The Northpark Drive expansion project understandably slowed during the holidays. But Northpark tree moving started in earnest this week. Contractors have returned and started moving trees to clear the areas where two detention ponds will be excavated at 59.
In other news:
Concrete culvert is being stockpiled to carry stormwater from the ponds to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch via Ditch One behind the businesses on the north side of Northpark.
TXDoT has found a hazardous waste site for oil-contaminated dirt discovered during clearing for the north pond. Relocation of the waste should be complete by the end of January, if not sooner.
CenterPoint is almost finished moving its gas line that used to run down the center of Northpark. That will allow resumption of culvert placement in the center ditch.
Entergy is still delaying parts of the project by refusing to move its electric lines and transformers unless the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority pays them $1.4 million. The amount originally demanded – $711,000 – mysteriously doubled during the holidays.
To learn more about each of these items, see below.
Moving Day Arrives for Trees
Before excavation can begin on the two stormwater detention ponds at US59, numerous trees must be transplanted.
This week, Northpark tree moving began in earnest on the south side of Northpark. Trees are being moved from the center of the entry to the periphery to form a green backdrop that says “Kingwood.” They will frame a decorative pond that doubles as a stormwater detention basin.
The giant machine shown below scoops out dirt and places it to the side. Then it scoops out a tree and drops it into the hole.
To see the complete sequence, view this post from an earlier press conference.This shot shows the beginnings of the tree backdrop around what will become a pond.
But the job isn’t done yet. More trees remain. Heavy rain earlier this week is still slowing transplantation.
Looking south across Northpark. Wide shot shows where pond will go and trees yet to be transplanted.
Contaminated Soil Being Relocated
Before Thanksgiving, contractors struck oil in the soil on the north side of Northpark at 59. Someone dumped it years or even decades ago. To prevent further leeching into the groundwater, contractors excavated and isolated it with plastic sheeting.
Looking south toward Northpark over the contaminated soil.
All contaminated soil should be removed by end of January at the latest, according to Ralph De Leon, project manager.
The ponds on both sides of Northpark will keep the US59 intersection from flooding during heavy rains, helping to ensure that the new all-weather evacuation route for 70,000 people remains passable during extreme storms.
More Box Culvert Stockpiled to Reroute Drainage
Excess water from the ponds will be routed east toward the Kingwood Diversion Ditch instead of north along 59 toward Bens Branch – a shorter route.
Why? During heavy rains drainage to Bens Branch where it crosses under 59 can back up all the way to the Northpark intersection. Re-routing it will avoid flooding along the vital 59 corridor AND Northpark without adding to the burden on the Diversion Ditch.
Culvert stockpiled between railroad tracks and Ditch One.Alternate route for stormwater from entry ponds to Kingwood Diversion Ditch and/or Bens Branch.
CenterPoint Gas Line Relocation
As of this afternoon, CenterPoint had reached Russell-Palmer Road with its new gas line. It is moving the line from the median to make room for 6×8 foot concrete box culverts. The culverts will allow the Redevelopment Authority to create two new lanes inside the old lanes, rather than outside, which would be more expensive because of the need for property acquisition.
When the last quarter mile is finished to the diversion ditch, culvert placement in the ditch will resume. It was temporarily halted earlier when contractors discovered serveral conflicts with the gas line; it was higher than expected. That interfered with a consistent gradient for the drainage.
Entergy Conflict Resolution
Before Christmas, the Redevelopment Authority had agreed to pay Entergy $711,000 to move a transformer and some power lines. After Christmas, Entergy doubled the price to $1.4 million. It’s one more setback in a years-long struggle with the corporate giant. More news to follow when and if a resolution becomes clear. (Editorial comment: Entergy does not seem to share 70,000 Kingwood residents’ sense of urgency about the need for an all-weather evacuation route.)
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/2024/01/20240104-DJI_0014.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2024-01-04 18:51:382024-01-04 20:26:58Northpark Tree Moving Starts; Pond Excavation Next
Back in November 2023, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) terminated its excavation and removal contract with Sprint Sand and Clay. The 2021 contract called for Sprint to remove up to 500,000 cubic yards of material from Woodridge Village. Had the full amount been excavated, it would have more than doubled the stormwater detention basin capacity on the site.
Extent of excavation at end of Woodridge Village E&R Contract with Sprint. Photo: 12/28/21.
Only About A Third of Max Volume Excavated
But at the time HCFCD terminated the contract, Sprint had excavated only 160,748 cubic yards, an amount equal to 100 acre feet, and only about a third of the maximum allowed under the contract.
