News - Reduce Flooding

West Fork Sand-Mining Problems Persist Despite Legislative Efforts

3/19/25 – San Jacinto West Fork sand-mining problems persisted this morning, even as the House Natural Resources Committee met to discuss legislation intended to deal with them. With one exception, the miners seemed blissfully unaware of the problems they were causing. And at least one committee member seemed to be a ringer for the sand-mining industry. He reportedly argued that the TCEQ had everything under control.

Do they? You be the judge.

Cunningham Bills Under Consideration

Three bills by Rep. Charles Cunningham discussed this morning included:

HB1532 which creates a Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District to help deal with sediment from the mines.
HB1163 which requires miners to develop a restoration plan and post a bond to guarantee they would do it.
HB1177 which puts more teeth in the state water code provision that prohibits flooding neighbors by creating criminal penalties.

Photos Taken During Committee Hearing

As the committee discussed merits of the bills, this is what the West Fork sand-mining problems looked like.

*South end of pit sold by Hallett to Riverwalk Porter LLC.* *Dike has been breached since January 2024.* *TCEQ seems unconcerned.*

*North end of same pit.* *River has flowed through pit since May 2024 instead of following its original course.* *TCEQ seems unconcerned.*

*Closer shot shows sandbar now blocking original river channel* *which flows left to right.* *TCEQ seems unconcerned.*

*Farther upstream, the river now flows through another pit that Hallett still owns*. *River flows from bottom to top. Note abandoned river channel on right.* *TCEQ seems unconcerned.*

*Closer shot of exit breach in same pit.*

*Abandoned dredge pipe at an abandoned mine immediately south of Hallett*. *This pipe has been there for years. The original operator should have removed it long ago. TCEQ seems unconcerned.*

*Another pit open to the river since May 2024.* *TCEQ seems unconcerned.*

*Same pit from different angle. Note river starting to cut through neighbor’s property.* *TCEQ seems unconcerned.*

*More abandoned equipment at another abandoned mine. Should have been removed years ago.* *TCEQ seems unconcerned.*

*For years, sediment flowed through this breach from the left and filled the channel on the right with silt. Now water in the channel is flowing back into the pond.* *TCEQ seems unconcerned.*

One Exception

All in all, things this morning looked much the way they have since the May flood last year…with one exception. Remember that 800-foot wide river of sludge from the Hallett settling basin (right), that flowed through the woods (left) for more than a year?

*Hallett is finally raising the road to staunch the flow.*

Putting It All in Perspective

Of Cunningham’s three bills, two focus on prevention. But the dredging bill focuses on correction.

Ironically, one observer of today’s committee hearing felt that the members looked most favorably on the dredging bill. That makes sense. This is a business friendly state. And…

There’s more money to be made by letting companies pollute and then paying other companies to clean it up than there is by just preventing the pollution.

But it’s too early to know how the committee will vote. Check back soon to see how or if Natural Resources will address our West Fork sand-mining problems.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/19/25

2759 Days since Hurricane Harvey

The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.

Five Sand Mines Upstream from Lake Houston are Wider than Lake Houston

3/18/25 – Five sand mines upstream from Lake Houston are wider than Lake Houston itself. But that’s not the only statistic that puts the area’s sand mining issues in perspective. The combined size of all upstream mines also exceeds the size of Lake Houston. Let’s look at how these statistics relate to a bill pending in the Texas House: HB-1163.

Width of Lake vs. Width of Upstream Mines

I used Google Earth Pro to measure the width of Lake Houston just above the dam. It’s almost a half mile wider than the FM1960 bridge.

*Just above the dam, Lake Houston is 1.87 miles wide.*

Now let’s look at five sand mine complexes upstream from Lake Houston.

Five Mine Complexes Exceed Width of Lake Houston

These complexes on the West Fork San Jacinto and Caney Creek in the East Fork watershed are even wider than the widest part of the lake. Some of these and other mine complexes contain abandoned mines that still contain exposed sediment and abandoned equipment – both things that pertain to HB-1163.

Let’s look at their size first. Starting at SH 242, heading southeast along the West Fork and then up into the East Fork watershed…

*#3 is a little more than 2 miles wide.*

*#4 is a little more than 3 miles wide.*

*And #5 in Porter on Caney Creek, which enters the East Fork San Jacinto above Lake Houston, is 2.5 miles wide.*

Dangers of Mining in Floodways

Virtually all of these areas sit in floodways or floodplains. #4 above looked like this during the May flood in 2024.

*Looking NW at West Fork during the May 2024 flood. Water flows right to left.* *Notice all the sediment being carried downstream (left) toward Lake Houston.*

Harris County Flood Control estimated that a 2-10 year rainfall caused that.

I measured the speed of water through this area by tracking floating debris with a drone. The water moved between 5 and 6 MPH, which can easily suspend sand and even some gravel.

Texas Water Development Board estimated that Lake Houston has lost about 25% of its volume due to sedimentation. The dirt swept downstream from sand mines has displaced room for water.

This is one reason why we need State Representative Charles Cunningham’s HB-1163. The House Natural Resources Committee will discuss the bill on Wednesday 3/19/25.

Those mines are supposed to be surrounded by dikes that protect them from 100-year floods. But in the photo above, the river has broken through the dikes of four pits.

Mines 50% Larger than Lake that Holds Your Water

I have calculated the surface area of the mines shown below at about 21 square miles.

*Orange outlines show sand mines currently upstream from Lake Houston area.* Surface area calculated *in Google Earth Pro* *at 21 square miles.*

But numerous sources, including the Texas Water Development Board, list the size of the lake at less than 20 square miles.

And the lake continues to lose volume, thanks in part to abandoned sand mines that have not been revegetated.

