May 26, 2022, marked the official completion of a 40-year, $480-million flood-mitigation project in the Brays Bayou Watershed. Project Brays was the largest project in Harris County Flood Control District’s history. It included:
21 miles of channel modifications
Construction of four stormwater detention basins that cover more than 800 acres
Reconstruction of 32 bridges
Miles of hike and bike trails
Benefits of Project Brays
The Texas Medical Center, one of the major economic engines of the City lies within the Brays watershed. No one at the ceremony promised Brays would never flood again. But they did emphasize how Project Brays reduced flood risk. They also emphasized how that could benefit entire communities, not just individual structures.
The detention basins alone will hold more than 3.5 billion gallons of stormwater. That’s a foot of rain falling across 17 square miles!
According to County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the combination of improvements will reduce flood depth by an average of 2 feet.
The project reduced flood risk for more than 15,000 structures in the Brays Bayou Watershed where 775,000 people live. According to HCFCD statistics, 58% of those residents have low-to-moderate incomes (less than half the average for the region).
Ribbon cutting on Project Brays near Hermann Park
Rare Moment of Bipartisan Appreciation
The theme for the ribbon-cutting ceremony was “partnership” between Federal, State, County and City authorities. More than half a dozen different speakers spread the kudos around. The project could not have happened without the cooperation of all of them and their predecessors.
Colonel Timothy Vail of the U.S. Army Corps called the partnerships in this project the “most sophisticated” he has ever seen during a career that has taken him around the world.
And Judge Lina Hidalgo gave a nod to the past as well as the present. She thanked past Flood Control District executives, such as Russ Poppe, Matt Zeve and Mike Talbott. They helped start this project and advance it for decades. She also thanked Poppe and Zeve for architecting the flood bond, which reversed “decades of investment that simply was not aggressive enough.”
Hidalgo also stated that regulations were not aggressive enough before the flood bond. For instance, she cited buyouts that took place as part of Project Brays and said that those homes would never have been safe no matter what the partners did to mitigate flooding.
Project Milestones
It’s interesting to see “what happened when” on this project, recognizing that the pace depended on funding – or lack thereof – as Hidalgo acknowledged.
Early 1980s
U.S,. Army Corps of Engineers began the study of Brays Bayou.
1991
Design and engineering began on the Brays Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction Project.
1993
Construction of the first stormwater detention basin at Arthur Story Park began.
2004
Excavation of Brays Bayou main channel began.
2005
Freshwater Marsh at Mason Park was completed.
2008
Arthur Storey Park and Old Westheimer Stormwater Detention Basin completed.
2015
Eldridge Stormwater Detention Basin completed.
2017
Control Structures at Eldridge, Old Westheimer, and Arthur Storey completed.
Channel modifications from Houston Ship Channel to Fondren Road completed.
2022
Final bridge construction projects and overall Project Brays completed.
(Note: since originally posting this story, I learned that minor work remains on three bridges even though the bridges are open to traffic. HCFCD decided to hold the ceremony when it did to avoid hurricane season and because of the impending transfer of Colonel Vail who played a key role in this project.)
A Helicopter Flight Up Brays Bayou Before Completion of Construction
In June of 2021, I flew a helicopter from one end of Brays Bayou to the other, when many of the improvements were still under construction. See the photos below.
Brays Bayou at the ship channel.Railroad bridge being upgradednear Tipps Street.New Bridge over Brays at South 75th. Widening of a channel may require a new bridge OR the widening of supports under the bridge.288 and Brays. Bridge construction on Almeda.Looking NE toward Med Center and downtown in background across another new bridge over Brays. Note the electrical infrastructure next to the bayou.Looking NE toward downtown where Fannin St. crosses Brays at UT Health Science Center.Looking NE toward downtown in background along Main Street. Medical Center is in middle of frame.Looking north across new bridge over Brays along Buffalo Speedway toward Greenway Plaza in background.Looking east toward downtown along Brays just inside of Loop 610 at detention pond. Note sewage treatment plant across bayou.SW Corner of Loop 610 looking toward downtown in upper right.Same intersection south of Galleria area. Note complexity where seven streams of traffic intersect.Looking north at new bridge over Brays at Chimney RockLooking WSW across same new bridge at Hillcroft. Note wide spans and wings designed to prevent erosion.Looking NNE at Hilcroft and North Braeswood Blvd.
