June 1, 2024 – On the first day of what experts predict will be a record-setting 2024 hurricane season, I thought it would be interesting to see how much rainfall we had in May and so far this year. How wet has 2024 been? May 2024 rainfall caused the second highest release from Lake Conroe […]
The San Jacinto River Basin includes 28 watersheds and all or parts of 11 counties. We’ve experienced more than $12 billion in flood damages since 1975. And yet, incredibly, no one is in charge of drainage. According to the San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group, we also have 92 municipalities and 6.4 million people in […]
May 27, 2024 – A sweeping line of sand deposited by the early May 2024 flood has left Kings Harbor harborless. Kings Harbor is one of Kingwood’s most popular destinations for eating out – whether you arrive by car, foot or boat. The lakefront side of restaurant row is now shut in by sand collecting […]
5/26/24 – Now that the flood has completely receded, aerial photos show that the Kingwood Diversion Ditch at River Grove Park has become completely blocked by sand again … for the third time in six years. Without serious sand-mine reform (which is an unrealistic dream), dredging will become more frequent and costlier. We’re on an […]
5/25/24 – Houston City Council Members Fred Flickinger and Twila Carter met at the Lake Houston gates yesterday with members of the Coastal Water Authority (CWA), Black & Veatch engineering, and Houston Public Works. They reviewed the status of repairs to a broken gate and a program to add 11 new gates to the dam. […]
5/24/24 – The SJRA board reviewed a presentation yesterday about Lake Conroe release rates during the early May storm this year. Sadly, while some people flooded, far fewer flooded than in Harvey, despite the fact that the peak inflow to Lake Conroe was higher during this storm than it was in Harvey. Better management of […]
May 23, 2024 – This morning, NOAA issued its highest hurricane season forecast ever. The extreme predictions are consistent with earlier forecasts by other organizations. They also exceed NOAA’s own forecasts from 2005 and 2010, two previous record-setting years. NOAA’s forecast underscores the importance of starting your preparations early. Hurricane season begins next week. Reasons […]
5/23/24 – The past may be catching up with Montgomery County. Heavy rains earlier this month may have flooded more homes in Montgomery County than Harris. For decades, many Montgomery County leaders refused to acknowledge that they had a flooding problem. Neither, for that matter, did they seem exceptionally concerned about the downstream impact that […]
May 21, 2024 – After a second round of May floods (and the third this year), all river levels are falling today. The East Fork, West Fork and main stem of the San Jacinto River are finally falling this morning. So are the water levels in Lake Conroe and Lake Houston. But sedimentation will likely […]
5/20/24 – A disaster declaration by Governor Abbott that covers May flood and windstorm damage has been partially approved by President Biden. That means FEMA disaster Assistance is now available for people who suffered damage in the Lake Houston Area plus Harris, Montgomery, Liberty and four more counties. This post explains eligibility, benefits, and how […]