On July 28, 2021, Stan Sarman, chairman of the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA), discussed details of the Northpark Drive expansion project with a group of Kingwood executives. The story below is based on his comments.
Looking ENE across US59 down Northpark Drive. The wooded areas at the entry will be partially replaced with lakes that double as detention ponds.
Improvements Motivated by Traffic Congestion, Railroad Delays and Flooding
The severely congested Northpark Drive will expand from four lanes to six between US59 and Woodland Hills Drive. As part of that project:
A bridge will also be built over the Union Pacific Railroad Tracks that parallel 494.
New bridges will also likely be built over Bens Branch and the Kingwood Diversion Ditch near Woodridge Parkway to provide emergency access during high water events.
The road will be elevated where it usually floods between Glade Valley and the Diversion Ditch.
Service roads will be added to handle traffic not using the bridge over the railroad tracks.
Ten foot wide sidewalks will be added along the entire length of the project to accommodate both pedestrian and bicycle traffic – on both sides of the street.
Detention ponds will be added to the entries at 59.
Landscaping will further beautify the entries and medians.
All drainage will comply with new Atlas-14 requirements.
LHRA will build a bridge over the railroad tracks to improve safety and eliminate traffic blockages. Note how outbound traffic is backed up as far as the eye can see. This and the related images were all taken at noon on Tuesday, 7/28/21.Looking west. This is approximately where the first phase of expansion will stop.
“When completed the roadway will serve as the only dedicated, all-weather evacuation route for Kingwood residents.”
However, construction won’t all happen at once and it won’t start immediately. The project must be built in phases to avoid disrupting traffic as much as possible. The Redevelopment Authority has promised that two lanes of traffic will remain available in each direction for the duration of the project – with the possible exception of limited lane closures during bridge construction. during the bridge construction, which will be the last phase. The Public will be notified when a lane closure is anticipated.
The project will be built in phases starting at US59 and working east. Phase I will go from US59 to a short distance east of Russell-Palmer Road. This is called the Overpass (or Western Phase) of the project. LHRA budgeted $57 million for it.
Construction should start on the Western Phase in late 2021 and will last approximately 30 months. The Eastern Phase should start in summer 2023 and will last approximately 24 months.
Phase II (the Eastern Phase) will go from Russell-Palmer to Woodland Hills. That will cost another $50 million (or more if a new bridge over Ben’s Branch must be built). At this time, the drainage analysis for that portion of the project has not yet been completed.
The total project could exceed $107 million, plus extras.
Stan Sarman, Chairman LHRA
The timing partially depends on tax revenues and grants. It also depends on the purchase of several parcels of land needed for feeder roads around the railroad bridge – not to mention approval by the railroad itself. The railroad reportedly favors the bridge because it improves safety, but is still studying the feeder roads.
After that , the next step will be to solicit bids and review them.
Drainage Improvements Will Make Extra Lanes Possible
One of the more interesting aspects of the project is the conversion of the drainage ditch in the middle of Northpark to buried culverts. Two extra lanes will be placed where the ditch now is. In other words, the roadway will expand inward rather than outward.
Farther east, culverts will replace the drainage ditch down the middle of Northpark. Two new lanes will be built over them.
The ditch that now splits opposing lanes of traffic on Northpark will be replaced by buried culverts. The culverts will telescope up in size from 4’x4′ near the railroad tracks. As you go east toward the Diversion Ditch, they will get larger until they reach 8’x6′.
A 66″ outfall will then restrict flow into the Kingwood Diversion ditch. Thus, the culverts will provide inline, underground detention to help protect people downstream.
Most people think that the properties on both sides of Northpark drain into the ditch. However, only parts of them do. According to Sarman, most of each property fronting Northpark either drains north into Ben’s Branch or south into the Kings Mill Ditch. So the culverts should suffice, he says.
The Redevelopment Authority has posted plans and videos that help explain the project in more detail. For more information, see:
Sarman thanked Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin, Houston Public Works Director Carol Haddock, and the Houston Galveston Area Council for their assistance in keeping this multi-faceted project moving. KSA will also maintain the entries when construction finishes.
Sarman is an engineer by trade. He retired after more than 50 years with Turner Collie & Braden and AECOM. Earlier in his career, he helped design the drainage in Kingwood. His experience and continued involvement provide valuable contributions to this important project.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/28/2021 based on information provided by Stan Sarman and the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority
Texas has a dubious distinction that not many people realize. We lead the nation in flood events and their impacts. Not one of Texas’ 254 counties has escaped flooding. Despite our prowess in engineering, engineering alone has not prevented flooding. As a growing number of leaders are now starting to recognize, success will require the marriage of engineering and conservation.
