2/23/26 – Harris County Engineering and the County Attorney appear to have stopped enforcing floodplain regulations. On February 5, 2026, I photographed TXDoT contractors excavating dirt to form a giant detention basin adjacent to the FM2100 expansion project in Huffman. From there, they trucked the dirt to a farm north of Huffman Eastgate Road, where they dumped it inside of the Cedar Bayou 100-year floodplain.
Despite violating county regulations, the floodplain fill operation has shifted into a higher gear. See details and pictures below.
TXDoT contractors are moving fill from upper left to lower center of this satellite photo near Hargrave High School (lower right).
Here’s what that means in terms of floodplains.
Dirt is moving from outside the floodplain to inside it and from one watershed to another.
When I reported the dumping in early February, the County told me that it violated floodplain regs. The regs became effective July 9, 2019 shortly after Harvey. They prohibit the addition of fill to floodplains without 1:1 compensatory mitigation in the same floodplain, and preferably on the same property. I reprinted the relevant text below verbatim. To see the entire document, click here.
Section 4.07(e) on Page 45
“Any reduction in floodplain storage or conveyance capacity within the 0.2 percent or 500‐year floodplain must be offset with a hydraulically equivalent (one‐to‐one) volume of mitigation sufficient to offset the reduction. The reduction may result from development or the placement of fill within the 0.2% floodplain or 500‐year floodplain.”
“Such mitigation shall be within the same watershed and shall be provided on the same property or within the same hydrologic sub‐watershed or at an alternate site meeting the approval of the County Engineer. A full hydrological and hydraulic analysis must be submitted to support a request for mitigation outside the boundaries of the property being developed. This requirement does not apply to Coastal Areas where floodplain fill mitigation is not an issue.”
According to the Harris County sources, the contractors don’t have a permit. And to get one they will have to perform mitigation as described above.
Pace of Fill Activity Doubles Compared to Feb. 5 Post
I saw a dozen trucks enter the dump site within a 20-minute period today. That’s roughly double the pace I observed on 2/5/26. I took all the pictures below after lunch today.
Cedar Bayou Floodplain Fill Operation by TXDoT. As three trucks were leaving site, more were entering.They would open a hatch in the belly of the bed and spread their fill while driving in a circleto return to the excavation site without stopping.It was a constant parade. As one truck left, another would enter. I counted a dozen trucks in 20 minutes.The dump site lies near the Luce Inter-Basin Transfer Canal (lower left).Note fill reaching treetop level at the rear of the property. Portable lights let the operation continue after dark according to nearby residents.
Photos Taken Minutes Later at Excavation Site
A little more than 3 miles to the northwest, up FM2100, the pace of fill activity was even more evident. Today, I saw two lines of trucks waiting for fill at the excavation site.
First of two lines at the excavation site had eight trucks lined up loading or leaving for the dump site.The second line had nine trucks lined up.
Where Has Enforcement Gone?
Operations this big can’t be overlooked by accident. Sources familiar with Harris County Engineering say they still review plans and issue permits, but they rarely, if ever, check on compliance under the current administration. And the County Attorney rarely prosecutes these cases; he’s running for a new job.
So, the source says, people in both offices collect paychecks, but rarely bother to work. I mention this, because it’s an election year and we have a chance to change that.
Why Adding Floodplain Fill is Prohibited
It seems as though the current administration has already forgotten why county commissioners revised the regulations in 2019. Almost half the 154,170 homes that flooded during Harvey in Harris County were outside mapped floodplains. That was largely a function of a) fill added to floodplains combined with b) hopelessly out-of-date flood maps.
As one of the most seasoned engineers in the region told me, the “bathtub effect” was real. “Put enough fill in the floodplain and it will displace water, flooding someone else’s property.” He also said, “The fill can also disrupt flow patterns, forcing floodwater onto neighbor’s property.”
He cited the case of one family nearby that floods constantly now because of fill added to a neighbor’s property. But he sees issues like this all over the region.
Coming Next
More on that and similar cases tomorrow when I talk about the expensive “Flood-Mitigation Treadmill.” Most people don’t realize how expensive correcting problems like the one above are compared to preventing them in the first place. Sometimes it’s hard for mitigation to keep up with the people constricting floodplains. Don’t miss it.
Harris County did not return phone calls or emails today in response to enquiries about the floodplain fill shown above.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/23/26
3100 Days since 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/2026/02/DJI_20260223133436_0240_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2026-02-23 20:03:592026-02-24 07:29:59Cedar Bayou Floodplain-Fill Operation Shifts into Higher Gear
2/21/26 – A person believed responsible for illegally placing massive amounts of fill in the floodway and floodplain of the San Jacinto West Fork near the intersection of Savelle and Sorters-McClellan Roads has yet to pay fines or remove the fill. He has also failed to appear at multiple hearings on the case, resulting in warrants being issued for his arrest.
