Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) transmitted an update to Commissioners Court today that shows the progress of the flood bond through September 2022. The report shows slowing activity. Specifically:
No new construction contracts or other agreements were awarded in the last month.
Total spending increased only $21 million – from $1.104 billion to $1.125 billion.
Overall progress remained unchanged from August. It’s holding at 23.5% complete.
The amount of “Professional Services Invoices Paid” declined from $4.8 million to $1.7 million.
Home buyouts “in progress” declined from 331 to 305 (-26).
Improvements Since Harvey
The update also included a list of accomplishments since Harvey. HCFCD has:
Completed 229 project components, reducing the risk of flooding for more than 14,000 homes and businesses
Removed an estimated 4.7 million cubic yards of sediment from channels across Harris County through maintenance efforts – the equivalent of approximately 335,000 dump truck loads – to ensure stormwater can move through channels efficiently
Acquired more than 21,500 acres of land for projects, floodplain preservation and buyouts to ensure floodwaters can spread out safely without structures that can flood
Secured more than $1.35 billion in partnership funding while pursuing more funding opportunities at the federal, state and local levels.
Started the third batch of major maintenance activities along Cypress Creek.
Where Money Has Gone
Note that the September update (reported in October) actually contains figures compiled through the end of August. The map below shows where more than $1.1 billion has gone.
From Page 9 of September HCFCD Flood-Bond Update
Budget Priorities
Here’s how that spending looks in table form arranged in order from highest to lowest based on spending through the end of August (column 3).
This spending shows a huge disparity among watersheds. The ratio between Brays and Vince is 335 to 1.
The table also shows the effect of “equity prioritization” – concentrating on watersheds with a high percentage of low-to-moderate income (LMI) residents.
Eight LMI watersheds have received a total of $447.5 million for an average of $55.9 million each.
Yet the 15 otherwatersheds have received a total of $460.2 million for an average of $30.7 million each – roughly half as much.
The entire Lake Houston Area still has only two active capital improvement construction projects – valued at $1,000 each. Both are Excavation and Removal Contracts – one in Woodridge Village and the other in the Cedar Bayou Watershed.
Slowdown in Spending Bears More Investigation
The most worrisome aspect of this update is a continued slowdown in activity. At the current rate of spending, HCFCD would spend less than half the money in the bond in the next six years. Remember, we’re four years into a ten-year, $5 billion program. At $20 million per month for the next 60 months, HCFCD would spend only another $1.2 billion. That would cover only about half the projects in the bond.
However, note that in project management, sometimes pauses are built into projects for things such as approvals, right-of-way acquisition, etc. The real question is whether such pauses can explain the current slowdown. HCFCD is investigating to see how much, if any of the slowdown, is planned. More on that next month.
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/2022/10/20221011-Screen-Shot-2022-10-11-at-10.50.19-AM.jpg?fit=1200%2C913&ssl=19131200adminadmin2022-10-11 15:05:592022-10-11 15:32:06September 2022 Flood Bond Update
Splendora is exploding with growth. On FM2090 west of U.S.59 near the Splendora High School, two new developments have already cleared 598 acres and have another 611 to go. Together, they could easily quintuple the population of a rural town that only had 1900 residents in the last census.
Development Well Underway
I first covered this story in January. The developers have made remarkable progress since then. Townsend Reserve, Ltd. and Forestar USA, have built drainage, utilities, stormwater detention basins, roads and model homes on most of the land already cleared. Now, they’re building the first homes for sale. Rural, sleepy Splendora will soon change forever.
Forestar USA has named its development Presswoods. Townsend Reserve USA has simply called its Townsend Reserve.
Looking east along FM2090 at expanse of two developments. Splendora High School on right.
Closer Look at Detention Basins
Close up from shot above. Two detention ponds in Presswoods by Forestar USA bracket Gully Branch. Gully Branch drains into Peach Creek and eventually the East Fork of the San Jacinto.Another Forestar USA detention basin in the foreground.Looking West.Looking NE at a fourth detention basin on Townsend Reserve that parallels Gully Branch.Entrance to Townsend Reserve from FM2090 on right.Note yet another long detention basin that parallels the entry road on the left.Looking NW toward FM2090.First of the new homes going up.
Three things strike me about these photos.
Stormwater detention basins everywhere you look. Let’s hope the volume is sufficient. Engineers based their calculations on pre-Harvey runoff estimates. As other developers clear additional forests beyond these, drainage assumptions could change radically.
