Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved the Texas General Land Office’s (GLO) amended plan for Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT). The amended plan allocates $750 million in funding for Harris County and an $488 million to the Houston-Galveston Area Council for additional mitigation projects in the region. The funds allocated to the county should now mean that the 2018 flood bond is fully funded, if numbers provided last month on partner funding to date are accurate.
George P. Bush Quote on Process
According to a press release issued by the GLO at 7PM, 3/18/22, “Ensuring Texans receive disaster recovery and mitigation funding in a timely manner to recover from Hurricane Harvey has always been my top priority,” said GLO Commissioner Bush. “The Biden Administration’s politically weaponized Department of Urban Development and Housing has forced us to fight through mazes of red tape to secure this direct allocation for Houstonians. I will continue to fight to send money to Texans as quickly as possible. The $750 million allocation will go directly to Harris County for projects that help mitigate future flooding events, creating a stronger more resilient Texas.”
George P. Bush, Commissioner, Texas General Land Office, 2019 photo
$1.138 Billion Total
HUD’s approval of the latest Harvey Action Plan brings the total infrastructure and mitigation investments in Harris County to more than $1.1 billion. HUD’s approval of the GLO’s plan to provide $750,000,000 to Harris County is in addition to HUD’s direct allocation of $61,884,000 to the City of Houston, plus $117,213,862.96 in CDBG-MIT awards for Harris County projects, plus $209,221,800 in infrastructure funds from CDBG-DR, equals $1,138,319,662.96 in total investment in projects within Harris County. Additionally, H-GAC continues to develop its method of distribution on more than $488 million for mitigation projects within the greater Houston region.
Bush first requested a direct allocation for Harris County in May of 2021 after the county received very little money from the first round of competition for HUD. A direct allocation would have allowed Harris County to work directly with HUD and taken the GLO out of the loop. However, HUD reportedly insisted that the GLO remain involved. Subsequently, the GLO developed a 650-page action plan for the $750 million. However, HUD found it insufficient. As of early this week, the action plan exceeded 1000 pages, according to a GLO spokesperson. That apparently provided HUD what it needed. HUD notified the GLO in a letter received after 5PM today.
Method of Distribution Must Still be Developed
However, Harris County won’t get all the money immediately.
Since last November, H-GAC has been developing something called a MOD (Method of Distribution) for its allocation. However, according to the GLO, because of the expense involved, Harris County has delayed developing its MOD until the the award was approved by HUD.
Harris County’s next step will be to develop its MOD which describes where the money will go, how it will be used, and who will get it. GLO will review that and forward it to HUD. After HUD approves the MOD, HUD still won’t write a check for $750 million to the county. The money will be reimbursed to the county in batches as it is spent on approved projects.
Flood Bond Close to Fully Funded Even without Resilience Trust
Still, this will go a long way toward fulfilling the potential shortfall in partner funding for the Harris County Flood Bond. Of the original $5 billion bond, half is being paid for by Harris County taxpayers. The County hoped to get local, state, and federal partners to fund the other half.
Last July, when it looked like the $750 million might not materialize, Harris County Commissioners approved a Flood Resilience Trust that committed $833 million from the Toll Road Authority and other Harris County sources of funding. That, along with partner funding already committed, was enough to keep construction of Harris County Flood Bond projects rolling through approximately 2026.
From a presentation to the Harris County Community Flood Resilience Task Force in February 2022.
Today’s approval should make the flood bond fully funded if the numbers above are accurate. That should come as good news for all citizens who have been fighting for limited dollars. With money in the trust, this should accelerate mitigation projects throughout the county. And even fund some not identified in the original bond!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/18/2022
1662 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/George_P._Bush_crop.jpg?fit=930%2C1549&ssl=11549930adminadmin2022-03-18 20:45:212022-03-18 21:05:20HUD Approves $750 Million to Harris County for Flood Mitigation
Spring Creek Flood Control Dams are back in the news. The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) recently announced the first of three meetings related to a feasibility study. So save the date – April 7.
According to Matt Barrett of the SJRA, this feasibility study is a continuation of the Spring Creek Siting Study which came out of the San Jacinto Regional Watershed Master Drainage Plan project (SJMDP). The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) and multiple partner agencies including SJRA developed the Master Drainage Plan.
Overview of Feasibility Study
The Spring Creek Siting Study from December 2020 explored multiple alternative locations that could provide flood-mitigation benefits to the Spring Creek watershed. Two of the more cost-effective were dams on Walnut and Birch Creeks.
