5/1/2025 – My last dredging update was in April. So it’s time for another.
Judging by aerial photos, Callan Marine seems to be making steady progress in its San Jacinto West Fork dredging program for the City of Houston. The dredge has moved farther downstream. And the placement area in Huffman next to the Luce Bayou Inter-Basin Transfer Canal is filling up.
The Story in Pictures
In April, the dredge was located west of #4. Yesterday it ws working between #4 and #5.Looking S toward Lake Houston from above West Fork. Note dredge in distance near tip of Kings Point (left).Closer shot shows dredge pipe that pumps spoils to placement area far upstream.Men worked on the giant dredge bit as I photographed the scene.From there, spoils travel 3.8 miles to the placement area up Luce Bayou near the Inter-Basin Transfer Canal.West Fork Dredging Spoils Placement Area near Luce IBT Canal (left). Pipe near tree line on left brings water/sediment from lake. Reverse angle shows compartments in maze that slows down incoming water. As water slows, sediment drops out of suspension. Eventually, this will form a base strong and high enough to build homes on.Already, parts of the placement area are solid enough to support heavy equipment.The area shown above on the left has reached the height of the dike walls.
Note how the workers are building out and into the placement area in two directions. They adjust the length and position of the pipes to concentrate the flow where they want to build up the earth. From there, the bulldozers and excavators help compact the material into a solid foundation for beneficial use.
This image shows the height of the sediment relative to the walls of the pond. Several vertical feet remain in most of the placement area.After most of the sediment has dropped out of suspension, water returns to the lake via the temporary canal (center).
Moving sediment deposited in Lake Houston by erosion is a massive, but necessary project. The lake supplies water for more than 2 million people and has already lost a large percentage of its storage capacity.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/20250430-DJI_20250430101159_0364_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-05-01 17:34:472025-05-01 18:35:32May 2025 San Jacinto West Fork Dredging Update
4/30/25 – District E Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger has organized another Median Madness event for this coming Saturday, May 3, 2025 from 8:30 AM to noon. This time, however, volunteers will tackle Northpark Drive medians instead of Kingwood Drive’s.
Volunteers from previous Median Madness events have enjoyed the sense of community and seeing immediate results from their efforts.
Event Details
All ages are welcome, but adults should accompany anyone under 16. Please remember to bring water and gloves and to wear closed-toed shoes.
Park at the Kroger and Northpark and West Lake Houston Parkway. That’s 3410 Northpark Drive, Kingwood, TX 77345.
Sponsors include Trees for Kingwood, Houston Parks and Recreation, Kroger, the Houston Tool Bank, and Chick-fil-A.
If you have tools, bring them. But if you don’t, the Tool Bank will supply them.
“We’ll be trimming underbrush along the south side of Northpark Dr., from W. Lake Houston Parkway to Village Manor Dr. This will help enhance the beauty of the neighborhood and the safety of our medians. It’s a great opportunity to give back, enjoy the outdoors, and connect with the community,” said Flickinger.
How to Register
As before, please register online. It will help the event planners. Once you sign up, you will be sent a waiver via email like the one below.
Bring the family, friends and neighbors! And make a difference for the community this weekend.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/30/25
2801 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Unknown-e1746053152400.png?fit=1000%2C1294&ssl=112941000adminadmin2025-04-30 17:29:202025-04-30 17:46:08Join the Median Madness on Northpark Drive Saturday.
4/29/25 – Meritage contractors were caught on camera this afternoon pumping muck from a pond they were excavating straight into a City storm sewer. Such a practice, while not uncommon, can clog storm sewers and raise flood risk for neighbors.
The sequence of six pictures below and a video tell the story. They show the location, men setting up the a pump and hose, then pumping the muck into the storm sewer, and bypassing normal filtration devices. The action took place on Pinehurst Trail Drive in Atascocita. The pond is on the east side of the road in Phase II of the new development.
Notice two excavators excavating dirt from the pond in the top center. Also notice the low level of water in the swale between the pond and the camera position.A few seconds later, several workers in the lower left started extending a hose OVER the silt fence toward the swale.The hose is still slack as one man kneels to work on the pump.Meanwhile, just feet away on the other side of the pond excavators stir up the muck.Minutes later, the hose is conveying the silt-laden water over the storm fence and around the corner toward the City storm sewer.The hose also bypasses the straw wattle rolls, another filtration device used to keep the storm sewers clear. Notice water shooting out of the hose.
All of these pictures were taken minutes apart.
A reader who passed the site about an hour later snagged this video that shows the swale filled to the brim as pumping continued.
This is not the first time this month that Meritage was caught pumping stilty stormwater into the City storm sewer. On 4/7/25, they drained a veritable lake that had formed on their Atascocita site after 2.5 inches of rain.
