The project to install more flood gates on the Lake Houston Dam has resulted in more nail-biting than a Steven Spielberg movie. Perhaps no project inspired more hope among flood-weary home- and business owners in the San Jacinto watershed. Importance is high, but the costs turned out far higher than expected and dollars proved hard to come by.
This morning, however, Dr. Greg Bonnen, chair of the House Appropriations Committee filed a rider to this year’s appropriations bill that will likely get the job done. The rider contains two provisions that affect funding for the gates.
Sec. 17.38 (a)(1) on page IX-22 contains $50 million for improvements to the Lake Houston Dam.
Sec. 17.38 (b)(1)(2)(3) on page IX-23 contains a provision that lets unexpended balances from previous grants be redeployed, so they can be spent on EITHER gates, a sediment capture pilot project, or sediment removal.
Lake Houston has four small floodgates only capable of releasing 1/15 the rate of Lake Conroe’s gates. New gates would go in the earthen embankment to the right of the old gates and spillway.
Funding Now Close to Expected Costs
According to Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin, Black & Veatch Engineering estimates the cost of an 11-gate structure to be between $125 and $225 million.
Balancing that on the income side of the ledger are:
The remaining Federal funds of the $50 million provided by FEMA early on for engineering, environmental surveys, permits and construction. So far the City has reportedly spent about $5 million on upfront work.
That puts available funding somewhere north of $170 million. Martin says that should be enough to lock in the original FEMA funding and get the project started.
Redeployment of Funds Important
Congressman Crenshaw’s office emphasized that even though some FEMA money will be redeployed from dredging the mouth bar, additional FEMA funds from another FEMA grant will let dredging around the lake continue.
Re: 17.38 (b) above (that second bucket of $50 million in funding from the state) Martin points out that it includes two other important projects: dredging and the sediment trap pilot study. However:
The pilot study should not be very expensive and has no firm deadline.
Congressman Dan Crenshaw has helped secure additional funding for dredging from a second FEMA grant.
Finally, Martin points out that Black & Veatch is examining options to scale back the number of gates in case construction costs exceed funding if something falls through.
Enough Funding Committed to Move Forward with Confidence
Lake Houston Area residents placed thousands of calls to save the project. Two days later, funding was placed in Bonnen’s rider. Martin thanks “ALL who placed phone calls, sent text messages and emailed state officials in support of our gates project.”
Thank you’s also go to all those who played key roles in this up-against-the-center-field wall catch:
State Senator Brandon Creighton
State Representative Charles Cunningham
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick
State Representative Armando Walle
State Senator Joan Huffman
House Speaker Dade Phelan
House Appropriations Chairman Greg Bonnen
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner
US Representative Dan Crenshaw and Kaaren Cambio, his District Director
Several others deserve special thanks:
Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin worked the phones relentlessly and made countless trips to Austin to raise awareness of the project and coordinate the area’s efforts.
City of Houston Chief Recovery Officer Stephen Costello convinced FEMA to include social benefits in the cost/benefit ratio (CBR). That raised the CBR to 3.5, making it the highest-rated project in the State of Texas.
City of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who called in some favors among Austin influentials to make the project happen.
Former State Representative Dan Huberty and Ben Melson, a CoH lobbyist, lobbied extensively over the last few months, working with Martin, Costello and Bill Kelly, the City’s Director of Government Affairs.
Reason More Gates Needed
Additional gates will let the City lower lake water faster as large storms approach, thus reducing flood peaks both upstream and down. That will, in turn, reduce flood risk for thousands of homeowners and businesses, not to mention all the schools that flooded.
But lowering the lake level carries some risk. If it takes too long to lower the lake, storms can veer away before they arrive, wasting water. Narrowing the window between release and the storm’s arrival, raises certainty that the storm will refill the lake.
More gates will also help balance releases from Lake Conroe with those from Lake Houston.
Next Steps
It ain’t over till it’s over. But even though only days are left in this session, Chairman Bonnen’s office said, “The legislature has never failed to pass an appropriations bill.”
More news as the project evolves.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/25/2023
2095 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/20200911-RJR_1524.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2023-05-25 16:54:592023-05-25 19:50:59Last-Minute Funding Breathes New Life into Lake Houston Gates Project
Of all the things Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo could have picked on in Austin this year, she chose to get hysterical over a bill that would return the control of Harris County elections to … ta da … two elected African-American Democrats!
