The first leg of the three-mile route starts near the entrance to River Grove Park at the south end of Woodland Hills Drive in Kingwood. It used existing residential streets and new trails to snake its way to the Forest Cove Community Center. Then construction paused until demolition of the flooded townhomes on Aqua Vista, Timberline, and Marina Drives finished.
The second leg (dark purple below) follows existing streets through the old townhome site. However, contractors narrowed the streets to one lane. That accommodates bicycle and foot traffic, but limits most vehicle access.
Route of West Fork Greenway between River Grove Park and Edgewater Park.
The newest portion of the trail now extends from the Community Center to Hamblen Road via Timberline Pass, Timberline Drive, Aqua Vista and Burning Tree Court. The last street terminates at Hamblen, just west of the old Forest Cove Golf Course.
A final leg will extend west to Precinct 3’s Edgewater Park, paralleling Hamblen Road, but south of it (light purple).
Timing and Connections
Timing for the final leg has not yet been determined. Houston Parks Board eventually hopes to connect multiple waterways and adjacent hike and bike trail systems in the northern part of Harris County.
The pictures below, taken on 1/3/23, show the state of the most recent construction.
Landscaping along new trail (formerly part of Aqua Vista Drive. The trail is half the width of the old street. It should accommodate both hikers and bikers.Construction on Marina Drive and Timberline Pass. Forest Cove Community Center and Pool in upper left.Looking East.Reverse angle.Looking south from over Forest Cove Pool.Looking west from the former turnaround at the end of Aqua Vista.Facing west at trail connecting old Forest Cove townhome complex with Burning Tree Court. The latter turns north (right) and terminates at Hamblen Road.
More News to Follow When Plans Become Clear
The Parks Board plans to use some of the areas in the old townhome complex for parking. The fate of other streets remains unclear. Likewise, Harris County Precinct 3 has not yet announced plans for the long-awaited Edgewater Park. Harris County Flood Control District which bought out the townhome properties said it plans only to let the area return to green space.
Edgewater Park and this trail were one of the first good things to come out of Harvey. I just hope I live long enough to see them finished! Eventually, they will make a tremendous community asset.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/6/23
1956 days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/20230103-RJR_5433.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2023-01-06 14:45:262023-01-06 14:45:29Next Leg of San Jacinto West Fork Greenway Now Hike- and Bikeable
The excavation rate of a sixth detention pond on Harris County Flood Control District’s (HCFCD) Woodridge Village property increased during the last month of 2022. That brought the total for the year to 73,745 cubic yards of soil removed under Sprint Sand and Gravel’s Excavation and Removal (E&R) Contract.
The reported total at the end of November was 67,529 cubic yards. That means the total for December was 6,216 cubic yards, the most for any month since last July. Compare the previous totals below.
Weekly totals through November
Excavation under E&R contracts varies depending on demand for fill dirt. Sprint’s contract with Harris County Flood Control District lets it take dirt basically for free and then sell the dirt on the open market to make its money.
The work could more than double the stormwater detention capacity on the site that flooded Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest twice in 2019.
According to HCFCD, E&R agreements provide an opportunity for making progress in advance of future basin construction. These agreements essentially provide a head start in the excavation process before the detention basin is designed and constructed. In these agreements, an excavation company agrees to remove soil from a basin site during an agreed upon time period for minimal compensation. This is a cost-effective way for the material to be removed and it also provides significant savings by minimizing trucking and disposal fees.
Pictures Taken 1/03/23
Looking west toward the site entrance on Woodland Hills Drive.Contractors appear to be leaving some existing concrete culverts in place that will allow the new pond to drain into the old one at the top of frame.Looking NE. The pond could eventually extend as far as the grove of trees in the distance.
HCFCD expects that Sprint will excavate the full 500,000 cubic yards stipulated in their contract. That will expand the current stormwater detention capacity by 166%. The property only needed 40% more to meet Atlas-14 requirements. So this will provide a considerable margin of safety.
