That’s quite true of flood control where, as a society, we seem to have a knack for eroding margins of safety by paving over wetlands, clearcutting trees, understating detention requirements, avoiding floodwater detention, destroying riparian vegetation, building in floodplains, developing next to rivers, sand mining in floodways without minimum setbacks, and more.
Ex Post Facto Analysis Won’t Be Needed After Next Flood
I could cite hundreds of more examples, but you get the idea. This is like death by a thousand cuts. When the next big flood comes along, someone will ask, “How’d that happen?” And the answer will be, “We reaped what we sowed.”
It’s been 1536 Days since Hurricane Harvey. If ever there was a wake-up call, Harvey was it.
More than one out of every ten structures in Harris County flooded.
60,000 people had to be rescued by government agencies.
Civilian resources rescued tens of thousands more.
300,000 vehicles flooded.
22 major freeways were cut off and impassable.
Damage totaled $125 billion. FEMA:
Processed 47,000 flood insurance claims.
Made 15,800 small business loans…
And approved 177,600 individual assistance grants.
68 people died directly in Harvey, most from being caught in fast-moving floodwaters.
And we’re spending more than $5 billion on flood mitigation projects in Harris County.
“It Didn’t Have to Be that Bad”
The saddest part is…it didn’t have to be that bad.
A lot of death, damage and destruction could have been avoided…FOR FREE. If only we had learned to listen to and respect Mother Nature more.
That’s a conclusion I have reached after four years of research into flooding in the North Houston area.
My voyage of discovery turned into this website where I share what I learn virtually every day and sometimes twice a day.
The next step in my journey will be to condense everything I’ve learned into a book that hopefully becomes a case study in how to reduce flood damage.
The major themes will be:
Understanding the causes of flooding
How nobody ever wins an argument with Mother Nature.
Learning to respect rivers and giving them room to roam.
Ending the war on wetlands.
Respecting individual property rights while recognizing our interdependence.
Finding a workable balance between upstream and downstream interests.
How conservation and preservation can be so much more effective than mitigation.
How quickly we forget…and trick ourselves into thinking next time will be different.
In the coming weeks, I hope to explore solutions to some of the problems above. If we can learn to work together, we can live together. And if we protect Mother Nature, Mother Nature will protect us. Let’s reap what we sow in a positive sense next time.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/16/21 with grateful thanks to Bayou Land Conservancy and its supporters
1540 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/2021/08/20210802-DJI_0286.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2021-11-16 18:33:012021-11-16 21:39:10Sowing the Seeds of the Next Big Flood
The original deadline for Hurricane Harvey Homeowner Assistance applications has been extended from this Friday to New Year’s Eve at 5 P.M. Applications do not have to be completed by then, just started by then. So if you still hope to receive aid, move quickly. Money is running out and eligible applications will be prioritized based on who applied first.
The process involves a large number of documents and complex rules that govern eligibility. Here is the full text of this morning’s press release from the GLO. It includes information on where to apply.
What remained of a home washed downstream during Harvey. Photo by Dan Monks.
AUSTIN — The Texas General Land Office (GLO) has extended the deadline to submit applications for the Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP) to 5 p.m. Dec. 31, 2021. All potential applicants must submit draft applications by the deadline to be considered for eligibility so long as funding is available.
We encourage the community to remember that applications do not need to be fully complete to be submitted. Once application intake concludes, additional program resources will be dedicated to processing applicants for eligibility, through the permitting process and into construction. Applications can be submitted even if documentation is missing as HAP applicant coordinators continue to help applicants who are missing documentation.
The HAP regional offices will remain open, and processing of applications will continue indefinitely until program funds are fully expended. Applications will be considered for award on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the priorities outlined in the Regional Housing Guidelines.
Submitting a complete application does not guarantee eligibility nor funding availability, but applicants must submit a complete application by the deadline to be potentially considered for assistance.
Those residing inside the Houston city limits should apply at recovery.texas.gov/hap/houston, while non-Houston residents of Harris County should apply at recovery.texas.gov/hap/harriscounty. New applicants can also call the toll-free intake center line at 1-866-317-1998.
Harris County and the City of Houston received direct allocations of funding for residents in their jurisdictions. Applicants who previously applied to and are receiving assistance from Harris County and the City of Houston directly should continue to work with their program representatives.
In the City of Houston, applications being processed for eligibility already outnumber available funds, but funds remain available in non-Houston Harris County areas. HAP continues to take waitlist applications in Houston in case additional funding becomes available.
