposed in early 2024. That followed a minor […]
8/25/25 – For the first time since authorities broke ground for the Northpark expansion project in April 2023, it’s possible to clearly see the outlines of the finished project on the ground. The first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood is shaping up nicely. For the most part, contractors have straightened out the zigs and zags. […]
8/24/25 – The abandoned Hanson Aggregate sand-mine on the San Jacinto West Fork had a massive breach of its northern dike this evening – unrelated to weather. According to the Montgomery County Appraisal District, Heidelberg Materials Southwest AGG LLC now owns the property where the breach occurred. Breach Discovered Shortly after 6 PM on 8/24/25 […]
8/23/25 – ChatGPT produced a detailed Flood Resilience Plan for Harris County for free in less than three minutes. Meanwhile, after almost a year, the engineering firm hired by Harris County for $3 million is still trying to define a vision for the plan. Flood Resilience Plan on Agenda for Tuesday’s Commissioners Court Meeting Item […]
8/21/25 – State Representative Steve Toth, who has announced his intention to run against U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw in the next election cycle, posted a video on Facebook today. In it, he says prohibiting the building of youth camps in floodplains is “ridiculous.” He also worries that it would “destroy camping in Texas.” His comment […]
8/20/25 – Everyone understands the need for financial audits; they prevent fraud. But what about performance audits? They can prevent waste. Yet how many government agencies routinely audit the implementation of plans they adopt? Vermont Failed to Implement Half of Priorities in Emergency Plan In Vermont last year, the state audited its performance in achieving […]
8/18/25 – The Montgomery County (MoCo) water war has produced a number of unintended casualties in the last decade. They include: Unfortunately, those who profited from excessive groundwater withdrawals aren’t the ones paying the price. Subsidence problems in southern Montgomery County – once thought to be solved by the San Jacinto River Authority’s (SJRA) Groundwater […]
8/17/2025 – Three scientists have summarized more than 100 years of studies about the relationship of groundwater and land subsidence in the Houston region. The study’s title: “A Century (1906-2024) of Groundwater and Land Subsidence Studies in Greater Houston Region: A Review.” The review revealed some stunning facts about past groundwater management practices in the […]