When HCFCD purchased the Woodridge Village property from Perry Homes, the site had only 70% of Atlas 14 requirements (the new standard for a 100-year storm). The lack of detention capacity contributed to the flooding of hundreds of homes in Kingwood along Taylor Gully twice in 2019.
In the end, the 160,748 cubic yards meant that the site had 96% of Atlas 14 requirements. But significantly, the additional capacity is still just a hole in the ground. It has not yet been tied into other Woodridge detention basins or drainage channels.
Termination Caused by HUD Rule
The rationale for termination of the contract had nothing to do with Sprint’s performance. Rather, it had to do with an unintended consequence of a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rule.
HCFCD hoped to pay for both Taylor Gully and Woodridge Village with HUD funds. But a HUD rule states that HUD funds cannot pay for work already completed on a project when a grant application is submitted.
As a result, when HCFCD applies for a HUD grant, it must:
Zero out work completed to date and stop work.
Estimate the cost of remaining work.
Wait for an award determination.
The rule also affected several other E&R projects in Harris County, such as one on TC Jester next to Cypress Creek.
It’s especially painful in this case because HCFCD listed the Woodridge Village stormwater detention basin as an alternate project for HUD funding. That means, it would only be considered if a fatal flaw knocked one of HCFCD’s primary recommendations out of the running.
HCFCD Exploring Alternative
Amy Crouser, an HCFCD spokesperson said, “Woodridge must be treated as if it were funded by HUD and GLO, which means that we cannot perform any choice-limiting actions on the site, such as the E&R contract. It will be some time before we know if any alternate projects will move to the ‘funded list.’”
Crouser then added, “However, we are investigating whether we can split the Woodridge Village Stormwater Detention Basin into two projects. That may offer some flexibility in getting the E&R contract reinstated. We should have an answer in the next few weeks.”
HCFCD has not yet publicly released the final engineering studies on Woodridge or Taylor Gully.
With interest rates falling, housing starts may pick up and increase demand for fill dirt. That could eliminate the only real drawback of an E&R contract; they can be time consuming if demand for dirt is low. Otherwise, they represent exceptional value for taxpayers. Sprint made only $1,000 from the contract but made its money back by selling the dirt at market rates.
Status of Excavation At Year End
Here’s where things stood at the end of 2023:
Acre Feetof Stormwater Detention
% of Atlas-14 Requirement
% of Ultimate
Site Had When Purchased from Perry Homes
271
70%
47%
Had as of 12/31/23
371
96%
63.9%
Atlas 14 Requires
385
100%
66%
Had Sprint Excavated All 500,000 CY
580
150%
100%
As of 12/31/23, nothing but the cool winter wind could be heard howling through Woodridge Village.
Stay tuned for more news as it develops.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/3/2023
2318 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20231228-DJI_0460.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2024-01-03 20:07:532024-04-16 10:43:49Woodridge Village Plans Still on Hold, But that Could Change Soon
Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) will soon start building the new Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin, a large flood-risk reduction project along Cypress Creek adjacent to Mercer Botanical Gardens. HCFCD issued a notice to proceed to the contractor in December 2023 and the contractor is now mobilizing.
The basin is north of FM-1960, east of the Hardy Toll Road, south of Cypress Creek and west of the Memorial Hills.
Combined 512 Acre Feet in Two Basins
The Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin project will include the excavation of 512 acre-feet of soil and other materials from the site. Once complete, the $14.8 million dry-bottom stormwater detention basin will provide approximately 166.8 million gallons of stormwater storage during heavy rainfall events.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program provided a $15.4 million grant for the project. Another $9.7 million comes from the 2018 Bond Program.
Arrowstone Contracting, LLC received a $14,846,391 contract for construction. Land acquisition, engineering and administration will consume the rest of the budget.
The stormwater detention basin will include two separate compartments, north and south, with an equalizer pipe connecting them. An 54″ outfall pipe will also be constructed along the north compartment so stormwater can slowly flow back into Cypress Creek after storms pass.
Construction Caution
Contractors will access the work area via FM-1960 or Lazy Ravine Lane in the Memorial Hills Subdivision. The contractor may use heavy construction equipment such as dump trucks, excavators and bulldozers. Motorists should be aware of truck traffic when passing near construction access points and along truck routes.
The HUD Grant stipulates that construction needs to finish by Fall 2024. And construction is scheduled to take 348 days.
Reducing Backwater in Tributaries
This is among multiple stormwater detention basin projects the Flood Control District is developing in the Cypress Creek watershed.
A regional drainage study for the watershed found that flooding along tributaries of Cypress Creek is predominately caused by rising stormwater in Cypress Creek backing up into tributaries. Flooding is not caused by a lack of sufficient stormwater conveyance or drainage capacity on the tributaries themselves. Therefore, stormwater detention basins could be a beneficial project to reduce that backwater issue.
