One week after contractors began digging the first Northpark entry pond, you can see a broad area that has already been excavated.
Looking S toward Northpark and US59 on 1/21/24.
The decorative pond, when complete, will double as a detention basin to temporarily store extra runoff from the newly widened Northpark roadbed and US59 feeder road during heavy storms.
Stormwater will collect between the pond’s normal water level and the surface of the ground, then drain slowly at a rate (constrained by the outfall pipe) that drainage ditches can safely handle.
Stormwater from 59 feeder road as well as Northpark will flow into ponds.
Why Ponds?
Traffic heading to 59 during an evacuation must not be trapped behind a flooded intersection at the freeway. Likewise, overflowing ditches must not flood homes and businesses in the area. Hence, the need for stormwater detention capacity.
The basins/ponds will also serve as decorative attractions that welcome people to Kingwood, exactly like they do at Kingwood Drive.
Contractors will build one pond on each side Northpark. Culvert that runs under Northpark will connect the ponds and carry overflow from the south pond to north pond.
Overflow from the ponds will then drain east toward Loop 494, under the railroad tracks, and behind the businesses on the north side of Northpark.
What to Expect in Coming Weeks
In coming weeks, contractors will complete the outline of the ponds. But, for now, they will only excavate down to the water table, according to project manager Ralph De Leon. Before contractors can go lower, they need a place to pump water as they dig. That means finishing the drainage-culvert connection(s) to Ditch One first. Ditch One leads to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and Bens Branch farther east.
So the next steps will be:
Place culvert in the easement between the north entry pond and Loop 494.
Place culvert east of the railroad tracks that will connect to Ditch One.
Connect both segments by tunneling under 494 and the UP Railroad tracks.
A satellite image clearly shows the entire route.
Here’s what it route looks like from a couple hundred feet.
Stormwater will travel from the entry ponds in the background at 59 via culvert in the easement (middle of the frame).Then, the storm sewer will go under 494 (left) and the UP tracks before turning left and going behind two storage facilities.
In the pictures above and below, note the culvert already pre-positioned.
Behind Public Storage and Duncan Donuts, the storm drains will empty into Ditch One (top middle). Photo Oct. 2023.Looking west. Water will flow through ditch toward the foreground behind Calvary Christian Fellowship (lower left).Looking opposite direction from same location. Ditch One flows toward St. Martha Catholic Church (top center).
Just before reaching St. Martha Catholic Church, the water will turn right and cross under Northpark in either Bens Branch or the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.
Building from the Ground Up
De Leon emphasized that all underground work (drainage and utilities) must be completed before any road building can begin. The underground work still entails:
Building a second CenterPoint gas line on the north side of Northpark. CenterPoint will also build two connections to the first CenterPoint gas line on the south side. The first connection will be at Russell-Palmer Road and the second near Loop 494.
Relocating Entergy power lines and transformer.
Moving fiber-optic lines from internet and telecom companies.
Relocating a water line to Parkwood Baptist Church.
Finishing tree transplantation.
Tunneling storm drains under the railroad.
All of the above require permissions, permits and inter-local agreements with the City, Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ, utilities, and UP Railroad).
Three-Day Road Closure
At some future point, after those details are worked out, Northpark will have to close for three days. Previously, the plan had been to keep at least two lanes of traffic open in both directions at all times. So this represents a change. But any closure is still months away.
The closure will happen during construction of turn lanes under the bridge that will go over the UP Railroad Tracks.
UP intends to install a one-piece, 100-foot-long section of track and concrete that spans all ten lanes of traffic. The one-piece construction will involve multiple giant cranes. It will also mean shutting down rail traffic. But the final result will be a more stable track.
However, the one-piece construction also means alternate-side road closures are no longer a viable strategy.
Ideal Conditions for Tree Transplantation
The cool, wet weather during the winter months when trees are dormant makes ideal conditions for moving them. The trees should have a much higher survival rate now than during the drought and heat, as we experienced last summer.
Houston District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger announced today that Houston Public Works will lower Lake Houston beginning Sunday afternoon. They expect to complete the lowering before rain starts on Monday. Houston Public Works is actively monitoring weather forecasts.
The National Weather Service has predicted 3-5+ inches of rainfall in our watershed beginning Monday through the coming week. A forecast of 3+ inches of rain triggers the opening of the Lake Houston Spillway Gates.
Gates on Lake Houston. File photo of 2019 release.
Flickinger advises property owners along the lake secure their property, including patio and outdoor furniture.
The Gates will remain open to manage storm inflows until the inclement weather has moved out of our region.