Waitlisted applications will be reviewed for eligibility in the order received based on their submission date, should additional funding be approved. Applications that are started, but not yet submitted by 5 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2021, cannot be considered for assistance.
Thus far, in all 49 counties eligible for Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the GLO has approved nearly 6,900 applications for construction, with about 850 homes currently under construction and more than 4,000 completed with keys in the hands of homeowners.
The GLO continues processing completed applications with the expectation of rebuilding up to 10,000 homes total for those needing assistance with available funds, with approximately 3,000 of those homes expected to be rebuilt in Harris County and the City of Houston.
Individuals affected by Hurricane Harvey may qualify for assistance through the Homeowner Assistance Program if:
They owned their home
It was damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Harvey
It was their primary residence at the time of the storm
Other eligibility factors also apply.
The program offers qualified homeowners assistance to repair, rehabilitate or rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey. Potential applicants should review the Homeowner Assistance Program Checklist to have all applicable documents ready prior to applying.
Applications, including all necessary documentation, must be completed and submitted BEFORE the GLO and its partners will begin processing it for eligibility. Each application submitted must be individually evaluated to determine eligibility. If applicants or potential applicants have questions, please contact 346-222-4686 or 1-866-317-1998 (toll free).
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/15/2021 based on a Texas GLO press release.
1539 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/siding.jpg?fit=1885%2C1060&ssl=110601885adminadmin2021-11-15 15:00:202021-11-15 15:03:07GLO Extends Deadline for Harvey Homeowner Assistance Applications
The recent redistricting of Harris County precincts could not have been more disruptive. More than half the county’s residents changed both precincts and commissioners. Can you say, “Tossed Salad”? It will take some time to work this out. In the meantime, “Many are asking how will new precinct boundaries affect flood-mitigation priorities?”
Officially, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) does not allocate flood-bond mitigation money by precinct. They allocate it by watershed and project – with the most money going to the most heavily flood-damaged areas.
But those who watch Commissioners Court regularly know that Commissioners control HCFCD priorities, and no project moves forward without their approval.
Lake Houston Dam Example
All this raises the question, “How will the re-alignment of Commissioner’s precincts re-align flood-mitigation priorities?”
For instance, the Lake Houston Dam was half in Precinct 1 and half in Precinct 2 both controlled by Democrats. But P2 Commissioner Garcia has given that area up. The east side of the dam will now be in Precinct 3 now controlled by Republican Tom Ramsey. Ramsey will now also control virtually all the homes around the lake with the exception of a small area in Summerwood. The flood bond allocated $20 million to help support expansion of the flood gates on Lake Houston (Project CI-028). How solid is that commitment now that Democrats have given up most of the area?
Across the county, from Cypress Creek to Armand Bayou, people have dozens of questions like that about projects affecting them. The answers will take time to sort out.
New High-Resolution Precinct Maps Finally Available
Until a few days ago, the lack of resolution and streets in redistricting maps made it difficult to tell exactly where the new precinct boundaries were.
But just last week, the Harris County Attorney posted a new high-resolution map showing new boundaries. The map also shows major streets and voting precincts (in addition to the county precincts).
The plan, designed and approved by Democrats, will force Commissioners Cagle and Ramsey to run for re-election in areas where they are relatively little known – unless they want to move their residences. Commissioner Rodney Ellis carefully drew district boundaries so that Cagle and Ramsey would no longer live in precincts they once represented. And by law, Commissioners must live in the precinct they represent.
Ramsey and Cagle will now have whole new watersheds to learn.
Watershed Boundaries Not Yet Shown on New Precinct Map
Unfortunately, the new high-res precinct map does not show watershed boundaries, although it shouldn’t be hard to create one – for someone with better Photoshop skills than mine!
At the moment, to see how your watershed could be affected, compare two maps side by side.
The latter shows watershed boundaries if you click on the Watershed button in the left-hand column.
Most of the Lake Houston Area including Huffman, Kingwood, Humble (east of Bush Intercontinental Airport), Atascocita, Crosby and Spring will now be in Precinct 3 with Commissioner Tom Ramsey.
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.
Sowing the Seeds of the Next Big Flood
To paraphrase a Biblical saying, “You reap what you sow.” This quote has both positive and negative connotations. In a positive sense, it means “The more seeds you plant, the more you harvest.” In a negative sense, as Robert Louis Stevenson said, “Sooner or later, everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.”
Parallel with Flood Control
That’s quite true of flood control where, as a society, we seem to have a knack for eroding margins of safety by paving over wetlands, clearcutting trees, understating detention requirements, avoiding floodwater detention, destroying riparian vegetation, building in floodplains, developing next to rivers, sand mining in floodways without minimum setbacks, and more.