*This abandoned East Fork mine was supposed to be replanted with native vegetation to reduce erosion.* *But, it wasn’t…*

And during the an April 2023 flood, water swept through the mine and carried that sediment downstream.

Floodwaters sweep through abandoned sand mines on East and West Forks of San Jacinto — *Same mine on East Fork during a flood in April 2023. Stormwater breached the dikes and swept sediment downstream.*

How HB-1163 Would Help

When mines play out, owners should remove equipment and revegetate the property to reduce erosion. But not all do. That means the public must bear the costs or suffer the consequences.

HB-1163 would help remedy excessive sedimentation…at least in part. It would require sand mines to develop an abandonment plan for when they finish mining. It would also require them to post a performance bond that guarantees they execute it.

If they don’t execute the plan, they would forfeit the bond. So the City or County doesn’t get stuck with the tab for cleaning up the mess at public expense.

*Leaking abandoned equipment in abandoned sand mine*s *can poison public water.*

These are more examples of “life out of balance.” And they help explain why the confluence of the West Fork and Spring Creek usually looks like this after a rain.

New Sand Mining BMPs needed to offset sediment pollution. — *20 square miles of sand mines upstream on West Fork (right).* *These are the headwaters of Lake Houston, the water supply for 2 million people.* *Have a cool refreshing glass of muck anyone?*

How You Can Help

Texas residents who wish to electronically submit comments related to HB1163 can do so until
the hearing is adjourned by visiting: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c390.

For those persons who will be testifying, information for in-person witness registration, can be found here: https://mytxlegis.capitol.texas.gov/HWRSPublic/About.aspx

A live video broadcast of this hearing will be available here: https://house.texas.gov/video-audio/. It starts at 8AM on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

Instructions related to public access to the meeting location are available at: https://house.texas.gov/committees/public-access-house-committee-meetings/.

Please let the committee know that you support Rep. Charles Cunningham’s HB1163 and why.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/18/25

2758 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Cindy’s Redbud Nature Preserve: Restoring Life Out of Balance

3/16/25 – The Bayou Land Conservancy recently hosted a gathering at which Ray Audas of Montgomery gave an inspiring talk. Audas discussed his family’s efforts to preserve their land – Cindy’s Redbud Nature Preserve – in a natural state.

A few days later, I attended another meeting. There, a developer talked about building a luxury resort with a Fairmont Hotel among wetlands in a floodplain of the San Jacinto West Fork.

Life Out of Balance

The contrast could not have been greater. It reminded me of a brilliant 1982 documentary called Koyaanisqatsi. Godfrey Reggio directed the film. And Phillip Glass scored it.

The 90-minute film has not one word of dialog or narration. Yet it remains one of the most powerful, memorable, thought-provoking films I have ever seen in my life. See the trailer here.

Koyaanisqatsi includes two types of footage. It begins with long, languorous, pristine shots of undisturbed nature. They gradually transition to frenetic, fast-paced shots of a world devoid of nature. The editing is masterful. The film’s title comes from Hopi words that mean, “Life out of balance.”

As someone who researches and writes about flooding every day, I have reached the inescapable conclusion that our lives have lost balance. As in the film, we are devouring nature. And the loss is fundamentally changing us and our future safety.

Cindy’s Redbud Nature Preserve

That’s why I admire what Ray Audas, his wife Cindy Martin, and the Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC) are doing.

*Ray Audas addressing BLC members on 3/9/25*

BLC’s motto: “We preserve land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife.” Their tools: dedicated people armed with tenacity and conservation easements.

BLC announced the permanent protection of Cindy’s Redbud Nature Preserve last December. The 176-acre conservation area south of Montgomery, TX, comprises one of the last remaining vestiges of Texas tallgrass prairies.

“This vital land not only protects native species, but also provides essential benefits to local communities by supporting clean water, reducing flooding, and creating wildlife corridors in a rapidly developing area,” said BLC.

See more than a dozen pictures below, used with permission of the photographers.

*Ray Audas photo of Cindy’s Rebud Nature Preserve*

Less Than 1% of Texas’ Tallgrass Prairies Remain

The landowner’s early roots go back to Texas’ first settlers. With less than 1% of Texas’ tallgrass prairie remaining, lands like Cindy’s Redbud Nature Preserve are more important than ever. As housing and commercial developments expand, the need to conserve natural spaces becomes critical to maintaining our region’s water quality.

This prairie serves as a buffer, filtering runoff and feeding the waterways that supply drinking water for millions across the Greater Houston area.

“This is about more than just saving land,” said Jill Boullion, Executive Director of Bayou Land Conservancy. “It’s about ensuring clean water, wildlife habitat, and a sustainable future for our community in the face of growing development pressures.”

As Audas spoke at the BLC meeting, he showed pictures of the 176 acres that he and his wife own. He talked about their special connection to the land; hunting and fishing with his wife’s father; and their struggles to preserve the land in its natural state.

He also talked about the endangered Texas windmill grass on his property; a rare species of falcon called the cara cara; acres of bluebells; a 50-page inventory of natural wonders on the property; and the 25,000 pictures of nature he and his wife have taken.

*Ray Audas photo of hatchlings on Cindy’s Rebud Nature Preserve*

A naturalist from Texas Parks and Wildlife who visited the property said, “For this little bitty piece of property to have this type of diversity, it’s unbelievable.”

*Ray Audas photo. Family values found on Cindy’s Redbud Preserve.*

Below are six more photos of Cindy’s Preserve taken by BLC supporter Jeff Hodges.

And here are a couple taken by BLC employee Brooke Batchelor.

Help Wanted

Audas and Martin donated the conservation easement on their property. It is valued at $1.5 million. But the BLC could use help to protect the land and more properties like it.

Here’s how you can join the effort. And strike a blow for balance!

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/16/25

2756 Days since Hurricane Harvey