Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) started tearing down the townhomes at 960 Marina Drive in Forest Cove this morning at 7:45 a.m. What took years to build will only take hours to destroy. Of course, nature began destroying these townhomes years before today. In Hurricane Harvey, 240,000 cubic feet per second of floodwater rampaged through them. That’s because these townhomes were built in the floodway and floodplain of the San Jacinto West Fork.
As I reviewed the photos I shot this morning, I saw massive piles of dried dirt tumbling from third floor apartments and even attics. That’s a testament to how high the water reached. And how foolish it is to build structures this close to the river. See below.
Demolition began at 7:45.A few minutes later, note the dirt tumbling down from the attic space above the claw.More dirt coming from another third-floor living space.And if you thought the dirt might have been coming from the machine’s claw, see this shower of dirt tumbling to the left.
There’s only one way the dirt could get that high. Harvey deposited it.
But Mother Nature always gets the last word. And in this case, she reclaimed her territory.
Harris County Flood Control is buying out these townhomes and taking down each building as soon as every unit within them has been purchased.
Several more units remain. In the meantime, other builders are building more condos even closer to the river in Kings Harbor.
Hope springs eternal. New condos in Kings Harbor, a little more than a mile downstream from those being torn down in Forest Cove, and even closer to the West Fork.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/26/2021
1366 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/2021/05/20210526-RJR_7543.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2021-05-26 09:14:332021-05-26 15:04:53Dust to Dust: Another Forest Cove Townhome Complex Coming Down
NWS predicts minor flooding for East Fork San Jacinto near New Caney affecting Harris, Liberty and Montgomery Counties.
Precautions:
Persons with interests along these streams should keep alert to rising water and take all precautions to protect their property. Do not drive or walk into flooded areas the depth and water velocity could be too great for you to cross safely. Avoid any water covered roads and find an alternate route. Livestock and equipment should be removed from the flood plain immediately. Stay tuned to NOAA Weather radio or other news sources for further updates. Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov.
Today’s Forecast: More Heavy Rain Probable
According to Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner, “…deep tropical moisture to the west will help create a series of upper level disturbances once again today. The result: scattered showers and thunderstorms that should begin with daytime heating. As a disturbance approaches the area this afternoon from the west, showers and thunderstorms will likely become slightly more organized.”
The air mass over the Lake Houston Area remains capable of heavy to excessive short term rainfall rates. Yesterday, 5-7 inches of rain fell over northeast Harris County in 4-5 hours. 8-12 inches fell over Austin County near Bellville.
Hourly rainfall rates of 2-3 inches per hour were common on Monday and the same air mass is in place today.
Rainfall today will likely average between 1-2 inches over the region, but isolated totals of 5-6 inches will be possible. Short range models indicate areas along and northwest of US 59 could be the prime location today for heavy rainfall. However, much of this will depend on:
Where storms develop
If and where any training develops
If any storms anchor in place.
Grounds are saturated from the recent rainfall. During the last 7 days, that rainfall has averaged 5-7 inches over much of the region with isolated totals of 10-14 inches.
Watersheds are already elevated this morning due to the recent rainfall and ongoing run-off over the area. Additional heavy rainfall will quickly run-off creating new rises.
Bens Branch at Kingwood Drive around 6PM on 5/24/21 after a 4-inch rain. Additional rains today, if heavy, could force creeks like this even higher.
Rapid onset flash flooding of streets and poor drainage areas will be the primary concern today, but should heavy rainfall impact already elevated and swollen watersheds some flooding would be possible.
We should get a break from the rain Thursday and Friday, but more rainfall could enter the picture by this weekend, driving up rain chances yet again.
In the upper right at the highest red icon, Peach Creek at FM2090 is three feet out of its banks. This area has flooded three times this month.
The yellow icon below it and to the right is the East Fork at FM2090. It is still two feet within its banks, but additional rainfall today could cause flooding.
The red icon at the northeastern tip of Harris County is the East Fork at FM1485. It is out of its banks again for the third time this month.
At least if you go by the gage at my house. With six days left in the month, the Lake Houston Area has already broken the record for the all time wettest May. The official gage, of course, is at Bush Intercontinental Airport, but the NWS doesn’t release monthly data until the month is over.
