1/6/2025 – Before New Year’s Day, I posted about the lack of best management practices (BMPs) at the Foster Elementary reconstruction site in Kingwood. A contractor let sediment-laden runoff escape the site, fill the street and flow into unprotected storm drains. Photos taken yesterday after a storm front passed show that it’s still happening.
Partial List of Sediment Control BMPs for Construction Sites
The EPA considers sediment a major source of pollution. And not following best practices to control it can clog storm drains, channels and streams, raising flood risk. I quote from the Agency’s brochure: “Sediment fills up storm drains and catch basins to carry water away from roads and homes, which increases the potential for flooding.”
To reduce the potential for flooding, the EPA recommends several best practices. They include, but are not limited to:
1. Silt Fencing around the perimeter to intercept and slow down runoff, so sediment can settle before water flows off the construction site.
2. Stormwater-Inlet Protection, such as sandbags, placed around stormwater inlets to capture sediment before it enters the storm drainage system.
3. Sediment Control Logs (Wattles) filled with straw or other materials to capture sediment before it leaves the site.
4. Mulching with organic materials such as straw, hay, or wood chips to help to protect soil.
5. Sediment Basins & Traps to capture sediment from runoff until it settles out of suspension.
6. Erosion Control Mats or Blankets to stabilize disturbed soil and prevent erosion.
7. Stormwater Diversion Channels to direct runoff to sediment-control ponds or a controlled discharge areas.
8. Construction Entrance/Exit Stabilization with gravel to minimize tracking of mud onto roads from construction vehicles.
9. Geotextiles to stabilize soil.
Slight Improvement, But Still Lacking
After the last post, the Humble ISD contractor did add straw wattles (#3 – sediment control logs) in front of the main construction site entrance.
But storm drain inlets remained unprotected. And part of the perimeter lacked silt fence.
As a result, sediment still escaped the site, entered the street, and entered the storm sewer. See the photos below taken by Chris Summers, a local resident and retired commercial photographer, after a recent storm front dropped .84 inches of rain on 1/5/25.
Entrance to construction site shows wattle roll that was not present for previous storm.
While that showed some improvement, other parts of the perimeter still lacked protection and let water escape.
No silt fence.Wattle roll did not cover the critical area, letting sediment laden water escape into storm sewer.Also, inlet not protected with sand bags.
Summers says he took the photos above after the storm front on 1/5/25 passed through.
How much effort does it take to drop a couple sand bags next to a storm sewer inlet? Could it cost much more than coffee and a danish? There’s just no excuse for this.
Sound Off to the School Board
I have already emailed members of the Humble ISD school board and suggest you do, too. We have lots of good contractors in the area that know how to follow best practices.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/6/25with photos by Chris Summers
2687 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/2025/01/079-031-storm-runoff.jpg?fit=1000%2C563&ssl=15631000adminadmin2025-01-06 20:38:462025-01-07 06:53:31Contractor Only Partially Complies with BMPs at Foster Elementary Reconstruction Site
1/5/2025 – At a Community Resilience Flood Task Force Meeting in December last year, the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) announced that it would be kicking off a new feasibility study in Q1 2025 designed to make half of Harris County SAFER from flooding.
SAFER stands for Solutions for Advancing Flood Mitigation, Equity, and Resilience. The study area includes 11 of Harris County’s 23 watersheds.
HCFCD issued this statement about the study.
Overview of Study from HCFCD
The SAFER Study has the potential to address one of the most impactful threats to the Houston/Harris County region: severe storm events that cause catastrophic flooding.
This study will look broadly across the county and consider not only the effectiveness of large-scale flood mitigation projects within strategic locations, but also how they will function collectively as a system to provide flood mitigation, and the associated benefits, across broad regions of the county.
With the SAFER Study, the Flood Control District will be seeking to:
Identify substantial, wide-ranging flood mitigation across the region rather than depending solely on smaller, incremental projects that address the needs slowly.
Conduct the study in a way that allows the Flood Control District to identify flood risk reduction projects that could be cost-shared with the Federal government and constructed in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
Identify project recommendations based on comprehensive benefits, which include social effects and environmental quality, as well as regional and national economic impacts.
Identify opportunities to integrate nature-based solutions.
The study area spans across eleven (11) watersheds within Harris County, including:
Brays Bayou
Buffalo Bayou
Clear Creek
Cypress Creek
Greens Bayou
Halls Bayou
Hunting Bayou
Little Cypress Creek
Sims Bayou
White Oak Bayou
Vince Bayou
The goals of this study effort are to reduce flood risks and strengthen resiliency within Harris County, to be grounded in the principles of equity, to pursue larger transformational solutions with broad benefits, and to better prepare the region to withstand both the flood risks of today and those of the foreseeable future.