Stormwater Detention Basins
Arthur Storey Park at Beltway 8 West and Bellaire Blvd. Looking N toward Westchase District.Southern part of same park. Looking NE across BW8 West.One of the five compartments in the Willow Water Hole Stormwater Detention Basin near S. Post Oak and US 90.Two northeastern compartments within Willow Water Hole complexon either side of South Post Oak Road.From page 57 of HCFCD 2019 Federal Briefing. Note all of the projects recently funded, completed or under construction.
Projects like Brays don’t happen spontaneously. This took decades of planning and collaboration. So, we should all remember that progress in flood mitigation can sometimes take decades. And that public safety requires reaching across party lines and generations.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/20220526-Screen-Shot-2022-05-26-at-6.27.25-PM.jpg?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=16281200adminadmin2022-05-26 18:49:012022-05-27 17:30:18$480 Million Project Brays Complete After 40 Years
Each of those numbers falls within the ranges shown above by NHC.
Seventh Consecutive Above-Average Season
Heat Map showing variation from normal for May 24, 2022. Source: NOAA.Note higher than normal temps in Gulf, Atlantic and most of Caribbean.
If NOAA predictions prove true, 2022 would make the seventh consecutive above-average hurricane season.
NOAA’s outlook for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, which extends from June 1 to November 30, predicts a:
65% chance of an above-normal season
25% chance of a near-normal season
10% chance of a below-normal season.
For the 2022 hurricane season, NOAA is forecasting a likely range of 14 to 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). NOAA provides these ranges with a 70% confidence.
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center will update the 2022 Atlantic seasonal outlook in early August, just prior to the historical peak of the season.
The 2022 hurricane outlook is not a “landfall forecast.”
NOAA Enhances Products and Services
NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. emphasized that NOAA’s forecasting accuracy continues to improve. The agency has enhanced the following products and services this hurricane season:
The Excessive Rainfall Outlook (ERO) has been experimentally extended from three to five days of lead time. This will give people more notice of rainfall-related flash flooding risks from tropical storms and hurricanes. ERO forecasts the probability of intense rainfall that could lead to flash flooding within 25 miles of a given point.
In June, NOAA will enhance Peak Storm Surge Forecasts. Upgrades include color coding that illustrates the peak storm surge inundation forecast at the coast.
Start Preparing Now
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said, “It’s important for everyone to understand their risk and take proactive steps to get ready now.” Some tips:
Visit Ready.gov for preparedness tips on what to do before, during and after a flood.
Have several ways to receive alerts.
Download the FEMA app and receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide.
Sign up for community alerts in your area and be aware of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA), which require no sign up.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/25/22 based on information from the National Hurricane Center and Ready.Gov
1730 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/20220525-Screen-Shot-2022-05-25-at-11.23.28-AM.jpg?fit=1200%2C757&ssl=17571200adminadmin2022-05-25 11:44:502022-05-25 11:44:53NHC Predicts Above-Normal 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season
A best practice in the construction industry is to build detention ponds before you clear all the land. In Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest, we saw what can happen when you don’t. Contractors cleared 277-acres before installing sufficient detention pond capacity. The result: hundreds of homes flooded needlessly. Twice. And silt poured into Taylor Gully which had to be excavated at public expense.
Staging Construction, Temporary Seeding, Mulching Not Used to Reduce Sedimentation
Harris County Stormwater Quality Management Regulations discourage clearcutting large sites all at once. See section 4.2.3.1, Stormwater Pollution Prevention (SWPPP) During Construction. The text states, “The clearing, grubbing and scalping (mass clearing or grading) of excessively large areas of land at one time promotes erosion and sedimentation problems. On the areas where disturbance takes place the site designer should consider staging construction [emphasis added], temporary seeding and/or temporary mulching as a technique to reduce erosion. Staging construction involves stabilizing one part of the site before disturbing another [emphasis added].“
But those rules don’t apply in Montgomery County. So you often see developers trying to build detention ponds as they build (or even after they build) the rest of the site.
Case in Point: Preserve at Woodridge
Such is the case at the Preserve at Woodridge…which promises “resort-style amenities.”
Preserve at Woodridge on 5/22/22. Eighty-five of 131 rental homes now under construction. That’s two thirds…before the detention pond is built.
