At daybreak, it became clear, the county cleaned out the ditch between Russell-Palmer and the Kingwood Diversion Ditch, not 494. County crews DID clear blocked drains leading into the ditch west of Russell-Palmer. But they left the dirt piled on the sides of the ditch where it can slump back down and re-block drains.
Looking west along Northpark toward Dunkin’ Donuts and Public Storage.Facing same direction from the other side of the crossover shows the “improvement” to drainage.Looking east along Northpark.Still looking east toward Russell-Palmer from the Kings Mill Entrance.
“Git ‘Er Done”
I called Metts’ office earlier this week and asked whether they intended to finish the job. The receptionist told me she would have someone call me back to discuss the project. No one ever did. Then Metts posted the “Conquering Earth” video.
I’m grateful for what Metts’ team did do. But I’m also fearful of what they didn’t do.
Metts’ followup post makes no mention of a timetable for finishing the job.
Please! In the immortal words of Larry the Cable Guy, “Git ‘er done!” This is one way people and businesses flood.
According to Lopez, Texas comprises 171 million acres. 95% of that is private and 83% rural.
Texas loses one square mile of working lands (farms/ranches) every day due to population increases.
Roel Lopez, Director, Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute
Biggest Intergenerational Transfer of Land Ever
A&M’s Lopez predicts the largest intergenerational transfer of rural land ever will take place in the next ten years. A minuscule 1% of Texans steward 141 million private acres. And a whopping 40% of rural landowners exceed 65 years of age. Fifty-six million acres (one third of the total) could change hands during in the next ten years, according to Lopez.
The people who buy those lands may not have the same priorities as the previous generation. Rapid growth and a strong economy create increased demand for rural land. And high land values create incentives to subdivide and sell.
So conversion of the land could result in a loss of food, fiber and water supplies, says Lopez. He calculates that every day, that one square mile of land lost results in 20,000 fewer steak dinners produced, 10,000 blue jeans not made, and 91 water towers not filled.
Lopez doesn’t specifically address flooding issues, but it doesn’t take a genius to connect those dots.
Pressure to Convert Land Puts Pressure on Forests, Wetlands
With the future of agriculture and human health dependent on private lands and their stewardship, and with so much pressure for elderly landowners and their heirs to cash in, we can expect rapid change.
As urban areas grow rapidly outward, the forests and wetlands that create natural buffers between people and floods could disappear rapidly.
Part of approximately 2500 acres cleared by Colony Ridge in Liberty County last year.These were once forests and wetlands.
The City of Houston’s latest pipeline report shows that as of the start of this year, Housing and Community Development’s Harvey Recovery Program had sent reimbursement checks to 150 homeowners out of 96,410 homes flooded during Harvey (see page 15). Quite the long shot! More than 1 in 600!
Program Ended More than Year Ago; Some Claims Still Being Processed
The City’s Reimbursement Program ended on December 31, 2020. At that time, the City had only reimbursed 119 families for repairs they made themselves. Claims still in the pipeline at that time explain the difference between 119 and 150.
One lucky Lake-Houston-Area homeowner recently emailed me saying his family had just cashed a reimbursement check – 4.5 years after Harvey. They won their THIRD appeal!
Reimbursements Not Only Form of Assistance
To be fair, The City offers more forms of assistance than reimbursements. The City also has rehab and reconstruction programs; homebuyer programs; a multi-family program targeted at developers and more (see below). Also keep in mind that this department underwent a major reorganization last year and now has new leadership.
However, the City still has a long way to go with financial transparency. Why, for instance, are subtotals not reported in the first screen capture above for recons, rehabs and reimbursements?
Flood Insurance Your Best Bet Next Time
The long-shot odds, lengthy application processing, bureaucratic delays and uncertain outcomes all underscore the need for flood insurance. Get a flood insurance contract in place before the next big storm and store it in a safe deposit box on HIGH GROUND. Don’t wait for help that will likely never come after the storm. Remember, ordinary homeowner insurance policies do not cover flood damage.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/15/2022
1631 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-15-at-4.31.16-PM.png?fit=1494%2C780&ssl=17801494adminadmin2022-02-15 17:19:322022-02-15 18:09:43Why You Need Flood Insurance: Houston’s Long-Shot Harvey Reimbursement Program
Northpark Ditch Repair Half Done
Update: 6PM Thursday 2/17/22. After I posted the article below on Thursday morning, MoCo returned and finished the job on Thursday afternoon. Use the post below only for context.