Huge financial risk. As interest rates continue to climb, will there be buyers for these homes?
Vast expanse of forests surrounding the developments. They seem endless. But not for long.
People hoping to find a quiet life in the country are gobbling up the very thing they seek.
Maybe this is inevitable. Developers tell me that smaller lot sizes and higher density don’t allow them to preserve trees anymore. Builders just plant one in the front yard when they’re done.
Population Impact
It’s not exactly clear yet how many homes the developers hope to build here. But in the last census, Splendora’s population was only 1,900 people. Even if they just built 5 homes per acre on 800 developable acres and the average household size was 3, that would mean 12,000 people could live here – more than 6X the current population.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/10/22
1868 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/2022/10/20221009-DJI_0877.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2022-10-10 13:06:522022-10-10 19:10:07Splendora Development Exploding
Construction has resumed on the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway along the West Fork of the San Jacinto River between Woodland Hills Drive and US59. Once fully complete the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway will stretch for approximately 2.5 miles and create one of the longest continuously connected urban trail networks in North America.
Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s October 2022 newsletter said construction was resuming. So, I went down there today to see the progress.
Looking west toward Forest Cove pool at where construction has resumed.
The first thing you notice is partial demolition of the roads through the former townhome complex. Parts of Marina Drive, Aqua Vista Drive and Timberline Drive have been torn up. Along the path of the trail, contractors have ripped out one lane and left the other.
The remaining lane, I presume, will serve as the hike and bike trail.Looking east along Aqua Visra Drive. West Fork on right.Martin’s press release mentions that parking for greenway users will be provided within the old townhome complex.Looking west toward 59. The dedicated trail picks up again at the end of Aqua Vista. And what a vista it is!Looking west. Resumption of dedicated trail at the end of Aqua Vista Drive near Burning Tree Court. Note new, native trees.
San Jacinto Bayou Greenway will connect into and through Harris County Precinct 3’s Edgewater Park, currently in development, to the Spring Creek and Cypress Creek trail systems, also operated by Precinct 3.
Linear Park Features
Notable features of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway include:
New off-street trails as well as the use of existing streets for the trail system
Trail connection for Kingwood residents at Woodland Hills Drive to access the greenway
Parking for greenway users within the former Riverview Townhomes Community
Planting of native trees, meadows, and wildflowers
Benches and seating areas
Interpretive and directional signage
Trash cans and recycling containers.
Martin says construction is expected to take another 3 months, weather permitting. During construction, the public should not enter areas surrounded by orange caution fencing.
Ongoing Maintenance Provided by Parks Board
Once construction is completed, the Houston Parks Board will continue maintenance of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway, which includes weekly trash pickup, bi-weekly mowing of grass along the trail, upkeep of the trail and amenities, and any necessary flood cleanup.
Part of Much Larger Network
San Jacinto Bayou Greenway is one of nine bayous being transformed as part of Bayou Greenways 2020, a public-private partnership between the nonprofit Houston Parks Board, the City of Houston, and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department.
The initiative is implemented in close collaboration with the Harris County Flood Control District, which manages the county’s bayous and creeks for drainage and flood risk reduction.
Bayou Greenways 2020 will transform 3,000 acres of underutilized land along nine major waterways and create a 150-mile network of connected parks and trails along Houston’s major waterways. Add the length of the trail networks in Kingwood and the Woodlands, and suddenly, you have what could be the longest connected urban trail network in the country.
September 2022 Flood Bond Update
Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) transmitted an update to Commissioners Court today that shows the progress of the flood bond through September 2022. The report shows slowing activity. Specifically:
Improvements Since Harvey
The update also included a list of accomplishments since Harvey. HCFCD has:
Where Money Has Gone
Note that the September update (reported in October) actually contains figures compiled through the end of August. The map below shows where more than $1.1 billion has gone.
Budget Priorities
Here’s how that spending looks in table form arranged in order from highest to lowest based on spending through the end of August (column 3).
This spending shows a huge disparity among watersheds. The ratio between Brays and Vince is 335 to 1.
The table also shows the effect of “equity prioritization” – concentrating on watersheds with a high percentage of low-to-moderate income (LMI) residents.
Eight LMI watersheds have received a total of $447.5 million for an average of $55.9 million each.
Yet the 15 other watersheds have received a total of $460.2 million for an average of $30.7 million each – roughly half as much.