Project Benefits
The Mercer Basins will remove the 100-year area of inundation from 30 structures and the 500-year area of inundation from an additional 17 structures.
The project also includes a 30’ wide berm to accommodate maintenance and future recreational amenities.
The project avoids wetlands and will lower the water surface elevation by .35 feet during a 100-year storm event, according to HCFCD.
Upstream detention was one of three major prongs of the strategy to reduce flooding in the Lake Houston Area. This and every other little bit will help downstream.
The regional drainage study found here recommends nearly 25,000 acre-feet of additional stormwater detention in the Cypress Creek watershed. That would be enough to hold back the peak flow during Harvey for almost 5 hours. In lesser storms, the benefit would last even longer.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/2/24based on information from HCFCD
2317 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mercer_Map-e1704245017906.png?fit=1100%2C1100&ssl=111001100adminadmin2024-01-02 19:34:562024-01-02 19:47:54Construction Beginning Soon on Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin
Northpark Tree Moving Starts; Pond Excavation Next
The Northpark Drive expansion project understandably slowed during the holidays. But Northpark tree moving started in earnest this week. Contractors have returned and started moving trees to clear the areas where two detention ponds will be excavated at 59.
In other news:
To learn more about each of these items, see below.
Moving Day Arrives for Trees
Before excavation can begin on the two stormwater detention ponds at US59, numerous trees must be transplanted.
This week, Northpark tree moving began in earnest on the south side of Northpark. Trees are being moved from the center of the entry to the periphery to form a green backdrop that says “Kingwood.” They will frame a decorative pond that doubles as a stormwater detention basin.
The giant machine shown below scoops out dirt and places it to the side. Then it scoops out a tree and drops it into the hole.
But the job isn’t done yet. More trees remain. Heavy rain earlier this week is still slowing transplantation.
Contaminated Soil Being Relocated
Before Thanksgiving, contractors struck oil in the soil on the north side of Northpark at 59. Someone dumped it years or even decades ago. To prevent further leeching into the groundwater, contractors excavated and isolated it with plastic sheeting.
Since then, TXDoT located a suitable permanent site for the contaminated soil and contractor will soon begin moving it.
All contaminated soil should be removed by end of January at the latest, according to Ralph De Leon, project manager.
The ponds on both sides of Northpark will keep the US59 intersection from flooding during heavy rains, helping to ensure that the new all-weather evacuation route for 70,000 people remains passable during extreme storms.
More Box Culvert Stockpiled to Reroute Drainage
Excess water from the ponds will be routed east toward the Kingwood Diversion Ditch instead of north along 59 toward Bens Branch – a shorter route.
Why? During heavy rains drainage to Bens Branch where it crosses under 59 can back up all the way to the Northpark intersection. Re-routing it will avoid flooding along the vital 59 corridor AND Northpark without adding to the burden on the Diversion Ditch.
CenterPoint Gas Line Relocation
As of this afternoon, CenterPoint had reached Russell-Palmer Road with its new gas line. It is moving the line from the median to make room for 6×8 foot concrete box culverts. The culverts will allow the Redevelopment Authority to create two new lanes inside the old lanes, rather than outside, which would be more expensive because of the need for property acquisition.
When the last quarter mile is finished to the diversion ditch, culvert placement in the ditch will resume. It was temporarily halted earlier when contractors discovered serveral conflicts with the gas line; it was higher than expected. That interfered with a consistent gradient for the drainage.
Entergy Conflict Resolution
Before Christmas, the Redevelopment Authority had agreed to pay Entergy $711,000 to move a transformer and some power lines. After Christmas, Entergy doubled the price to $1.4 million. It’s one more setback in a years-long struggle with the corporate giant. More news to follow when and if a resolution becomes clear. (Editorial comment: Entergy does not seem to share 70,000 Kingwood residents’ sense of urgency about the need for an all-weather evacuation route.)
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 1/4/2024
2319 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.
Woodridge Village Plans Still on Hold, But that Could Change Soon
Back in November 2023, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) terminated its excavation and removal contract with Sprint Sand and Clay. The 2021 contract called for Sprint to remove up to 500,000 cubic yards of material from Woodridge Village. Had the full amount been excavated, it would have more than doubled the stormwater detention basin capacity on the site.
Only About A Third of Max Volume Excavated
But at the time HCFCD terminated the contract, Sprint had excavated only 160,748 cubic yards, an amount equal to 100 acre feet, and only about a third of the maximum allowed under the contract.
When HCFCD purchased the Woodridge Village property from Perry Homes, the site had only 70% of Atlas 14 requirements (the new standard for a 100-year storm). The lack of detention capacity contributed to the flooding of hundreds of homes in Kingwood along Taylor Gully twice in 2019.
