5/1/2026 – According to FEMA, its BRIC program has been infused with $1 billion to help mitigate the impact of future disasters. The agency also immediately provided previously cancelled funds to states.
BRIC stands for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities. The program aims to reduce the cost of future disasters by awarding grants that help prevent damage.
According to the American Flood Coalition (AFC), “The BRIC announcement came one day after former Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin was sworn in as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Since assuming this role, Secretary Mullin has eliminated a DHS policy requiring secretarial approval for payments over $100,000.”
BRIC is BACK
After the year-long pause, FEMA has introduced several programmatic changes, including a heightened focus on infrastructure, construction-ready projects, the adoption of up-to-date building codes, and a new scoring rubric.
Key changes include:
Smaller awards. While total funding has increased by $250 million to $1 billion, individual projects are capped at $20 million, allowing funding to reach more communities. No single applicant (e.g., state) may receive more than 15% of total available funding.
Construction-ready infrastructure is the priority. This cycle favors projects ready to break ground, especially traditional infrastructure projects protecting transportation, utilities, water systems, communications, and public buildings, with clear design progress and risk reduction benefits. Phased projects are not permitted in this funding cycle.
Streamlined scoring rubric. Applications are scored across six criteria (100 points total), with construction readiness (30 points), building codes (20), and risk reduction (20) weighted most heavily. New applicants receive a 15-point bonus; small, impoverished communities receive 5 points.
Applications
The application period opened on March 25, 2026. The deadline to submit applications is July 23, 2026.
Eligible applicants include states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and federally recognized Tribal Nations. Eligible subapplicants include local governments, communities, special districts and Tribal Nations applying through a state or territory.
Reportedly, one of the key objectives is to move money faster. FEMA intends to do this by eliminating phased projects, simplifying the National Competition scoring system and removing sub-application scoring by the National Review Panel.
However, the government shutdown affected all but essential workers at FEMA for months. At this hour, it’s not clear how the shutdown will affect the applications and deadlines. Just yesterday, Congress passed a bill that would restore FEMA funding through September.
According to a spokesperson for Representative Dan Crenshaw, the BRIC deadline would likely be extended if necessary because of staffing issues during the shutdown.
4/30/26 – The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District (HGSD) has published a presentation that summarizes the major findings of its 2025 Annual Groundwater Report. HGSD also heard public comments on the report this morning, which the HGSD Board will review on May 13 before the report becomes final.
The major finding: serious subsidence continues in a band that stretches across southern Montgomery County into northwest Harris County out to Katy. See red area below.
Page 40 from HGSD 2025 Groundwater presentation.
A monitoring station in Katy measured a total of 35 cm of subsidence since 2007 with an average rate between 2021-2025 of 2.64 cm/yr. Thirty-five centimeters is 13.77 inches. 2.64 centimeters equals 1.03 inches.
What Causes Subsidence and What it Affects
Groundwater withdrawals lead to compaction of soils which, in turn, leads to subsidence or a sinking of the land surface.
Subsidence is critical near the coast. A whole subdivision in Baytown sank below the waves. But even in inland areas, differential subsidence can create bowls in the landscape that make structures more susceptible to flooding.
In places the cumulative rate of subsidence has been enough to erase the safety margins between foundations and floodplains.
Subsidence also causes cracks in pipelines, storm drains, roads, driveways, and foundations that can lead to expensive repairs. Problems are especially severe near fault lines because subsidence can activate fault movement.
History of HGSD and Subsidence in Houston Region
The Texas Legislature created HGSD 50 years ago to regulate groundwater withdrawals and slow subsidence. HGSD divided the region up into three regulatory areas, based on need at the time. The area with the lowest need then has the highest need now, because it took longer for regulations to kick in.
The regulations create incentives for people to reduce usage of groundwater.
Since 1988, groundwater-level altitudes in wells are down 200 to 300+ feet in portions of southern Montgomery County and west-central Harris County.
This year’s annual report covers four main areas. Discussions of a) climate, b) water use and c) groundwater levels. Those three factors result in d) subsidence. Next, let’s briefly look at the three contributing factors.
Climate
Drought spread throughout the region last year and accelerated in the second half. The tan areas in the graph below show the rainfall deficit versus the average from 1991 to 2020. Each monitoring station showed significant deficits.
Page 7 of 2025 Annual Report Presentation
Less rain means more irrigation of lawns and crops. And much of that supplementary water comes from the ground.
Groundwater Use
The discussion of groundwater withdrawals starts with the three different regulatory areas.
Page 12 of presentation. Note the different requirements for Area 3.
The next two pages show dramatic declines of groundwater usage in Areas 1 and 2. However, it’s a different story in Area 3 which also has the greatest subsidence. Groundwater usage is down slightly in the last 25 years, but still hovering near the 50-year average.