The entire Lake Houston Area still has only two active capital improvement construction projects – valued at $1,000 each. Both are Excavation and Removal Contracts – one in Woodridge Village and the other in the Cedar Bayou Watershed.
Slowdown in Spending Bears More Investigation
The most worrisome aspect of this update is a continued slowdown in activity. At the current rate of spending, HCFCD would spend less than half the money in the bond in the next six years. Remember, we’re four years into a ten-year, $5 billion program. At $20 million per month for the next 60 months, HCFCD would spend only another $1.2 billion. That would cover only about half the projects in the bond.
However, note that in project management, sometimes pauses are built into projects for things such as approvals, right-of-way acquisition, etc. The real question is whether such pauses can explain the current slowdown. HCFCD is investigating to see how much, if any of the slowdown, is planned. More on that next month.
To see the complete bond update, click here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/12/22
1169 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.
Splendora Development Exploding
Splendora is exploding with growth. On FM2090 west of U.S.59 near the Splendora High School, two new developments have already cleared 598 acres and have another 611 to go. Together, they could easily quintuple the population of a rural town that only had 1900 residents in the last census.
Development Well Underway
I first covered this story in January. The developers have made remarkable progress since then. Townsend Reserve, Ltd. and Forestar USA, have built drainage, utilities, stormwater detention basins, roads and model homes on most of the land already cleared. Now, they’re building the first homes for sale. Rural, sleepy Splendora will soon change forever.
Here’s the layout and photos of work in progress.
Forestar USA has named its development Presswoods. Townsend Reserve USA has simply called its Townsend Reserve.
Closer Look at Detention Basins
Three things strike me about these photos.
People hoping to find a quiet life in the country are gobbling up the very thing they seek.
Maybe this is inevitable. Developers tell me that smaller lot sizes and higher density don’t allow them to preserve trees anymore. Builders just plant one in the front yard when they’re done.
Population Impact
It’s not exactly clear yet how many homes the developers hope to build here. But in the last census, Splendora’s population was only 1,900 people. Even if they just built 5 homes per acre on 800 developable acres and the average household size was 3, that would mean 12,000 people could live here – more than 6X the current population.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/10/22
1868 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.
West Fork Greenway Construction Resumes
Construction has resumed on the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway along the West Fork of the San Jacinto River between Woodland Hills Drive and US59. Once fully complete the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway will stretch for approximately 2.5 miles and create one of the longest continuously connected urban trail networks in North America.
Reason for Construction Pause
The Houston Parks Board began construction of the segment between River Grove Park and the Forest Cove Pool/Civic Center back in early 2021. However, they paused the project until the demolition of the last Forest Cove Townhomes in August.
Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s October 2022 newsletter said construction was resuming. So, I went down there today to see the progress.
The first thing you notice is partial demolition of the roads through the former townhome complex. Parts of Marina Drive, Aqua Vista Drive and Timberline Drive have been torn up. Along the path of the trail, contractors have ripped out one lane and left the other.
Trail Route
San Jacinto Bayou Greenway will connect into and through Harris County Precinct 3’s Edgewater Park, currently in development, to the Spring Creek and Cypress Creek trail systems, also operated by Precinct 3.
Linear Park Features
Notable features of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway include:
Martin says construction is expected to take another 3 months, weather permitting. During construction, the public should not enter areas surrounded by orange caution fencing.
Ongoing Maintenance Provided by Parks Board
Once construction is completed, the Houston Parks Board will continue maintenance of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway, which includes weekly trash pickup, bi-weekly mowing of grass along the trail, upkeep of the trail and amenities, and any necessary flood cleanup.
Part of Much Larger Network
San Jacinto Bayou Greenway is one of nine bayous being transformed as part of Bayou Greenways 2020, a public-private partnership between the nonprofit Houston Parks Board, the City of Houston, and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department.
The initiative is implemented in close collaboration with the Harris County Flood Control District, which manages the county’s bayous and creeks for drainage and flood risk reduction.
Bayou Greenways 2020 will transform 3,000 acres of underutilized land along nine major waterways and create a 150-mile network of connected parks and trails along Houston’s major waterways. Add the length of the trail networks in Kingwood and the Woodlands, and suddenly, you have what could be the longest connected urban trail network in the country.
This long linear park may be one of the first good things to come out of Harvey.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/9/22
1867 Days since Hurricane Harvey