Yesterday, 1/25/22, Harris County Commissioners Court named Dr. Christina Petersen as the new head of the Flood Control District. That position had been open for seven months since Russ Poppe resigned last July. Below is a brief bio of Petersen distributed by David Berry, the new Harris County administrator.
Dr. Christina Petersen, new head of Harris County Flood Control District
Petersen Background
“Dr. Christina “Tina” Petersen will serve as the first female Director of the Flood Control District in its 85-year history. She joins Harris County from the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, where she has served as Deputy General Manager for the past 3 years and oversaw the District’s Regulatory Planning, Scientific Research, and Water Conservation Programs. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from Baylor University and her Master’s and doctoral degrees in Environmental Engineering from the University of Houston. She is a registered Professional Engineer in Texas and has over 15 years of experience working with local city governments as well as water authorities, State agencies, and cities across Texas to deliver complex water supply and water quality projects.”
I’m trying to learn more about Dr. Petersen’s background. What I didn’t see in this was any mention of hydrology experience. Nor did I see any mention of private-sector experience. More news to follow.
Other Related Appointments
Meanwhile, Berry’s press release also listed:
Dr. Milton Rahman, who will serve as the new County Engineer. Dr. Rahman is a Professional Engineer, Project Management Professional, and Certified Floodplain Manager.
Lisa Lin, the first director of the Sustainability for Harris County.
Daniel Ramos, the new Executive Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Posted by Bob Rehak based on a press release by Dave Berry, Harris County Administrator
1611 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Tina-Petersen.jpg?fit=468%2C624&ssl=1624468adminadmin2022-01-26 12:01:582022-01-26 13:27:08Harris County Names Dr. Tina Petersen New Head of Flood Control District
When it comes to flood control in Harris County, you often hear claims of “historic disinvestment” in low-to-moderate income (LMI) neighborhoods. Residents allege that they flood because Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) funneled dollars into affluent neighborhoods for decades while ignoring lower-income watersheds. But are those claims true? Not if you look at the numbers since 2000.
What Data Shows
See the table below. I compiled it from data supplied by HCFCD in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request. The table ranks each watershed in the county by its percentage of LMI residents. It also breaks them into two groups – those with percentages of LMI residents above and below 50%.
HCFCD Spending by Watershed since 2000through the end of Q3, 2021.
Harris County has 23 watersheds.
Column 1 shows the watersheds broken into two groups – those with more or less than 50% LMI residents.
Column 2 shows the percentage of LMI residents in the watershed. Those with the highest percentages of low-income residents are the least affluent.
Column 3 shows the historic investment in flood mitigation between 2000 and the end of the third-quarter 2021.
Column 4 shows the historic investment plus inflation compounded annually.
Column 5 shows the percentage of inflation over time.
No Historic Disinvestment
In raw dollars, the eight least affluent watersheds received 61% of all dollars since 2000. Fifteen more affluent watersheds received only 39%.
The 8 less-affluent watersheds received $700 million more than the other 15!
After accounting for inflation, the eight low-to-moderate income watersheds received on average almost $300 million each. The rest received only about $90 million each.
Notice also how the rates of inflation tend to be much higher in the less affluent group. That’s because HCFCD has been spending more money in these watersheds over a longer period of time. For example: If a watershed received a $10 million project in 2000, more inflation would apply than if the investment was made yesterday.
Conclusion: I see no pattern of historic disinvestment in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods by HCFCD.
Funding Flows to Damage
The reality of flood bond spending is far more nuanced than most people have the time or desire to explore. At a high level, though, funding flows to damage.
Older neighborhoods inside the Beltway have higher flood risk because of older development regulations, older building codes, and storm sewers or ditches that have filled in with silt or vegetation. See pictures below from Halls Bayou.
Blocked street drains that turn neighborhoods into detention ponds.
The people in this neighborhood (Halls Bayou) claim they “flood every time.” But if you look at historical gage data, you will see that Halls came out of its banks at Tidwell only twice in the last 20 years – once during Harvey and once during Imelda. Harvey was bad. During Imelda, the bayou overtopped banks only by a foot.
