7/8/2026 – The Conroe City Council will consider at its July 9 meeting a motion by the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District (LSGCD) that would double the rate of groundwater pumping which already exceeds the natural recharge rate of the aquifer. If approved, the new maximum pumping rate would exceed the recharge rate by 3X.
This isn’t the first time LSGCD has made such requests. Back in 2021, they fought the other members of Groundwater Management Area 14 for the right to ignore subsidence, one of the consequences of excessive groundwater withdrawal.
Back then, LSGCD fought any mention of subsidence in its desired future conditions (DFCs). And as a consequence, southern Montgomery County is sinking at one of the fastest rates in the region. See below.
Harris-Galveston Subsidence District Map from 2025 Groundwater Report. Compiled using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR).
Differential subsidence also contributes to flooding by forming bowls in the landscape and reducing the gradient of rivers and streams. It can also reduce the safety margin between foundations and floodplains.
Last but not least, excessive groundwater pumping mortgages the area’s future. Subsidence is irreversible. Once the water is withdrawn and the ground above it has collapsed, the storage capacity is reduced considerably.
Communities that grow dependent on groundwater may not find it there to accommodate future growth or generations.
One of the region’s leading hydrologists told me, “They are going to pump themselves into a problem that they can’t fix. This has already been demonstrated all over Harris County. Some people are willingly turning a blind eye … for what? To save a little bit of money?”
He continued, “It is shortsighted and puts a burden on future generations. Water isn’t free or cheap. We have just been lucky for a long time, but there are too many people here now and it is time to be smart.”
Montgomery County Concerned Citizens
According to Paul Cote, a MUD president in MoCO for more than ten years and a leader of Montgomery County Concerned Citizens, the July 9 meeting of Conroe’s City Council is a crucial moment for Conroe’s water future.
He urges people to attend and protest the increase in groundwater pumping rates.
He suggests:
Respectfully oppose the LSGCD’s request for support regarding the proposed DFC increase.
Advocate for the City of Conroe to abandon the proposed GRP Global Amendment.
Urge the Council to promote with State Leadership the need for a Countywide Unified Water Authority to promote a Regional Water Plan.
There are serious questions in my mind about whether LSGCD’s proposal is sustainable. Water infrastructure projects can take decades to build. The time to start was decades ago. In my opinion, we can’t continue kicking this can down the road.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/8/26
3235 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/2026/07/WATER-FUTURE-2.jpg?fit=1100%2C641&ssl=16411100adminadmin2026-07-08 17:29:582026-07-08 18:10:03LSGCD Proposes Pumping Groundwater 3X Faster Than It’s Being Replenished
7/7/26 – Two weeks ago, I reached out to Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) about the priorities of new, incoming Executive Director, Marcus Stuckett.
However – just minutes after publishing the editorial – I opened an email from HCFCD. It was about Stuckett’s priorities. I am glad to say…
There was a remarkable degree of consistency between what he said and what others said.
Stuckett’s Top Three Priorities
According to an HCFCD spokesperson, Stuckett’s immediate focus will be on:
CDBG Program (HUD Community Development Block Grant projects)
Transparency/Reporting
Responsiveness/Project Delivery.
How They Work Together
His top priority is executing the CDBG plan approved by Commissioners Court in June of 2026. That includes system and agreement updates, revised project schedules, and budget adjustments needed to put the plan into action.
The plan, approved by both Commissioners Court and the Texas General Land Office (which administers HUD grants in Texas), is designed to save $322 million in federal funding with a deadline of 2/28/27.
That involves bundling and billing all of the County’s CDBG work together for both Mitigation and Disaster Relief Grants and both HCFCD and Harris County Housing and Community Development Department (HCHCD). The totals will all then be applied against the $322 million with the rapidly approaching deadline.
The table below summarizes the starting point for Stuckett. Figures are current as of 7/6/2026.
Even with the new “bundle plan,” Harris County is only one third of its way to the goal. But that’s far better than before when HCFCD’s Disaster Relief (DR) program had its own budget and deadline.
HCFCD before Stuckett managed to bill only 4.35% of its Disaster Relief allocation in about 80% of the time allowed.
To see the latest project-by-project status report, click here.
33% is much better than 4%. But Stuckett still assumes office with a huge hurdle to overcome. He must move quickly to adjust tracking and accounting systems as he pushes contractors to accelerate.
For example, Woodridge is a CDBG-MIT program. But Woodridge billing can now be applied to CDBG-DR. So it makes sense to hurry that up if possible.
Stuckett assumed office on 6/29/26. Excavation of the Woodridge Detention Basin in Kingwood was already kicking into high gear on 7/2/26 when I photographed five trucks lined up to load.