The Spring Creek Flood Control Dams Feasibility Study will include:
A conceptual design for each dam
Benefits and costs for each dam and a combination of the two dams.
The goal: to determine the most feasible and economical alternative(s) for possible future design and construction.
The cost of the study is estimated at $1 million. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) grant program will provide half. City of Humble, HCFCD, and five (5) Municipal Utility Districts will fund the other half. SJRA is performing in-kind services to reduce the local match amount to be funded by the Partners.
One Crucial Step of Many
This project is currently only in the feasibility phase. Construction of one or both dams, if feasible, would likely not occur for several years. Partners still need to identify a project sponsor and funding. They also need to perform final design, obtain environmental permits, and acquire land.
Details of Public Input Meeting
Public input and participation are critical components of this study, and SJRA wants to hear from you. A public meeting related to the study will be held on/at the following date and location:
Thursday, April 7, 2022
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Fields Store Community Center
26098 FM 362
Waller, Texas 77484
The meeting will be in an open-house format, allowing members of the public to come and go at their convenience at any time between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. A five-minute, high-level, project-summary presentation will be given at 6:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.
Between these presentations, project team members will answer questions and collect input. If you can’t attend in person, you can view the summary presentation on SJRA’s Facebook page following the meeting. You may also submit questions via email and the project team will answer them.
Project Location
Below, see preliminary maps. These project areas could change based on the results of study efforts.
The proposed Spring Creek Flood Control Dams would lie in far northeastern Waller County, a few miles west of Magnolia in Montgomery County.
The next map shows parcels of land that partners would need to acquire to develop the project(s).
Preliminary map of Birch and Walnut Creeks flood control dams. Extent of inundation limits subject to change during study.One more public engagement meeting will be held this summer. The third will happen after partners release the draft report in February, next year.
Projected Benefits of Projects
As presently conceived, the Birch Creek dam could reduce water surface elevations by a half foot in a 100-year storm for almost 26 miles downstream. The larger Walnut Creek dam could produce a similar benefit for 41 miles downstream.
Each would cut the annual chance of exceedance (ACE) in half for the people in the affected areas. Thus, a hundred year storm would only have the impact of a 50-year storm.
Barrett currently estimates that the Birch Creek Dam could remove 815 structures from the 100-year floodplain and the Walnut Creek Dam could remove 1205. However, he also points out that those numbers will likely change as a result of updated modeling in the current study now underway.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Preliminary-Locations-for-Spring-Creek-Flood-Control-Dams.jpg?fit=1200%2C796&ssl=17961200adminadmin2022-03-18 12:17:572022-03-18 13:53:06April 7 Meeting on Spring Creek Flood Control Dams
Photo taken 3/5/22. Note difference of color in puddles just inches from each other.Wide shot also taken on 3/5 shows bulldozer filling in one black area while another leaks into pond. Note streak in water and see below.Also taken 3/5. Pond was being manually pumped into Lakewood Cove Storm sewer systemand thence into Lake Houston.The pumping explains the streak.On 3/10/22, I noted these black areas at the western end of the pond emerging from freshly bulldozed areas.Photo taken 3/11. The situation was worse and the bulldozers were back.On 3/14, the floor of the detention pond had been smoothed out, but the black spots were making another embarrassing comeback.Close up of same spot taken on 3/15.
I have dozens of other shots that show similar patterns. But you get the idea.
I asked the Railroad Commission if they could identify oil seepage from photos. The answer was no. But they did send an investigator out. Unfortunately, he arrived after everything had been covered up.
The contractor acknowledged the black spots, but claimed they were just seepage from rotting mulch. But why would a contractor place mulch below an area being excavated? That would just raise the level of the pond they were deepening. The mystery continues.
The Railroad Commission of Texas found no records of abandoned oil or gas wells on this property, although many are nearby.
As a show of good faith, I wish the developer would have an independent lab confirm what this stuff is now that it’s being pumped to a storm sewer system that feeds into Lake Houston.
Other Recent Activity
In other news:
The developer has removed hundreds of truckloads of debris from below the detention pond.
They have excavated material from the southern walls of the pond and moved it north. This effectively shifted the pond back onto the developer’s property while elevating other portions of the property.
Contractors erected posts for what appears will be a chain link fence at the southern edge of the resort.
Contractors have finished tying the detention pond into the Lakewood Cove Storm Sewer system.
They also installed more underground drainage throughout the property.
