Flood Mitigation funds (MIT) go to projects that help communities reduce future flooding. They differ from Disaster Relief funds (DR). The latter help individuals recover from past floods.
GLO announced the $750 million allocation on March 18. HUD is NOT giving the money to Harris County outright. The County must first submit a plan of how and where it will use the money. Both HUD and GLO must approve that plan, called the Method of Distribution (MOD) before work can begin. Then, as vendors submit invoices, Harris County will submit them for reimbursement.
Notification of Planning Meeting For CDBG-MIT funding
Harris County wants your input on the plan. The Community Services Department will accept written and oral input regarding the use of funding and development of Harris County’s MOD at a planning meeting scheduled for:
Thursday, May 19, 2022
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Harris County Community Services Department (HCCSD) Office
9418 Jensen, Houston, Texas, 77093
Harris County will accept written input before May 30, 2022, 5:00 pm. via mail to Attn: HCCSD Planning Section, 13105 Northwest Freeway Suite 400, Houston, Texas 77040 or by email to DRplancomments@csd.hctx.net.
To Request Special Accommodations at Meeting
Harris County will provide for reasonable accommodations for persons attending Harris County functions. Requests from persons needing special accommodations should be received by Harris County staff 48-hours prior to the function. The public hearing will be conducted in English and requests for language interpreters or other special communication needs should be made at least 72 hours prior to a function.
Please call 832-927-4700 or email DRplancomments@csd.hctx.net for assistance or additional information about this posting.
Restrictions on Use of Money
The funds represent an opportunity to mitigate disaster risks and reduce future losses in areas impacted by Harvey.
HUD defines mitigation as: “Those activities that increase resilience to disasters and reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of loss of life, injury, damage to and loss of property, and suffering and hardship, by lessening the impact of future disasters.”
Eligible recipients include units of local government, special purpose districts, and port and river authorities.
The GLO encourages the prioritization of regional investments with regional impacts. Those include:
Projects that reduce risk from hurricanes, tropical storms and depressions, flooding, wind and other hazards
Disaster-resistant infrastructure
Upgrading water, sewer, solid waste, communications, energy, transportation, health and medical, and other public infrastructure
Multi-use infrastructure
Green or natural mitigation infrastructure.
Low-to-Moderate Income Requirement
At least fifty (50) percent of Harris County Mitigation MOD funds must benefit low-to-moderate income (LMI) persons.
Section 5.4.5.10 of Texas Action Plan Amendment 1
The table below shows the percentage of LMI Residents in each of Harris County’s 23 watersheds and the number of structures damaged in those watersheds by Harvey. Cross reference this information with the list of flood bond projects in making your recommendations for how to allocate the $750 million. And, of course, you don’t have to restrict yourself to flood bond projects.
Information obtained from Harris County Flood Control District Via FOIA Request.
Brittany Eck, GLO spokesperson, emphasized that the LMI requirement applies to “beneficiaries of a project.” She also said that GLO encouraged Harris County to look both upstream and downstream for beneficiaries. Not everybody in a watershed may benefit.
Just west of Keith Weiss Park along Halls Bayou, this new floodwater detention basin is taking shape.Detention basins, channel widening, and green infrastructure are all examples of types of projects the $750 million could help fund.
No less than 50% of the $750,000,000 CDBG-MIT allocated to Harris County must be expended by January 12, 2027, with the full balance expended by January 12, 2032.
While this may sound like plenty of time, remember that today almost five years have passed since Harvey. And only 45 of 181 projects originally in the flood bond have begun construction. The rest are in still in feasibility surveys, engineering, or right-of-way acquisition.
All flood bond projects have already started and passed through one or more of those preliminary phases.
This Money Could Fully Fund the Bond Program
This $750 million, together with the Flood Resilience Trust approved last year by Commissioners Court last year, should be enough to fully fund every project in the bond program.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220305-DJI_0556.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2022-05-14 18:22:422022-05-14 18:27:33How Would You Spend $750 Million on Flood Mitigation?
The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) will hold a virtual Community Engagement Meeting for Adlong Ditch Conveyance Improvements on May 25. The purpose: to share project information and update residents on status of the project.