Addressing Remaining Data Gaps
Supporting Stuckett’s effort is a push to strengthen reporting and transparency, addressing any remaining data gaps that could affect HCFCD’s ability to track and communicate progress.
Responsiveness is the third pillar of Stuckett’s focus. With many systems and initiatives in motion, Stuckett says he is working to shorten processing times and move approvals more efficiently – both internally and externally.
“Together, these priorities reflect a broader commitment to transparency and delivery that will carry the organization into its next phase,” said HCFCD.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/7/2026
3234 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DR-Save-Plan-as-of-26.07.06.png?fit=1556%2C1036&ssl=110361556adminadmin2026-07-07 11:58:492026-07-07 12:10:38New HCFCD Executive Director Shares His Top Three Priorities
7/6/2026 – Last month, Dr. Tina Petersen, former head of Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), resigned under pressure. For this post, I’d like to focus on what HCFCD needs to do to get back on track. Toward that end, I interviewed more than a dozen people knowledgeable about HCFCD and its operations. Many spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The Petersen controversy had to do with the potential loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding because of project delays.
HCFCD now has a new head: Marcus Stuckett, formerly Director of Engineering at HCFCD. Stuckett worked his way up through the organization, then left for several years while Petersen headed the department and is now returning. Here is what many would advise.
Refocus on Core Mission
One said, “Tina Pearson was running public relations campaigns and trying to play politics. The Flood Control District is a planning, engineering and construction organization. And that’s it. Period. We need to refocus on execution and delivering results.”
Other sources echoed this sentiment but phrased it as “Getting back to basics.”
For example, one source mentioned Taylor Gully in Kingwood. Five years and two months ago, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved $10.1 million to widen and deepen Taylor Gully.
But according to Amy Crouser, an HCFCD spokesperson, the District is still waiting for “TWDB to approve the channel work.” Then she added, “City of Houston is working on getting this approval.”
Fill Gaps in the Org Chart
One source told me that there are still many highly qualified and motivated people at HCFCD. However, others bemoaned the brain drain that has reportedly created gaps in org charts. The gaps disrupt or delay decision making. They also cost institutional knowledge and project continuity.
For instance, one group head has been scheduled to retire for a long time. But reportedly, Petersen did not seek a replacement. A lack of overlap will make it harder for a new hire to get up to speed.
Re-Instill Sense of Urgency and Ownership
Virtually everyone I talked to mentioned the need to re-instill a sense of urgency and project ownership. Delays under the previous director cost some projects years. For instance, the Preliminary Engineering Report for the Kingwood Diversion Ditch project was scheduled to take 300 days, but took more than 1,400.
Design work for the project will finally go on the Commissioner’s Court agenda for August this year, exactly nine years after 13 people died along Bens Branch. (The Diversion Ditch takes water out of Bens Branch, hence its name.)
Empower Employees to Make Decisions
“Empower folks to make decisions,” said one source. “Project managers and the people doing the day to day are trying very, very hard to push projects forward. The biggest issue sometimes is HCFCD’s own processes where, “Okay, we finished this stage. Now it has to go up to leadership for review and approval.”
But getting to the next stage was often problematic. Many cited Petersen’s penchant for perfectionism, consensus-style management, risk avoidance, and indecisiveness. That combination delayed projects, sometimes for years. Said another way, the organization had a bad case of paralysis through analysis.
Such managers can prefer “delays over decisions.” Stuckett must ask, “How can we make this work?” Not, “Why might this be a problem?”
Address Delays Caused by Other County Departments
Numerous sources cited delays caused by other county departments, namely Purchasing and the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity (DEEO).
Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, PE admitted that DEEO had issues. He mentioned that that department head was also replaced.
“If Purchasing or DEEO are impacting our ability to get something done, we need to know about it. Then, we can work together to eliminate delays,” said Ramsey.
Return to a Metrics-Driven Approach
After Petersen took office in 2022, Bond Updates became less frequent as project progress slowed. The lack of reliable metrics made it more difficult for Commissioners, funding partners and the public to gauge progress.
When Commissioner Ramsey, the Commissioners Court, and the Texas GLO finally demanded metrics that showed the true status of projects, the depth of HCFCD’s problems became all too apparent.
“Work the Details”
Commissioner Ramsey, a veteran engineer, said, “There’s no magic formula. We have to work the details – daily – on where each project is. Some are far along. And some are just about to get started. Are we working the schedule? Is there anything we can do to mitigate problems associated with it?”
Ramsey advised, “Federal paperwork is necessary and complicated. So, be sure that you’re working the paperwork, too. All of these issues are manageable. We just have to get organized.”