Page 13 of presentation
When you add up groundwater usage from all three areas, you can clearly see two things:
Overall decline in usage
Region 3 represents 83% of the total
Page 14. Note how Region 3 comprised roughly a third of groundwater usage in 1976.
As we reduce groundwater consumption, we’re relying more on alternative water sources, such as surface water from the three major rivers that feed our region. Increasingly, we rely on water from the Trinity River and Lake Livingston.
Page 17
So how does all that actually translate into water-level declines? HGSD has observed declines in wells throughout the region. Those wells are drilled into three aquifers that supply us: the Jasper, Chicot and Evangeline. The last two are undifferentiated and effectively form one unit for research purposes.
In the next two charts, note howareas with the greatest water-level declines have experienced the most subsidence.
Page 27 focuses on declines in the Chicot/Evangeline aquifers.Page 28 focuses on declines in the Jasper aquifer.
The full 40-page presentation contains much more detail. For instance, it describes water level declines at individual wells. The presentation also reviews data from multiple sources/technologies as a cross-check for consistency and reliability.
Next Steps
HGSD has not yet published its full 2025 Annual Groundwater report. This presentation was intended to give the public a chance to comment on a preview this morning. HGSD’s board will consider a resolution to approve the report at its regularly scheduled meeting on the third Wednesday in May.
Upon approval, HGSD will publish the report, all supporting documents and an updated interactive subsidence map on its website.
4/29/26 – The National Weather Service’s Houston/Galveston Office has issued severe weather outlooks and excessive rainfall forecasts for Wednesday night 4/29/26 and Friday 5/1/2026. Thursday 4/30 2026 also has a chance of flash flooding.
Here’s a breakdown of what to expect when.
Scattered Thunderstorms, Some Possibly Severe This Evening
According to Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner, “A period of active weather will begin today over the region and linger into late Friday. A frontal boundary is currently approaching SE TX from the north. Ahead of this boundary a moist and unstable air mass is in place. With daytime heating, instability will increase through the day.”
“Thunderstorms that develop will have the potential to become severe. Large hail appears to be the primary threat although damaging winds are possible also,” says Lindner. He also says that tornados are possible. “The main threat for severe weather will be generally north of I-10 in the evening hours. Storms will gradually weaken toward the southeast into the mid to late evening.”
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a level 2 out of 5 severe threat for this afternoon and evening generally north of I-10 and level 1 out of 5 south of I-10. See below.
Although NWS believes the chances of rainfall for the Lake Houston Area are about 30% this evening, rainfall accumulations could be excessive in areas that receive rain – from 1″ to 3″ per hour.
Frontal Boundary Expected to Stall on Thursday
Lindner says, “The frontal boundary will stall between the coast and I-10 with active southwest flow aloft bringing disturbances across the area on Thursday.”
Daytime heating will once again bring scattered showers and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and evening, especially north of I-10. The severe threat is lower on Thursday with much of the region in the “slightly cooler and more stable air.” However, there will be the potential for additional heavy rainfall. Much of the northwest half of the area is outlooked in a Level 1 out of 4 threat for flash flooding.
100% Chance of Heavy Rain on Friday
NWS forecasts a 100% chance of rain for Friday in the Lake Houston Area. Expect widespread showers and thunderstorms. A strong upper level storm system will progress eastward over Texas. Additionally, a strong cold front will arrive from the north during the day.
Lindner predicts “… heavy rainfall with potentially training thunderstorms along slow moving boundaries within a very moist air mass.”
The NWS Weather Prediction Center has already issued a Level 2 out 4 flash flood threat. With grounds becoming primed over the next 24-48 hours, additional heavy rainfall on Friday could yield more significant run-off.
Much of the severe weather threat will depend on where a surface low forms. For now, the NWS Storm Prediction Center sees Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms – generally south of I-10.
A strong cold front will sweep across the region Friday afternoon and evening with falling temperatures. Compared to the recent warm temps, lows will fall into the 50’s and even 40’s over the weekend. Highs should reach the 60’s and 70’s with much lower humidity and gusty north winds.
Gale Conditions Possible Along Coast on Saturday
Strong northerly winds may result in gale conditions for portions of the coastal waters on Saturday.
It’s Getting to Be That Time of Year
May is usually the third wettest month of the year in Houston. And here comes the rain. Right on time. Looking back to 1991, only June and October have averaged more rainfall.
In that regard, let’s not forget the May storms we had in 2024. They were followed quickly by the derecho later that month. That was definitely a month for the scrapbooks!