I conclude that repeat flooding in the neighborhood shown above comes from blocked street ditches. They turn neighborhoods into giant detention ponds. But the ditches are the responsibility of Precinct Commissioners, not HCFCD.
To sum up, I do not see a pattern of historic disinvestment by HCFCD in Harris County’s LMI neighborhoods.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/25/2022
1610 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Screen-Shot-2022-01-25-at-7.07.51-AM.png?fit=758%2C1060&ssl=11060758adminadmin2022-01-25 11:27:132022-01-25 11:37:35Myth Buster: Historic Disinvestment in LMI Watersheds?
Zeve joined HCFCD one day after the Halloween Flood of 2015. He had a distinguished career in the private sector that led from Bachelors and Masters degrees in civil engineering at Texas A&M to one of the most important flood-control jobs in the country. Along the way, Zeve proved himself to be an accomplished engineer, a top-notch manager, a driven public servant, and a consummate communicator who handled himself with grace under pressure – all while managing the equivalent of a $5 billion startup in little more than three years. Like most good managers, Zeve shuns the spotlight, preferring to credit his talented team of employees and consultants.
Regardless, Zeve helped organize and lead the effort to build a $2.5 billion flood-bond program after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. He led 21 of 23 watershed meetings leading up to the bond referendum, which voters approved by 86%.
But $2.5 billion was just the bond money approved by voters. With projected matching funds, the total value exceeded $5 billion.
Imagine losing the Chief Operating Officer of a $5 billion startup! The picture that comes to mind is that of a juggler with 180 balls in the air.
That’s how many projects Flood Control employees, consultants and contractors currently have in the works.
Zeve oversaw the transition of HCFCD from a sleepy County department that delivered about $30 million of capital improvements per year to one that delivers more than $400 million per year. That required internal process improvements, new hires, staff augmentation, implementation of new management software and more.
It also required a change in culture. The cultural shift that Russ Poppe and Matt Zeve brought to the Flood Control District produced a sense of urgency in all projects. It was based on the fact that somewhere in Harris County, it could flood tomorrow.
Zeve also led efforts to revamp how HCFCD communicates with the public, stakeholders and elected officials. The result: one of the most open and transparent government departments anywhere.
Delivering Under Pressure
He did all this under pressure that could be likened to wartime. Harris County experienced four 500-year storms from 2015 to 2019. During Harvey, an estimated 154,170 homes flooded across the county. Two thirds were outside the 100-year floodplain and did not have flood insurance. Harvey ranked as the heaviest rainfall event in North American history. Families, their life savings and whole communities were devastated.
At a time of crisis when most people would have headed to the exits, Zeve stepped up to the plate for the citizens of Harris County. To this day, he and his team are virtually the only ones in Harris County actually moving dirt to mitigate flooding.
Despite the Flood Control District’s progress, trying to serve 4.7 million people with PTSD would have challenged anyone. A few vocal people in densely-populated, low-to-moderate income neighborhoods felt they were not getting enough dollars from the flood bond. In reality, they were already receiving the lion’s share. Regardless, this vocal minority now seems to be dictating Commissioners Court policy.
When Politics Undermines Performance…
In this constant, contentious political tug-of-war, I’m sure Zeve often felt he had a thankless, 24/7 job. That had to weigh heavily on his decision to leave. Now that he’s leaving, those ignorant of his contributions and funding realities may give thanks, but the rest of the county should be alarmed.
People whom I speak with regularly tell me that the Flood Control District staff is devastated that Zeve is leaving; he was well-liked and respected. Staff are openly wondering why Commissioners Court would allow strong leaders like Russ Poppe and Matt Zeve to leave. I wonder as well. What is their end game?
Perhaps Court members want their own appointees instead of qualified and dedicated staff members. Maybe they value political persuasion over performance and protecting residents.
We will most likely never know. One could conclude that the majority on Commissioners Court may not care as much about flood mitigation as its members claim.
What Next?