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/2025/04/20250401-Commissioners-Court-3.27.25.jpg?fit=1100%2C617&ssl=16171100adminadmin2026-07-06 18:39:092026-07-07 07:04:37Editorial: Getting HCFCD Back on Track
LSGCD Proposes Pumping Groundwater 3X Faster Than It’s Being Replenished
7/8/2026 – The Conroe City Council will consider at its July 9 meeting a motion by the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District (LSGCD) that would double the rate of groundwater pumping which already exceeds the natural recharge rate of the aquifer. If approved, the new maximum pumping rate would exceed the recharge rate by 3X.
This isn’t the first time LSGCD has made such requests. Back in 2021, they fought the other members of Groundwater Management Area 14 for the right to ignore subsidence, one of the consequences of excessive groundwater withdrawal.
Earlier that year, LSGCD voted to double groundwater pumping and treat subsidence as a PR problem.
Back then, LSGCD fought any mention of subsidence in its desired future conditions (DFCs). And as a consequence, southern Montgomery County is sinking at one of the fastest rates in the region. See below.
Consequences of Excessive Groundwater Pumping
Subsidence can trigger geologic faults, crack pavement, foundations, walls, pipelines, storm sewers and more, leaving residents/taxpayers as unintended casualties of a water war where the private companies that pump groundwater always seem to get their way.
Differential subsidence also contributes to flooding by forming bowls in the landscape and reducing the gradient of rivers and streams. It can also reduce the safety margin between foundations and floodplains.
Last but not least, excessive groundwater pumping mortgages the area’s future. Subsidence is irreversible. Once the water is withdrawn and the ground above it has collapsed, the storage capacity is reduced considerably.
One of the region’s leading hydrologists told me, “They are going to pump themselves into a problem that they can’t fix. This has already been demonstrated all over Harris County. Some people are willingly turning a blind eye … for what? To save a little bit of money?”
He continued, “It is shortsighted and puts a burden on future generations. Water isn’t free or cheap. We have just been lucky for a long time, but there are too many people here now and it is time to be smart.”
Montgomery County Concerned Citizens
According to Paul Cote, a MUD president in MoCO for more than ten years and a leader of Montgomery County Concerned Citizens, the July 9 meeting of Conroe’s City Council is a crucial moment for Conroe’s water future.
He urges people to attend and protest the increase in groundwater pumping rates.
He suggests:
Meeting Details
The meeting will be held at Conroe City Hall, 300 W. Davis, Conroe, on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Arriving early is important to sign up for public comment.
There are serious questions in my mind about whether LSGCD’s proposal is sustainable. Water infrastructure projects can take decades to build. The time to start was decades ago. In my opinion, we can’t continue kicking this can down the road.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/8/26
3235 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.
New HCFCD Executive Director Shares His Top Three Priorities
7/7/26 – Two weeks ago, I reached out to Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) about the priorities of new, incoming Executive Director, Marcus Stuckett.
When I didn’t hear back immediately, I asked other people what they thought his priorities should be and published those in an editorial yesterday titled “Getting HCFCD Back on Track.”
However – just minutes after publishing the editorial – I opened an email from HCFCD. It was about Stuckett’s priorities. I am glad to say…
Stuckett’s Top Three Priorities
According to an HCFCD spokesperson, Stuckett’s immediate focus will be on:
How They Work Together
His top priority is executing the CDBG plan approved by Commissioners Court in June of 2026. That includes system and agreement updates, revised project schedules, and budget adjustments needed to put the plan into action.
The plan, approved by both Commissioners Court and the Texas General Land Office (which administers HUD grants in Texas), is designed to save $322 million in federal funding with a deadline of 2/28/27.
That involves bundling and billing all of the County’s CDBG work together for both Mitigation and Disaster Relief Grants and both HCFCD and Harris County Housing and Community Development Department (HCHCD). The totals will all then be applied against the $322 million with the rapidly approaching deadline.
The table below summarizes the starting point for Stuckett. Figures are current as of 7/6/2026.
Even with the new “bundle plan,” Harris County is only one third of its way to the goal. But that’s far better than before when HCFCD’s Disaster Relief (DR) program had its own budget and deadline.
HCFCD before Stuckett managed to bill only 4.35% of its Disaster Relief allocation in about 80% of the time allowed.
To see the latest project-by-project status report, click here.
33% is much better than 4%. But Stuckett still assumes office with a huge hurdle to overcome. He must move quickly to adjust tracking and accounting systems as he pushes contractors to accelerate.
For example, Woodridge is a CDBG-MIT program. But Woodridge billing can now be applied to CDBG-DR. So it makes sense to hurry that up if possible.