Hurricane Season Around the Corner
Hurricane season starts June 1 – just a month away. It’s time to finish those roof repairs, clean out the gutters, trim those dead limbs off the tree in your yard, and stock up on supplies.
And don’t forget to bookmark these sites:
The National Hurricane Center has daily updates on hurricane activity and a wide variety of educational materials for people new to the area and students.
FEMA Restores BRIC Funding
5/1/2026 – According to FEMA, its BRIC program has been infused with $1 billion to help mitigate the impact of future disasters. The agency also immediately provided previously cancelled funds to states.
BRIC stands for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities. The program aims to reduce the cost of future disasters by awarding grants that help prevent damage.
FEMA studies show that every dollar spent on prevention avoids six dollars in future damage costs. However, FEMA had announced the termination of BRIC grants in 2025.
According to the American Flood Coalition (AFC), “The BRIC announcement came one day after former Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin was sworn in as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Since assuming this role, Secretary Mullin has eliminated a DHS policy requiring secretarial approval for payments over $100,000.”
BRIC is BACK
After the year-long pause, FEMA has introduced several programmatic changes, including a heightened focus on infrastructure, construction-ready projects, the adoption of up-to-date building codes, and a new scoring rubric.
Key changes include:
Applications
The application period opened on March 25, 2026. The deadline to submit applications is July 23, 2026.
Eligible applicants include states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and federally recognized Tribal Nations. Eligible subapplicants include local governments, communities, special districts and Tribal Nations applying through a state or territory.
Interested applicants and sub-applicants may review the Notice of Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. For more information on the BRIC program, applicants should contact their FEMA Regional Office or visit www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/learn/building-resilient-infrastructure-communities.
Moving Money Faster, But…
Reportedly, one of the key objectives is to move money faster. FEMA intends to do this by eliminating phased projects, simplifying the National Competition scoring system and removing sub-application scoring by the National Review Panel.
However, the government shutdown affected all but essential workers at FEMA for months. At this hour, it’s not clear how the shutdown will affect the applications and deadlines. Just yesterday, Congress passed a bill that would restore FEMA funding through September.
According to a spokesperson for Representative Dan Crenshaw, the BRIC deadline would likely be extended if necessary because of staffing issues during the shutdown.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/1/26
3167 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Subsidence Update: HGSD 2025 Groundwater Report
4/30/26 – The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District (HGSD) has published a presentation that summarizes the major findings of its 2025 Annual Groundwater Report. HGSD also heard public comments on the report this morning, which the HGSD Board will review on May 13 before the report becomes final.
The major finding: serious subsidence continues in a band that stretches across southern Montgomery County into northwest Harris County out to Katy. See red area below.
A monitoring station in Katy measured a total of 35 cm of subsidence since 2007 with an average rate between 2021-2025 of 2.64 cm/yr. Thirty-five centimeters is 13.77 inches. 2.64 centimeters equals 1.03 inches.
What Causes Subsidence and What it Affects
Groundwater withdrawals lead to compaction of soils which, in turn, leads to subsidence or a sinking of the land surface.
Subsidence is critical near the coast. A whole subdivision in Baytown sank below the waves. But even in inland areas, differential subsidence can create bowls in the landscape that make structures more susceptible to flooding.
In places the cumulative rate of subsidence has been enough to erase the safety margins between foundations and floodplains.
Subsidence also causes cracks in pipelines, storm drains, roads, driveways, and foundations that can lead to expensive repairs. Problems are especially severe near fault lines because subsidence can activate fault movement.
History of HGSD and Subsidence in Houston Region
The Texas Legislature created HGSD 50 years ago to regulate groundwater withdrawals and slow subsidence. HGSD divided the region up into three regulatory areas, based on need at the time. The area with the lowest need then has the highest need now, because it took longer for regulations to kick in.
The regulations create incentives for people to reduce usage of groundwater.
Since 1988, groundwater-level altitudes in wells are down 200 to 300+ feet in portions of southern Montgomery County and west-central Harris County.
This year’s annual report covers four main areas. Discussions of a) climate, b) water use and c) groundwater levels. Those three factors result in d) subsidence. Next, let’s briefly look at the three contributing factors.
Climate
Drought spread throughout the region last year and accelerated in the second half. The tan areas in the graph below show the rainfall deficit versus the average from 1991 to 2020. Each monitoring station showed significant deficits.
Less rain means more irrigation of lawns and crops. And much of that supplementary water comes from the ground.
Groundwater Use
The discussion of groundwater withdrawals starts with the three different regulatory areas.
The next two pages show dramatic declines of groundwater usage in Areas 1 and 2. However, it’s a different story in Area 3 which also has the greatest subsidence. Groundwater usage is down slightly in the last 25 years, but still hovering near the 50-year average.