Last Saturday night, Montgomery County closed Northpark Drive to excavate the ditch in the median between Northpark Drive and Russell-Palmer Road. Here’s a nighttime video Precinct 4 Commissioner Metts’ posted on his Facebook page to promote the results. It contains eleven minutes of close-up shots of a backhoe scooping dirt into a truck, complete with a triumphant, pounding music track. You’d think this was MoCo’s moon shot!
What Video Doesn’t Show
At daybreak, it became clear, the county cleaned out the ditch between Russell-Palmer and the Kingwood Diversion Ditch, not 494. County crews DID clear blocked drains leading into the ditch west of Russell-Palmer. But they left the dirt piled on the sides of the ditch where it can slump back down and re-block drains.
“Git ‘Er Done”
I called Metts’ office earlier this week and asked whether they intended to finish the job. The receptionist told me she would have someone call me back to discuss the project. No one ever did. Then Metts posted the “Conquering Earth” video.
I’m grateful for what Metts’ team did do. But I’m also fearful of what they didn’t do.
Metts’ followup post makes no mention of a timetable for finishing the job.
Please! In the immortal words of Larry the Cable Guy, “Git ‘er done!” This is one way people and businesses flood.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/17/22
1633 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Texas Land-Use Trends: Major Changes Coming
A reader recently sent me a link to a fascinating conservation webinar by a group called Texan by Nature. It begins with an eye-opening presentation on Texas Land-Use Trends by Roel Lopez, Director of the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute.
According to Lopez, Texas comprises 171 million acres. 95% of that is private and 83% rural.
Biggest Intergenerational Transfer of Land Ever
A&M’s Lopez predicts the largest intergenerational transfer of rural land ever will take place in the next ten years. A minuscule 1% of Texans steward 141 million private acres. And a whopping 40% of rural landowners exceed 65 years of age. Fifty-six million acres (one third of the total) could change hands during in the next ten years, according to Lopez.
The people who buy those lands may not have the same priorities as the previous generation. Rapid growth and a strong economy create increased demand for rural land. And high land values create incentives to subdivide and sell.
So conversion of the land could result in a loss of food, fiber and water supplies, says Lopez. He calculates that every day, that one square mile of land lost results in 20,000 fewer steak dinners produced, 10,000 blue jeans not made, and 91 water towers not filled.
Lopez doesn’t specifically address flooding issues, but it doesn’t take a genius to connect those dots.
Pressure to Convert Land Puts Pressure on Forests, Wetlands
With the future of agriculture and human health dependent on private lands and their stewardship, and with so much pressure for elderly landowners and their heirs to cash in, we can expect rapid change.
As urban areas grow rapidly outward, the forests and wetlands that create natural buffers between people and floods could disappear rapidly.
To learn more about Texas land-use trends, visit the A&M Natural Resources Institute website.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/16/22 with thanks to Beth Leggieri
1632 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Why You Need Flood Insurance: Houston’s Long-Shot Harvey Reimbursement Program
The City of Houston’s latest pipeline report shows that as of the start of this year, Housing and Community Development’s Harvey Recovery Program had sent reimbursement checks to 150 homeowners out of 96,410 homes flooded during Harvey (see page 15). Quite the long shot! More than 1 in 600!
Program Ended More than Year Ago; Some Claims Still Being Processed
The City’s Reimbursement Program ended on December 31, 2020. At that time, the City had only reimbursed 119 families for repairs they made themselves. Claims still in the pipeline at that time explain the difference between 119 and 150.
One lucky Lake-Houston-Area homeowner recently emailed me saying his family had just cashed a reimbursement check – 4.5 years after Harvey. They won their THIRD appeal!
Reimbursements Not Only Form of Assistance
To be fair, The City offers more forms of assistance than reimbursements. The City also has rehab and reconstruction programs; homebuyer programs; a multi-family program targeted at developers and more (see below). Also keep in mind that this department underwent a major reorganization last year and now has new leadership.
However, the City still has a long way to go with financial transparency. Why, for instance, are subtotals not reported in the first screen capture above for recons, rehabs and reimbursements?
Flood Insurance Your Best Bet Next Time
The long-shot odds, lengthy application processing, bureaucratic delays and uncertain outcomes all underscore the need for flood insurance. Get a flood insurance contract in place before the next big storm and store it in a safe deposit box on HIGH GROUND. Don’t wait for help that will likely never come after the storm. Remember, ordinary homeowner insurance policies do not cover flood damage.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/15/2022
1631 Days after Hurricane Harvey