7/23/26 – One of the leading conservation groups in the area, the Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC), has lined up against the proposed 5,300-acre Scarborough development at the confluence of Spring Creek and the San Jacinto West Fork.
Almost 10,000 citizens have already signed a petition against Scarborough’s development. Harris County Commissioners Court and Houston City Council have also unanimously approved resolutions opposing it because of its potential impacts on public safety and regional infrastructure.
According to BLC, development of the environmentally sensitive property also raises concerns about drinking water, and the future of one of the Houston region’s most important natural floodplains.
BLC’s Board of Directors recently adopted a formal resolution opposing the Scarborough Development. The Board believes the project would put critical floodplains and wetlands at risk and could increase flooding downstream while affecting water quality in the Lake Houston watershed.
From FEMA’s Flood Hazard Layer Viewer. Scarborough property in center at confluence of Spring and Cypress Creeks with San Jacinto West Fork. US59, Kingwood and Forest Cove on right.Cross-hatch = Floodway, Aqua = 100-Year Floodplain, Brown = 500-year Floodplain.
Note that the flood map above is based on pre-Atlas-14 data. So the situation is actually much worse than depicted. Montgomery County has not yet adopted new flood maps based on Atlas 14.
Why Leaving the Land Natural Matters
Scarborough’s property currently functions as a natural floodwater storage area. It slows and absorbs stormwater while filtering water that ultimately flows into Lake Houston.
Lake Houston serves as the primary drinking water source for approximately 2.4 million people across the Greater Houston Area, according to Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger.
The property, commonly referred to as the “Scarborough Development” or Ryko tract, lies within one of the most environmentally sensitive and flood-prone areas of the Lake Houston watershed.
“Bayou Land Conservancy’s mission is the permanent preservation of land along streams to protect people from flooding, safeguard clean water, and conserve wildlife habitat,” said Jill Boullion, the Executive Director of Bayou Land Conservancy. “This property checks all those boxes. It needs to be protected, but we need help from the community to succeed,” she added.
This specific tract of land consists predominantly of active floodplains and wetlands that currently act as a critical natural sponge, absorbing and slowing floodwaters, and providing essential water filtration for the Lake Houston watershed. Clearing and filling these wetlands to elevate the property for development could increase the speed and volume of stormwater runoff, placing downstream communities at greater risk of flooding while undermining regional flood mitigation efforts.
Typical Wetland on Scarborough Property
BLC Encourages Public to Sign Petition
BLC is encouraging members of the public to join the effort and make their voices heard by signing a petition to support the permanent protection of the proposed development and by contacting their elected representatives.
Those interested in supporting this conservation effort can help by signing the petition against Scarborough, contacting their elected officials, and advocating for the permanent conservation of this land.
The BLC Board has also authorized BLC staff to actively advocate for the preservation of the property through:
Public education
Collaboration with community and environmental partners
Engagement with elected officials
Submission of regulatory comments
The BLC Board may also pursue conservation easements to permanently protect portions of the property.
About Bayou Land Conservancy: Bayou Land Conservancy preserves land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife. BLC is a nationally accredited, community-supported land preservation organization dedicated to permanently protecting land, with a focus on the streams that feed Lake Houston, an important source of drinking water for millions of people in the Houston region.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/23/26
3250 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/2025/11/20251103-Layered-Maps.jpg?fit=1100%2C563&ssl=15631100adminadmin2026-07-23 11:35:132026-07-23 18:57:02Bayou Land Conservancy Joins Crowd Opposing Scarborough Development
7/22/26 – (Updated at 3pm to correct funding figures.) Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger reported this morning that engineering for the Lake Houston Gates Project is now 90% complete.
Flickinger delivering news about the Lake Houston Gates Project
Speaking before the Kingwood Executive Group at the Kingwood Country Club today, he added that we now know the true cost of a workable plan and it’s higher than before. Thus, the next phase of the project will be the hunt for yet more funding.
The addition of more floodgates will let Lake Houston keep up with releases from Lake Conroe during major storm events. That will help enable pre-release and joint-reservoir-operation strategies when needed to reduce flooding.
Another benefit of the new gates: they will facilitate needed repair and rehab of the 73-year-old dam.
Cost increases plus FEMA money we no longer qualify for leave a funding gap of $183.7 million, according to Flickinger. “So, we’re going to have to go back to the State and the Feds for some more money to try and get that built,” he said.
Th table below shows the current cost breakdown.
Funding analysis as of 7/22/26
“Essentially the scope has changed. When they originally estimated it, they were going to use the concrete portion of the structure. But no construction companies would touch the job because of the risk. They were afraid of a catastrophic loss.”