This project is in the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) stage. PER objectives include delivering more detailed recommendations for flood damage reduction and an implementation strategy.
The Virtual Community Engagement Meeting will be held on: WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Join online at: PublicInput.com/Adlong Or by phone* at 855-925-2801 with Meeting Code: 4964
2018 Bond Program funds will pay for this project. Community engagement is an important component of the Bond. And HCFCD invites your participation.
About the Meeting
The meeting will begin with a brief presentation to share project updates. A moderated Q&A session with Flood Control will follow. Residents may submit questions and comments before, during and after the meeting and throughout the public comment period. Any comments not addressed during the Q&A session will receive a response at the conclusion of the public comment period.
Even if you can’t attend the virtual meeting, you can register to receive future project updates. HCFCD will post a recording of the meeting on the District’s website and YouTube after the event.
If you need accommodations because of a disability, please contact 346-286-4040 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. For questions, please contact the Flood Control District at 346-286-4000, or fill out the comment form online at hcfcd.org/f-43.
*If you attend by phone only, maps and other exhibits will not be visible. However, you can find those after the meeting at hcfcd.org/f-43.
Location of Ditch
Adlong Ditch runs north to south through a mostly rural area, east of Lake Houston between FM2100 and Cedar Bayou. The ditch runs from approximately Old Atascocita Road on the north to its confluence with Cedar Bayou east of Crosby.
Adlong Ditch starts near the center of the frame and runs toward the lower right. See Q128-00-00 where it crosses Highway 90.
Arkema Disaster Happened Near Adlong Ditch
A high-level executive of the flood control district described flooding in this area during Harvey. He said it was “a giant lake.”
The U.S. Chemical Hazards and Safety Investigation Board (CSB) said the flooding directly contributed to the disaster at the Arkema chemical plant, one block east of the ditch on Highway 90.
Adlong Ditch (left) flooded Arkema Chemical Plant (right) during Harvey, cutting off an evacuation route because of toxic fumes released.
According to the Board, Harvey disabled refrigeration systems at the Arkema plant in Crosby, where the company manufactures organic peroxides normally stored at -20 degrees F. As temperatures increased, the peroxides spontaneously combusted on August 31.
Arkema had a history of flooding, but never as bad as it did during Harvey. As a result, managers did not initially consider the plant’s safety systems at risk. But floodwaters at the plant during Harvey eventually reached 5 feet high – incredible for such a flat area.
Arkema Facility during Harvey. Rescuing part of the crew riding out the storminside the plant.
Residents within a 1.5 mile radius had to be evacuated. And because plant managers knew from experience that miles of surrounding roads would become impassable, they left a crew inside the plant to ride out the storm.
Not much later, 350,000 pounds of organic peroxide spontaneously combusted. Residents living within 1.5 miles of the plant had to evacuate and could not return home for a week. The incident endangered the lives of employees, first responders and neighbors. Highway 90, an evacuation route, had to be closed for days because of toxic fumes.
Cedar Bayou Flood Risk Reduction Study
Ironically, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) had started a Cedar Bayou Flood Risk Reduction Study six months before Harvey as part of its Cedar Bayou Plan. This study investigated existing flood hazards and identified potential future drainage improvements to help mitigate flooding and flood damage.
Included in the study were the Cedar Bayou main stem (Q100-00-00) and 18 of its tributaries deemed as priorities, including Q128-00-00 (Adlong Ditch).
Outline of Long-Term Solution for Adlong Ditch
The long-term proposed solution for Adlong Ditch includes:
A large regional stormwater detention basin (approximately 120 acres in size which would provide approximately 511 million gallons of storage volume
Widening and deepening the channel
Structure improvements to increase the capacity of existing bridges/culverts.
Short-Term Objectives
The short-term recommendations include:
Acquisition of right-of-way (ROW) for future improvements
Initial construction of the regional stormwater detention basin.
Project Benefits
Implementation of the long-term proposed solution would be phased as funding becomes available. The project benefits include:
More effective channel conveyance to contain future 100-year flows.
Removal of inundation of up to 17 structures downstream of US 90 in the 100-year event.