The photographs below illustrate the points above.
Photo taken 2/23/22 shows part of debris pulled up from south of detention pond. Also note the black spots in the detention pond.Taken 3/16/22.Photo courtesy of reader. Used with permission.Note fence posts along left.These would appear to confirm the property boundary.The detention pond intake valve in the foreground is now connected with the pump housings on higher ground. However, the pumps may not yet be installed. And the housing still looks sealed off.Photo taken 3/15/22.Additional dirt is being brought in to raise the elevation of the site.Photo taken 3/13/22. Note water still ponding on site from a half inch of rain on 3/15. This soil is not as porous as the stormwater pollution prevention plan claims.Rebar being laid for the next concrete pouron 3/14/22.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/16/22
1660 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/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-05-at-4.47.19-PM.png?fit=1984%2C1260&ssl=112601984adminadmin2022-03-16 20:20:412022-03-16 22:27:44Laurel Springs RV Resort Update: Mysterious Black Spots and Other News
HUD Approves $750 Million to Harris County for Flood Mitigation
Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved the Texas General Land Office’s (GLO) amended plan for Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT). The amended plan allocates $750 million in funding for Harris County and an $488 million to the Houston-Galveston Area Council for additional mitigation projects in the region. The funds allocated to the county should now mean that the 2018 flood bond is fully funded, if numbers provided last month on partner funding to date are accurate.
George P. Bush Quote on Process
According to a press release issued by the GLO at 7PM, 3/18/22, “Ensuring Texans receive disaster recovery and mitigation funding in a timely manner to recover from Hurricane Harvey has always been my top priority,” said GLO Commissioner Bush. “The Biden Administration’s politically weaponized Department of Urban Development and Housing has forced us to fight through mazes of red tape to secure this direct allocation for Houstonians. I will continue to fight to send money to Texans as quickly as possible. The $750 million allocation will go directly to Harris County for projects that help mitigate future flooding events, creating a stronger more resilient Texas.”
$1.138 Billion Total
HUD’s approval of the latest Harvey Action Plan brings the total infrastructure and mitigation investments in Harris County to more than $1.1 billion. HUD’s approval of the GLO’s plan to provide $750,000,000 to Harris County is in addition to HUD’s direct allocation of $61,884,000 to the City of Houston, plus $117,213,862.96 in CDBG-MIT awards for Harris County projects, plus $209,221,800 in infrastructure funds from CDBG-DR, equals $1,138,319,662.96 in total investment in projects within Harris County. Additionally, H-GAC continues to develop its method of distribution on more than $488 million for mitigation projects within the greater Houston region.
Bush first requested a direct allocation for Harris County in May of 2021 after the county received very little money from the first round of competition for HUD. A direct allocation would have allowed Harris County to work directly with HUD and taken the GLO out of the loop. However, HUD reportedly insisted that the GLO remain involved. Subsequently, the GLO developed a 650-page action plan for the $750 million. However, HUD found it insufficient. As of early this week, the action plan exceeded 1000 pages, according to a GLO spokesperson. That apparently provided HUD what it needed. HUD notified the GLO in a letter received after 5PM today.
Method of Distribution Must Still be Developed
However, Harris County won’t get all the money immediately.
Since last November, H-GAC has been developing something called a MOD (Method of Distribution) for its allocation. However, according to the GLO, because of the expense involved, Harris County has delayed developing its MOD until the the award was approved by HUD.
Harris County’s next step will be to develop its MOD which describes where the money will go, how it will be used, and who will get it. GLO will review that and forward it to HUD. After HUD approves the MOD, HUD still won’t write a check for $750 million to the county. The money will be reimbursed to the county in batches as it is spent on approved projects.
Flood Bond Close to Fully Funded Even without Resilience Trust
Still, this will go a long way toward fulfilling the potential shortfall in partner funding for the Harris County Flood Bond. Of the original $5 billion bond, half is being paid for by Harris County taxpayers. The County hoped to get local, state, and federal partners to fund the other half.
Last July, when it looked like the $750 million might not materialize, Harris County Commissioners approved a Flood Resilience Trust that committed $833 million from the Toll Road Authority and other Harris County sources of funding. That, along with partner funding already committed, was enough to keep construction of Harris County Flood Bond projects rolling through approximately 2026.