Hidalgo is complaining bitterly about SB 1750, a bill passed by both the House and the Senate – now on its way to the Governor’s desk and likening it to a “murder plot.”
In addition to SB 1750, Hidalgo also complains about:
SB 1933, a bill that would give the state the right to investigate election administration problems.
SB 1039, a bill designed to guarantee explanations for election irregularities – without concerned citizens having to challenge the entire election.
SB 1993, a bill allowing new elections if enough polling places run out of ballots long enough. (However, it has no chance of passing in this session.)
I won’t try to discuss every statement made in Hidalgo’s rambling rants. You can watch the videos and form your own opinions. I will, however, point out some of Hidalgo’s more exaggerated claims.
County Judge Lina Hidalgo accusing Legislature and Governor of plot to murder 5 million people
Hidalgo Likens System that Elected Her to Murder
SB 1750 would take the next election out of the hands of an administrator appointed by Judge Hidalgo, Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Commissioner Adrian Garcia. It would restore the previous system run by the County Clerk and Tax Assessor-Collector. By the way, that’s the same system that elected Hidalgo over the previous County Judge, Ed Emmett.
Yet Hidalgo says she “can’t think of something more anti-democratic” than putting elections in the hands of elected officials rather than someone appointed by her.
She also claims Austin is “declaring war on Harris County.” And that legislators and the governor are engaged in a “murder plot” against every resident of Harris County. Yep, all 5 million of them.
As if that’s not enough…
Hidalgo calls the attempted murder of 5 million people “not normal.”
Then the master of understatement accuses the Legislature and Governor of “Orwellian double-speak” and “attacking democratic ideals.”
She blasts election audits, claims they are an abuse of the system, subvert her authority, and disenfranchise millions of voters “whose voices will be silenced.” After they destroy Harris County’s economy.
“They’re coming after us,” she says. She doesn’t specify whether “they” includes people with gavels or straight jackets.
Excuse me, Judge. But how is returning local elections to locally elected Democrats attacking democratic ideals? Who’s guilty of the Orwellian double speak?
Oh wait! You didn’t personally appoint the elected Democrats! The People did. Is that why it’s “anti-democratic?”
Hidalgo’s Selective Perception
Hidalgo still hasn’t complied with lawful Texas Public Information Act requests relating to the last election by turning over the emails concerning voting problems and voting machine maintenance records.
But Hidalgo did double down on the “murder plot” accusation. She went on to say the Legislature’s common sense measures were tantamount to “a murder-suicide pact” that would take down Texas and every other state.
Of course, maybe we should cut her some slack. After all, Hidalgo is under pressure. She also informed us that she expects the County’s District Attorney, Kim Ogg (another Democrat), to hand down a criminal indictment against her soon in the $11 million Elevate Strategies scandal. An entire grand jury deliberated that issue for five and a half months. But that might have been a Democrat plot by a Republican Governor, too.
Hidalgo’s Other Gripes
Hidalgo claims SB 1750, SB 1933 and SB 1093 amount to “election suppression,” a “takeover” by the state, and “a power grab.” She also says that she’s appealing to the Federal government for help.
Judging by Hidalgo’s hysteria, she seems to equate these bills with genocide and the end of Western civilization. She also seems to believe that her power should remain absolute and beyond question.
That might explain why her administration has a problem retaining people. If Cliff Tatum, the election administrator, leaves as a result of SB 1750, that will mean 24 departments in Harris County have had at least 48 heads under Judge Hidalgo in a little more than four years. And many of the current heads have “interim” in their titles.
I have to compliment Judge Hidalgo on one thing, though. She has more imagination than Shakespeare, Orwell, and Machiavelli put together. I’m sure she would have inspired them to new heights.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/24/2023
2094 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/2023/05/20230524-Screenshot-2023-05-24-at-5.32.55-PM.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=17971200adminadmin2023-05-24 19:52:072023-05-25 08:12:12Hidalgo Accuses Legislature, Governor of “Murder Plot” against 5 Million Harris County Residents
There’s been a lot of water under the I-69 bridge since Harris County acquired the old privately owned Edgewater Park on the San Jacinto West Fork almost five years ago.
The county intended to start construction of a new bigger, better, public park with more amenities in 2019. The idea: turn floodway and floodplain land into an asset that would improve the community without exacerbating flooding.
Reportedly, however, pushback from Forest Cove residents over rerouting parts of Hamblen Road delayed the project. Then the City of Houston pushed back, too, on permitting for some buildings. Then came redistricting wars, budget battles, and a public-input session to determine what the community wants in Edgewater Park. Let’s first look at some pictures of the park and then review the new features.