Removal of inundation of approximately 1,169 acres and 4.5 miles of road in the 100-year event,
An estimated reduction of $1.1 million in damage
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/13/2022
1718 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/20220513-Screen-Shot-2022-05-13-at-4.11.13-PM.jpg?fit=1200%2C659&ssl=16591200adminadmin2022-05-13 18:59:422022-05-14 10:25:04Save Date: Public Input Scheduled for Adlong Ditch Project on May 25
One of the more innovative flooding solutions in the Houston area can be found in Clear Lake. It’s called Exploration Green. Exploration Green is an old 178-acre golf course converted into a series of five large stormwater retention basins that also act as wetlands, wildlife habitat, and recreational amenities. Reforestation forms an extensive part of the plan as does water-quality enhancement.
Layout featured in masterplan shows integration with surrounding community, recreational amenities and reforestation.
Exploration Green demonstrates how “innovative green” approaches to flood prevention can amplify the value of traditional engineering. Islands in the ponds have attracted more than 150 species of birds.
Photo by Exploration Green
Stormwater Retention at Core of Plan
The master plan shows 38 acres of permanent water (wet bottom ponds) and 39 acres of wetlands. The slopes around the ponds create 1,680 acre feet of floodwater storage capacity. That’s enough to hold a foot of rain falling over 2.6 square miles. While the permanent water depth is six feet, the slopes around the ponds can safely hold water up to 13 feet.
Proposed typical cross section from master plan shows permanent pond surrounded by additional acreage for stormwater retention and recreational amenities.e
Stormwater runoff from the surrounding area (2,000 acres) flows directly to the site.
The project has proven so successful that FEMA prepared a case study on it. Exploration Green protects an estimated 16,000 homes in the immediate area.
The facility has prevented $300 million in flood damage to date and contributed to a $120 million increase in property values.
Alternative to Commercial Development
Local developers had expressed interest in turning the area into a massive commercial development. So, residents in the community – who didn’t like that idea – approached the Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA) Board of Directors.
Public input from town hall meetings helped guide a masterplan created by SWA Architects. The ideas included ADA accessible trails, native trees and grasses, benches, athletic fields and other amenities. Then engineers and hydrologists reviewed feasibility. Finally, voters approved bond funding to purchase the property.
The primary intent: floodwater detention. Secondary: to create a multi-purpose space that the entire community could enjoy. See the original masterplan document here.
CLCWA began purchasing the land in 2005. They divided construction into Phases 1A, 1B, 1C, 2, 3A, 3B, 4, and 5. Work could finish this year.
When complete, the facility will have 6 miles of 10-foot wide concrete trails connecting amenities with the local community.
How Would You Spend $750 Million on Flood Mitigation?
Harris County’s Community Services Department wants to know how you would spend $750 million? The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Texas General Land Office (GLO) allocated that amount to the County for flood mitigation in the wake of Harvey.
Flood Mitigation funds (MIT) go to projects that help communities reduce future flooding. They differ from Disaster Relief funds (DR). The latter help individuals recover from past floods.
GLO announced the $750 million allocation on March 18. HUD is NOT giving the money to Harris County outright. The County must first submit a plan of how and where it will use the money. Both HUD and GLO must approve that plan, called the Method of Distribution (MOD) before work can begin. Then, as vendors submit invoices, Harris County will submit them for reimbursement.
Notification of Planning Meeting For CDBG-MIT funding
Harris County wants your input on the plan. The Community Services Department will accept written and oral input regarding the use of funding and development of Harris County’s MOD at a planning meeting scheduled for:
Thursday, May 19, 2022
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Harris County Community Services Department (HCCSD) Office
9418 Jensen, Houston, Texas, 77093
Harris County will accept written input before May 30, 2022, 5:00 pm. via mail to Attn: HCCSD Planning Section, 13105 Northwest Freeway Suite 400, Houston, Texas 77040 or by email to DRplancomments@csd.hctx.net.
To Request Special Accommodations at Meeting
Harris County will provide for reasonable accommodations for persons attending Harris County functions. Requests from persons needing special accommodations should be received by Harris County staff 48-hours prior to the function. The public hearing will be conducted in English and requests for language interpreters or other special communication needs should be made at least 72 hours prior to a function.
