10/23/24 – Starting Friday 10/25/24 at 8 PM through Monday 10/28/24 at 5AM, contractors will close the Northpark crossover at Russell Palmer Road to pour new concrete in the median. See location of the X in the diagram below.
That means northbound traffic on Russell Palmer will not be able to turn west (left) toward 59. Nor will westbound traffic on Northpark be able to turn south onto Russell Palmer. In each case, traffic must detour by looping around to another open crossover then doubling back.
Eastbound and westbound traffic on Northpark drive will not be affected.
Only area within boundaries of red box will be closed.Picture taken on 10/11 for previous post.
To minimize inconvenience caused by the crossover closure, crews will place rebar and pour concrete directly on compacted dirt, rather than putting asphalt down first.
Utility Conflicts Almost Eliminated
Elsewhere on Northpark, CenterPoint was working to remove the last of its power poles. That means the last of the utility obstacles should soon be out of the way for road construction crews.
Exact Dates of Total Closure, Bridge Construction Still Not Determined
Work is expected to begin on the frontage roads over the UPRR tacks in January. Motorists can expect a 3-day closure of Northpark Drive in either January or February as UPRR crews remove and replace more than 200 feet of railroad tracks.
The exact date of the closure depends on how quickly the railroad crew completes other work. They will also be reconstructing the crossing farther north on the tracks at Knox road. Union Pacific is trying to schedule both projects back to back.
Construction on the bridge structure itself is still a year away.
Phase-2 Preparations Underway
TxDOT approved the proposed schematics for Phase 2 earlier this year. Phase 2 will:
Expand Northpark Drive from Russell Palmer Road to east of Woodland Hills Drive from four to six lanes
Replace both bridges at the Kingwood Diversion Ditch
Replace the roadway crossing at Ben’s Branch.
Add a 90-acre foot detention basin for more stormwater mitigation and to control flow into the Diversion Ditch.
Now, that TxDOT has approved schematics for Phase 2, LHRA is conducting land surveys, obtaining rights of entry, and preparing documents needed to acquire roadway right-of-way and drainage easements.
Ralph De Leon, TIRZ manager, explained the primary reason for extending the extra lanes east past Woodland Hills. It has to do with drainage, specifically eliminating a huge depression in the roadbed. The road dips from west of the Diversion Ditch almost to Woodland Hills. He said engineers want to establish a consistent elevation between high points.
The purpose of the expansion project is to accommodate growth and create an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 Kingwood residents.
“All the work we’re doing in Phase 1 would do no good in an evacuation if people couldn’t get to it,” he said.
Red X on left at Bens Branch corresponds to X in elevation profile on right. Source: USGS National Map Viewer.
Construction of Phase 2, however, is still several years away.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/20241011-DJI_20241011100947_0985_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2024-10-23 21:12:572024-10-24 10:22:22Northpark Crossover at Russell Palmer Closed Friday through Sunday
10/22/24 – The New York Times ran a story today about a radical English experiment to reduce flooding. The gist: giving land back to the sea by turning farm land into salt marsh.
The subhead claims, “When a huge tract of land on the Somerset coast was deliberately flooded, the project was slammed as ‘ridiculous’ by a local lawmaker. But the results have been transformative.”
The experiment is ten years old this year. And the area had record rains. Even after they received a month’s worth of rain in a day in September, no one flooded. Experts believe that England’s traditional defenses – seawalls, barriers and sandbanks – will be insufficient to hold back the sea in the face of climate change.
History of Project
The radical English experiment cost about $20 million pounds ($26 million). “Rather than attempting to resist the sea, the land was given back to it,” says author Rory Smith. He claims that, “A decade on, its results might offer a blueprint for how some parts of Britain — and the rest of the world — might adapt to the reality of climate change.”
“The idea was to turn what had been farmland into salt marsh, an ancient ecosystem that soaks up water as the tide comes in and releases it as the sea retreats.”
The project encountered considerable pushback from displaced farmers. One called it “environmental vandalism.” And a member of parliament called it an “extravagant, ridiculous scheme.”
The NYT points out that since 1860, Britain has lost 85 percent of its salt marshes, according to the U.K. Center for Ecology and Hydrology, a research institute. The article continues, “Returning Steart [the area where the experiment took place] to swampy wilderness was, in part, an acknowledgment that the overdevelopment of coastal land had made flooding more likely, not less.”