Pictures Taken 5/23/23
I took the pictures below today. Edgewater Park will cover most of the land you see in the picture below between the river and that concrete patch in the upper middle (Laurel Springs RV Resort).
Looking NNE across San Jacinto West Fork toward Precinct 3 Edgewater Park.Looking NW. Hamblen Road cuts diagonally left to right through center of frame. Laurel Springs Lane cuts north (on right).Looking East downstream. West Fork Greenway will cut under bridge in the upper right.Looking east from approximately Hamblen and Laurel Springs Lane. West Fork Greenway will snake through this area on its way to 59 bridge.Looking SE. West Fork Greenway will ramp up to old truss bridge to take hikers and bikers across river.Note how far south the river has shifted. Those double trusses used to be centered over the river.Looking West. West Fork Greenway will connect with Spring Creek Greenway that snakes through the Forest on the West Side of US59. The Spring Creek Greenway will take people most of the way to the Woodlands with a couple small breaks.Winter photo showing oneof the beautiful cypress ponds north of Hamblen Road.Original (now outdated) plans for Edgewater Park at Hamblen Road and Loop 494
Elements of Plan B
Construction still hasn’t started and the County is rethinking its plans for the park. In the May 16 Commissioner Court meeting, commissioners approved Item 42 – funding to study Edgewater Park.
Eric Heppen, Precinct 3 Engineer says, “the study phase is just getting underway so there aren’t any bid specs at this time. But right now, we are looking at park components and materials that are more resilient and doing park improvements south of Hamblen Road only.”
Heppen adds, “In addition to a boat launch and parking lots there will be a small and large dog park, a playground, as well as both paved and unpaved trails. We are trying to build a park that will assist in serving the greater Kingwood area.”
“In addition we have been coordinating with he Houston Parks Board and connecting the Spring Creek Greenway into their trail network to enhance the overall trail system.”
“Our designer Quiddity has a landscape architect on its team. The architect has been tasked with adding plants that are native and will grow naturally to assist with natural mitigation efforts,” concluded Heppen.
Dog Park Fencing
The City of Houston requires dog parks to have fencing and Edgewater Park is in the City. Those who remember how logs collected in the railroad bridge supports next to the park during Harvey may remember how they contributed to catastrophic flooding.
Fencing can also collect debris swept downstream during floods. To prevent the fences from forming debris walls that make flooding worse, the City recommends a breakaway design. They attach the bottom of the chain-link fencing to steel poles with a steel ring. But they attach the top of the fencing to poles with plastic zip ties that break when pressure increases enough. That lets the fence flop down on the ground without being carried downstream.
You can see this ingenious system at the County’s Pundt Park along Spring Creek or in Buffalo Bayou Park downtown.
Types of Boats for Launch
Because dredging by the Army Corps stopped downstream of Edgewater Park, it will be difficult to launch larger boats with prop engines at Edgewater.
However, according to Heppen canoes and kayaks remain a possibility.
San Jacinto Greenway Link to Spring Creek Greenway
The Houston Parks Board is working with Harris County Precinct 3 to develop the West Fork Greenway and connect it to the Spring Creek Greenway. The map below shows the trail it will take from Woodland Hills Drive to the freeway.
Current extent. Trail will eventually continue west and cross over I-69/US59 via route shown in photos and first map above.
More on Edgewater as plans firm up. To see the master plan for Harris County Precinct 3 Parks, click here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/23/2023
2093 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/20230523-DJI_0893.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2023-05-23 15:55:282023-05-24 09:54:48Harris County Precinct 3 Rethinking Edgewater Park
Last-Minute Funding Breathes New Life into Lake Houston Gates Project
The project to install more flood gates on the Lake Houston Dam has resulted in more nail-biting than a Steven Spielberg movie. Perhaps no project inspired more hope among flood-weary home- and business owners in the San Jacinto watershed. Importance is high, but the costs turned out far higher than expected and dollars proved hard to come by.
This morning, however, Dr. Greg Bonnen, chair of the House Appropriations Committee filed a rider to this year’s appropriations bill that will likely get the job done. The rider contains two provisions that affect funding for the gates.
Funding Now Close to Expected Costs
According to Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin, Black & Veatch Engineering estimates the cost of an 11-gate structure to be between $125 and $225 million.
Balancing that on the income side of the ledger are:
That puts available funding somewhere north of $170 million. Martin says that should be enough to lock in the original FEMA funding and get the project started.