Flickinger then added, “So, the engineers went back and said, ‘Okay, we’ll put the gates in the earthen portion.’ But they were trying to do it without building a coffer dam. Then they came back again and said, ‘No, that’s not going to work. You’re going to have to build a coffer dam.’ So, the increase in the cost has been driven by the general scope change.”
Flickinger described a scenario where well meaning people were trying to control costs to fit the budget. But ultimately, that didn’t work for safety reasons. And when you’re dealing with the water supply for approximately 2.4 million people, safety is paramount.
Flickinger added, “Now they’ve gone pretty much full blown. The cofferdam that they’re talking about building is going to be very substantial. In fact, you will even be able to drive vehicles on it.”
Where Will the Money Come From?
“We’re not going to get the extra funding as a flood-mitigation project,” said Flickinger, “because the math doesn’t work.” Then he shifted gears and talked about the water supply problems in Texas. “Texas has a huge problem right now with water. The state has appropriated…several billion towards water.”
State Representative Charles Cunningham, who also attended the meeting clarified, “Somewhere over $5 billion.”
Flickinger has already reached out to a number of elected officials and candidates on the ballot this fall. They include State Senator Brett Ligon, Cunningham, Alex Mealer, and Steve Toth. “
“I think we’re going to have a lot of help, both in Washington and in Austin, to get this money,” said Flickinger.
Martin, under whom the project started years ago, joked, “That’s DAM good news.”
Flickinger now hopes to start building the Lake Houston gates by late 2027 or early 2028. But engineers have not yet offered a completion date.
How Benefit/Cost Ratio Will Affect Previous FEMA Commitment
FEMA initially committed $50 million to the gates project. Flickinger says that despite the change in the benefit/cost ratio (BCR), clawbacks are not an issue on the money already spent on engineering. However, the BCR will “absolutely affect” unspent funds.
Complexity of Reducing Flooding
Before moving on to other subjects, Flickinger addressed the complexity of flooding. “Everyone looks at the dam as kind of a shiny object,” he said. “And the dam is hugely important, but there’s a ton of other stuff that goes into flooding and drainage. For instance, he referenced explosive upstream development in Montgomery County and the regulations intended to offset the growth of impervious cover, which were finally upgraded just last year.
He talked about the need to upgrade the Kingwood Diversion Ditch in order to take pressure off Bens Branch and Kingwood Town Center to handle all that upstream growth.
But that, too, will take money. The next legislative session will definitely be important for the Lake Houston Area.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/22/26
3249 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC_5567.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2026-07-22 11:31:002026-07-22 16:50:55Engineering on Lake Houston Gates Project Now 90 Percent Complete
7/20/2026 – Federal, State, County and City officials gathered today for the official groundbreaking of the Taylor Gully/Woodridge flood-mitigation project. The ceremony took place against the backdrop of an excavator and a parade of trucks already hard at work.
The size of projects such as Woodridge/Taylor Gully usually means multiple entities are involved. Groundbreaking ceremonies such as this give all parties an opportunity to thank each other and explain the value of teamwork to the public.
Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey PE acted as master of ceremoniesand introduced the guests.For close-up of charts, see below.
Ramsey introduced each of the partners:
Marcus Stuckett, the new executive director of Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD)
Fred Flickinger, District E Houston City Council Member
Cameron Chottiner, District Director for U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw
Aaron Harris, representing the Texas General Land Office (GLO)
Scope and Details of Project
Stuckett explained how the Taylor Gully/Woodridge Project came out of HCFCD’s 2020 Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis. The study identified ways to reduce flood risk in the Kingwood area.
HCFCD’s new executive director, Marcus Stuckett, previously served HCFCD as Director of Engineering.
The Taylor Gully portion of the project includes channel conveyance improvements from the Harris County line to a location near Maple Bend Drive. The next portion of the project involves a stormwater detention basin containing approximately 400-acre-feet of volume on more than 195 acres in Montgomery County.
Stuckett said, “With both of these pieces in place, we expect in the long term to reduce water surface elevations as much as five feet during storm events…a major flood reduction for this community.” (See second poster below for exact numbers at different locations.)
Need for Project
Flickinger spoke next and reminded people how Elm Grove and Sherwood Trails had never flooded until a land developer altered the drainage. Then it flooded repeatedly. He also reminded people of all the additional development taking place upstream in Montgomery County.
Houston District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger
“Although we’re thrilled with all the development and would like to see more of it, we’ve got to do it smart,” said Flickinger. “And hopefully this project will mitigate problems for a lot of people. We’re really looking forward to getting it done.”