Historical flood impact since 1996, by county. Each of the state’s 254 counties has plenty of experience with flooding, and the state leads the nation in number of recorded flood events. Visualization by FEMA Historical Risk and Costs. Data from NOAA Storm Events Database.
In 2019, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the Texas Legislature set the stage for future flood-mitigation efforts. A diverse collection of stakeholders worked with legislators to include language for conservation-based projects in both the flood planning process and project funding framework overseen by the Texas Water Development Board.
Recently, Dr. Matthew Berg published a paper describing the roles that conservation projects are starting to play in flood planning.
Dr. Berg is the CEO & Principal Scientist or Simfero Consultants. He has given ReduceFlooding.com the right to review and reproduce his copyrighted paper which first appeared in the Texas Water Journal.
Wide Spectrum of Conservation Solutions
Berg begins by describing the wide spectrum of conservation projects related to flood mitigation. They include:
Preservation and restoration toward one end
Smaller-scale features like bioswales, green roofs, and rain gardens somewhere in the middle
Revegetating with native plant species after construction of otherwise traditional structural projects on the other end.
Berg sees a role for nature-based approaches as a component of virtually every flood mitigation project.
Programs Aligning to Promote Use of Natural Solutions
Berg also cites research that has found these strategies can return $7 in benefits for every $1 in project costs.
Benefits range from flood reduction and improved water quality to erosion control, heat moderation, wildlife habitat, property value increases, recreation, reduced maintenance costs, topping up groundwater storage and more.
As a result, Berg is able to cite dozens of nature-based solutions from all around Texas. The sheer volume, diversity and practicality of these examples is a real eye opener.
Even the Army Corps of Engineers is embracing the effort with its “Engineering with Nature Program.” The Corps designed it to bring conservationists and engineers together.
In addition, FEMA introduced a program last year called BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities). It emphasizes boosting resilience before a disaster strikes rather than reacting after the damage has already been done.
The Water Resources Development Act of 2020 ensures a meaningful evaluation of nature-based solutions and clarifies the eligibility of natural infrastructure for cost-sharing.
President Biden has joined the bandwagon, too. On his first day in office, he signed an executive order requiring federally funded buildings and facilities to be located away from flood corridors.
These are just a tiny sampling of the dozens of conservation efforts reviewed by Berg.
By the time Phases I and II are complete, the detention ponds will hold 1,600 acre-feet of of stormwater. That’s enough to hold a foot of rain falling across two and a half square miles.
According to HCFCD’s website, construction on Phase I should finish by the end of this year. Phase II should start next year. The two projects have a combined budget of $38.5 million.
If you don’t believe the Flood Control District website, check out Google Earth, or the satellite views in Google Maps and Apple Maps. This project is so big, you can see it from outer space.
Satellite image from Google Earth taken on 11/16/2000. Phase I construction has advanced considerably since then. See below.
The following photos were all taken on Sunday, 7/25/2021, around noon.
HCFCD Lauder Detention Basin Phase I. Looking north across Lauder towards Greens Bayou in background and Bush Intercontinental Airport in distance.NE corner of HCFCD Phase I Lauder Detention Basin, looking east towards JFK Blvd, just south of Greens Bayou.Looking south from over Greens Bayou toward Lauder and the Aldine ISD Mead Middle School in distance.HCFCD Lauder Detention Basin on Greens Bayou. Excavation is now focusing on the pond closest to Lauder in the distance.When I last photographed this basin in April, the area for that last pond was being cleared.Phase II will be built in the wooded area beyond the current Phase I construction.
Still Don’t Believe the Project Exists?
Think the photos are some kind of Photoshop trick? Visit the site yourself. Construction is bustling. On Sunday, around noon, I watched dozens of trucks coming and going while I took the photos above. Here’s how to get there.
Lauder Detention Basin location
Counterfeiting the Currency of Communication
The bizarre thing about this project is that the politicians who say it doesn’t exist are the ones who funded it. Go figure. Such is the sad, sorry state of politics in America today.
I’ve even talked to professors, professional engineers, MBAs, and PhDs in engineering who claim this and similar projects in Halls and Greens Watersheds don’t exist!