Redeployment of Funds Important
Congressman Crenshaw’s office emphasized that even though some FEMA money will be redeployed from dredging the mouth bar, additional FEMA funds from another FEMA grant will let dredging around the lake continue.
Re: 17.38 (b) above (that second bucket of $50 million in funding from the state) Martin points out that it includes two other important projects: dredging and the sediment trap pilot study. However:
Finally, Martin points out that Black & Veatch is examining options to scale back the number of gates in case construction costs exceed funding if something falls through.
Enough Funding Committed to Move Forward with Confidence
While some uncertainty remains, Martin says the key point is that enough money has now been committed to move forward with confidence. This is a huge improvement over where the project stood just 8 days ago when concerned residents launched a call-in campaign to influential senators and representatives.
Lake Houston Area residents placed thousands of calls to save the project. Two days later, funding was placed in Bonnen’s rider. Martin thanks “ALL who placed phone calls, sent text messages and emailed state officials in support of our gates project.”
Thank you’s also go to all those who played key roles in this up-against-the-center-field wall catch:
Several others deserve special thanks:
Reason More Gates Needed
Additional gates will let the City lower lake water faster as large storms approach, thus reducing flood peaks both upstream and down. That will, in turn, reduce flood risk for thousands of homeowners and businesses, not to mention all the schools that flooded.
But lowering the lake level carries some risk. If it takes too long to lower the lake, storms can veer away before they arrive, wasting water. Narrowing the window between release and the storm’s arrival, raises certainty that the storm will refill the lake.
More gates will also help balance releases from Lake Conroe with those from Lake Houston.
Next Steps
It ain’t over till it’s over. But even though only days are left in this session, Chairman Bonnen’s office said, “The legislature has never failed to pass an appropriations bill.”
More news as the project evolves.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/25/2023
2095 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Hidalgo Accuses Legislature, Governor of “Murder Plot” against 5 Million Harris County Residents
Of all the things Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo could have picked on in Austin this year, she chose to get hysterical over a bill that would return the control of Harris County elections to … ta da … two elected African-American Democrats!
Hidalgo is complaining bitterly about SB 1750, a bill passed by both the House and the Senate – now on its way to the Governor’s desk and likening it to a “murder plot.”
She made her comments in this 7 minute and 40 second YouTube Video. And she embellishes them in this second video lasting more than 17 minutes.
Investigative reporter Wayne Dolcefino produced his own video based on Hidalgo’s comments.
In addition to SB 1750, Hidalgo also complains about:
I won’t try to discuss every statement made in Hidalgo’s rambling rants. You can watch the videos and form your own opinions. I will, however, point out some of Hidalgo’s more exaggerated claims.
Hidalgo Likens System that Elected Her to Murder
SB 1750 would take the next election out of the hands of an administrator appointed by Judge Hidalgo, Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Commissioner Adrian Garcia. It would restore the previous system run by the County Clerk and Tax Assessor-Collector. By the way, that’s the same system that elected Hidalgo over the previous County Judge, Ed Emmett.
Yet Hidalgo says she “can’t think of something more anti-democratic” than putting elections in the hands of elected officials rather than someone appointed by her.
She also claims Austin is “declaring war on Harris County.” And that legislators and the governor are engaged in a “murder plot” against every resident of Harris County. Yep, all 5 million of them.
As if that’s not enough…
Then the master of understatement accuses the Legislature and Governor of “Orwellian double-speak” and “attacking democratic ideals.”
She blasts election audits, claims they are an abuse of the system, subvert her authority, and disenfranchise millions of voters “whose voices will be silenced.” After they destroy Harris County’s economy.
“They’re coming after us,” she says. She doesn’t specify whether “they” includes people with gavels or straight jackets.
Excuse me, Judge. But how is returning local elections to locally elected Democrats attacking democratic ideals? Who’s guilty of the Orwellian double speak?
Oh wait! You didn’t personally appoint the elected Democrats! The People did. Is that why it’s “anti-democratic?”
Hidalgo’s Selective Perception
Hidalgo still hasn’t complied with lawful Texas Public Information Act requests relating to the last election by turning over the emails concerning voting problems and voting machine maintenance records.
Nor in her rants did she remind people how her previous election administrator lost 10,000 votes.
But Hidalgo did double down on the “murder plot” accusation. She went on to say the Legislature’s common sense measures were tantamount to “a murder-suicide pact” that would take down Texas and every other state.