Addressing Remaining Data Gaps
Supporting Stuckett’s effort is a push to strengthen reporting and transparency, addressing any remaining data gaps that could affect HCFCD’s ability to track and communicate progress.
Responsiveness is the third pillar of Stuckett’s focus. With many systems and initiatives in motion, Stuckett says he is working to shorten processing times and move approvals more efficiently – both internally and externally.
“Together, these priorities reflect a broader commitment to transparency and delivery that will carry the organization into its next phase,” said HCFCD.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/7/2026
3234 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Editorial: Getting HCFCD Back on Track
7/6/2026 – Last month, Dr. Tina Petersen, former head of Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), resigned under pressure. For this post, I’d like to focus on what HCFCD needs to do to get back on track. Toward that end, I interviewed more than a dozen people knowledgeable about HCFCD and its operations. Many spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The Petersen controversy had to do with the potential loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding because of project delays.
HCFCD now has a new head: Marcus Stuckett, formerly Director of Engineering at HCFCD. Stuckett worked his way up through the organization, then left for several years while Petersen headed the department and is now returning. Here is what many would advise.
Refocus on Core Mission
One said, “Tina Pearson was running public relations campaigns and trying to play politics. The Flood Control District is a planning, engineering and construction organization. And that’s it. Period. We need to refocus on execution and delivering results.”
Other sources echoed this sentiment but phrased it as “Getting back to basics.”
For example, one source mentioned Taylor Gully in Kingwood. Five years and two months ago, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved $10.1 million to widen and deepen Taylor Gully.
But according to Amy Crouser, an HCFCD spokesperson, the District is still waiting for “TWDB to approve the channel work.” Then she added, “City of Houston is working on getting this approval.”
Fill Gaps in the Org Chart
One source told me that there are still many highly qualified and motivated people at HCFCD. However, others bemoaned the brain drain that has reportedly created gaps in org charts. The gaps disrupt or delay decision making. They also cost institutional knowledge and project continuity.
For instance, one group head has been scheduled to retire for a long time. But reportedly, Petersen did not seek a replacement. A lack of overlap will make it harder for a new hire to get up to speed.
Re-Instill Sense of Urgency and Ownership
Virtually everyone I talked to mentioned the need to re-instill a sense of urgency and project ownership. Delays under the previous director cost some projects years. For instance, the Preliminary Engineering Report for the Kingwood Diversion Ditch project was scheduled to take 300 days, but took more than 1,400.
Design work for the project will finally go on the Commissioner’s Court agenda for August this year, exactly nine years after 13 people died along Bens Branch. (The Diversion Ditch takes water out of Bens Branch, hence its name.)
Empower Employees to Make Decisions
“Empower folks to make decisions,” said one source. “Project managers and the people doing the day to day are trying very, very hard to push projects forward. The biggest issue sometimes is HCFCD’s own processes where, “Okay, we finished this stage. Now it has to go up to leadership for review and approval.”
But getting to the next stage was often problematic. Many cited Petersen’s penchant for perfectionism, consensus-style management, risk avoidance, and indecisiveness. That combination delayed projects, sometimes for years. Said another way, the organization had a bad case of paralysis through analysis.
Such managers can prefer “delays over decisions.” Stuckett must ask, “How can we make this work?” Not, “Why might this be a problem?”
Address Delays Caused by Other County Departments
Numerous sources cited delays caused by other county departments, namely Purchasing and the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity (DEEO).
Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, PE admitted that DEEO had issues. He mentioned that that department head was also replaced.
“If Purchasing or DEEO are impacting our ability to get something done, we need to know about it. Then, we can work together to eliminate delays,” said Ramsey.
Return to a Metrics-Driven Approach
After Petersen took office in 2022, Bond Updates became less frequent as project progress slowed. The lack of reliable metrics made it more difficult for Commissioners, funding partners and the public to gauge progress.
When Commissioner Ramsey, the Commissioners Court, and the Texas GLO finally demanded metrics that showed the true status of projects, the depth of HCFCD’s problems became all too apparent.
“Work the Details”
Commissioner Ramsey, a veteran engineer, said, “There’s no magic formula. We have to work the details – daily – on where each project is. Some are far along. And some are just about to get started. Are we working the schedule? Is there anything we can do to mitigate problems associated with it?”
Ramsey advised, “Federal paperwork is necessary and complicated. So, be sure that you’re working the paperwork, too. All of these issues are manageable. We just have to get organized.”
Focus on CDBG
With $322 million of US Department of Housing and Urban Development CDBG Grants (Community Development Block Grants) projects facing a deadline of 2/28/27 – less than eight months away – obviously the immediate focus needs to be on those.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/6/2026
3233 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.