In the end, the 160,748 cubic yards meant that the site had 96% of Atlas 14 requirements. But significantly, the additional capacity is still just a hole in the ground. It has not yet been tied into other Woodridge detention basins or drainage channels.
Termination Caused by HUD Rule
The rationale for termination of the contract had nothing to do with Sprint’s performance. Rather, it had to do with an unintended consequence of a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rule.
HCFCD hoped to pay for both Taylor Gully and Woodridge Village with HUD funds. But a HUD rule states that HUD funds cannot pay for work already completed on a project when a grant application is submitted.
As a result, when HCFCD applies for a HUD grant, it must:
The rule also affected several other E&R projects in Harris County, such as one on TC Jester next to Cypress Creek.
It’s especially painful in this case because HCFCD listed the Woodridge Village stormwater detention basin as an alternate project for HUD funding. That means, it would only be considered if a fatal flaw knocked one of HCFCD’s primary recommendations out of the running.
HCFCD Exploring Alternative
Amy Crouser, an HCFCD spokesperson said, “Woodridge must be treated as if it were funded by HUD and GLO, which means that we cannot perform any choice-limiting actions on the site, such as the E&R contract. It will be some time before we know if any alternate projects will move to the ‘funded list.’”
Crouser then added, “However, we are investigating whether we can split the Woodridge Village Stormwater Detention Basin into two projects. That may offer some flexibility in getting the E&R contract reinstated. We should have an answer in the next few weeks.”
HCFCD has not yet publicly released the final engineering studies on Woodridge or Taylor Gully.
With interest rates falling, housing starts may pick up and increase demand for fill dirt. That could eliminate the only real drawback of an E&R contract; they can be time consuming if demand for dirt is low. Otherwise, they represent exceptional value for taxpayers. Sprint made only $1,000 from the contract but made its money back by selling the dirt at market rates.
Status of Excavation At Year End
Here’s where things stood at the end of 2023:
Stay tuned for more news as it develops.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/3/2023
2318 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Construction Beginning Soon on Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin
Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) will soon start building the new Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin, a large flood-risk reduction project along Cypress Creek adjacent to Mercer Botanical Gardens. HCFCD issued a notice to proceed to the contractor in December 2023 and the contractor is now mobilizing.
Combined 512 Acre Feet in Two Basins
The Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin project will include the excavation of 512 acre-feet of soil and other materials from the site. Once complete, the $14.8 million dry-bottom stormwater detention basin will provide approximately 166.8 million gallons of stormwater storage during heavy rainfall events.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program provided a $15.4 million grant for the project. Another $9.7 million comes from the 2018 Bond Program.
Arrowstone Contracting, LLC received a $14,846,391 contract for construction. Land acquisition, engineering and administration will consume the rest of the budget.
The stormwater detention basin will include two separate compartments, north and south, with an equalizer pipe connecting them. An 54″ outfall pipe will also be constructed along the north compartment so stormwater can slowly flow back into Cypress Creek after storms pass.
Construction Caution
Contractors will access the work area via FM-1960 or Lazy Ravine Lane in the Memorial Hills Subdivision. The contractor may use heavy construction equipment such as dump trucks, excavators and bulldozers. Motorists should be aware of truck traffic when passing near construction access points and along truck routes.
The HUD Grant stipulates that construction needs to finish by Fall 2024. And construction is scheduled to take 348 days.
Reducing Backwater in Tributaries
This is among multiple stormwater detention basin projects the Flood Control District is developing in the Cypress Creek watershed.
A regional drainage study for the watershed found that flooding along tributaries of Cypress Creek is predominately caused by rising stormwater in Cypress Creek backing up into tributaries. Flooding is not caused by a lack of sufficient stormwater conveyance or drainage capacity on the tributaries themselves. Therefore, stormwater detention basins could be a beneficial project to reduce that backwater issue.
Project Benefits
The Mercer Basins will remove the 100-year area of inundation from 30 structures and the 500-year area of inundation from an additional 17 structures.
The project also includes a 30’ wide berm to accommodate maintenance and future recreational amenities.
The project avoids wetlands and will lower the water surface elevation by .35 feet during a 100-year storm event, according to HCFCD.
Upstream detention was one of three major prongs of the strategy to reduce flooding in the Lake Houston Area. This and every other little bit will help downstream.
The regional drainage study found here recommends nearly 25,000 acre-feet of additional stormwater detention in the Cypress Creek watershed. That would be enough to hold back the peak flow during Harvey for almost 5 hours. In lesser storms, the benefit would last even longer.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/2/24 based on information from HCFCD
2317 Days since Hurricane Harvey