Benefits of Experiment
The return to nature began in 2014. After digging a series of canals that look like the veins of a leaf, they let water flow in. It wasn’t pretty at first. But ten years later, “The marsh acts as a natural and hugely effective bulwark against flooding, absorbing and slowing tides before they can encroach inland,” says the leader of a local conservation group.
The man-made swamp has become a haven for wildlife and birdwatching. It is now a source of immense local pride. Cows can even graze within it, eating natural grasses, which allows farmers to sell their leaner beef at a premium. Scientists have even documented the ability of the swamp to act as a carbon sink.
The alliance between the conservationists and the local population has helped to overcome initial objections to the project, which some describe as “rewilding.”
Could It Work Here?
The conservationists in charge of the radical English experiment believe it has great applicability for America and Australia.
Hurricane Ike devastated developed areas along the Bolivar Peninsula in 2008 that still haven’t fully recovered today. But the swamps behind them recovered immediately. Areas still flooded, but flood damage was greatly reduced.
The Times story reminded me of exploring salt marshes near High Island and Anahuac with my Nikon. I’m constantly reminded of the beauty of nature and how the marshes buffer us from flooding. Even more, I’m dazzled by the abundant wildlife.
I took the shot below in December several years ago during the fall migration near Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. The geese were so thick you could barely see the ground. Or the sky!
Tens of thousands of snow geese taking wing over salt marsh near Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge.
Sometimes the solution may not be to fight nature, but to enjoy it more.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/22/24
2611 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/20081214-Snow-Geese-2972.jpg?fit=1100%2C731&ssl=17311100adminadmin2024-10-22 21:25:512024-10-22 21:45:33Radical English Experiment Reduces Flooding
Correction 10/28/24 – The table showing maintenance dollars/square mile has been updatedwith maintenance dollars/stream miles, a more appropriate metric for maintenance dollars.
10/21/24 – Today is the first day of early voting. Knowing where maintenance dollars go may affect how you vote on Harris County Flood Control District’s (HCFCD) proposed 63% maintenance-tax increase.
Before you vote, you should know that maintenance dollars spent per stream mile in different watersheds vary by 28:1. And that the San Jacinto, Spring Creek, Little Cypress Creek, Luce Bayou and Cedar Bayou watersheds are among those that receive the fewest maintenance dollars per stream mile. They all fall in the bottom third.
Why HCFCD Requested Tax Increase
HCFCD says it needs the additional tax revenue because:
Money available for maintenance has remained flat for many years, while…
Assets needing maintenance have grown, especially since the 2018 flood bond.
Assets include flood-mitigation features, such as stormwater detention basins and channels. HCFCD has built many new ones with capital improvement funds from the bond.
What They Don’t Tell You in Flood-Tax Meetings
HCFCD has been holding in-person and virtual meetings throughout the county to explain the need for its proposed tax increase. But the one I attended did not offer any explanations for the magnitude of the tax increase.
Neither could/would HCFCD personnel answer my questions about the allocation of tax dollars among watersheds.
How, when, where, why, and on what basis will the new tax revenue be spent? My fear: another Equity Prioritization Framework for maintenance-tax dollars.
Where Money is Already Going
When looking at the data, it seems we may already have an equity prioritization framework for maintenance dollars – in practice if not in policy. To date, flood-bond dollars have gone disproportionately to watersheds where more than 50% of residents qualify as low-to-moderate income (LMI). See the eight highlighted in gold below.
Maintenance $/stream mile from Hurricane Harvey through 3Q24. Gold watersheds have majority LMI population.
The San Jacinto River watershed, Spring Creek, Little Cypress Creek, Cedar Bayou and Luce Bayou all fall predominantly within the Republican-led Precinct 3. And they all fall to the bottom of the list.
I suspect the highlighted watersheds above float higher because, as LMI-majority watersheds, they have received a disproportionate share of capital-improvement spending.
As a generalization, maintenance money follows capital-improvement spending. So, we can probably expect to see a continuation of that trend.
Other Factors Affecting Maintenance Spending
But ranking maintenance allocations is not as clearcut as ranking overall spending. In addition to watershed size, everal other factors also influence the need for maintenance. They include:
Degree of development (Undeveloped areas require less maintenance.)
Age of assets (New assets require less maintenance than older ones.)
Severity of flooding (Larger floods erode more.)
Type of asset (Is it a concrete channel or grass-lined? Concrete costs more to repair.)
Size of watershed. (Larger watersheds convey more water, creating greater damage/erosion.)