Please call 832-927-4700 or email DRplancomments@csd.hctx.net for assistance or additional information about this posting.
Restrictions on Use of Money
The funds represent an opportunity to mitigate disaster risks and reduce future losses in areas impacted by Harvey.
HUD defines mitigation as: “Those activities that increase resilience to disasters and reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of loss of life, injury, damage to and loss of property, and suffering and hardship, by lessening the impact of future disasters.”
Virtually all Harris County Flood Control District Bond Projects would qualify under that definition.
Eligible recipients include units of local government, special purpose districts, and port and river authorities.
The GLO encourages the prioritization of regional investments with regional impacts. Those include:
Low-to-Moderate Income Requirement
The table below shows the percentage of LMI Residents in each of Harris County’s 23 watersheds and the number of structures damaged in those watersheds by Harvey. Cross reference this information with the list of flood bond projects in making your recommendations for how to allocate the $750 million. And, of course, you don’t have to restrict yourself to flood bond projects.
Brittany Eck, GLO spokesperson, emphasized that the LMI requirement applies to “beneficiaries of a project.” She also said that GLO encouraged Harris County to look both upstream and downstream for beneficiaries. Not everybody in a watershed may benefit.
Pages 250-256 of the Action Plan contain the exact text of all requirements.
Time Limitation on Expenditure of Funds
No less than 50% of the $750,000,000 CDBG-MIT allocated to Harris County must be expended by January 12, 2027, with the full balance expended by January 12, 2032.
While this may sound like plenty of time, remember that today almost five years have passed since Harvey. And only 45 of 181 projects originally in the flood bond have begun construction. The rest are in still in feasibility surveys, engineering, or right-of-way acquisition.
All flood bond projects have already started and passed through one or more of those preliminary phases.
This Money Could Fully Fund the Bond Program
This $750 million, together with the Flood Resilience Trust approved last year by Commissioners Court last year, should be enough to fully fund every project in the bond program.
However, the County Administrator chose the Community Services Department (CSD) to recommend projects for the MOD. The thinking was that CSD was more in touch with the needs of LMI neighborhoods. Of course, CSD will consult with HCFCD on the final recommendations.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/14/2022
1719 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Save Date: Public Input Scheduled for Adlong Ditch Project on May 25
The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) will hold a virtual Community Engagement Meeting for Adlong Ditch Conveyance Improvements on May 25. The purpose: to share project information and update residents on status of the project.
This project is in the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) stage. PER objectives include delivering more detailed recommendations for flood damage reduction and an implementation strategy.
The Virtual Community Engagement Meeting will be held on:
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022
6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Join online at: PublicInput.com/Adlong
Or by phone* at 855-925-2801 with Meeting Code: 4964
2018 Bond Program funds will pay for this project. Community engagement is an important component of the Bond. And HCFCD invites your participation.
About the Meeting
The meeting will begin with a brief presentation to share project updates. A moderated Q&A session with Flood Control will follow. Residents may submit questions and comments before, during and after the meeting and throughout the public comment period. Any comments not addressed during the Q&A session will receive a response at the conclusion of the public comment period.
Even if you can’t attend the virtual meeting, you can register to receive future project updates. HCFCD will post a recording of the meeting on the District’s website and YouTube after the event.
If you need accommodations because of a disability, please contact 346-286-4040 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. For questions, please contact the Flood Control District at 346-286-4000, or fill out the comment form online at hcfcd.org/f-43.
*If you attend by phone only, maps and other exhibits will not be visible. However, you can find those after the meeting at hcfcd.org/f-43.
Location of Ditch
Adlong Ditch runs north to south through a mostly rural area, east of Lake Houston between FM2100 and Cedar Bayou. The ditch runs from approximately Old Atascocita Road on the north to its confluence with Cedar Bayou east of Crosby.
Arkema Disaster Happened Near Adlong Ditch
A high-level executive of the flood control district described flooding in this area during Harvey. He said it was “a giant lake.”
The U.S. Chemical Hazards and Safety Investigation Board (CSB) said the flooding directly contributed to the disaster at the Arkema chemical plant, one block east of the ditch on Highway 90.