Today’s approval should make the flood bond fully funded if the numbers above are accurate. That should come as good news for all citizens who have been fighting for limited dollars. With money in the trust, this should accelerate mitigation projects throughout the county. And even fund some not identified in the original bond!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/18/2022
1662 Days since Hurricane Harvey
April 7 Meeting on Spring Creek Flood Control Dams
Spring Creek Flood Control Dams are back in the news. The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) recently announced the first of three meetings related to a feasibility study. So save the date – April 7.
According to Matt Barrett of the SJRA, this feasibility study is a continuation of the Spring Creek Siting Study which came out of the San Jacinto Regional Watershed Master Drainage Plan project (SJMDP). The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) and multiple partner agencies including SJRA developed the Master Drainage Plan.
Overview of Feasibility Study
The Spring Creek Siting Study from December 2020 explored multiple alternative locations that could provide flood-mitigation benefits to the Spring Creek watershed. Two of the more cost-effective were dams on Walnut and Birch Creeks.
The Spring Creek Flood Control Dams Feasibility Study will include:
The goal: to determine the most feasible and economical alternative(s) for possible future design and construction.
The cost of the study is estimated at $1 million. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) grant program will provide half. City of Humble, HCFCD, and five (5) Municipal Utility Districts will fund the other half. SJRA is performing in-kind services to reduce the local match amount to be funded by the Partners.
One Crucial Step of Many
This project is currently only in the feasibility phase. Construction of one or both dams, if feasible, would likely not occur for several years. Partners still need to identify a project sponsor and funding. They also need to perform final design, obtain environmental permits, and acquire land.
Details of Public Input Meeting
Public input and participation are critical components of this study, and SJRA wants to hear from you. A public meeting related to the study will be held on/at the following date and location:
Thursday, April 7, 2022
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Fields Store Community Center
26098 FM 362
Waller, Texas 77484
The meeting will be in an open-house format, allowing members of the public to come and go at their convenience at any time between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. A five-minute, high-level, project-summary presentation will be given at 6:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.
Between these presentations, project team members will answer questions and collect input. If you can’t attend in person, you can view the summary presentation on SJRA’s Facebook page following the meeting. You may also submit questions via email and the project team will answer them.
Project Location
Below, see preliminary maps. These project areas could change based on the results of study efforts.
The next map shows parcels of land that partners would need to acquire to develop the project(s).
Projected Benefits of Projects
As presently conceived, the Birch Creek dam could reduce water surface elevations by a half foot in a 100-year storm for almost 26 miles downstream. The larger Walnut Creek dam could produce a similar benefit for 41 miles downstream.
Barrett currently estimates that the Birch Creek Dam could remove 815 structures from the 100-year floodplain and the Walnut Creek Dam could remove 1205. However, he also points out that those numbers will likely change as a result of updated modeling in the current study now underway.
How much would these dams benefit people in the Lake Houston Area? Barrett admits the impact would be small that far downstream. But he also points out that these represent the first two of 16 similar projects proposed in the Master Drainage Plan, and that they could have a major cumulative impact.
Every little bit helps. Even if you can’t attend the meeting, I hope you submit a public comment via email in support of the project.
How to Learn More and Provide Public Comment
For a fact sheet on each of the two proposed dams, click here.
For more information about the Spring Creek Flood Control Dams Feasibility Study, please visit www.SpringCreekStudy.com.
You can submit comments at the public meeting and throughout the duration of the study. Email comments to floodmanagementdivision@sjra.net, or submitted online at www.SpringCreekStudy.com.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/18/2022
1662 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Laurel Springs RV Resort Update: Mysterious Black Spots and Other News
In the two weeks since I last posted about the “RV Resort” under construction on Laurel Springs Lane, a lot has happened. Among other things, I’ve noticed contractors repeatedly covering up black spots in the detention pond that have a habit of mysteriously reappearing.
Mysterious Black Spots Keep Reappearing
I have dozens of other shots that show similar patterns. But you get the idea.
I asked the Railroad Commission if they could identify oil seepage from photos. The answer was no. But they did send an investigator out. Unfortunately, he arrived after everything had been covered up.
The contractor acknowledged the black spots, but claimed they were just seepage from rotting mulch. But why would a contractor place mulch below an area being excavated? That would just raise the level of the pond they were deepening. The mystery continues.
The Railroad Commission of Texas found no records of abandoned oil or gas wells on this property, although many are nearby.
As a show of good faith, I wish the developer would have an independent lab confirm what this stuff is now that it’s being pumped to a storm sewer system that feeds into Lake Houston.
Other Recent Activity
In other news:
The photographs below illustrate the points above.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/16/22
1660 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.