Examples from Recent Posts
There’s the development in Spring that chopped down trees along the Spring Creek Greenway.
A new development next to Kingwood along the West Fork that will pave over wetlands.
Where 131 homes will be built 9-to-the-acre, five feet apart, right next to a tributary of Bens Branch.
The 17-acre RV Park whose engineering plans show that the amount of impervious cover didn’t change even after adding 25% more paving to the site. And whose detention pond will be 50% smaller than current standards thanks to a technicality in the submission date of the original plans.
Avoiding construction of detention ponds by exaggerating the infiltration rates of soil types.
Sand mines that build stockpiles in floodways.
Engineers who try to “beat the peak” of a flood by getting their floodwater to the river faster so they don’t have to build detention ponds.
Developers that build new homes closer to the river than destroyed homes now being bought out just a mile upstream.
Ex Post Facto Analysis Won’t Be Needed After Next Flood
I could cite hundreds of more examples, but you get the idea. This is like death by a thousand cuts. When the next big flood comes along, someone will ask, “How’d that happen?” And the answer will be, “We reaped what we sowed.”
It’s been 1536 Days since Hurricane Harvey. If ever there was a wake-up call, Harvey was it.
Damage totaled $125 billion. FEMA:
68 people died directly in Harvey, most from being caught in fast-moving floodwaters.
And we’re spending more than $5 billion on flood mitigation projects in Harris County.
“It Didn’t Have to Be that Bad”
A lot of death, damage and destruction could have been avoided…FOR FREE. If only we had learned to listen to and respect Mother Nature more.
That’s a conclusion I have reached after four years of research into flooding in the North Houston area.
My voyage of discovery turned into this website where I share what I learn virtually every day and sometimes twice a day.
The next step in my journey will be to condense everything I’ve learned into a book that hopefully becomes a case study in how to reduce flood damage.
The major themes will be:
In the coming weeks, I hope to explore solutions to some of the problems above. If we can learn to work together, we can live together. And if we protect Mother Nature, Mother Nature will protect us. Let’s reap what we sow in a positive sense next time.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/16/21 with grateful thanks to Bayou Land Conservancy and its supporters
1540 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.
GLO Extends Deadline for Harvey Homeowner Assistance Applications
The original deadline for Hurricane Harvey Homeowner Assistance applications has been extended from this Friday to New Year’s Eve at 5 P.M. Applications do not have to be completed by then, just started by then. So if you still hope to receive aid, move quickly. Money is running out and eligible applications will be prioritized based on who applied first.
The process involves a large number of documents and complex rules that govern eligibility. Here is the full text of this morning’s press release from the GLO. It includes information on where to apply.
AUSTIN — The Texas General Land Office (GLO) has extended the deadline to submit applications for the Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP) to 5 p.m. Dec. 31, 2021. All potential applicants must submit draft applications by the deadline to be considered for eligibility so long as funding is available.
We encourage the community to remember that applications do not need to be fully complete to be submitted. Once application intake concludes, additional program resources will be dedicated to processing applicants for eligibility, through the permitting process and into construction. Applications can be submitted even if documentation is missing as HAP applicant coordinators continue to help applicants who are missing documentation.
The HAP regional offices will remain open, and processing of applications will continue indefinitely until program funds are fully expended. Applications will be considered for award on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the priorities outlined in the Regional Housing Guidelines.
Submitting a complete application does not guarantee eligibility nor funding availability, but applicants must submit a complete application by the deadline to be potentially considered for assistance.
Those residing inside the Houston city limits should apply at recovery.texas.gov/hap/houston, while non-Houston residents of Harris County should apply at recovery.texas.gov/hap/harriscounty. New applicants can also call the toll-free intake center line at 1-866-317-1998.
Harris County and the City of Houston received direct allocations of funding for residents in their jurisdictions. Applicants who previously applied to and are receiving assistance from Harris County and the City of Houston directly should continue to work with their program representatives.
In the City of Houston, applications being processed for eligibility already outnumber available funds, but funds remain available in non-Houston Harris County areas. HAP continues to take waitlist applications in Houston in case additional funding becomes available.
Waitlisted applications will be reviewed for eligibility in the order received based on their submission date, should additional funding be approved. Applications that are started, but not yet submitted by 5 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2021, cannot be considered for assistance.
Thus far, in all 49 counties eligible for Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the GLO has approved nearly 6,900 applications for construction, with about 850 homes currently under construction and more than 4,000 completed with keys in the hands of homeowners.