To File a Complaint
Practices like those above are usually discouraged by the Harris County Engineer and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
If you’re concerned about runoff that floods your property or potentially clogs your storm drains, please file a complaint.
Harris County Engineer
Phone: 713-274-3600 Monday Through Friday 8 AM to 5 PM
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.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/20250429-DJI_20250429135140_0322_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-04-29 17:16:372025-04-29 17:40:32Meritage Pumps Muck from Pond Being Excavated Straight Into Storm Sewer
May 2025 San Jacinto West Fork Dredging Update
5/1/2025 – My last dredging update was in April. So it’s time for another.
Judging by aerial photos, Callan Marine seems to be making steady progress in its San Jacinto West Fork dredging program for the City of Houston. The dredge has moved farther downstream. And the placement area in Huffman next to the Luce Bayou Inter-Basin Transfer Canal is filling up.
The Story in Pictures
Note how the workers are building out and into the placement area in two directions. They adjust the length and position of the pipes to concentrate the flow where they want to build up the earth. From there, the bulldozers and excavators help compact the material into a solid foundation for beneficial use.
Status of Cunningham’s Dredging Bill in Austin
Since Hurricane Harvey, we’ve spent hundreds of millions of dollars on dredging to play catch up from decades of neglect.
Moving sediment deposited in Lake Houston by erosion is a massive, but necessary project. The lake supplies water for more than 2 million people and has already lost a large percentage of its storage capacity.
That’s why House Bill 1532 by Rep. Charles Cunningham is so important. The bill would create a permanent dredging and maintenance district for the lake.
Dredging also reduces flood risk by restoring conveyance and eliminating sediment blockages.
On April 29, 2025, the House approved HB1532 overwhelmingly. 114 representatives voted for it. 19 voted against. Two voted Present. And one abstained.
Yesterday, the bill moved to the Senate on its slalom through the legislature. You may want to urge Sen. Brandon Creighton to support it.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/1/25
2802 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Join the Median Madness on Northpark Drive Saturday.
4/30/25 – District E Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger has organized another Median Madness event for this coming Saturday, May 3, 2025 from 8:30 AM to noon. This time, however, volunteers will tackle Northpark Drive medians instead of Kingwood Drive’s.
Volunteers from previous Median Madness events have enjoyed the sense of community and seeing immediate results from their efforts.
Event Details
All ages are welcome, but adults should accompany anyone under 16. Please remember to bring water and gloves and to wear closed-toed shoes.
Park at the Kroger and Northpark and West Lake Houston Parkway. That’s 3410 Northpark Drive, Kingwood, TX 77345.
Sponsors include Trees for Kingwood, Houston Parks and Recreation, Kroger, the Houston Tool Bank, and Chick-fil-A.
If you have tools, bring them. But if you don’t, the Tool Bank will supply them.
“We’ll be trimming underbrush along the south side of Northpark Dr., from W. Lake Houston Parkway to Village Manor Dr. This will help enhance the beauty of the neighborhood and the safety of our medians. It’s a great opportunity to give back, enjoy the outdoors, and connect with the community,” said Flickinger.
How to Register
As before, please register online. It will help the event planners. Once you sign up, you will be sent a waiver via email like the one below.
Bring the family, friends and neighbors! And make a difference for the community this weekend.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/30/25
2801 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Meritage Pumps Muck from Pond Being Excavated Straight Into Storm Sewer
4/29/25 – Meritage contractors were caught on camera this afternoon pumping muck from a pond they were excavating straight into a City storm sewer. Such a practice, while not uncommon, can clog storm sewers and raise flood risk for neighbors.
The sequence of six pictures below and a video tell the story. They show the location, men setting up the a pump and hose, then pumping the muck into the storm sewer, and bypassing normal filtration devices. The action took place on Pinehurst Trail Drive in Atascocita. The pond is on the east side of the road in Phase II of the new development.
All of these pictures were taken minutes apart.
A reader who passed the site about an hour later snagged this video that shows the swale filled to the brim as pumping continued.
This is not the first time this month that Meritage was caught pumping stilty stormwater into the City storm sewer. On 4/7/25, they drained a veritable lake that had formed on their Atascocita site after 2.5 inches of rain.
To File a Complaint
Practices like those above are usually discouraged by the Harris County Engineer and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
If you’re concerned about runoff that floods your property or potentially clogs your storm drains, please file a complaint.
Harris County Engineer
Phone: 713-274-3600 Monday Through Friday 8 AM to 5 PM
File a complaint online at: https://epermits.harriscountytx.gov/External_Complaints.aspx
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
For instructions to file a complaint, visit: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/compliance/complaints.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/29/25
2800 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.