Lake Houston is currently at 42.22 ft (normal pool is 42.4) and Lake Conroe is at 200.64 ft (normal pool is 201.
The City put the lake-lowering policy in place after Hurricane Harvey. It has saved many homes and businesses from flooding during many events since then. The City is even planning on adding additional floodgates to Lake Houston to lower water faster.
Please keep in mind that flash flooding, affecting roadways and inland neighborhoods, is also possible in this storm. That’s a separate issue. Most storm drains are designed to handle only an inch of rainfall per hour.
Stay weather aware and avoid roadways if possible during rain events. It only takes 6 inches of water to move a car. If you see rising water near a stream, bayou or underpass, always turn around, don’t drown.
For more information, please contact the District E office at (832) 393-3008 or via email at districte@houstontx.gov.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/20/24
2335 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Screen-Shot-2019-02-04-at-10.12.58-PM-copy.jpg?fit=1500%2C822&ssl=18221500adminadmin2024-01-20 15:47:132024-01-20 15:47:14City Will Lower Lake Houston Sunday in Advance of Heavy Rainfall
According to Dr. Mark Wentzel, Hydrologist for Texas Water Development Board, 2023 was the hottest and 33rd driest year for Texas since 1895. That’s 128 years!
“We began 2023 with half the area of the state impacted by drought, the result of a statewide drought that had been ongoing for more than a year,” said Wentzel. “Drought conditions improved early in the year, reaching a low of 23 percent of the state in mid-June. But conditions worsened over the summer and reached a high of 86 percent in mid-September. Conditions improved in the last quarter, and we finished the year with 39 percent of the state in drought.”
Since the start of 2024, the percentage of Texas in drought has declined to 31% and that number could drop even more next week.
Reasons for Optimism
Wentzel continued, “Impacts due to drought have varied across the state. The most impacted surface water supplies have been in Central and South Texas. But we did end 2023 with reason for optimism. El Niño conditions, warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the eastern Equatorial Pacific, are in place and, as a result, continued drought improvements are expected in early 2024.”
Departures from Normal
These maps show last year’s departures from normal for both temperature and precipitation. From a water supply perspective, reds, oranges, and yellows mean trouble on both maps.
Texas Water Development Board
They show areas with above-average temperature on the left and below-average precipitation on the right. As shown on the left, 2023 was warmer than normal everywhere in the state.
As shown on the right, precipitation was also below normal for most of the state. 2023 wound up being the 33rd driest year since 1895. Still, it was an improvement from 2022, which was the 13th driest year since 1895.
Percentage of State In Drought
The next chart shows how drought impacted the state week by week throughout the year.
Texas Water Development Board
At the start of 2023, 50 percent of the state was in drought. That receded to 23 percent by mid-June but expanded again to 86 percent by mid-September.
Between mid-September and the end of the year, drought receded again, falling to 39 percent in December.
As of 1/16/2024, the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that drought has declined even more from year-end levels.
Wentzel discussed how drought impacted surface-water-supply systems across the state in 2023.
The most drought-impacted water supplies were in Central and South Texas. Water supplies for Brownsville, Laredo, Temple, Killeen, and Waco reached their lowest values in 30 years during 2023.
Conditions in Waco returned to normal in late October/early November, thanks to beneficial rains. Houston was down only 1% at year end.
As of today, both Lake Conroe and Lake Houston are down only tenths of an inch from their normal levels.
Wetter than Average Winter Predicted for 2024
According to Wentzel, from a water supply perspective, we have reason for optimism. El Niño conditions, warmer than average sea surface temperatures in the eastern Equatorial Pacific, are in place. And as a result, Winter 2024 is expected to be wetter than average. If we can maintain average precipitation through May, typically the wettest month of the year for Texas, we should see significant improvements before summer 2024.
Here Comes the Rain
Widespread and sustained heavy rainfall expected next week could alter the drought situation significantly.
National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center
Parts of the Houston Area could see up to 7 inches of rain in the next 5 days.
According to Jeff Lindner, Harris County Meteorologist, “Widespread amounts of 3-5 inches are increasingly likely over a 3-4 day period. Monday will see the start of some of the heavier rains, with some hourly rates in the 1-2 inch range if we get thunderstorms going over the area.”
Given the slow moving nature of the entire weather system, Lindner expressed concern for repeat cell training. It could enhance rainfall amounts and flood/flash-flood threats.
Lindner specifically cited several watersheds in north Harris County. Cypress Creek, Spring Creek, Little Cypress Creek, Luce Bayou, Willow Creek, the San Jacinto River basin, and Cedar Bayou tend to drain slowly, he said.