Ramsey then reminded everyone that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development/GLO are bearing $41.9 million of the project’s cost.
Aaron Harris from the GLO spoke on behalf of Commissioner Dawn Buckingham. Harris has relatives and friends in Kingwood, so this was personal for him. He said that the GLO is administering $14 billion of HUD funds in Texas targeted at Harvey flood mitigation and disaster relief “to build safer, more resilient communities.”
Aaron Harris spoke on behalf of the GLO.
Cameron Chottiner, standing in for Congressman Dan Crenshaw, reminded people how Crenshaw made disaster relief and flood mitigation one of his top priorities. Crenshaw helped secure more than $100 million in direct federal appropriations for 30 flood-mitigation projects, such as Kingwood Diversion Ditch improvements, Taylor Gully and Ford Road Expansion.
Chottiner, representing Congressman Dan Crenshaw
“While our region is far better prepared today thanks to additional detention capacity and ongoing drainage improvements,” said Chottiner, “we cannot lose sight of the fact that flood risks remain real.”
“Federal funding has played an important role,” he continued, “but none of these accomplishments would be made without the strong partnerships among Harris County, the Harris County Flood Control District, City of Houston, community leaders and engaged residents. So this has truly been a team effort.”
“Let’s Go Throw a Little Dirt”
Ramsey concluded the ceremony with a reminder that Harris County still has about $3 billion worth of flood mitigation projects to build that are currently on the books. “So, let’s go throw a little dirt,” he concluded.
And with that, they all picked up ceremonial shovels for the assembled members of the press corps.
L to R: Chottiner, Stuckett, Ramsey, Flickinger and Harris
Project Details
The first poster below shows the location of project elements. Note that the red detention basin is not being built as part of the present project.
The next poster shows the benefits. “Interim” refers to the work now in construction. “Ultimate” refers to the benefits if/when Compartment 2 (shown in the poster above) is funded and built.
In general, the addition of the second compartment reduces water surface elevations by another 1-2 feet. The percentages refer to floods with an X% annual chance of occurrence. For instance, a “10-year” flood, actually has a 10% chance of occurring every year. Likewise, a “100-year” flood has a 1% chance of occurring every year.
All in all, this project will make life safer for the hundreds of families that flooded after the developer clearcut Woodridge and sloped the land toward Taylor Gully.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/20/2026
3247 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC_5516.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2026-07-20 16:06:522026-07-21 12:47:13Official Taylor Gully-Woodridge Project Groundbreaking
Bayou Land Conservancy Joins Crowd Opposing Scarborough Development
7/23/26 – One of the leading conservation groups in the area, the Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC), has lined up against the proposed 5,300-acre Scarborough development at the confluence of Spring Creek and the San Jacinto West Fork.
BLC joins a growing list of people and organizations opposing the floodplain development, which one of the area’s leading hydrologists said would “be like aiming a firehose at Humble and Kingwood.”
Almost 10,000 citizens have already signed a petition against Scarborough’s development. Harris County Commissioners Court and Houston City Council have also unanimously approved resolutions opposing it because of its potential impacts on public safety and regional infrastructure.
According to BLC, development of the environmentally sensitive property also raises concerns about drinking water, and the future of one of the Houston region’s most important natural floodplains.
BLC’s Board of Directors recently adopted a formal resolution opposing the Scarborough Development. The Board believes the project would put critical floodplains and wetlands at risk and could increase flooding downstream while affecting water quality in the Lake Houston watershed.
Note that the flood map above is based on pre-Atlas-14 data. So the situation is actually much worse than depicted. Montgomery County has not yet adopted new flood maps based on Atlas 14.
Why Leaving the Land Natural Matters
Scarborough’s property currently functions as a natural floodwater storage area. It slows and absorbs stormwater while filtering water that ultimately flows into Lake Houston.
Lake Houston serves as the primary drinking water source for approximately 2.4 million people across the Greater Houston Area, according to Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger.
The property, commonly referred to as the “Scarborough Development” or Ryko tract, lies within one of the most environmentally sensitive and flood-prone areas of the Lake Houston watershed.
“Bayou Land Conservancy’s mission is the permanent preservation of land along streams to protect people from flooding, safeguard clean water, and conserve wildlife habitat,” said Jill Boullion, the Executive Director of Bayou Land Conservancy. “This property checks all those boxes. It needs to be protected, but we need help from the community to succeed,” she added.