Of course, maybe we should cut her some slack. After all, Hidalgo is under pressure. She also informed us that she expects the County’s District Attorney, Kim Ogg (another Democrat), to hand down a criminal indictment against her soon in the $11 million Elevate Strategies scandal. An entire grand jury deliberated that issue for five and a half months. But that might have been a Democrat plot by a Republican Governor, too.
Hidalgo’s Other Gripes
Hidalgo claims SB 1750, SB 1933 and SB 1093 amount to “election suppression,” a “takeover” by the state, and “a power grab.” She also says that she’s appealing to the Federal government for help.
Judging by Hidalgo’s hysteria, she seems to equate these bills with genocide and the end of Western civilization. She also seems to believe that her power should remain absolute and beyond question.
That might explain why her administration has a problem retaining people. If Cliff Tatum, the election administrator, leaves as a result of SB 1750, that will mean 24 departments in Harris County have had at least 48 heads under Judge Hidalgo in a little more than four years. And many of the current heads have “interim” in their titles.
I have to compliment Judge Hidalgo on one thing, though. She has more imagination than Shakespeare, Orwell, and Machiavelli put together. I’m sure she would have inspired them to new heights.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/24/2023
2094 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.
Harris County Precinct 3 Rethinking Edgewater Park
There’s been a lot of water under the I-69 bridge since Harris County acquired the old privately owned Edgewater Park on the San Jacinto West Fork almost five years ago.
The county intended to start construction of a new bigger, better, public park with more amenities in 2019. The idea: turn floodway and floodplain land into an asset that would improve the community without exacerbating flooding.
Reportedly, however, pushback from Forest Cove residents over rerouting parts of Hamblen Road delayed the project. Then the City of Houston pushed back, too, on permitting for some buildings. Then came redistricting wars, budget battles, and a public-input session to determine what the community wants in Edgewater Park. Let’s first look at some pictures of the park and then review the new features.
Pictures Taken 5/23/23
I took the pictures below today. Edgewater Park will cover most of the land you see in the picture below between the river and that concrete patch in the upper middle (Laurel Springs RV Resort).
Elements of Plan B
Construction still hasn’t started and the County is rethinking its plans for the park. In the May 16 Commissioner Court meeting, commissioners approved Item 42 – funding to study Edgewater Park.
Eric Heppen, Precinct 3 Engineer says, “the study phase is just getting underway so there aren’t any bid specs at this time. But right now, we are looking at park components and materials that are more resilient and doing park improvements south of Hamblen Road only.”
Heppen adds, “In addition to a boat launch and parking lots there will be a small and large dog park, a playground, as well as both paved and unpaved trails. We are trying to build a park that will assist in serving the greater Kingwood area.”
“In addition we have been coordinating with he Houston Parks Board and connecting the Spring Creek Greenway into their trail network to enhance the overall trail system.”
“Our designer Quiddity has a landscape architect on its team. The architect has been tasked with adding plants that are native and will grow naturally to assist with natural mitigation efforts,” concluded Heppen.
Dog Park Fencing
The City of Houston requires dog parks to have fencing and Edgewater Park is in the City. Those who remember how logs collected in the railroad bridge supports next to the park during Harvey may remember how they contributed to catastrophic flooding.
Fencing can also collect debris swept downstream during floods. To prevent the fences from forming debris walls that make flooding worse, the City recommends a breakaway design. They attach the bottom of the chain-link fencing to steel poles with a steel ring. But they attach the top of the fencing to poles with plastic zip ties that break when pressure increases enough. That lets the fence flop down on the ground without being carried downstream.
You can see this ingenious system at the County’s Pundt Park along Spring Creek or in Buffalo Bayou Park downtown.
Types of Boats for Launch
Because dredging by the Army Corps stopped downstream of Edgewater Park, it will be difficult to launch larger boats with prop engines at Edgewater.
However, according to Heppen canoes and kayaks remain a possibility.
San Jacinto Greenway Link to Spring Creek Greenway
The Houston Parks Board is working with Harris County Precinct 3 to develop the West Fork Greenway and connect it to the Spring Creek Greenway. The map below shows the trail it will take from Woodland Hills Drive to the freeway.
Current extent. Trail will eventually continue west and cross over I-69/US59 via route shown in photos and first map above.
More on Edgewater as plans firm up. To see the master plan for Harris County Precinct 3 Parks, click here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/23/2023
2093 Days since Hurricane Harvey