New Aerial Photos Show Fill Not Yet Removed
Aerial photos taken on 2/20/26 show the site has not changed since Houston Public Works and the Houston Police raided it in December and caught several large trucks dumping their loads. Heavy equipment has been removed, but the fill has not.
Looking N at most of site. Savelle Rd. on right. Sorters in top right. Public road now gated (red circle).
Yesterday, the gate was locked. High, solid fences blocked views of the property from the roads. And a gate now blocks the entrance to a public street on the south side of the property.
Response from City About Status
District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger’s Chief of Staff Dustin Hodges responded as follows to my inquiry as to the status of enforcement actions against the owners. I have reprinted it verbatim below.
“Here’s the latest I received from Floodplain Management on the Savell Rd property.”
“We have continued to monitor the site on a weekly basis and have issued citations to Mr. Rene Martinez each week. I have not had any further communication with Mr. Martinez since our last meeting on December 19, 2025.
“Mr. Martinez has failed to appear at his scheduled arraignment dates, resulting in two warrants being issued for his arrest and three failures to appear.
“I have sent certified notices to both Mr. Martinez and the property owner of 139 Lakeside Street, whom I believe may also be involved in the illegal fill dirt activity. Additionally, the residents of 139 Lakeside Street have installed a gate across the public roadway, which has blocked our access to the site.
“We will continue our efforts to bring the property into compliance and welcome any assistance from the Houston Police Department or the City of Houston Legal Department that can be provided to help resolve this matter.“
History of Issue
I first posted about this issue in December after a citizen sent me a tip about unusual truck traffic at the site. The very next day, Houston Public Works and the Houston Police Department raided the site. They found multiple violations and caught several trucks dumping their loads.
Harris County Flood Warning System records show that this location had the highest flooding in the county during Hurricane Harvey – a whopping 27 feet above the normal water level.
Filling floodplains and floodways is dangerous because it constricts and displaces floodwaters, flooding properties somewhere else, such as Costco and Main Event on the other side of the river.
What Regulations Say
And that’s why City of Houston regulations prohibit bringing fill dirt into floodways and floodplains. Chapter 19 Div. 2 Sec. 19.34 states:
No fill may be added to a 100-year floodplain.
Any loss of floodplain-storage volume must be mitigated onsite.
Note height of fill. It’s as high as many small trees.Immediately N of filled property. Note how swampy the area is.West Fork at top of frame.Looking S toward US59 bridge over West Fork and its confluence with Spring Creek.Looking NE. Note height of fill which stretches all the way to the West Fork (left).
At this point, we do not yet know where the fill came from or whether the owner(s) have the ability to remove it. More news to follow. Harris County Appraisal District Records show that the area being filled belongs to at least two couples, who have acquired multiple properties within it.
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/2026/02/DJI_20260220144823_0182_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2026-02-21 12:46:102026-02-21 12:53:10Arrest Warrants Issued in Floodway, Floodplain Fill Case
2/20/2026 – The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) will hold a public input meeting at the Humble Civic Center on March 5 from 6-8 PM to discuss its Joint Reservoir Operations Study. According to Matt Barrett PE, SJRA’s Water Resources and Flood Management Division Manager, “one of the main objectives of the study is to determine if there are any benefits to pre-releases from Lake Conroe and Lake Houston.”
Timing Affected by Lake Houston Gates Engineering
SJRA first applied for a grant to study synchronizing releases from the two dams back in 2020. However, the project to add crest gates to the Lake Houston Dam hit a setback when the City could not find any contractors willing to bid on the project. The issue had to do with the potential liability associated with working on a 70-year-old concrete structure already badly in need of repair.
Old Lake Houston gates (l) are being replaced by new gates in the earthen eastern portion of the dam (not shown here), so that Lake Houston releases can keep up with what Lake Conroe Gates (r) released during Harvey – 79,000 CFS.
With the crest-gate proposal dead, the City went to Plan B. They are now studying tainter gates for the earthen eastern portion of the dam.
Gates like Conroe’s will now go in the bottom portion of the image above.
The second study recently reached a milestone. Engineering is now 30% complete. That’s widely regarded as the point where a project becomes real enough to make valid estimates about feasibility, costs, timelines and more.
Said Barrett, “We wanted to make sure we understood the future condition at Lake Houston before we pulled the trigger on our analysis.”