This specific tract of land consists predominantly of active floodplains and wetlands that currently act as a critical natural sponge, absorbing and slowing floodwaters, and providing essential water filtration for the Lake Houston watershed. Clearing and filling these wetlands to elevate the property for development could increase the speed and volume of stormwater runoff, placing downstream communities at greater risk of flooding while undermining regional flood mitigation efforts.
BLC Encourages Public to Sign Petition
BLC is encouraging members of the public to join the effort and make their voices heard by signing a petition to support the permanent protection of the proposed development and by contacting their elected representatives.
Those interested in supporting this conservation effort can help by signing the petition against Scarborough, contacting their elected officials, and advocating for the permanent conservation of this land.
Other Specifics of BLC Board Decision
The BLC Board has also authorized BLC staff to actively advocate for the preservation of the property through:
The BLC Board may also pursue conservation easements to permanently protect portions of the property.
About Bayou Land Conservancy: Bayou Land Conservancy preserves land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife. BLC is a nationally accredited, community-supported land preservation organization dedicated to permanently protecting land, with a focus on the streams that feed Lake Houston, an important source of drinking water for millions of people in the Houston region.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/23/26
3250 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.
Engineering on Lake Houston Gates Project Now 90 Percent Complete
7/22/26 – (Updated at 3pm to correct funding figures.) Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger reported this morning that engineering for the Lake Houston Gates Project is now 90% complete.
Speaking before the Kingwood Executive Group at the Kingwood Country Club today, he added that we now know the true cost of a workable plan and it’s higher than before. Thus, the next phase of the project will be the hunt for yet more funding.
The addition of more floodgates will let Lake Houston keep up with releases from Lake Conroe during major storm events. That will help enable pre-release and joint-reservoir-operation strategies when needed to reduce flooding.
Another benefit of the new gates: they will facilitate needed repair and rehab of the 73-year-old dam.
Scope Change Increases Cost, Leaves Funding Gap
Flickinger explained. “They now have everything nailed down on the cost. We’re looking at $273.7 million. Unfortunately, the elevated cost means that we’re not going to qualify for FEMA money. The benefit/cost analysis doesn’t meet the threshold.” Previous cost estimates put the total around $180 million, according to former Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin.
Cost increases plus FEMA money we no longer qualify for leave a funding gap of $183.7 million, according to Flickinger. “So, we’re going to have to go back to the State and the Feds for some more money to try and get that built,” he said.
Th table below shows the current cost breakdown.
“Essentially the scope has changed. When they originally estimated it, they were going to use the concrete portion of the structure. But no construction companies would touch the job because of the risk. They were afraid of a catastrophic loss.”
Flickinger then added, “So, the engineers went back and said, ‘Okay, we’ll put the gates in the earthen portion.’ But they were trying to do it without building a coffer dam. Then they came back again and said, ‘No, that’s not going to work. You’re going to have to build a coffer dam.’ So, the increase in the cost has been driven by the general scope change.”
Flickinger described a scenario where well meaning people were trying to control costs to fit the budget. But ultimately, that didn’t work for safety reasons. And when you’re dealing with the water supply for approximately 2.4 million people, safety is paramount.
Flickinger added, “Now they’ve gone pretty much full blown. The cofferdam that they’re talking about building is going to be very substantial. In fact, you will even be able to drive vehicles on it.”
Where Will the Money Come From?
“We’re not going to get the extra funding as a flood-mitigation project,” said Flickinger, “because the math doesn’t work.” Then he shifted gears and talked about the water supply problems in Texas. “Texas has a huge problem right now with water. The state has appropriated…several billion towards water.”
State Representative Charles Cunningham, who also attended the meeting clarified, “Somewhere over $5 billion.”
Flickinger has already reached out to a number of elected officials and candidates on the ballot this fall. They include State Senator Brett Ligon, Cunningham, Alex Mealer, and Steve Toth. “
“I think we’re going to have a lot of help, both in Washington and in Austin, to get this money,” said Flickinger.
Martin, under whom the project started years ago, joked, “That’s DAM good news.”
Flickinger now hopes to start building the Lake Houston gates by late 2027 or early 2028. But engineers have not yet offered a completion date.
How Benefit/Cost Ratio Will Affect Previous FEMA Commitment
FEMA initially committed $50 million to the gates project. Flickinger says that despite the change in the benefit/cost ratio (BCR), clawbacks are not an issue on the money already spent on engineering. However, the BCR will “absolutely affect” unspent funds.
Complexity of Reducing Flooding
Before moving on to other subjects, Flickinger addressed the complexity of flooding. “Everyone looks at the dam as kind of a shiny object,” he said. “And the dam is hugely important, but there’s a ton of other stuff that goes into flooding and drainage. For instance, he referenced explosive upstream development in Montgomery County and the regulations intended to offset the growth of impervious cover, which were finally upgraded just last year.