Political factors also likely influence the allocation of dollars. For instance:
Commissioner Rodney Ellis lives in the Brays Bayou watershed.
Right now, HCFCD is juggling projects to raise the LMI percentage of HUD applications totaling $825 million. HUD requires 50%. HCFCD is trying to get the percentage to 70%.
All told, if you vote for the maintenance-tax increase, understand that you may not see as much benefit from it as other parts of the county…if you see any benefit at all. Nothing in the wording of the ballot item guarantees a fair share to each watershed.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/21/2024and updated 10/28/24
2610 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.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Maint-per-SqMi-copy-e1729548059767.png?fit=1100%2C692&ssl=16921100adminadmin2024-10-21 17:52:402024-10-28 19:54:44Before You Vote, Know Where HCFCD Maintenance Dollars Go
Northpark Crossover at Russell Palmer Closed Friday through Sunday
10/23/24 – Starting Friday 10/25/24 at 8 PM through Monday 10/28/24 at 5AM, contractors will close the Northpark crossover at Russell Palmer Road to pour new concrete in the median. See location of the X in the diagram below.
That means northbound traffic on Russell Palmer will not be able to turn west (left) toward 59. Nor will westbound traffic on Northpark be able to turn south onto Russell Palmer. In each case, traffic must detour by looping around to another open crossover then doubling back.
In my 10/11 post on Northpark expansion, I implied that Northpark traffic would be closed also. That was a mistake. It will remain open in both directions.
To minimize inconvenience caused by the crossover closure, crews will place rebar and pour concrete directly on compacted dirt, rather than putting asphalt down first.
Utility Conflicts Almost Eliminated
Elsewhere on Northpark, CenterPoint was working to remove the last of its power poles. That means the last of the utility obstacles should soon be out of the way for road construction crews.
Exact Dates of Total Closure, Bridge Construction Still Not Determined
Work is expected to begin on the frontage roads over the UPRR tacks in January. Motorists can expect a 3-day closure of Northpark Drive in either January or February as UPRR crews remove and replace more than 200 feet of railroad tracks.
The exact date of the closure depends on how quickly the railroad crew completes other work. They will also be reconstructing the crossing farther north on the tracks at Knox road. Union Pacific is trying to schedule both projects back to back.
Construction on the bridge structure itself is still a year away.
Phase-2 Preparations Underway
TxDOT approved the proposed schematics for Phase 2 earlier this year. Phase 2 will:
Now, that TxDOT has approved schematics for Phase 2, LHRA is conducting land surveys, obtaining rights of entry, and preparing documents needed to acquire roadway right-of-way and drainage easements.
Ralph De Leon, TIRZ manager, explained the primary reason for extending the extra lanes east past Woodland Hills. It has to do with drainage, specifically eliminating a huge depression in the roadbed. The road dips from west of the Diversion Ditch almost to Woodland Hills. He said engineers want to establish a consistent elevation between high points.
The purpose of the expansion project is to accommodate growth and create an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 Kingwood residents.
“All the work we’re doing in Phase 1 would do no good in an evacuation if people couldn’t get to it,” he said.
Construction of Phase 2, however, is still several years away.
For More Information
Consult the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority project pages. Or see these ReduceFlooding posts:
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/23/24
2612 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Radical English Experiment Reduces Flooding
10/22/24 – The New York Times ran a story today about a radical English experiment to reduce flooding. The gist: giving land back to the sea by turning farm land into salt marsh.
The subhead claims, “When a huge tract of land on the Somerset coast was deliberately flooded, the project was slammed as ‘ridiculous’ by a local lawmaker. But the results have been transformative.”
The experiment is ten years old this year. And the area had record rains. Even after they received a month’s worth of rain in a day in September, no one flooded. Experts believe that England’s traditional defenses – seawalls, barriers and sandbanks – will be insufficient to hold back the sea in the face of climate change.
History of Project
The radical English experiment cost about $20 million pounds ($26 million). “Rather than attempting to resist the sea, the land was given back to it,” says author Rory Smith. He claims that, “A decade on, its results might offer a blueprint for how some parts of Britain — and the rest of the world — might adapt to the reality of climate change.”
“The idea was to turn what had been farmland into salt marsh, an ancient ecosystem that soaks up water as the tide comes in and releases it as the sea retreats.”
The project encountered considerable pushback from displaced farmers. One called it “environmental vandalism.” And a member of parliament called it an “extravagant, ridiculous scheme.”