This afternoon, my back yard rain gage recorded 17.24 inches for May. The previous record was 14.39 inches set in 1970. (See chart below.) That’s a 20% increase! With more rain on the way tonight and later this week.
We also recorded 4.11 inches this afternoon in a four-hour period. That’s pushing the limits of storm drains. And predictably, people reported street flooding all over the area.
Ford Road in Porter on 5/24/2021 after 4 inches of rain in 4 hours. Photo courtesy of Nicole Black-Rudolph.Ford Road is one of the main evacuation routes from Kingwood when Northpark and Kingwood Drives are cut off by high water. Now upstream development is flooding it too.
Photo of street flooding in Atascocita, courtesy of Jennifer Zorn.Atascocita received more than 7 inches of rain in a 3-4 hour period.according to television news reports tonight. That qualifies as approximately a 50-year rain.
The City’s long-running sewer repair project in Kingwood Lakes has created a dam across the main lake, artificially raising the water level.Photo courtesy of Anna Mitchell.
Flash Flood Watch Till 9PM
A flash flood watch remains in effect for the Houston area until 9pm tonight. The four inches that fells this afternoon in about 4 hours rates as about a 5-year rain. Last weeks 5.5 inches in a little more than 3 hours was a 10-year rain. No wonder we’ve had the wettest May!
It’s important to remember that these statistics are averages. Just because you get a ten-year rain one week does NOT mean you are immune to another for 9.99 more years.
Effect of Five-Year Rain on Bens Branch
Before the recent rehabilitation project on Ben’s Branch, parts of this channel were down to a two-year level of service. Below, you can see how it handled a 5-year rain today. Room to spare. Quite an improvement for a maintenance project!
Looking downstream over Ben‘s Branch toward Kingwood Town Center. Photo taken 5.24.21.Looking downstream toward Lake Houston along Ben’s Branch.Where Ben’s Branch crosses under Kingwood Drive, the City has yet to work out some kinks. Harris County Flood Control District does not maintain under City bridges. In fairness to the City, the Bens Branch rehab project was completed just last month.
Overall, ditches and streams in Kingwood seem to be within their banks.
Wider-Area Stream and Lake Report
However, warning signs are popping up all around the Lake Houston Area.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/24/21 with thanks to Nicole Black-Rudolphand Jennifer Zorn.
1364 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210524-Nicole-Black-Rudolph-Porter-Shot.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=19001200adminadmin2021-05-24 19:42:062021-05-24 21:08:08Today, We Passed the Record for All-Time Wettest May By a Wide Margin
Dust to Dust: Another Forest Cove Townhome Complex Coming Down
Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) started tearing down the townhomes at 960 Marina Drive in Forest Cove this morning at 7:45 a.m. What took years to build will only take hours to destroy. Of course, nature began destroying these townhomes years before today. In Hurricane Harvey, 240,000 cubic feet per second of floodwater rampaged through them. That’s because these townhomes were built in the floodway and floodplain of the San Jacinto West Fork.
As I reviewed the photos I shot this morning, I saw massive piles of dried dirt tumbling from third floor apartments and even attics. That’s a testament to how high the water reached. And how foolish it is to build structures this close to the river. See below.
There’s only one way the dirt could get that high. Harvey deposited it.
Hopes and Dreams Bite the Dust
People built their hopes and dreams here. Invested their life savings here. Got married here under the shade of trees by the river.
But Mother Nature always gets the last word. And in this case, she reclaimed her territory.
Harris County Flood Control is buying out these townhomes and taking down each building as soon as every unit within them has been purchased.
Several more units remain. In the meantime, other builders are building more condos even closer to the river in Kings Harbor.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/26/2021
1366 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.
Flash Flood Watch, Flood Warning Extended
Flood Watch through 7 P.M. For Most of Region
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a flash flood watch for most of the Houston region. The watch will last through 7 P.M. this evening.
Flood Warning Through Saturday Morning For Smaller Areas
In addition, NWS has issued a flood warning for counties to the west and east of Houston. See map below.
NWS predicts minor flooding for East Fork San Jacinto near New Caney affecting Harris, Liberty and Montgomery Counties.