Main Objective of Joint Operations Study
Now that engineers have a better idea of what the new gates on Lake Houston’s Dam can do, it’s possible to see whether any benefits accrue from trying to synchronize pre-releases with Lake Conroe. A pre-release from Lake Conroe only makes sense when storms reach there first, i.e., from the north. A pre-release from Conroe when a storm approaches from the south could doubly flood the Lake Houston Area.
The major goal of this study is to determine how effective pre-releases really are. Barrett must also ensure pre-releases don’t negatively impact water supply.
Second Objective: Flow-Forecasting Tool
The study will also develop a flow-forecasting tool for Lake Houston. Barrett says it will help provide more information on anticipated volumes of stormwater coming into Lake Houston during storm events. “We will look at the entire basin,” he said, “to predict flows. So, that could be a very helpful tool.”
Results Will Inform Lake Houston Gate-Operations Policy
Barrett added, “Our intention was originally to develop the gate operations policy for Lake Houston – for the new gates that they’re looking to install. But that’s now being done as part of their gates project. So, in this study, we’re just supporting them with relevant data that comes out of our study. We’ll support development of their gate policy. But it will not be dictated by this project.”
“The study will also consider the travel time of water between Lake Conroe and Lake Houston, a factor that’s crucial in evaluation of pre-releases,” said Barrett. That’s crucial to understand if coordination of pre-releases is necessary.
Benefit Area
The study will potentially benefit the area between Lake Conroe and Lake Houston as well as the people around each lake.
Will pre-releases lower flood risk? “That’s what we want to find out,” said Barrett.
“I hope whatever the results are that they’ll be trusted. And that people will accept what the engineering says, whichever direction it happens to go,” said Barrett.
“Pre-release has had a lot of interest over the years,” said Barrett. “So, I think it’s good for us to answer the question once and for all. Is it effective and is it something that provides benefits?”
There’s a well-established body of work showing that coordinating operations across multiple reservoirs can produce measurable flood-mitigation benefits. However, hydrology, travel times, and downstream constraints must align.
The big win is usually shaving peak flow by avoiding “release stacking” (upstream releases arriving downstream at the same time as local inflows, i.e., from the East Fork or Spring and Cypress Creeks).
Other engineers in other watersheds have seen flood-mitigation benefits when their studies identified operating rules that:
Prevented release “coincidence” – We must avoid upstream releases arriving at the same time as peak local inflows from other uncontrolled tributaries
Used forecasts intelligently – Pre-release only works when forecast confidence and downstream capacity justify it
Make-or-break technical questions for the San Jacinto Watershed will likely include:
Travel time for water between Lake Conroe and Lake Houston and how that changes with different base flows.
Downstream constraints such as local rainfall in the Lake Houston watershed
Forecast confidence and decision triggers – When will forecasts be reliable enough to justify pre-release without wasting water supply or making flooding worse.
What will the study optimize for? Peak flood stage at specific gages? Total damages? Avoiding emergency spillway use? Protecting evacuation routes? Something else?
Bring your questions to the Civic Center. The engineers will have a presentation at 6:30 but be available to talk before and after that.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/20/26
3097 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Gates-Side-by-Side.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=14001200adminadmin2026-02-20 13:00:462026-02-20 16:55:59Save the Date: SJRA Joint Reservoir Operations Meeting March 5
Cedar Bayou Floodplain-Fill Operation Shifts into Higher Gear
2/23/26 – Harris County Engineering and the County Attorney appear to have stopped enforcing floodplain regulations. On February 5, 2026, I photographed TXDoT contractors excavating dirt to form a giant detention basin adjacent to the FM2100 expansion project in Huffman. From there, they trucked the dirt to a farm north of Huffman Eastgate Road, where they dumped it inside of the Cedar Bayou 100-year floodplain.
Despite violating county regulations, the floodplain fill operation has shifted into a higher gear. See details and pictures below.
Here’s what that means in terms of floodplains.
When I reported the dumping in early February, the County told me that it violated floodplain regs. The regs became effective July 9, 2019 shortly after Harvey. They prohibit the addition of fill to floodplains without 1:1 compensatory mitigation in the same floodplain, and preferably on the same property. I reprinted the relevant text below verbatim. To see the entire document, click here.
Section 4.07(e) on Page 45
“Any reduction in floodplain storage or conveyance capacity within the 0.2 percent or 500‐year floodplain must be offset with a hydraulically equivalent (one‐to‐one) volume of mitigation sufficient to offset the reduction. The reduction may result from development or the placement of fill within the 0.2% floodplain or 500‐year floodplain.”