So, the cumulative effect of multiple rounds of rainfall in those watersheds can result in sustained rises over the duration of the rainfall event. However, in other watersheds, he also expressed concern about the threat from sustained heavy rainfall that can produce more rapid flooding.
Keep your eye on the sky!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/19/2024
2334 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-19-at-1.41.19%E2%80%AFPM.png?fit=2364%2C1316&ssl=113162364adminadmin2024-01-19 16:49:302024-01-19 17:18:552023 Was Hottest Year since 1895 and 33rd Driest
First Northpark Entry Pond Taking Shape
One week after contractors began digging the first Northpark entry pond, you can see a broad area that has already been excavated.
The decorative pond, when complete, will double as a detention basin to temporarily store extra runoff from the newly widened Northpark roadbed and US59 feeder road during heavy storms.
Stormwater will collect between the pond’s normal water level and the surface of the ground, then drain slowly at a rate (constrained by the outfall pipe) that drainage ditches can safely handle.
Why Ponds?
Traffic heading to 59 during an evacuation must not be trapped behind a flooded intersection at the freeway. Likewise, overflowing ditches must not flood homes and businesses in the area. Hence, the need for stormwater detention capacity.
The basins/ponds will also serve as decorative attractions that welcome people to Kingwood, exactly like they do at Kingwood Drive.
Contractors will build one pond on each side Northpark. Culvert that runs under Northpark will connect the ponds and carry overflow from the south pond to north pond.
Overflow from the ponds will then drain east toward Loop 494, under the railroad tracks, and behind the businesses on the north side of Northpark.
What to Expect in Coming Weeks
In coming weeks, contractors will complete the outline of the ponds. But, for now, they will only excavate down to the water table, according to project manager Ralph De Leon. Before contractors can go lower, they need a place to pump water as they dig. That means finishing the drainage-culvert connection(s) to Ditch One first. Ditch One leads to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and Bens Branch farther east.
So the next steps will be:
A satellite image clearly shows the entire route.
Here’s what it route looks like from a couple hundred feet.
In the pictures above and below, note the culvert already pre-positioned.
Just before reaching St. Martha Catholic Church, the water will turn right and cross under Northpark in either Bens Branch or the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.
Building from the Ground Up
De Leon emphasized that all underground work (drainage and utilities) must be completed before any road building can begin. The underground work still entails:
All of the above require permissions, permits and inter-local agreements with the City, Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ, utilities, and UP Railroad).
Three-Day Road Closure
At some future point, after those details are worked out, Northpark will have to close for three days. Previously, the plan had been to keep at least two lanes of traffic open in both directions at all times. So this represents a change. But any closure is still months away.
The closure will happen during construction of turn lanes under the bridge that will go over the UP Railroad Tracks.
UP intends to install a one-piece, 100-foot-long section of track and concrete that spans all ten lanes of traffic. The one-piece construction will involve multiple giant cranes. It will also mean shutting down rail traffic. But the final result will be a more stable track.
However, the one-piece construction also means alternate-side road closures are no longer a viable strategy.
Ideal Conditions for Tree Transplantation
The cool, wet weather during the winter months when trees are dormant makes ideal conditions for moving them. The trees should have a much higher survival rate now than during the drought and heat, as we experienced last summer.
For More Information
For more information about the project including construction plans, visit the project pages of the LHRA/Tirz 10 website. Or see these posts on ReduceFlooding:
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/13/24
2336 Days since Hurricane Harvey
City Will Lower Lake Houston Sunday in Advance of Heavy Rainfall
Houston District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger announced today that Houston Public Works will lower Lake Houston beginning Sunday afternoon. They expect to complete the lowering before rain starts on Monday. Houston Public Works is actively monitoring weather forecasts.
The National Weather Service has predicted 3-5+ inches of rainfall in our watershed beginning Monday through the coming week. A forecast of 3+ inches of rain triggers the opening of the Lake Houston Spillway Gates.
Flickinger advises property owners along the lake secure their property, including patio and outdoor furniture.
The Gates will remain open to manage storm inflows until the inclement weather has moved out of our region.
The City put the lake-lowering policy in place after Hurricane Harvey. It has saved many homes and businesses from flooding during many events since then. The City is even planning on adding additional floodgates to Lake Houston to lower water faster.
Monitor Current Weather Events
To monitor current Lake Houston water levels, visit www.coastalwaterauthority.org.
To see current levels for Lake Conroe you can visit www.sjra.net.