Meanwhile, compare the detention ponds below. One is a white, chalky mess with dirt still piled around the edges. The other: pretty clean. Of course, residents pay to keep it that way.
Preserve at Woodridge is in bottom left and Woodridge Forest is in upper part of frame. Notice the difference in the water color in the detention ponds.Contractors have excavated additional dirt from the detention pond (mounded around edges and at left) to bring in clay to form a liner.
The sad part of this: downstream residents will pay the price. And because this is another development just north of the county line, that will be Kingwood. The last time, the developer pumped stormwater into the drainage ditch, the silt traveled miles down Ben’s Branch.
Why Bring In Clay?
I asked an expert in floodwater detention basin construction, why the developer would bring in clay? The answer: “To create a wet-bottom pond.” Developers sell those as residential amenities. I applaud that. But my point is this. Had they completed the detention pond first, it could have been growing grass to reduce sedimentation while they developed the rest of the property. That approach seemed to work well at the New Caney High School ISD West Fork High School.
The detention pond at the New Caney West Fork High School had already been mowed when they began pouring concrete. Photo from March 2021.
Lest you think I’m a MoCo basher, let me point out this. The detention pond above is also in MoCo.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/24/22
1729 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/2022/05/20220522-DJI_0515.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2022-05-24 19:47:392022-05-24 19:51:36Why You Build Detention Ponds First
$480 Million Project Brays Complete After 40 Years
May 26, 2022, marked the official completion of a 40-year, $480-million flood-mitigation project in the Brays Bayou Watershed. Project Brays was the largest project in Harris County Flood Control District’s history. It included:
Benefits of Project Brays
The Texas Medical Center, one of the major economic engines of the City lies within the Brays watershed. No one at the ceremony promised Brays would never flood again. But they did emphasize how Project Brays reduced flood risk. They also emphasized how that could benefit entire communities, not just individual structures.
According to County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the combination of improvements will reduce flood depth by an average of 2 feet.
The project reduced flood risk for more than 15,000 structures in the Brays Bayou Watershed where 775,000 people live. According to HCFCD statistics, 58% of those residents have low-to-moderate incomes (less than half the average for the region).
Rare Moment of Bipartisan Appreciation
The theme for the ribbon-cutting ceremony was “partnership” between Federal, State, County and City authorities. More than half a dozen different speakers spread the kudos around. The project could not have happened without the cooperation of all of them and their predecessors.
New Flood Control District Executive Director Dr. Tina Petersen introduced the partners present.
Colonel Timothy Vail of the U.S. Army Corps called the partnerships in this project the “most sophisticated” he has ever seen during a career that has taken him around the world.
Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle emphasized how funding brought to the table by various sources enabled the acceleration of projects.
Houston City Council Member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz said, “We need to stop being divisive and start being decisive.”
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher described how the area’s congressional delegation was able to bring money to the area through the Water Resources Development Act.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner discussed how projects like this can only happen if multiple partners cooperate.
Past Contributors Acknowledged
And Judge Lina Hidalgo gave a nod to the past as well as the present. She thanked past Flood Control District executives, such as Russ Poppe, Matt Zeve and Mike Talbott. They helped start this project and advance it for decades. She also thanked Poppe and Zeve for architecting the flood bond, which reversed “decades of investment that simply was not aggressive enough.”
Hidalgo also stated that regulations were not aggressive enough before the flood bond. For instance, she cited buyouts that took place as part of Project Brays and said that those homes would never have been safe no matter what the partners did to mitigate flooding.
Project Milestones
It’s interesting to see “what happened when” on this project, recognizing that the pace depended on funding – or lack thereof – as Hidalgo acknowledged.
Early 1980s
U.S,. Army Corps of Engineers began the study of Brays Bayou.
1991
Design and engineering began on the Brays Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction Project.
1993
Construction of the first stormwater detention basin at Arthur Story Park began.
2004
Excavation of Brays Bayou main channel began.
2005
Freshwater Marsh at Mason Park was completed.
2008
Arthur Storey Park and Old Westheimer Stormwater Detention Basin completed.
2015
Eldridge Stormwater Detention Basin completed.
2017
Control Structures at Eldridge, Old Westheimer, and Arthur Storey completed.
2018
Willow Waterhole Stormwater Detention Basin completed.