“Such mitigation shall be within the same watershed and shall be provided on the same property or within the same hydrologic sub‐watershed or at an alternate site meeting the approval of the County Engineer. A full hydrological and hydraulic analysis must be submitted to support a request for mitigation outside the boundaries of the property being developed. This requirement does not apply to Coastal Areas where floodplain fill mitigation is not an issue.”
According to the Harris County sources, the contractors don’t have a permit. And to get one they will have to perform mitigation as described above.
Pace of Fill Activity Doubles Compared to Feb. 5 Post
I saw a dozen trucks enter the dump site within a 20-minute period today. That’s roughly double the pace I observed on 2/5/26. I took all the pictures below after lunch today.
Photos Taken Minutes Later at Excavation Site
A little more than 3 miles to the northwest, up FM2100, the pace of fill activity was even more evident. Today, I saw two lines of trucks waiting for fill at the excavation site.
Where Has Enforcement Gone?
Operations this big can’t be overlooked by accident. Sources familiar with Harris County Engineering say they still review plans and issue permits, but they rarely, if ever, check on compliance under the current administration. And the County Attorney rarely prosecutes these cases; he’s running for a new job.
So, the source says, people in both offices collect paychecks, but rarely bother to work. I mention this, because it’s an election year and we have a chance to change that.
Why Adding Floodplain Fill is Prohibited
It seems as though the current administration has already forgotten why county commissioners revised the regulations in 2019. Almost half the 154,170 homes that flooded during Harvey in Harris County were outside mapped floodplains. That was largely a function of a) fill added to floodplains combined with b) hopelessly out-of-date flood maps.
As one of the most seasoned engineers in the region told me, the “bathtub effect” was real. “Put enough fill in the floodplain and it will displace water, flooding someone else’s property.” He also said, “The fill can also disrupt flow patterns, forcing floodwater onto neighbor’s property.”
He cited the case of one family nearby that floods constantly now because of fill added to a neighbor’s property. But he sees issues like this all over the region.
Coming Next
More on that and similar cases tomorrow when I talk about the expensive “Flood-Mitigation Treadmill.” Most people don’t realize how expensive correcting problems like the one above are compared to preventing them in the first place. Sometimes it’s hard for mitigation to keep up with the people constricting floodplains. Don’t miss it.
Harris County did not return phone calls or emails today in response to enquiries about the floodplain fill shown above.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/23/26
3100 Days since 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.
Arrest Warrants Issued in Floodway, Floodplain Fill Case
2/21/26 – A person believed responsible for illegally placing massive amounts of fill in the floodway and floodplain of the San Jacinto West Fork near the intersection of Savelle and Sorters-McClellan Roads has yet to pay fines or remove the fill. He has also failed to appear at multiple hearings on the case, resulting in warrants being issued for his arrest.
New Aerial Photos Show Fill Not Yet Removed
Aerial photos taken on 2/20/26 show the site has not changed since Houston Public Works and the Houston Police raided it in December and caught several large trucks dumping their loads. Heavy equipment has been removed, but the fill has not.
Yesterday, the gate was locked. High, solid fences blocked views of the property from the roads. And a gate now blocks the entrance to a public street on the south side of the property.
Response from City About Status
District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger’s Chief of Staff Dustin Hodges responded as follows to my inquiry as to the status of enforcement actions against the owners. I have reprinted it verbatim below.
“Here’s the latest I received from Floodplain Management on the Savell Rd property.”
“We have continued to monitor the site on a weekly basis and have issued citations to Mr. Rene Martinez each week. I have not had any further communication with Mr. Martinez since our last meeting on December 19, 2025.
“Mr. Martinez has failed to appear at his scheduled arraignment dates, resulting in two warrants being issued for his arrest and three failures to appear.
“I have sent certified notices to both Mr. Martinez and the property owner of 139 Lakeside Street, whom I believe may also be involved in the illegal fill dirt activity. Additionally, the residents of 139 Lakeside Street have installed a gate across the public roadway, which has blocked our access to the site.
“We will continue our efforts to bring the property into compliance and welcome any assistance from the Houston Police Department or the City of Houston Legal Department that can be provided to help resolve this matter.“
History of Issue
I first posted about this issue in December after a citizen sent me a tip about unusual truck traffic at the site. The very next day, Houston Public Works and the Houston Police Department raided the site. They found multiple violations and caught several trucks dumping their loads.
Harris County Flood Warning System records show that this location had the highest flooding in the county during Hurricane Harvey – a whopping 27 feet above the normal water level.
Filling floodplains and floodways is dangerous because it constricts and displaces floodwaters, flooding properties somewhere else, such as Costco and Main Event on the other side of the river.