He talked about the need to upgrade the Kingwood Diversion Ditch in order to take pressure off Bens Branch and Kingwood Town Center to handle all that upstream growth.
Flickinger also cited the importance of dredging to offset sedimentation and maintain capacity. Just recently, the City approved a Board of Directors for the Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District established by Cunningham last year.
But that, too, will take money. The next legislative session will definitely be important for the Lake Houston Area.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/22/26
3249 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Official Taylor Gully-Woodridge Project Groundbreaking
7/20/2026 – Federal, State, County and City officials gathered today for the official groundbreaking of the Taylor Gully/Woodridge flood-mitigation project. The ceremony took place against the backdrop of an excavator and a parade of trucks already hard at work.
For added drama and to underscore the project’s urgency, the groundbreaking happened while the second tropical depression of the season brews in the Gulf…and just days after heavy non-tropical rainfall produced deadly flooding in the Texas Hill Country.
The Value of Partnerships
The size of projects such as Woodridge/Taylor Gully usually means multiple entities are involved. Groundbreaking ceremonies such as this give all parties an opportunity to thank each other and explain the value of teamwork to the public.
Ramsey introduced each of the partners:
Scope and Details of Project
Stuckett explained how the Taylor Gully/Woodridge Project came out of HCFCD’s 2020 Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis. The study identified ways to reduce flood risk in the Kingwood area.
The Taylor Gully portion of the project includes channel conveyance improvements from the Harris County line to a location near Maple Bend Drive. The next portion of the project involves a stormwater detention basin containing approximately 400-acre-feet of volume on more than 195 acres in Montgomery County.
Stuckett said, “With both of these pieces in place, we expect in the long term to reduce water surface elevations as much as five feet during storm events…a major flood reduction for this community.” (See second poster below for exact numbers at different locations.)
Need for Project
Flickinger spoke next and reminded people how Elm Grove and Sherwood Trails had never flooded until a land developer altered the drainage. Then it flooded repeatedly. He also reminded people of all the additional development taking place upstream in Montgomery County.
“Although we’re thrilled with all the development and would like to see more of it, we’ve got to do it smart,” said Flickinger. “And hopefully this project will mitigate problems for a lot of people. We’re really looking forward to getting it done.”
At this point, weather permitting, “getting it done,” should take another 18 months.
Financing the Improvements
Ramsey then reminded everyone that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development/GLO are bearing $41.9 million of the project’s cost.
Aaron Harris from the GLO spoke on behalf of Commissioner Dawn Buckingham. Harris has relatives and friends in Kingwood, so this was personal for him. He said that the GLO is administering $14 billion of HUD funds in Texas targeted at Harvey flood mitigation and disaster relief “to build safer, more resilient communities.”
Cameron Chottiner, standing in for Congressman Dan Crenshaw, reminded people how Crenshaw made disaster relief and flood mitigation one of his top priorities. Crenshaw helped secure more than $100 million in direct federal appropriations for 30 flood-mitigation projects, such as Kingwood Diversion Ditch improvements, Taylor Gully and Ford Road Expansion.
“While our region is far better prepared today thanks to additional detention capacity and ongoing drainage improvements,” said Chottiner, “we cannot lose sight of the fact that flood risks remain real.”
“Federal funding has played an important role,” he continued, “but none of these accomplishments would be made without the strong partnerships among Harris County, the Harris County Flood Control District, City of Houston, community leaders and engaged residents. So this has truly been a team effort.”
“Let’s Go Throw a Little Dirt”
Ramsey concluded the ceremony with a reminder that Harris County still has about $3 billion worth of flood mitigation projects to build that are currently on the books. “So, let’s go throw a little dirt,” he concluded.
And with that, they all picked up ceremonial shovels for the assembled members of the press corps.
Project Details
The first poster below shows the location of project elements. Note that the red detention basin is not being built as part of the present project.
The next poster shows the benefits. “Interim” refers to the work now in construction. “Ultimate” refers to the benefits if/when Compartment 2 (shown in the poster above) is funded and built.
In general, the addition of the second compartment reduces water surface elevations by another 1-2 feet. The percentages refer to floods with an X% annual chance of occurrence. For instance, a “10-year” flood, actually has a 10% chance of occurring every year. Likewise, a “100-year” flood has a 1% chance of occurring every year.
All in all, this project will make life safer for the hundreds of families that flooded after the developer clearcut Woodridge and sloped the land toward Taylor Gully.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/20/2026
3247 Days since Hurricane Harvey