2021
Channel modifications from Houston Ship Channel to Fondren Road completed.
2022
Final bridge construction projects and overall Project Brays completed.
(Note: since originally posting this story, I learned that minor work remains on three bridges even though the bridges are open to traffic. HCFCD decided to hold the ceremony when it did to avoid hurricane season and because of the impending transfer of Colonel Vail who played a key role in this project.)
A Helicopter Flight Up Brays Bayou Before Completion of Construction
In June of 2021, I flew a helicopter from one end of Brays Bayou to the other, when many of the improvements were still under construction. See the photos below.
Stormwater Detention Basins
Projects like Brays don’t happen spontaneously. This took decades of planning and collaboration. So, we should all remember that progress in flood mitigation can sometimes take decades. And that public safety requires reaching across party lines and generations.
For more information, visit www.projectbrays.org.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/26/22
1731 Days since Hurricane Harvey
NHC Predicts Above-Normal 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season
On May 24, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued its forecast for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season. NHC expects an above-average hurricane season for the seventh year in a row. They say an ongoing La Niña and above-average sea surface temperatures set the stage for a busy season. NHC’s predictions reinforce the forecast issued last month by Colorado State University.
In case you missed that post, CSU predicted:
Each of those numbers falls within the ranges shown above by NHC.
Seventh Consecutive Above-Average Season
If NOAA predictions prove true, 2022 would make the seventh consecutive above-average hurricane season.
NOAA’s outlook for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, which extends from June 1 to November 30, predicts a:
For the 2022 hurricane season, NOAA is forecasting a likely range of 14 to 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). NOAA provides these ranges with a 70% confidence.
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center will update the 2022 Atlantic seasonal outlook in early August, just prior to the historical peak of the season.
The 2022 hurricane outlook is not a “landfall forecast.”
NOAA Enhances Products and Services
NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. emphasized that NOAA’s forecasting accuracy continues to improve. The agency has enhanced the following products and services this hurricane season:
Start Preparing Now
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said, “It’s important for everyone to understand their risk and take proactive steps to get ready now.” Some tips:
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/25/22 based on information from the National Hurricane Center and Ready.Gov
1730 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Why You Build Detention Ponds First
A best practice in the construction industry is to build detention ponds before you clear all the land. In Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest, we saw what can happen when you don’t. Contractors cleared 277-acres before installing sufficient detention pond capacity. The result: hundreds of homes flooded needlessly. Twice. And silt poured into Taylor Gully which had to be excavated at public expense.
Staging Construction, Temporary Seeding, Mulching Not Used to Reduce Sedimentation
Harris County Stormwater Quality Management Regulations discourage clearcutting large sites all at once. See section 4.2.3.1, Stormwater Pollution Prevention (SWPPP) During Construction. The text states, “The clearing, grubbing and scalping (mass clearing or grading) of excessively large areas of land at one time promotes erosion and sedimentation problems. On the areas where disturbance takes place the site designer should consider staging construction [emphasis added], temporary seeding and/or temporary mulching as a technique to reduce erosion. Staging construction involves stabilizing one part of the site before disturbing another [emphasis added].“
But those rules don’t apply in Montgomery County. So you often see developers trying to build detention ponds as they build (or even after they build) the rest of the site.
Case in Point: Preserve at Woodridge
Such is the case at the Preserve at Woodridge…which promises “resort-style amenities.”
Plans show that more houses will go in on the right.
Meanwhile, compare the detention ponds below. One is a white, chalky mess with dirt still piled around the edges. The other: pretty clean. Of course, residents pay to keep it that way.
The sad part of this: downstream residents will pay the price. And because this is another development just north of the county line, that will be Kingwood. The last time, the developer pumped stormwater into the drainage ditch, the silt traveled miles down Ben’s Branch.
Why Bring In Clay?
I asked an expert in floodwater detention basin construction, why the developer would bring in clay? The answer: “To create a wet-bottom pond.” Developers sell those as residential amenities. I applaud that. But my point is this. Had they completed the detention pond first, it could have been growing grass to reduce sedimentation while they developed the rest of the property. That approach seemed to work well at the New Caney High School ISD West Fork High School.
Lest you think I’m a MoCo basher, let me point out this. The detention pond above is also in MoCo.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/24/22
1729 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.