Other improvements include:
A concrete-lined, low-flow channel within the existing channel to expand conveyance from 350 feet downstream of Creek Manor Drive to 1500 feet downstream of Mills Branch Drive. The concrete portion would be four feet deep and 20 feet wide.
A new clear-span bridge at Rustling Elms to replace the current bridge over two culverts.
1955 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 1204 since Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/20230103-DJI_0594.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2023-01-05 11:53:522023-01-05 11:58:00Woodridge Village Excavation Rate Ticks Up
According to its new website, the controversial Laurel Springs RV Resort near Lakewood Cove plans opening in January 2023. Recent aerial photos show workers putting the finishing touches on the “resort.” Even though the City of Houston permitted 182 spaces, the website advertises 226.
The photos below show the status of construction on 1/3/2023. The portion closest to camera in the first shot, looks ready to go. But workers are still scurrying about the northern portion of the site.
Looking N from southern end of property.Plans for the park claimed only 66% impervious cover.Last remaining dirt work in NW corner of detention pond.That triangular space comprises the resort’s dog park. Dachshunds and chihuahuas fit in the narrow end.Trees planted just before Christmas will soon brush up against utility wires.Water still ponds in the area below where the resort buried pipes through the dike.
The permit plans stipulate that the site’s detention basin must have a dry bottom within 48 hours of a storm. It hasn’t had a dry bottom in quite a while.
The resort’s website calls the basin a “retention pond.” Retention ponds are designed to hold water permanently.
The Resort’s new typo-plagued website has about as much attention to detail as its permit applications did. RV owners can only hope they do better with invoices. See below.
A scrolling banner on the website trumpets the Resort’s marketing theme – “Join the Adventure.” It promises to be exactly that – an adventure…right next to the railroad tracks, which the owners forgot to mention.
Posted by Bob on 1/4/23
1954 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/2023/01/20230103-DJI_0520.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2023-01-04 11:55:042023-01-04 12:10:26Laurel Springs RV Resort Plans Opening This Month
Next Leg of San Jacinto West Fork Greenway Now Hike- and Bikeable
The second leg of the Houston Parks Board’s San Jacinto River West Fork Greenway is taking shape nicely. Contractors have apparently finished concrete work and landscaping. It can now be hiked and biked.
Route of San Jacinto West Fork Greenway
The first leg of the three-mile route starts near the entrance to River Grove Park at the south end of Woodland Hills Drive in Kingwood. It used existing residential streets and new trails to snake its way to the Forest Cove Community Center. Then construction paused until demolition of the flooded townhomes on Aqua Vista, Timberline, and Marina Drives finished.
The second leg (dark purple below) follows existing streets through the old townhome site. However, contractors narrowed the streets to one lane. That accommodates bicycle and foot traffic, but limits most vehicle access.
The newest portion of the trail now extends from the Community Center to Hamblen Road via Timberline Pass, Timberline Drive, Aqua Vista and Burning Tree Court. The last street terminates at Hamblen, just west of the old Forest Cove Golf Course.
A final leg will extend west to Precinct 3’s Edgewater Park, paralleling Hamblen Road, but south of it (light purple).
Timing and Connections
Timing for the final leg has not yet been determined. Houston Parks Board eventually hopes to connect multiple waterways and adjacent hike and bike trail systems in the northern part of Harris County.
For instance, this project will connect to the Spring Creek Greenway across the old US 59 pedestrian bridge. When complete, it will create one of the longest urban hike-and-bike trail networks in the United States.
Photos of Newest Leg of West Fork Greenway
The pictures below, taken on 1/3/23, show the state of the most recent construction.
More News to Follow When Plans Become Clear
The Parks Board plans to use some of the areas in the old townhome complex for parking. The fate of other streets remains unclear. Likewise, Harris County Precinct 3 has not yet announced plans for the long-awaited Edgewater Park. Harris County Flood Control District which bought out the townhome properties said it plans only to let the area return to green space.
