3/8/25 – Houston District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger’s March newsletter contained updates on several Lake Houston Dam projects.
Floodgate Update
Adding more and bigger floodgates to the Lake Houston Dam will let the City lower lake levels faster in advance of major storms to reduce flood risk.
According to Flickinger, Phase II of the Lake Houston Dam Spillway Improvement Project is well underway. This phase focuses adding eleven new tainter gates. Together, they will increase discharge capacity by 79,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). And that matches the peak release rate of Lake Conroe during Harvey.
Looking west across Lake Houston Dam. The current plan to add more floodgates focuses on the earthen embankment in the foreground.
Engineering firm Black & Veatch has completed the 30% design plans. Also field activities, such as ground surveys, bathymetric surveys and geotechnical soil borings are underway. Environmental investigations including wetlands assessments, endangered species studies, and archaeological site evaluations begin next week.
In parallel, engineers are working with regulatory agencies. They include the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), United States Army Corps of Engineers, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Together, they hope to streamline permitting.
The Coastal Water Authority (CWA) also met with TCEQ in December. CWA continues to work closely with the Corps and TPWD to speed approvals.
Future Lake Houston Dam Replacement Study
Recognizing the long-term needs of the region, planning is also underway for a larger project to replace the existing 75-year-old Lake Houston Dam. CWA has engaged Black & Veatch to initiate a high-level Lake Houston Dam Replacement Study in 2025.
Lake Houston Dam Repair Project – Immediate
In addition to expansion and long-term replacement planning, immediate repairs are being implemented through the $10 million Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Project, made possible with the support of Congressman Dan Crenshaw. This project includes:
Grouting voids below and around the dam structure
Repairing spalled concrete on spillway buttress walls
“Spalled concrete” refers to a condition where concrete begins to crack, chip, or flake away from its surface. This can expose the aggregate or reinforcing steel underneath.
Essentially, it’s a form of concrete deterioration where pieces of the surface break off, leaving pitted areas. Spalling can weaken the structural integrity of concrete and lead to further damage if left unaddressed.
CWA is finalizing the scope and fee for additional field investigations and engineering design work. These efforts will define the exact repair locations and methodologies for construction. The engineering should take six to eight months. And construction should last another six to nine months after that.
Lake Levels Lowered for Fieldwork
Houston Public Works has lowered Lake Houston to approximately 41.0 feet. Lake Houston has a normal pool elevation of 42.4 feet.
The lower level will keep water from going over the spillway, so that another CWA engineering firm, Freese & Nichols, can perform surveys of the concrete hearth structure on the downstream side of the spillway.
Lake Level has been lowered so engineers can survey the concrete on the downstream side of the 3,100 foot spillway in the foreground.
After completion of the surveys during the week of March 14th, the levels in Lake Houston will naturally return to 42.4 feet, through rain events.
Flickinger says the District E office remains actively involved in this project. His team participates in bi-weekly coordination meetings to ensure progress continues efficiently and transparently.
Property owners along the lake should secure all belongings located at the shoreline, boat docks, and piers. Be prepared for changing lake levels, as advance notice may not be possible.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/8/25
2748 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20230812-RJR_2246.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2025-03-08 17:25:492025-03-08 18:26:05Flickinger Issues Updates on Multiple Lake Houston Dam Issues
3/7/25 at 6 PM – Northpark reopened this afternoon after a three-day closure to let the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) insert a single 200-foot section of track weighing 55,000 pounds into their track across the major traffic artery.
The closure tangled traffic throughout Kingwood as tens of thousands of commuters and shoppers struggled to find alternative ways to get to their destinations.
What a welcome relief it is to have Northpark open again. I just made the roundtrip to Northpark and 494 in 20 minutes. However, yesterday, it took two hours…in the middle of the afternoon.
I took this picture at 5:30 PM. And it says it all.
Northpark has re-opened after being closed since March 5, 2025.
As I drove west to capture this shot, I saw traffic streaming by me heading east. And I knew that Northpark reopened.
What a beautiful sight! And it will be even more beautiful when this project is complete.
The Northpark expansion project has two major goals: accommodate a growing volume of traffic and create an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 Kingwood residents.
Please try to patronize the merchants along Northpark. The last three days have been brutal for them.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250307-DJI_20250307173738_0210_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-03-07 18:21:392025-03-07 18:23:47Northpark Reopened After 3 Day UPRR Closure
3/7/25 Updated at 2:30 PM– The UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) has almost finished with Northpark work that caused a three day closure of one of two major traffic arteries out of Kingwood. UPRR hopes to reopen Northpark this afternoon. They say it should be open for evening rush hour.
Reasons for Closure
UPRR installed a single 55,000 pound, 200-foot-long, welded section of track across the area where ten lanes of traffic will soon go. The single section was necessary to stabilize the track against traffic that will drive over it and utilities that will bore under it.