Zeve’s team has more than 180 bond projects currently underway. And it could take months to find a new Deputy Executive Director. Commissioners Court still has not found a suitable replacement for Russ Poppe seven months after he resigned.
Zeve is just the latest in a long line of Harris County department leaders driven to departure for no good reason. His loss will leave a department dismayed, distracted and demoralized. Could anyone blame employees for wondering what thanks await their loyalty and hard work?
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/24/2022
1609 Days after 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/2018/09/MattZeve_headshot-e1536349273560.jpg?fit=900%2C1175&ssl=11175900adminadmin2022-01-24 09:23:262024-04-20 19:45:58Matt Zeve Resigns from Harris County Flood Control District
Harris County Names Dr. Tina Petersen New Head of Flood Control District
Yesterday, 1/25/22, Harris County Commissioners Court named Dr. Christina Petersen as the new head of the Flood Control District. That position had been open for seven months since Russ Poppe resigned last July. Below is a brief bio of Petersen distributed by David Berry, the new Harris County administrator.
Petersen Background
“Dr. Christina “Tina” Petersen will serve as the first female Director of the Flood Control District in its 85-year history. She joins Harris County from the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, where she has served as Deputy General Manager for the past 3 years and oversaw the District’s Regulatory Planning, Scientific Research, and Water Conservation Programs. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from Baylor University and her Master’s and doctoral degrees in Environmental Engineering from the University of Houston. She is a registered Professional Engineer in Texas and has over 15 years of experience working with local city governments as well as water authorities, State agencies, and cities across Texas to deliver complex water supply and water quality projects.”
I’m trying to learn more about Dr. Petersen’s background. What I didn’t see in this was any mention of hydrology experience. Nor did I see any mention of private-sector experience. More news to follow.
Other Related Appointments
Meanwhile, Berry’s press release also listed:
Posted by Bob Rehak based on a press release by Dave Berry, Harris County Administrator
1611 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Myth Buster: Historic Disinvestment in LMI Watersheds?
When it comes to flood control in Harris County, you often hear claims of “historic disinvestment” in low-to-moderate income (LMI) neighborhoods. Residents allege that they flood because Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) funneled dollars into affluent neighborhoods for decades while ignoring lower-income watersheds. But are those claims true? Not if you look at the numbers since 2000.
What Data Shows
See the table below. I compiled it from data supplied by HCFCD in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request. The table ranks each watershed in the county by its percentage of LMI residents. It also breaks them into two groups – those with percentages of LMI residents above and below 50%.
Harris County has 23 watersheds.
No Historic Disinvestment
In raw dollars, the eight least affluent watersheds received 61% of all dollars since 2000. Fifteen more affluent watersheds received only 39%.
The 8 less-affluent watersheds received $700 million more than the other 15!
After accounting for inflation, the eight low-to-moderate income watersheds received on average almost $300 million each. The rest received only about $90 million each.
Notice also how the rates of inflation tend to be much higher in the less affluent group. That’s because HCFCD has been spending more money in these watersheds over a longer period of time. For example: If a watershed received a $10 million project in 2000, more inflation would apply than if the investment was made yesterday.
Funding Flows to Damage
The reality of flood bond spending is far more nuanced than most people have the time or desire to explore. At a high level, though, funding flows to damage.
Older neighborhoods inside the Beltway have higher flood risk because of older development regulations, older building codes, and storm sewers or ditches that have filled in with silt or vegetation. See pictures below from Halls Bayou.
The people in this neighborhood (Halls Bayou) claim they “flood every time.” But if you look at historical gage data, you will see that Halls came out of its banks at Tidwell only twice in the last 20 years – once during Harvey and once during Imelda. Harvey was bad. During Imelda, the bayou overtopped banks only by a foot.
I conclude that repeat flooding in the neighborhood shown above comes from blocked street ditches. They turn neighborhoods into giant detention ponds. But the ditches are the responsibility of Precinct Commissioners, not HCFCD.