Worse yet, they refuse to look at the pictures, go to the construction site, review Flood Control’s website, or trust audited county spending data.
Language is the currency of communication. It’s how we cooperate. How we get things done. It’s one thing to disagree over project priorities. But another to claim projects don’t even exist when they do.
As a consequence, public policy has become divorced from reality. This is worse than being duped by misinformation. It’s the unwillingness of people, even including some journalists, to review available information that helps the public make informed decisions. And it doesn’t bode well for your region.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/28/2021
1427 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/20210724-DJI_0232.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2021-07-26 22:35:482021-07-26 23:42:17Lauder Basin: Another Flood-Mitigation Project that Doesn’t Exist According to Some
Northpark Drive Expansion Details
On July 28, 2021, Stan Sarman, chairman of the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA), discussed details of the Northpark Drive expansion project with a group of Kingwood executives. The story below is based on his comments.
Improvements Motivated by Traffic Congestion, Railroad Delays and Flooding
The severely congested Northpark Drive will expand from four lanes to six between US59 and Woodland Hills Drive. As part of that project:
In 2019, the area between the Diversion Ditch and Ben’s Branch flooded badly – twice – damaging dozens of homes in North Woodland Hills.
Phasing and Funding
However, construction won’t all happen at once and it won’t start immediately. The project must be built in phases to avoid disrupting traffic as much as possible. The Redevelopment Authority has promised that two lanes of traffic will remain available in each direction for the duration of the project – with the possible exception of limited lane closures during bridge construction. during the bridge construction, which will be the last phase. The Public will be notified when a lane closure is anticipated.
The project will be built in phases starting at US59 and working east. Phase I will go from US59 to a short distance east of Russell-Palmer Road. This is called the Overpass (or Western Phase) of the project. LHRA budgeted $57 million for it.
Construction should start on the Western Phase in late 2021 and will last approximately 30 months. The Eastern Phase should start in summer 2023 and will last approximately 24 months.
Phase II (the Eastern Phase) will go from Russell-Palmer to Woodland Hills. That will cost another $50 million (or more if a new bridge over Ben’s Branch must be built). At this time, the drainage analysis for that portion of the project has not yet been completed.
The timing partially depends on tax revenues and grants. It also depends on the purchase of several parcels of land needed for feeder roads around the railroad bridge – not to mention approval by the railroad itself. The railroad reportedly favors the bridge because it improves safety, but is still studying the feeder roads.
After that , the next step will be to solicit bids and review them.
Drainage Improvements Will Make Extra Lanes Possible
One of the more interesting aspects of the project is the conversion of the drainage ditch in the middle of Northpark to buried culverts. Two extra lanes will be placed where the ditch now is. In other words, the roadway will expand inward rather than outward.
The ditch that now splits opposing lanes of traffic on Northpark will be replaced by buried culverts. The culverts will telescope up in size from 4’x4′ near the railroad tracks. As you go east toward the Diversion Ditch, they will get larger until they reach 8’x6′.
A 66″ outfall will then restrict flow into the Kingwood Diversion ditch. Thus, the culverts will provide inline, underground detention to help protect people downstream.
Most people think that the properties on both sides of Northpark drain into the ditch. However, only parts of them do. According to Sarman, most of each property fronting Northpark either drains north into Ben’s Branch or south into the Kings Mill Ditch. So the culverts should suffice, he says.
The Redevelopment Authority has posted plans and videos that help explain the project in more detail. For more information, see:
Construction plans
Overview of phase I
US59 entry, landscaping and detention pond areas
Overpass project
Kingwood Drainage Study
Budget
Thanks to Partners
Sarman thanked Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin, Houston Public Works Director Carol Haddock, and the Houston Galveston Area Council for their assistance in keeping this multi-faceted project moving. KSA will also maintain the entries when construction finishes.
Sarman is an engineer by trade. He retired after more than 50 years with Turner Collie & Braden and AECOM. Earlier in his career, he helped design the drainage in Kingwood. His experience and continued involvement provide valuable contributions to this important project.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/28/2021 based on information provided by Stan Sarman and the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority
1429 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Conservation Flood Planning in Texas
Texas has a dubious distinction that not many people realize. We lead the nation in flood events and their impacts. Not one of Texas’ 254 counties has escaped flooding. Despite our prowess in engineering, engineering alone has not prevented flooding. As a growing number of leaders are now starting to recognize, success will require the marriage of engineering and conservation.