Edgewater Park and this trail were one of the first good things to come out of Harvey. I just hope I live long enough to see them finished! Eventually, they will make a tremendous community asset.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/6/23
1956 days after Hurricane Harvey
Woodridge Village Excavation Rate Ticks Up
The excavation rate of a sixth detention pond on Harris County Flood Control District’s (HCFCD) Woodridge Village property increased during the last month of 2022. That brought the total for the year to 73,745 cubic yards of soil removed under Sprint Sand and Gravel’s Excavation and Removal (E&R) Contract.
The reported total at the end of November was 67,529 cubic yards. That means the total for December was 6,216 cubic yards, the most for any month since last July. Compare the previous totals below.
Excavation under E&R contracts varies depending on demand for fill dirt. Sprint’s contract with Harris County Flood Control District lets it take dirt basically for free and then sell the dirt on the open market to make its money.
According to HCFCD, E&R agreements provide an opportunity for making progress in advance of future basin construction. These agreements essentially provide a head start in the excavation process before the detention basin is designed and constructed. In these agreements, an excavation company agrees to remove soil from a basin site during an agreed upon time period for minimal compensation. This is a cost-effective way for the material to be removed and it also provides significant savings by minimizing trucking and disposal fees.
Pictures Taken 1/03/23
Part of a Bigger Package of Improvements
Last month, HCFCD held a virtual public meeting to describe how this would eventually contribute to flood-risk reduction on Taylor Gully.
HCFCD expects that Sprint will excavate the full 500,000 cubic yards stipulated in their contract. That will expand the current stormwater detention capacity by 166%. The property only needed 40% more to meet Atlas-14 requirements. So this will provide a considerable margin of safety.
Other improvements include:
For more details and diagrams, see this post on the preliminary engineering recommendations.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/5/23
1955 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 1204 since Imelda
Laurel Springs RV Resort Plans Opening This Month
According to its new website, the controversial Laurel Springs RV Resort near Lakewood Cove plans opening in January 2023. Recent aerial photos show workers putting the finishing touches on the “resort.” Even though the City of Houston permitted 182 spaces, the website advertises 226.
The website also advertises “long-term” stays, something Humble ISD taxpayers expressed concerns about. The concern had to do with RV owners enrolling their children in Humble ISD schools without paying their fair share of taxes. Long-term RV rates start as low as $665 per month. However, Apartments.com lists apartments throughout the Kingwood area with monthly rents starting hundreds of dollars higher.
Photos Taken January 3, 2023
The photos below show the status of construction on 1/3/2023. The portion closest to camera in the first shot, looks ready to go. But workers are still scurrying about the northern portion of the site.
Last year, I caught the Resort on camera discharging silty stormwater into the wetlands of Harris County’s Precinct 3 Edgewater Park. The County Attorney sent a cease-and-desist letter to the owners. And the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said the discharge was not allowed by its permit.
The permit plans stipulate that the site’s detention basin must have a dry bottom within 48 hours of a storm. It hasn’t had a dry bottom in quite a while.
The resort’s website calls the basin a “retention pond.” Retention ponds are designed to hold water permanently.
But the dry bottom was a concession to FAA rules designed to discourage waterfowl from congregating near airports. This site hasn’t been dry in a long time. Maybe air safety is no longer a concern. The FAA reported only 166 bird strikes at Bush Intercontinental last year.
Meanwhile, the Resort’s detention basin/retention pond is half the size required by current regulations.
“Join the Adventure”
The Resort’s new typo-plagued website has about as much attention to detail as its permit applications did. RV owners can only hope they do better with invoices. See below.
A scrolling banner on the website trumpets the Resort’s marketing theme – “Join the Adventure.” It promises to be exactly that – an adventure…right next to the railroad tracks, which the owners forgot to mention.
Posted by Bob on 1/4/23
1954 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.