The SAFER Study will evaluate traditional flood mitigation measures, such as increasing channel capacity and construction of new stormwater detention basins, as well as new options including large-scale stormwater tunnels, and non-structural measures.
The study will consider social, economic, and environmental benefits and impacts while evaluating flood mitigation effectiveness.
While the Flood Control District will be leading the study, we will be following federal laws, regulations, and guidance applicable for feasibility studies of water resources development projects, such as the SAFER Study.
We will be working with USACE for input throughout the study process to ensure recommendations are developed that follow USACE policy and guidelines.
We anticipate initiating the SAFER Study during the first quarter of 2025.
Saving the Worst Flooding for Last
Twelve watersheds are not included in the study. Among them are two that had the worst flooding in the county during Hurricane Harvey: the San Jacinto and Spring Creek Watersheds.
Chart showing feet above flood stage of 33 gages of misc. bayous in Harris County during Harvey.
So much for the oft repeated promise to fix the worst flooding first. HCFCD did not explain why it is including only half the watersheds.
From Hurricane Harvey through Q3 2024, HCFCD spent $1,444,838,886 on mitigation and maintenance in all of the county’s 23 watersheds, excluding county-wide projects.
Of that total, the 11 watersheds included in the SAFER study have received $1,132,471,139. That’s 78% of the total.
The 12 watersheds excluded from the SAFER study have received only 22% of all HCFCD spending.
Data supplied to ReduceFlooding.com in response to a FOIA request.
Here’s how the forgotten majority looks in a pie chart.
More than half of the watersheds have received less than a quarter of all HCFCD spending since Harvey.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/5/25
2686 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/2025/01/SAFER-spending-e1736129367744.png?fit=1100%2C650&ssl=16501100adminadmin2025-01-05 20:08:452025-01-05 20:38:37HCFCD Kicking Off Study to Make Half of Harris County SAFER
1/4/25 – In a Houston-area-flooding context, we usually consider erosion as a negative. It reduces the capacity of streams, channels and Lake Houston. It can also form sediment dams like mouth bars that back water up.
But elsewhere, many consider erosion a tourist attraction. And I’m not just talking about the Grand Canyon.
Welcome to Sedona
During the holidays, I took a break from blogging about flooding to join a family reunion near colorful Sedona, Arizona. We actually stayed in the Village of Oak Creek, an unincorporated area about five miles south of the main part of Sedona.
Always alert for photo ops, I launched my drone from the back porch of our rented home and captured some photos of red rock, blue sky and spectacular erosion.
Looking NWSame angle but closer. Notice different color in uppermost strata.Looking NE. Closer shot, still looking NE. Again, notice different colors in upper layers.
The rocks around Sedona are famously red due to their high concentration of iron oxide. Millions of years ago, the Sedona region was covered by a vast shallow sea that deposited layers of sediments rich in iron minerals.
Over time, these iron-rich layers were uplifted due to tectonic activity. The iron in the rocks reacted with oxygen, resulting in oxidation – the same chemical reaction that gives rust its red color.
Then, erosion sculpted the landscape – over millions of years. It exposed these oxidized rock layers, which now dominate the area and give Sedona its iconic red hue. But why did the land erode in some areas and not others?
Caprock Protects Some Areas from Erosion
The spectacularly steep cliffs around Sedona can be attributed to the uneven distribution of what geologists call “caprock.” The term refers to the hard, erosion-resistant rock layers that sit atop mesas, buttes, and cliffs. These layers protect the softer rock below from erosion, helping to shape the striking red rock formations that make Sedona famous.
The caprock was formed from ancient sand dunes and marine deposits about 250–275 million years ago during the Permian period. Over time, these deposits solidified into dense rock layers responsible for Sedona’s intricate geological artistry.
The Value of Rust and Erosion
Sedona reportedly received approximately 4 million visitors last year, rivaling the Grand Canyon. That’s more people than live in Houston and almost as many as live in Harris County. Sedona’s stunning red rock formations and outdoor recreational opportunities make it a major attraction for both domestic and international travelers.
Rainfall and Flooding
Sedona receives an average of 19 inches of rainfall per year – less than 40% of Houston’s average rainfall. However, Sedona still experiences three types of flooding:
Flash Flooding:
Sudden, intense thunderstorms during the monsoon can cause flash floods. The steep terrain and rocky surfaces around Sedona lead to rapid runoff, overwhelming dry washes and creek beds.
Flash floods are particularly hazardous in areas like Oak Creek Canyon, where narrow canyons can funnel water quickly.
River Flooding:
Sedona’s primary waterway, Oak Creek, can flood after prolonged rainfall or snowmelt from higher elevations. Heavy storms, particularly in winter, can cause the creek to rise significantly, affecting nearby properties and recreational areas.
