First in a three-part series about ChatGPT and Flood Knowledge The flood of articles about ChatGPT recently prompted me to wonder whether the artificial intelligence application could accurately answer questions about flooding. So I set up an account, started asking questions, and checked the answers with experts. The responses revealed patterns of strengths and weaknesses. […]
Jace Houston, the San Jacinto River Authority’s (SJRA) General Manager and point person on subsidence issues, resigned yesterday, 5/25/23, to avert a political war with Montgomery County subsidence deniers that could have taken down the entire SJRA board. Houston had been with the SJRA for 16 years after spending 10 years with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence […]
The project to install more flood gates on the Lake Houston Dam has resulted in more nail-biting than a Steven Spielberg movie. Perhaps no project inspired more hope among flood-weary home- and business owners in the San Jacinto watershed. Importance is high, but the costs turned out far higher than expected and dollars proved hard […]
Of all the things Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo could have picked on in Austin this year, she chose to get hysterical over a bill that would return the control of Harris County elections to … ta da … two elected African-American Democrats! Hidalgo is complaining bitterly about SB 1750, a bill passed by both […]
There’s been a lot of water under the I-69 bridge since Harris County acquired the old privately owned Edgewater Park on the San Jacinto West Fork almost five years ago. The county intended to start construction of a new bigger, better, public park with more amenities in 2019. The idea: turn floodway and floodplain land […]
The Texas General Land Office has posted Amendment 12 to the Hurricane Harvey State Action Plan for public comment. Among the highlights: If approved, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) could get $322 million in reallocated funding from underperforming and completed programs for infrastructure projects that protect residences and businesses. The proposed amendment also includes […]
This is a bit off-topic for a flood blog, but it may give inspiration to those who have been devastated by flooding and are fighting to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Congressman Dan Crenshaw, a Navy Seal who lost an eye in Afghanistan, has posted a powerful 9-minute speech on YouTube that everyone should […]
Downstream property owners who claim their property was unconstitutionally “taken” by the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) during Harvey face more delays in their legal battle for compensation. A final outcome could still be years away. Appeal After Appeal After losing a motion to dismiss the case against it in 2020, SJRA appealed the ruling. […]
Almost all Harris County departments have reorganized several times under County Judge Lina Hidalgo. By my estimate, the County’s 24 departments have had a total of 47 leaders during her administration. Revolving Door for Department Heads Eleven leaders have turned over in the last year including five in the last month. The: All those “interims” […]
Lack of support by the Texas State legislature is putting the project to add more floodgates to the Lake Houston dam in danger. Right now, money is not in the appropriations bill for the next two years. And if we have to wait for another two years, the initial $50 million committed by FEMA to […]