The bridge that will carry six lanes of traffic over the tracks and Loop 494 eliminating backups in the case of evacuation. But the bridge also will create a conflict for utilities that run wires overhead in that area.
The pictures below tell the story of what happened since my last update yesterday at noon.
By 4 PM Thursday
By 4 PM Thursday, Day 2 of the 3-day closure, UPRR crews were preparing the areas next to the tracks where asphalt will go.
Prepping areas for asphalt that will feather roadway into rail crossing.UPRR has begun demobilizing much of its heavy equipment.They also cleared and graded the staging area where they constructed the 200-foot section of track.
That means Loop 494 expansion through that area can now re-commence.
At 10 AM Friday
This morning, Friday 3/7/25, the Northpark railroad crossing was a beehive of activity. Crews poured asphalt over the gravel next to the track so that traffic could move smoothly over them.
Looking South at Loop 494/Railroad and Northpark Intersection on 3/7/25 at 10 AM.UPRR Crews were prepositioning the concrete inserts that will allow traffic in the surface lanes next to the bridge to move smoothly over the tracks.Looking N as operator preps track.
While I was there, they did not actually place any of the concrete panels. However, asphalt kept arriving.
Another load of asphalt arrived as crews spread and compacted the material to create a smooth transition with the existing concrete roadway.Adding another layer.
Reports of Train Moving Through Intersection Yesterday
Numerous people reported a train moving through the Northpark intersection yesterday. Those reports were true. But according to the railroad, the train was moving “really, really slow.”
UPRR has not yet fully stabilized the new section of track per their standards, but they are working on that now.
Reopening and Next Steps
UPRR will reopen the roadway late this afternoon, probably about 5 PM. Variables affecting that goal include the asphalt transition between the newly installed concrete panels and the adjacent roadway.
That asphalt arrived late this morning. And once placed, it must cool. But the roadway should open by rush hour this afternoon, according to UPRR.
The concrete panels needed for the future feeder road crossings and the two 10’ multi-use pathways still need to be installed. UPRR is still working on that.
At 2 PM, the UPRR crew was placing concrete panels between the tracks where turn lanes and sidewalks will cross them.Also as of 2 PM, most of the equipment including the asphalt operation had been removed from the crossing. Note the panel placement operation continuing in lower right.
UPRR also intends to place concrete panels between the tracks north (left) of the intersection above. Note the panels stacked by the white pickup in the lower left of the photo above. It is unclear whether they intend to try to do that before the re-opening.
No new signal work will be done at this time. The existing gate arms and signals will continue to operate when the roadway opens later today.
Other Northpark Work
Separately, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority used the opportunity created by the railroad work to run drainage underneath Northpark in two areas. The Harper Brothers crews are also nearly finished with those, too. So that work should not impede the re-opening of Northpark.
Drainage work under Northpark is virtually complete.The last loads of asphalt were being placed as I left.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/7/25
2747 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250307-DJI_20250307100657_0196_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-03-07 11:49:242025-03-07 14:47:51UPRR Almost Finished, Northpark to Reopen This Afternoon
Flickinger Issues Updates on Multiple Lake Houston Dam Issues
3/8/25 – Houston District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger’s March newsletter contained updates on several Lake Houston Dam projects.
Floodgate Update
Adding more and bigger floodgates to the Lake Houston Dam will let the City lower lake levels faster in advance of major storms to reduce flood risk.
According to Flickinger, Phase II of the Lake Houston Dam Spillway Improvement Project is well underway. This phase focuses adding eleven new tainter gates. Together, they will increase discharge capacity by 79,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). And that matches the peak release rate of Lake Conroe during Harvey.
Engineering firm Black & Veatch has completed the 30% design plans. Also field activities, such as ground surveys, bathymetric surveys and geotechnical soil borings are underway. Environmental investigations including wetlands assessments, endangered species studies, and archaeological site evaluations begin next week.
In parallel, engineers are working with regulatory agencies. They include the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), United States Army Corps of Engineers, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Together, they hope to streamline permitting.
The Coastal Water Authority (CWA) also met with TCEQ in December. CWA continues to work closely with the Corps and TPWD to speed approvals.
Future Lake Houston Dam Replacement Study
Recognizing the long-term needs of the region, planning is also underway for a larger project to replace the existing 75-year-old Lake Houston Dam. CWA has engaged Black & Veatch to initiate a high-level Lake Houston Dam Replacement Study in 2025.
Lake Houston Dam Repair Project – Immediate
In addition to expansion and long-term replacement planning, immediate repairs are being implemented through the $10 million Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Project, made possible with the support of Congressman Dan Crenshaw. This project includes:
“Spalled concrete” refers to a condition where concrete begins to crack, chip, or flake away from its surface. This can expose the aggregate or reinforcing steel underneath.