When you add up groundwater usage from all three areas, you can clearly see two things:
As we reduce groundwater consumption, we’re relying more on alternative water sources, such as surface water from the three major rivers that feed our region. Increasingly, we rely on water from the Trinity River and Lake Livingston.
So how does all that actually translate into water-level declines? HGSD has observed declines in wells throughout the region. Those wells are drilled into three aquifers that supply us: the Jasper, Chicot and Evangeline. The last two are undifferentiated and effectively form one unit for research purposes.
In the next two charts, note how areas with the greatest water-level declines have experienced the most subsidence.
The full 40-page presentation contains much more detail. For instance, it describes water level declines at individual wells. The presentation also reviews data from multiple sources/technologies as a cross-check for consistency and reliability.
Next Steps
HGSD has not yet published its full 2025 Annual Groundwater report. This presentation was intended to give the public a chance to comment on a preview this morning. HGSD’s board will consider a resolution to approve the report at its regularly scheduled meeting on the third Wednesday in May.
Upon approval, HGSD will publish the report, all supporting documents and an updated interactive subsidence map on its website.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/30/26
3166 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Severe Weather Threats This Week
4/29/26 – The National Weather Service’s Houston/Galveston Office has issued severe weather outlooks and excessive rainfall forecasts for Wednesday night 4/29/26 and Friday 5/1/2026. Thursday 4/30 2026 also has a chance of flash flooding.
Here’s a breakdown of what to expect when.
Scattered Thunderstorms, Some Possibly Severe This Evening
According to Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner, “A period of active weather will begin today over the region and linger into late Friday. A frontal boundary is currently approaching SE TX from the north. Ahead of this boundary a moist and unstable air mass is in place. With daytime heating, instability will increase through the day.”
“Thunderstorms that develop will have the potential to become severe. Large hail appears to be the primary threat although damaging winds are possible also,” says Lindner. He also says that tornados are possible. “The main threat for severe weather will be generally north of I-10 in the evening hours. Storms will gradually weaken toward the southeast into the mid to late evening.”
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a level 2 out of 5 severe threat for this afternoon and evening generally north of I-10 and level 1 out of 5 south of I-10. See below.
Although NWS believes the chances of rainfall for the Lake Houston Area are about 30% this evening, rainfall accumulations could be excessive in areas that receive rain – from 1″ to 3″ per hour.
Frontal Boundary Expected to Stall on Thursday
Lindner says, “The frontal boundary will stall between the coast and I-10 with active southwest flow aloft bringing disturbances across the area on Thursday.”
Daytime heating will once again bring scattered showers and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and evening, especially north of I-10. The severe threat is lower on Thursday with much of the region in the “slightly cooler and more stable air.” However, there will be the potential for additional heavy rainfall. Much of the northwest half of the area is outlooked in a Level 1 out of 4 threat for flash flooding.
100% Chance of Heavy Rain on Friday
NWS forecasts a 100% chance of rain for Friday in the Lake Houston Area. Expect widespread showers and thunderstorms. A strong upper level storm system will progress eastward over Texas. Additionally, a strong cold front will arrive from the north during the day.
Lindner predicts “… heavy rainfall with potentially training thunderstorms along slow moving boundaries within a very moist air mass.”
The NWS Weather Prediction Center has already issued a Level 2 out 4 flash flood threat. With grounds becoming primed over the next 24-48 hours, additional heavy rainfall on Friday could yield more significant run-off.
Much of the severe weather threat will depend on where a surface low forms. For now, the NWS Storm Prediction Center sees Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms – generally south of I-10.
A strong cold front will sweep across the region Friday afternoon and evening with falling temperatures. Compared to the recent warm temps, lows will fall into the 50’s and even 40’s over the weekend. Highs should reach the 60’s and 70’s with much lower humidity and gusty north winds.
Gale Conditions Possible Along Coast on Saturday
Strong northerly winds may result in gale conditions for portions of the coastal waters on Saturday.
It’s Getting to Be That Time of Year
May is usually the third wettest month of the year in Houston. And here comes the rain. Right on time. Looking back to 1991, only June and October have averaged more rainfall.
In that regard, let’s not forget the May storms we had in 2024. They were followed quickly by the derecho later that month. That was definitely a month for the scrapbooks!
Hurricane Season Around the Corner
Hurricane season starts June 1 – just a month away. It’s time to finish those roof repairs, clean out the gutters, trim those dead limbs off the tree in your yard, and stock up on supplies.
And don’t forget to bookmark these sites:
The links page of this website also offers links to dozens of other helpful websites. Before hurricane season starts, make sure to check out these preparedness guides.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/29/26
3165 Days since Hurricane Harvey