3/9/25 – Last week, contractors began transplantation of more Northpark trees. Residents said they wanted to save the trees. And early on, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority committed to saving as many as possible, especially those with ornamental value. They budgeted $700,000 for the effort.
From Loop 494/Northpark to South Entry Pond
The trees transplanted last week moved from in front of the dry cleaners on the SW corner of Northpark and Loop 494 to areas around the south entry pond on Northpark at US 59.
I wasn’t able to photograph the transplantation since it happened at night. But comparing previous and current photos shows where they moved from and to.
January 2025 photo.Trees circled in red moved.Photo taken today. That same area photographed from a different angle this afternoon shows trees are gone.File photo from 2023 of equipment used to transplant first trees in Northpark program.Contractors moved trees to the south entry pond. The most beautiful occupies a place of prominence in center of this trio. Contractors transplanted the other two trees earlier.They scattered other transplanted trees around what will become the south entry pond.
Most people will notice the trees missing from in front of the dry cleaners. But they won’t realize where they went to.
Keep Finished Design in Mind
Construction never feels pretty.
However, rest assured that the directors of the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 heard residents and are acting to save the trees. It’s just hard to see with all the visual noise of construction.
When complete, the entry ponds at Northpark should look as good as those at Kingwood Drive. And that is another thing residents have requested for years.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250309-DJI_20250309152749_0215_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-03-09 19:06:112025-03-09 19:08:26Transplantation of More Northpark Trees
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
Transplantation of More Northpark Trees
3/9/25 – Last week, contractors began transplantation of more Northpark trees. Residents said they wanted to save the trees. And early on, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority committed to saving as many as possible, especially those with ornamental value. They budgeted $700,000 for the effort.
From Loop 494/Northpark to South Entry Pond
The trees transplanted last week moved from in front of the dry cleaners on the SW corner of Northpark and Loop 494 to areas around the south entry pond on Northpark at US 59.
I wasn’t able to photograph the transplantation since it happened at night. But comparing previous and current photos shows where they moved from and to.
Most people will notice the trees missing from in front of the dry cleaners. But they won’t realize where they went to.
Keep Finished Design in Mind
Construction never feels pretty.
However, rest assured that the directors of the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 heard residents and are acting to save the trees. It’s just hard to see with all the visual noise of construction.
When complete, the entry ponds at Northpark should look as good as those at Kingwood Drive. And that is another thing residents have requested for years.
For More Information
See the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website or consult the related posts below.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/9/25
2749 Days since Hurricane Harvey
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