The NYT points out that since 1860, Britain has lost 85 percent of its salt marshes, according to the U.K. Center for Ecology and Hydrology, a research institute. The article continues, “Returning Steart [the area where the experiment took place] to swampy wilderness was, in part, an acknowledgment that the overdevelopment of coastal land had made flooding more likely, not less.”
Benefits of Experiment
The return to nature began in 2014. After digging a series of canals that look like the veins of a leaf, they let water flow in. It wasn’t pretty at first. But ten years later, “The marsh acts as a natural and hugely effective bulwark against flooding, absorbing and slowing tides before they can encroach inland,” says the leader of a local conservation group.
The man-made swamp has become a haven for wildlife and birdwatching. It is now a source of immense local pride. Cows can even graze within it, eating natural grasses, which allows farmers to sell their leaner beef at a premium. Scientists have even documented the ability of the swamp to act as a carbon sink.
The alliance between the conservationists and the local population has helped to overcome initial objections to the project, which some describe as “rewilding.”
Could It Work Here?
The conservationists in charge of the radical English experiment believe it has great applicability for America and Australia.
Hurricane Ike devastated developed areas along the Bolivar Peninsula in 2008 that still haven’t fully recovered today. But the swamps behind them recovered immediately. Areas still flooded, but flood damage was greatly reduced.
The Times story reminded me of exploring salt marshes near High Island and Anahuac with my Nikon. I’m constantly reminded of the beauty of nature and how the marshes buffer us from flooding. Even more, I’m dazzled by the abundant wildlife.
I took the shot below in December several years ago during the fall migration near Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. The geese were so thick you could barely see the ground. Or the sky!
Sometimes the solution may not be to fight nature, but to enjoy it more.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/22/24
2611 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Before You Vote, Know Where HCFCD Maintenance Dollars Go
Correction 10/28/24 – The table showing maintenance dollars/square mile has been updated with maintenance dollars/stream miles, a more appropriate metric for maintenance dollars.
10/21/24 – Today is the first day of early voting. Knowing where maintenance dollars go may affect how you vote on Harris County Flood Control District’s (HCFCD) proposed 63% maintenance-tax increase.
Before you vote, you should know that maintenance dollars spent per stream mile in different watersheds vary by 28:1. And that the San Jacinto, Spring Creek, Little Cypress Creek, Luce Bayou and Cedar Bayou watersheds are among those that receive the fewest maintenance dollars per stream mile. They all fall in the bottom third.
Why HCFCD Requested Tax Increase
HCFCD says it needs the additional tax revenue because:
Assets include flood-mitigation features, such as stormwater detention basins and channels. HCFCD has built many new ones with capital improvement funds from the bond.
What They Don’t Tell You in Flood-Tax Meetings
HCFCD has been holding in-person and virtual meetings throughout the county to explain the need for its proposed tax increase. But the one I attended did not offer any explanations for the magnitude of the tax increase.
Neither could/would HCFCD personnel answer my questions about the allocation of tax dollars among watersheds.
How, when, where, why, and on what basis will the new tax revenue be spent? My fear: another Equity Prioritization Framework for maintenance-tax dollars.
Where Money is Already Going
When looking at the data, it seems we may already have an equity prioritization framework for maintenance dollars – in practice if not in policy. To date, flood-bond dollars have gone disproportionately to watersheds where more than 50% of residents qualify as low-to-moderate income (LMI). See the eight highlighted in gold below.
The San Jacinto River watershed, Spring Creek, Little Cypress Creek, Cedar Bayou and Luce Bayou all fall predominantly within the Republican-led Precinct 3. And they all fall to the bottom of the list.
I suspect the highlighted watersheds above float higher because, as LMI-majority watersheds, they have received a disproportionate share of capital-improvement spending.
As a generalization, maintenance money follows capital-improvement spending. So, we can probably expect to see a continuation of that trend.
Other Factors Affecting Maintenance Spending
But ranking maintenance allocations is not as clearcut as ranking overall spending. In addition to watershed size, everal other factors also influence the need for maintenance. They include:
Political factors also likely influence the allocation of dollars. For instance:
All told, if you vote for the maintenance-tax increase, understand that you may not see as much benefit from it as other parts of the county…if you see any benefit at all. Nothing in the wording of the ballot item guarantees a fair share to each watershed.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/21/2024 and updated 10/28/24
2610 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.