According to the Board, Harvey disabled refrigeration systems at the Arkema plant in Crosby, where the company manufactures organic peroxides normally stored at -20 degrees F. As temperatures increased, the peroxides spontaneously combusted on August 31.
Arkema had a history of flooding, but never as bad as it did during Harvey. As a result, managers did not initially consider the plant’s safety systems at risk. But floodwaters at the plant during Harvey eventually reached 5 feet high – incredible for such a flat area.
The full report by the CSB details a series of catastrophic, bone-chilling miscalculations. It serves as a grim reminder of the power of floods and the need for preparation.
Residents within a 1.5 mile radius had to be evacuated. And because plant managers knew from experience that miles of surrounding roads would become impassable, they left a crew inside the plant to ride out the storm.
Not much later, 350,000 pounds of organic peroxide spontaneously combusted. Residents living within 1.5 miles of the plant had to evacuate and could not return home for a week. The incident endangered the lives of employees, first responders and neighbors. Highway 90, an evacuation route, had to be closed for days because of toxic fumes.
Cedar Bayou Flood Risk Reduction Study
Ironically, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) had started a Cedar Bayou Flood Risk Reduction Study six months before Harvey as part of its Cedar Bayou Plan. This study investigated existing flood hazards and identified potential future drainage improvements to help mitigate flooding and flood damage.
Included in the study were the Cedar Bayou main stem (Q100-00-00) and 18 of its tributaries deemed as priorities, including Q128-00-00 (Adlong Ditch).
Outline of Long-Term Solution for Adlong Ditch
The long-term proposed solution for Adlong Ditch includes:
Short-Term Objectives
The short-term recommendations include:
Project Benefits
Implementation of the long-term proposed solution would be phased as funding becomes available. The project benefits include:
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/13/2022
1718 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Exploration Green: Old Golf Course Turned into Innovative Flooding Solution
One of the more innovative flooding solutions in the Houston area can be found in Clear Lake. It’s called Exploration Green. Exploration Green is an old 178-acre golf course converted into a series of five large stormwater retention basins that also act as wetlands, wildlife habitat, and recreational amenities. Reforestation forms an extensive part of the plan as does water-quality enhancement.
Exploration Green demonstrates how “innovative green” approaches to flood prevention can amplify the value of traditional engineering. Islands in the ponds have attracted more than 150 species of birds.
Stormwater Retention at Core of Plan
The master plan shows 38 acres of permanent water (wet bottom ponds) and 39 acres of wetlands. The slopes around the ponds create 1,680 acre feet of floodwater storage capacity. That’s enough to hold a foot of rain falling over 2.6 square miles. While the permanent water depth is six feet, the slopes around the ponds can safely hold water up to 13 feet.
Stormwater runoff from the surrounding area (2,000 acres) flows directly to the site.
The project has proven so successful that FEMA prepared a case study on it. Exploration Green protects an estimated 16,000 homes in the immediate area.
Alternative to Commercial Development
Local developers had expressed interest in turning the area into a massive commercial development. So, residents in the community – who didn’t like that idea – approached the Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA) Board of Directors.
Public input from town hall meetings helped guide a masterplan created by SWA Architects. The ideas included ADA accessible trails, native trees and grasses, benches, athletic fields and other amenities. Then engineers and hydrologists reviewed feasibility. Finally, voters approved bond funding to purchase the property.
The primary intent: floodwater detention. Secondary: to create a multi-purpose space that the entire community could enjoy. See the original masterplan document here.
CLCWA began purchasing the land in 2005. They divided construction into Phases 1A, 1B, 1C, 2, 3A, 3B, 4, and 5. Work could finish this year.
When complete, the facility will have 6 miles of 10-foot wide concrete trails connecting amenities with the local community.
CLCWA water rates fund maintenance of the park.
For More Information
Visit the Clear Lake City Water Authority website or the Exploration Green website. They also offer a brochure you can download.
The project has garnered an impressive list of awards.
It’s easy to access – between I-45 and the Johnson Space Center. See the map here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/12/22
1717 Days since Hurricane Harvey