What Regulations Say
And that’s why City of Houston regulations prohibit bringing fill dirt into floodways and floodplains. Chapter 19 Div. 2 Sec. 19.34 states:
Floodways enjoy even more protection. Chapter 19 Div. 3 Sec. 19.43(a-b3) states:
The City says the property owner(s) did not have a permit to place the fill.
At this point, we do not yet know where the fill came from or whether the owner(s) have the ability to remove it. More news to follow. Harris County Appraisal District Records show that the area being filled belongs to at least two couples, who have acquired multiple properties within it.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/21/2026
3098 Days since 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.
Save the Date: SJRA Joint Reservoir Operations Meeting March 5
2/20/2026 – The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) will hold a public input meeting at the Humble Civic Center on March 5 from 6-8 PM to discuss its Joint Reservoir Operations Study. According to Matt Barrett PE, SJRA’s Water Resources and Flood Management Division Manager, “one of the main objectives of the study is to determine if there are any benefits to pre-releases from Lake Conroe and Lake Houston.”
Timing Affected by Lake Houston Gates Engineering
SJRA first applied for a grant to study synchronizing releases from the two dams back in 2020. However, the project to add crest gates to the Lake Houston Dam hit a setback when the City could not find any contractors willing to bid on the project. The issue had to do with the potential liability associated with working on a 70-year-old concrete structure already badly in need of repair.
With the crest-gate proposal dead, the City went to Plan B. They are now studying tainter gates for the earthen eastern portion of the dam.
The second study recently reached a milestone. Engineering is now 30% complete. That’s widely regarded as the point where a project becomes real enough to make valid estimates about feasibility, costs, timelines and more.
Said Barrett, “We wanted to make sure we understood the future condition at Lake Houston before we pulled the trigger on our analysis.”
Main Objective of Joint Operations Study
Now that engineers have a better idea of what the new gates on Lake Houston’s Dam can do, it’s possible to see whether any benefits accrue from trying to synchronize pre-releases with Lake Conroe. A pre-release from Lake Conroe only makes sense when storms reach there first, i.e., from the north. A pre-release from Conroe when a storm approaches from the south could doubly flood the Lake Houston Area.
The major goal of this study is to determine how effective pre-releases really are. Barrett must also ensure pre-releases don’t negatively impact water supply.
Second Objective: Flow-Forecasting Tool
The study will also develop a flow-forecasting tool for Lake Houston. Barrett says it will help provide more information on anticipated volumes of stormwater coming into Lake Houston during storm events. “We will look at the entire basin,” he said, “to predict flows. So, that could be a very helpful tool.”
Results Will Inform Lake Houston Gate-Operations Policy
Barrett added, “Our intention was originally to develop the gate operations policy for Lake Houston – for the new gates that they’re looking to install. But that’s now being done as part of their gates project. So, in this study, we’re just supporting them with relevant data that comes out of our study. We’ll support development of their gate policy. But it will not be dictated by this project.”
“The study will also consider the travel time of water between Lake Conroe and Lake Houston, a factor that’s crucial in evaluation of pre-releases,” said Barrett. That’s crucial to understand if coordination of pre-releases is necessary.
Benefit Area
The study will potentially benefit the area between Lake Conroe and Lake Houston as well as the people around each lake.
Will pre-releases lower flood risk? “That’s what we want to find out,” said Barrett.
“I hope whatever the results are that they’ll be trusted. And that people will accept what the engineering says, whichever direction it happens to go,” said Barrett.
Meet the Experts
On March 5, Lake Houston Area Residents will have an opportunity to meet representatives from the SJRA, Coastal Water Authority, City of Houston, Humble, and the consultant, Black & Veatch Engineering.
“Pre-release has had a lot of interest over the years,” said Barrett. “So, I think it’s good for us to answer the question once and for all. Is it effective and is it something that provides benefits?”
Mark Your Calendar
Experience of Other River Basins
This is not an unusual problem. Most rivers have multiple dams. For instance, multiple dams on the lower Colorado River help keep Austin from flooding.
There’s a well-established body of work showing that coordinating operations across multiple reservoirs can produce measurable flood-mitigation benefits. However, hydrology, travel times, and downstream constraints must align.
The big win is usually shaving peak flow by avoiding “release stacking” (upstream releases arriving downstream at the same time as local inflows, i.e., from the East Fork or Spring and Cypress Creeks).
Other engineers in other watersheds have seen flood-mitigation benefits when their studies identified operating rules that:
Make-or-break technical questions for the San Jacinto Watershed will likely include:
Bring your questions to the Civic Center. The engineers will have a presentation at 6:30 but be available to talk before and after that.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/20/26
3097 Days since Hurricane Harvey