Urban Flooding:
Heavy rain can overwhelm local drainage systems, leading to localized flooding in lower-lying areas.
Oak Creek flooded badly from severe winter storms in 2005. One of the most significant floods in recent memory, it damaged homes, businesses and bridges.
In 2023, heavy rains led to flash floods that temporarily closed hiking trails and roads.
Such floods sculpted the landscape you see in the photos above.
More About Sedona
Spanish explorers first passed through the area as early as the 1500s.
Homesteading began in the late 1800s.
Sedona became a popular filming location for Western movies due to its dramatic landscapes. Films like “Stagecoach” (1939) and “Broken Arrow” (1950) were shot in the area, bringing international attention to Sedona.
Improved roads and infrastructure led to a tourism boom beginning in the 1950s.
Today, Sedona is known for its outdoor activities (hiking, mountain biking, and jeep tours), yoga retreats, art galleries, and night skies. Re: the last point, Sedona is designated as an International Dark Sky Community. Star gazers enjoy freedom from “light pollution” – there were no streetlights where we stayed!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/4/2025
2685 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20241227-DJI_20241227172839_0609_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-01-04 11:08:102025-01-04 19:30:44Sedona: Erosion on a Spectacular Scale
Contractor Only Partially Complies with BMPs at Foster Elementary Reconstruction Site
1/6/2025 – Before New Year’s Day, I posted about the lack of best management practices (BMPs) at the Foster Elementary reconstruction site in Kingwood. A contractor let sediment-laden runoff escape the site, fill the street and flow into unprotected storm drains. Photos taken yesterday after a storm front passed show that it’s still happening.
Partial List of Sediment Control BMPs for Construction Sites
The EPA considers sediment a major source of pollution. And not following best practices to control it can clog storm drains, channels and streams, raising flood risk. I quote from the Agency’s brochure: “Sediment fills up storm drains and catch basins to carry water away from roads and homes, which increases the potential for flooding.”
To reduce the potential for flooding, the EPA recommends several best practices. They include, but are not limited to:
1. Silt Fencing around the perimeter to intercept and slow down runoff, so sediment can settle before water flows off the construction site.
2. Stormwater-Inlet Protection, such as sandbags, placed around stormwater inlets to capture sediment before it enters the storm drainage system.
3. Sediment Control Logs (Wattles) filled with straw or other materials to capture sediment before it leaves the site.
4. Mulching with organic materials such as straw, hay, or wood chips to help to protect soil.
5. Sediment Basins & Traps to capture sediment from runoff until it settles out of suspension.
6. Erosion Control Mats or Blankets to stabilize disturbed soil and prevent erosion.
7. Stormwater Diversion Channels to direct runoff to sediment-control ponds or a controlled discharge areas.
8. Construction Entrance/Exit Stabilization with gravel to minimize tracking of mud onto roads from construction vehicles.
9. Geotextiles to stabilize soil.
Slight Improvement, But Still Lacking
After the last post, the Humble ISD contractor did add straw wattles (#3 – sediment control logs) in front of the main construction site entrance.
But storm drain inlets remained unprotected. And part of the perimeter lacked silt fence.
As a result, sediment still escaped the site, entered the street, and entered the storm sewer. See the photos below taken by Chris Summers, a local resident and retired commercial photographer, after a recent storm front dropped .84 inches of rain on 1/5/25.
While that showed some improvement, other parts of the perimeter still lacked protection and let water escape.
Summers says he took the photos above after the storm front on 1/5/25 passed through.
How much effort does it take to drop a couple sand bags next to a storm sewer inlet? Could it cost much more than coffee and a danish? There’s just no excuse for this.
Sound Off to the School Board
I have already emailed members of the Humble ISD school board and suggest you do, too. We have lots of good contractors in the area that know how to follow best practices.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/6/25 with photos by Chris Summers
2687 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.
HCFCD Kicking Off Study to Make Half of Harris County SAFER
1/5/2025 – At a Community Resilience Flood Task Force Meeting in December last year, the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) announced that it would be kicking off a new feasibility study in Q1 2025 designed to make half of Harris County SAFER from flooding.
SAFER stands for Solutions for Advancing Flood Mitigation, Equity, and Resilience. The study area includes 11 of Harris County’s 23 watersheds.
HCFCD issued this statement about the study.
Overview of Study from HCFCD
The SAFER Study has the potential to address one of the most impactful threats to the Houston/Harris County region: severe storm events that cause catastrophic flooding.
This study will look broadly across the county and consider not only the effectiveness of large-scale flood mitigation projects within strategic locations, but also how they will function collectively as a system to provide flood mitigation, and the associated benefits, across broad regions of the county.