For up-to-the-second weather for your zip code, visit the National Weather Service. NWS published the warnings below on Sunday, 1/20/24.
More than the Lake Could Flood, So…
Please keep in mind that flash flooding, affecting roadways and inland neighborhoods, is also possible in this storm. That’s a separate issue. Most storm drains are designed to handle only an inch of rainfall per hour.
Stay weather aware and avoid roadways if possible during rain events. It only takes 6 inches of water to move a car. If you see rising water near a stream, bayou or underpass, always turn around, don’t drown.
For more information, please contact the District E office at (832) 393-3008 or via email at districte@houstontx.gov.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/20/24
2335 Days since Hurricane Harvey
2023 Was Hottest Year since 1895 and 33rd Driest
According to Dr. Mark Wentzel, Hydrologist for Texas Water Development Board, 2023 was the hottest and 33rd driest year for Texas since 1895. That’s 128 years!
“We began 2023 with half the area of the state impacted by drought, the result of a statewide drought that had been ongoing for more than a year,” said Wentzel. “Drought conditions improved early in the year, reaching a low of 23 percent of the state in mid-June. But conditions worsened over the summer and reached a high of 86 percent in mid-September. Conditions improved in the last quarter, and we finished the year with 39 percent of the state in drought.”
Since the start of 2024, the percentage of Texas in drought has declined to 31% and that number could drop even more next week.
Reasons for Optimism
Wentzel continued, “Impacts due to drought have varied across the state. The most impacted surface water supplies have been in Central and South Texas. But we did end 2023 with reason for optimism. El Niño conditions, warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the eastern Equatorial Pacific, are in place and, as a result, continued drought improvements are expected in early 2024.”
Departures from Normal
These maps show last year’s departures from normal for both temperature and precipitation. From a water supply perspective, reds, oranges, and yellows mean trouble on both maps.
They show areas with above-average temperature on the left and below-average precipitation on the right. As shown on the left, 2023 was warmer than normal everywhere in the state.
As shown on the right, precipitation was also below normal for most of the state. 2023 wound up being the 33rd driest year since 1895. Still, it was an improvement from 2022, which was the 13th driest year since 1895.
Percentage of State In Drought
The next chart shows how drought impacted the state week by week throughout the year.
At the start of 2023, 50 percent of the state was in drought. That receded to 23 percent by mid-June but expanded again to 86 percent by mid-September.
Between mid-September and the end of the year, drought receded again, falling to 39 percent in December.
As of 1/16/2024, the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that drought has declined even more from year-end levels.
Drought Impact on Water Supply
Wentzel discussed how drought impacted surface-water-supply systems across the state in 2023.
The most drought-impacted water supplies were in Central and South Texas. Water supplies for Brownsville, Laredo, Temple, Killeen, and Waco reached their lowest values in 30 years during 2023.
Conditions in Waco returned to normal in late October/early November, thanks to beneficial rains. Houston was down only 1% at year end.
As of today, both Lake Conroe and Lake Houston are down only tenths of an inch from their normal levels.
Wetter than Average Winter Predicted for 2024
According to Wentzel, from a water supply perspective, we have reason for optimism. El Niño conditions, warmer than average sea surface temperatures in the eastern Equatorial Pacific, are in place. And as a result, Winter 2024 is expected to be wetter than average. If we can maintain average precipitation through May, typically the wettest month of the year for Texas, we should see significant improvements before summer 2024.
Here Comes the Rain
Widespread and sustained heavy rainfall expected next week could alter the drought situation significantly.
Parts of the Houston Area could see up to 7 inches of rain in the next 5 days.
According to Jeff Lindner, Harris County Meteorologist, “Widespread amounts of 3-5 inches are increasingly likely over a 3-4 day period. Monday will see the start of some of the heavier rains, with some hourly rates in the 1-2 inch range if we get thunderstorms going over the area.”
Given the slow moving nature of the entire weather system, Lindner expressed concern for repeat cell training. It could enhance rainfall amounts and flood/flash-flood threats.
Lindner specifically cited several watersheds in north Harris County. Cypress Creek, Spring Creek, Little Cypress Creek, Luce Bayou, Willow Creek, the San Jacinto River basin, and Cedar Bayou tend to drain slowly, he said.
So, the cumulative effect of multiple rounds of rainfall in those watersheds can result in sustained rises over the duration of the rainfall event. However, in other watersheds, he also expressed concern about the threat from sustained heavy rainfall that can produce more rapid flooding.
Keep your eye on the sky!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/19/2024
2334 Days since Hurricane Harvey