Essentially, it’s a form of concrete deterioration where pieces of the surface break off, leaving pitted areas. Spalling can weaken the structural integrity of concrete and lead to further damage if left unaddressed.
CWA is finalizing the scope and fee for additional field investigations and engineering design work. These efforts will define the exact repair locations and methodologies for construction. The engineering should take six to eight months. And construction should last another six to nine months after that.
Lake Levels Lowered for Fieldwork
Houston Public Works has lowered Lake Houston to approximately 41.0 feet. Lake Houston has a normal pool elevation of 42.4 feet.
The lower level will keep water from going over the spillway, so that another CWA engineering firm, Freese & Nichols, can perform surveys of the concrete hearth structure on the downstream side of the spillway.
After completion of the surveys during the week of March 14th, the levels in Lake Houston will naturally return to 42.4 feet, through rain events.
Flickinger says the District E office remains actively involved in this project. His team participates in bi-weekly coordination meetings to ensure progress continues efficiently and transparently.
Property owners along the lake should secure all belongings located at the shoreline, boat docks, and piers. Be prepared for changing lake levels, as advance notice may not be possible.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/8/25
2748 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Northpark Reopened After 3 Day UPRR Closure
3/7/25 at 6 PM – Northpark reopened this afternoon after a three-day closure to let the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) insert a single 200-foot section of track weighing 55,000 pounds into their track across the major traffic artery.
The closure tangled traffic throughout Kingwood as tens of thousands of commuters and shoppers struggled to find alternative ways to get to their destinations.
What a welcome relief it is to have Northpark open again. I just made the roundtrip to Northpark and 494 in 20 minutes. However, yesterday, it took two hours…in the middle of the afternoon.
I took this picture at 5:30 PM. And it says it all.
As I drove west to capture this shot, I saw traffic streaming by me heading east. And I knew that Northpark reopened.
What a beautiful sight! And it will be even more beautiful when this project is complete.
The Northpark expansion project has two major goals: accommodate a growing volume of traffic and create an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 Kingwood residents.
Please try to patronize the merchants along Northpark. The last three days have been brutal for them.
For More Information
See the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority project web pages. For more about the closure, see these related posts on ReduceFlooding.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/7/25 at 6PM
2747 Days since Hurricane Harvey
UPRR Almost Finished, Northpark to Reopen This Afternoon
3/7/25 Updated at 2:30 PM– The UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) has almost finished with Northpark work that caused a three day closure of one of two major traffic arteries out of Kingwood. UPRR hopes to reopen Northpark this afternoon. They say it should be open for evening rush hour.
Reasons for Closure
UPRR installed a single 55,000 pound, 200-foot-long, welded section of track across the area where ten lanes of traffic will soon go. The single section was necessary to stabilize the track against traffic that will drive over it and utilities that will bore under it.
The bridge that will carry six lanes of traffic over the tracks and Loop 494 eliminating backups in the case of evacuation. But the bridge also will create a conflict for utilities that run wires overhead in that area.
The pictures below tell the story of what happened since my last update yesterday at noon.
By 4 PM Thursday
By 4 PM Thursday, Day 2 of the 3-day closure, UPRR crews were preparing the areas next to the tracks where asphalt will go.
That means Loop 494 expansion through that area can now re-commence.
At 10 AM Friday
This morning, Friday 3/7/25, the Northpark railroad crossing was a beehive of activity. Crews poured asphalt over the gravel next to the track so that traffic could move smoothly over them.
While I was there, they did not actually place any of the concrete panels. However, asphalt kept arriving.
Reports of Train Moving Through Intersection Yesterday
Numerous people reported a train moving through the Northpark intersection yesterday. Those reports were true. But according to the railroad, the train was moving “really, really slow.”
UPRR has not yet fully stabilized the new section of track per their standards, but they are working on that now.
Reopening and Next Steps
UPRR will reopen the roadway late this afternoon, probably about 5 PM. Variables affecting that goal include the asphalt transition between the newly installed concrete panels and the adjacent roadway.
That asphalt arrived late this morning. And once placed, it must cool. But the roadway should open by rush hour this afternoon, according to UPRR.
The concrete panels needed for the future feeder road crossings and the two 10’ multi-use pathways still need to be installed. UPRR is still working on that.
UPRR also intends to place concrete panels between the tracks north (left) of the intersection above. Note the panels stacked by the white pickup in the lower left of the photo above. It is unclear whether they intend to try to do that before the re-opening.
No new signal work will be done at this time. The existing gate arms and signals will continue to operate when the roadway opens later today.
Other Northpark Work
Separately, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority used the opportunity created by the railroad work to run drainage underneath Northpark in two areas. The Harper Brothers crews are also nearly finished with those, too. So that work should not impede the re-opening of Northpark.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/7/25
2747 Days since Hurricane Harvey