With the SAFER Study, the Flood Control District will be seeking to:
The study area spans across eleven (11) watersheds within Harris County, including:
The goals of this study effort are to reduce flood risks and strengthen resiliency within Harris County, to be grounded in the principles of equity, to pursue larger transformational solutions with broad benefits, and to better prepare the region to withstand both the flood risks of today and those of the foreseeable future.
The SAFER Study will evaluate traditional flood mitigation measures, such as increasing channel capacity and construction of new stormwater detention basins, as well as new options including large-scale stormwater tunnels, and non-structural measures.
The study will consider social, economic, and environmental benefits and impacts while evaluating flood mitigation effectiveness.
While the Flood Control District will be leading the study, we will be following federal laws, regulations, and guidance applicable for feasibility studies of water resources development projects, such as the SAFER Study.
We will be working with USACE for input throughout the study process to ensure recommendations are developed that follow USACE policy and guidelines.
We anticipate initiating the SAFER Study during the first quarter of 2025.
Saving the Worst Flooding for Last
Twelve watersheds are not included in the study. Among them are two that had the worst flooding in the county during Hurricane Harvey: the San Jacinto and Spring Creek Watersheds.
So much for the oft repeated promise to fix the worst flooding first. HCFCD did not explain why it is including only half the watersheds.
From Hurricane Harvey through Q3 2024, HCFCD spent $1,444,838,886 on mitigation and maintenance in all of the county’s 23 watersheds, excluding county-wide projects.
Of that total, the 11 watersheds included in the SAFER study have received $1,132,471,139. That’s 78% of the total.
Here’s how the forgotten majority looks in a pie chart.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/5/25
2686 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.
Sedona: Erosion on a Spectacular Scale
1/4/25 – In a Houston-area-flooding context, we usually consider erosion as a negative. It reduces the capacity of streams, channels and Lake Houston. It can also form sediment dams like mouth bars that back water up.
But elsewhere, many consider erosion a tourist attraction. And I’m not just talking about the Grand Canyon.
Welcome to Sedona
During the holidays, I took a break from blogging about flooding to join a family reunion near colorful Sedona, Arizona. We actually stayed in the Village of Oak Creek, an unincorporated area about five miles south of the main part of Sedona.
Always alert for photo ops, I launched my drone from the back porch of our rented home and captured some photos of red rock, blue sky and spectacular erosion.
The rocks around Sedona are famously red due to their high concentration of iron oxide. Millions of years ago, the Sedona region was covered by a vast shallow sea that deposited layers of sediments rich in iron minerals.
Over time, these iron-rich layers were uplifted due to tectonic activity. The iron in the rocks reacted with oxygen, resulting in oxidation – the same chemical reaction that gives rust its red color.
Then, erosion sculpted the landscape – over millions of years. It exposed these oxidized rock layers, which now dominate the area and give Sedona its iconic red hue. But why did the land erode in some areas and not others?
Caprock Protects Some Areas from Erosion
The spectacularly steep cliffs around Sedona can be attributed to the uneven distribution of what geologists call “caprock.” The term refers to the hard, erosion-resistant rock layers that sit atop mesas, buttes, and cliffs. These layers protect the softer rock below from erosion, helping to shape the striking red rock formations that make Sedona famous.
The caprock was formed from ancient sand dunes and marine deposits about 250–275 million years ago during the Permian period. Over time, these deposits solidified into dense rock layers responsible for Sedona’s intricate geological artistry.
The Value of Rust and Erosion
Sedona reportedly received approximately 4 million visitors last year, rivaling the Grand Canyon. That’s more people than live in Houston and almost as many as live in Harris County. Sedona’s stunning red rock formations and outdoor recreational opportunities make it a major attraction for both domestic and international travelers.
Rainfall and Flooding
Sedona receives an average of 19 inches of rainfall per year – less than 40% of Houston’s average rainfall. However, Sedona still experiences three types of flooding:
Oak Creek flooded badly from severe winter storms in 2005. One of the most significant floods in recent memory, it damaged homes, businesses and bridges.
In 2023, heavy rains led to flash floods that temporarily closed hiking trails and roads.
Such floods sculpted the landscape you see in the photos above.
More About Sedona
Spanish explorers first passed through the area as early as the 1500s.
Homesteading began in the late 1800s.
Sedona became a popular filming location for Western movies due to its dramatic landscapes. Films like “Stagecoach” (1939) and “Broken Arrow” (1950) were shot in the area, bringing international attention to Sedona.
Improved roads and infrastructure led to a tourism boom beginning in the 1950s.
Today, Sedona is known for its outdoor activities (hiking, mountain biking, and jeep tours), yoga retreats, art galleries, and night skies. Re: the last point, Sedona is designated as an International Dark Sky Community. Star gazers enjoy freedom from “light pollution” – there were no streetlights where we stayed!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/4/2025
2685 Days since Hurricane Harvey