In 2019, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the Texas Legislature set the stage for future flood-mitigation efforts. A diverse collection of stakeholders worked with legislators to include language for conservation-based projects in both the flood planning process and project funding framework overseen by the Texas Water Development Board.
Recently, Dr. Matthew Berg published a paper describing the roles that conservation projects are starting to play in flood planning.
Dr. Berg is the CEO & Principal Scientist or Simfero Consultants. He has given ReduceFlooding.com the right to review and reproduce his copyrighted paper which first appeared in the Texas Water Journal.
Wide Spectrum of Conservation Solutions
Berg begins by describing the wide spectrum of conservation projects related to flood mitigation. They include:
Programs Aligning to Promote Use of Natural Solutions
Berg also cites research that has found these strategies can return $7 in benefits for every $1 in project costs.
Benefits range from flood reduction and improved water quality to erosion control, heat moderation, wildlife habitat, property value increases, recreation, reduced maintenance costs, topping up groundwater storage and more.
As a result, Berg is able to cite dozens of nature-based solutions from all around Texas. The sheer volume, diversity and practicality of these examples is a real eye opener.
Even the Army Corps of Engineers is embracing the effort with its “Engineering with Nature Program.” The Corps designed it to bring conservationists and engineers together.
In addition, FEMA introduced a program last year called BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities). It emphasizes boosting resilience before a disaster strikes rather than reacting after the damage has already been done.
The Water Resources Development Act of 2020 ensures a meaningful evaluation of nature-based solutions and clarifies the eligibility of natural infrastructure for cost-sharing.
President Biden has joined the bandwagon, too. On his first day in office, he signed an executive order requiring federally funded buildings and facilities to be located away from flood corridors.
These are just a tiny sampling of the dozens of conservation efforts reviewed by Berg.
To See Full Study
To see Dr. Berg’s entire publication, click here. It’s a catalog of solutions right under our feet. All we need to do is recognize the opportunities and seize them.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/28/2021 with thanks to Dr. Matthew Berg and the Texas Water Journal
1429 Days after Hurricane Harvey
Lauder Basin: Another Flood-Mitigation Project that Doesn’t Exist According to Some
On Lauder Road west of JFK, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) has been building a detention basin next to Greens Bayou. This is another one of those detention basins that doesn’t exist, according to some politicians and community activists. Even though the politicians voted to fund the projects, and the projects are well underway, those same politicians claim that all of the flood-bond money is going to richer watersheds because of the higher home values.
Watershed with Second Most Funding Since Harvey Allegedly has None
In reality, the Greens Bayou watershed has received almost $300 million in funding since 2000. Half of that ($156.8 million) has come since Harvey.
$38.5 Million Going to Lauder Basin
By the time Phases I and II are complete, the detention ponds will hold 1,600 acre-feet of of stormwater. That’s enough to hold a foot of rain falling across two and a half square miles.
According to HCFCD’s website, construction on Phase I should finish by the end of this year. Phase II should start next year. The two projects have a combined budget of $38.5 million.
If you don’t believe the Flood Control District website, check out Google Earth, or the satellite views in Google Maps and Apple Maps. This project is so big, you can see it from outer space.
The following photos were all taken on Sunday, 7/25/2021, around noon.
Still Don’t Believe the Project Exists?
Think the photos are some kind of Photoshop trick? Visit the site yourself. Construction is bustling. On Sunday, around noon, I watched dozens of trucks coming and going while I took the photos above. Here’s how to get there.
Counterfeiting the Currency of Communication
The bizarre thing about this project is that the politicians who say it doesn’t exist are the ones who funded it. Go figure. Such is the sad, sorry state of politics in America today.
I’ve even talked to professors, professional engineers, MBAs, and PhDs in engineering who claim this and similar projects in Halls and Greens Watersheds don’t exist!
Worse yet, they refuse to look at the pictures, go to the construction site, review Flood Control’s website, or trust audited county spending data.
Language is the currency of communication. It’s how we cooperate. How we get things done. It’s one thing to disagree over project priorities. But another to claim projects don’t even exist when they do.
As a consequence, public policy has become divorced from reality. This is worse than being duped by misinformation. It’s the unwillingness of people, even including some journalists, to review available information that helps the public make informed decisions. And it doesn’t bode well for your region.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/28/2021
1427 Days since Hurricane Harvey