The GLO continues processing completed applications with the expectation of rebuilding up to 10,000 homes total for those needing assistance with available funds, with approximately 3,000 of those homes expected to be rebuilt in Harris County and the City of Houston.
Individuals affected by Hurricane Harvey may qualify for assistance through the Homeowner Assistance Program if:
The program offers qualified homeowners assistance to repair, rehabilitate or rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey. Potential applicants should review the Homeowner Assistance Program Checklist to have all applicable documents ready prior to applying.
Interested homeowners can visit recovery.texas.gov/hap/houston or recovery.texas.gov/hap/harriscounty to find more information.
– End of Release –
For More Information About Homeowner Assistance Applications
The GLO’s main Homeowner Assistance Program website – https://recovery.texas.gov/hap – also provides links to these important documents:
Applications, including all necessary documentation, must be completed and submitted BEFORE the GLO and its partners will begin processing it for eligibility. Each application submitted must be individually evaluated to determine eligibility. If applicants or potential applicants have questions, please contact 346-222-4686 or 1-866-317-1998 (toll free).
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/15/2021 based on a Texas GLO press release.
1539 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Will Redistricting Affect Flood-Mitigation Priorities?
The recent redistricting of Harris County precincts could not have been more disruptive. More than half the county’s residents changed both precincts and commissioners. Can you say, “Tossed Salad”? It will take some time to work this out. In the meantime, “Many are asking how will new precinct boundaries affect flood-mitigation priorities?”
We’ve already seen how Commissioner Adrian Garcia tried to divert flood bond money from an area he was giving up in the redistricting process to one he was inheriting. That got voted down, but…
Priorities Already Altered Multiple Times in Past
We’ve also seen how Democrats re-ordered flood-bond priorities in 2019, shifted money from other budgets to accelerate projects in poor watersheds, and are suggesting another flood bond with new priorities based on so-called racial equity.
Officially, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) does not allocate flood-bond mitigation money by precinct. They allocate it by watershed and project – with the most money going to the most heavily flood-damaged areas.
But those who watch Commissioners Court regularly know that Commissioners control HCFCD priorities, and no project moves forward without their approval.
Lake Houston Dam Example
For instance, the Lake Houston Dam was half in Precinct 1 and half in Precinct 2 both controlled by Democrats. But P2 Commissioner Garcia has given that area up. The east side of the dam will now be in Precinct 3 now controlled by Republican Tom Ramsey. Ramsey will now also control virtually all the homes around the lake with the exception of a small area in Summerwood. The flood bond allocated $20 million to help support expansion of the flood gates on Lake Houston (Project CI-028). How solid is that commitment now that Democrats have given up most of the area?
Across the county, from Cypress Creek to Armand Bayou, people have dozens of questions like that about projects affecting them. The answers will take time to sort out.
New High-Resolution Precinct Maps Finally Available
Until a few days ago, the lack of resolution and streets in redistricting maps made it difficult to tell exactly where the new precinct boundaries were.
But just last week, the Harris County Attorney posted a new high-resolution map showing new boundaries. The map also shows major streets and voting precincts (in addition to the county precincts).
The biggest changes happened on the north side of the County where Commissioner Adrian Garcia staged a strategic retreat from Republican voters to bolster his re-election chances. Also, Precincts 3 and 4 switched positions. P3 formerly on the west side of the county is now on the north and east sides. And Precinct 4, formerly on the north and east sides is now mostly on the west and north sides.
The plan, designed and approved by Democrats, will force Commissioners Cagle and Ramsey to run for re-election in areas where they are relatively little known – unless they want to move their residences. Commissioner Rodney Ellis carefully drew district boundaries so that Cagle and Ramsey would no longer live in precincts they once represented. And by law, Commissioners must live in the precinct they represent.
Ramsey and Cagle will now have whole new watersheds to learn.
Watershed Boundaries Not Yet Shown on New Precinct Map
Unfortunately, the new high-res precinct map does not show watershed boundaries, although it shouldn’t be hard to create one – for someone with better Photoshop skills than mine!
At the moment, to see how your watershed could be affected, compare two maps side by side.
The latter shows watershed boundaries if you click on the Watershed button in the left-hand column.
Most of the Lake Houston Area including Huffman, Kingwood, Humble (east of Bush Intercontinental Airport), Atascocita, Crosby and Spring will now be in Precinct 3 with Commissioner Tom Ramsey.
To learn more about redistricting and your new commissioner, visit the landing pages for Harris County Precinct 3 or Harris County Precinct 4.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/15/2021
1539 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.