To sum up, I do not see a pattern of historic disinvestment by HCFCD in Harris County’s LMI neighborhoods.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/25/2022
1610 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Matt Zeve Resigns from Harris County Flood Control District
Flood mitigation efforts in Harris County just took their second major hit in less than a year. Last July, Russ Poppe, the executive director of the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) resigned after months of political backbiting. Now, Matt Zeve, the deputy executive director has resigned, too.
Zeve Background and Contributions
Zeve joined HCFCD one day after the Halloween Flood of 2015. He had a distinguished career in the private sector that led from Bachelors and Masters degrees in civil engineering at Texas A&M to one of the most important flood-control jobs in the country. Along the way, Zeve proved himself to be an accomplished engineer, a top-notch manager, a driven public servant, and a consummate communicator who handled himself with grace under pressure – all while managing the equivalent of a $5 billion startup in little more than three years. Like most good managers, Zeve shuns the spotlight, preferring to credit his talented team of employees and consultants.
Regardless, Zeve helped organize and lead the effort to build a $2.5 billion flood-bond program after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. He led 21 of 23 watershed meetings leading up to the bond referendum, which voters approved by 86%.
But $2.5 billion was just the bond money approved by voters. With projected matching funds, the total value exceeded $5 billion.
That’s how many projects Flood Control employees, consultants and contractors currently have in the works.
Zeve oversaw the transition of HCFCD from a sleepy County department that delivered about $30 million of capital improvements per year to one that delivers more than $400 million per year. That required internal process improvements, new hires, staff augmentation, implementation of new management software and more.
It also required a change in culture. The cultural shift that Russ Poppe and Matt Zeve brought to the Flood Control District produced a sense of urgency in all projects. It was based on the fact that somewhere in Harris County, it could flood tomorrow.
Zeve also led efforts to revamp how HCFCD communicates with the public, stakeholders and elected officials. The result: one of the most open and transparent government departments anywhere.
Delivering Under Pressure
He did all this under pressure that could be likened to wartime. Harris County experienced four 500-year storms from 2015 to 2019. During Harvey, an estimated 154,170 homes flooded across the county. Two thirds were outside the 100-year floodplain and did not have flood insurance. Harvey ranked as the heaviest rainfall event in North American history. Families, their life savings and whole communities were devastated.
At a time of crisis when most people would have headed to the exits, Zeve stepped up to the plate for the citizens of Harris County. To this day, he and his team are virtually the only ones in Harris County actually moving dirt to mitigate flooding.
Despite the Flood Control District’s progress, trying to serve 4.7 million people with PTSD would have challenged anyone. A few vocal people in densely-populated, low-to-moderate income neighborhoods felt they were not getting enough dollars from the flood bond. In reality, they were already receiving the lion’s share. Regardless, this vocal minority now seems to be dictating Commissioners Court policy.
When Politics Undermines Performance…
In this constant, contentious political tug-of-war, I’m sure Zeve often felt he had a thankless, 24/7 job. That had to weigh heavily on his decision to leave. Now that he’s leaving, those ignorant of his contributions and funding realities may give thanks, but the rest of the county should be alarmed.
People whom I speak with regularly tell me that the Flood Control District staff is devastated that Zeve is leaving; he was well-liked and respected. Staff are openly wondering why Commissioners Court would allow strong leaders like Russ Poppe and Matt Zeve to leave. I wonder as well. What is their end game?
Perhaps Court members want their own appointees instead of qualified and dedicated staff members. Maybe they value political persuasion over performance and protecting residents.
We will most likely never know. One could conclude that the majority on Commissioners Court may not care as much about flood mitigation as its members claim.
What Next?
Zeve’s team has more than 180 bond projects currently underway. And it could take months to find a new Deputy Executive Director. Commissioners Court still has not found a suitable replacement for Russ Poppe seven months after he resigned.
Zeve is just the latest in a long line of Harris County department leaders driven to departure for no good reason. His loss will leave a department dismayed, distracted and demoralized. Could anyone blame employees for wondering what thanks await their loyalty and hard work?
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/24/2022
1609 Days after 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.