Precautions:
Persons with interests along these streams should keep alert to rising water and take all precautions to protect their property. Do not drive or walk into flooded areas the depth and water velocity could be too great for you to cross safely. Avoid any water covered roads and find an alternate route. Livestock and equipment should be removed from the flood plain immediately. Stay tuned to NOAA Weather radio or other news sources for further updates. Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov.
Today’s Forecast: More Heavy Rain Probable
According to Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner, “…deep tropical moisture to the west will help create a series of upper level disturbances once again today. The result: scattered showers and thunderstorms that should begin with daytime heating. As a disturbance approaches the area this afternoon from the west, showers and thunderstorms will likely become slightly more organized.”
The air mass over the Lake Houston Area remains capable of heavy to excessive short term rainfall rates. Yesterday, 5-7 inches of rain fell over northeast Harris County in 4-5 hours. 8-12 inches fell over Austin County near Bellville.
Rainfall today will likely average between 1-2 inches over the region, but isolated totals of 5-6 inches will be possible. Short range models indicate areas along and northwest of US 59 could be the prime location today for heavy rainfall. However, much of this will depend on:
Grounds are saturated from the recent rainfall. During the last 7 days, that rainfall has averaged 5-7 inches over much of the region with isolated totals of 10-14 inches.
Watersheds are already elevated this morning due to the recent rainfall and ongoing run-off over the area. Additional heavy rainfall will quickly run-off creating new rises.
Rapid onset flash flooding of streets and poor drainage areas will be the primary concern today, but should heavy rainfall impact already elevated and swollen watersheds some flooding would be possible.
We should get a break from the rain Thursday and Friday, but more rainfall could enter the picture by this weekend, driving up rain chances yet again.
It’s been a wet month and will get wetter.
River and Lake Report
In the upper right at the highest red icon, Peach Creek at FM2090 is three feet out of its banks. This area has flooded three times this month.
The yellow icon below it and to the right is the East Fork at FM2090. It is still two feet within its banks, but additional rainfall today could cause flooding.
The red icon at the northeastern tip of Harris County is the East Fork at FM1485. It is out of its banks again for the third time this month.
Lake Conroe is up about a half foot and releasing almost 1600 Cubic Feet Per Second.
According to the Coastal Water Authority, Lake Houston is almost a foot and a half above normal and still releasing.
Posted by Bob Rehak at 6 a.m. 5.25.21 based on information from NWS and HCFCD
1365 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Today, We Passed the Record for All-Time Wettest May By a Wide Margin
At least if you go by the gage at my house. With six days left in the month, the Lake Houston Area has already broken the record for the all time wettest May. The official gage, of course, is at Bush Intercontinental Airport, but the NWS doesn’t release monthly data until the month is over.
This afternoon, my back yard rain gage recorded 17.24 inches for May. The previous record was 14.39 inches set in 1970. (See chart below.) That’s a 20% increase! With more rain on the way tonight and later this week.
Effect on Area Streets
We also recorded 4.11 inches this afternoon in a four-hour period. That’s pushing the limits of storm drains. And predictably, people reported street flooding all over the area.
Flash Flood Watch Till 9PM
A flash flood watch remains in effect for the Houston area until 9pm tonight. The four inches that fells this afternoon in about 4 hours rates as about a 5-year rain. Last weeks 5.5 inches in a little more than 3 hours was a 10-year rain. No wonder we’ve had the wettest May!
It’s important to remember that these statistics are averages. Just because you get a ten-year rain one week does NOT mean you are immune to another for 9.99 more years.
Effect of Five-Year Rain on Bens Branch
Before the recent rehabilitation project on Ben’s Branch, parts of this channel were down to a two-year level of service. Below, you can see how it handled a 5-year rain today. Room to spare. Quite an improvement for a maintenance project!
Overall, ditches and streams in Kingwood seem to be within their banks.
Wider-Area Stream and Lake Report
However, warning signs are popping up all around the Lake Houston Area.
At this hour, Lake Conroe seems under control. Luckily, the highest rainfall totals in the Lake Conroe area today were less than one inch.
But Lake Houston is approaching two feet above normal despite constant releases by the Coast Water Authority.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/24/21 with thanks to Nicole Black-Rudolph and Jennifer Zorn.
1364 Days since Hurricane Harvey