Harris County Flood Control District’s current excavation/repair project on Taylor Gully is nearing its downstream limit. The project began in January upstream from the Maple Bend Bridge. Drone photos below taken on 3/19/21 show the extent of work downstream from the bridge.
The project has two main objectives: 1) restore the conveyance of the ditch, and repair damaged or blocked storm-drain outfalls and backslope interceptor structures.
Pictures from 3/19/21
Taylor Gully in Woodstream. Direction of flow goes from lower left to upper right toward woods. Total project length is about 2250 feet: 750 upstream and 1500 downstream from the Maple Bend bridge between the two red lines.Looking NE from Maple Bend in Woodstream Village. Upper banks have already been addressed on both sides of channel. Now, excavation seems to be focusing on the lower areas near the water and working back upstream (toward the camera position).Ground level shot in same direction taken with telephoto lens from Maple Bend bridge.Note the height of these drain pipes – 6 feet! They will convey water from storm drains directly into the ditch.
Smaller pipes stacked along the banks (see below) will be used to create backslope interceptors before the job is complete.
Looking back upstream toward the Maple Bend Bridge in the middle ground. Areas beyond the bridge appear complete, but area in foreground does not yet have backslope interceptor pipes installed.(See more below.)
Excavation and final dressing of slopes is almost complete upstream of the bridge. See below. When complete, the downstream slopes will look this way, too!
The two concrete structures on the sides of the the ditch are called backslope interceptors. Swales run parallel to the ditch and catch water before it can flow over the banks. The pipes carry the water beneath the bank to the bottom of the ditch. This is a “best management practice” that reduces erosion and extends maintenance intervals.
Next Steps
The project started in mid-January. At the current rate of progress and assuming cooperative weather, “substantial completion” could happen within a month. Substantial completion is a major milestone for contractors. When they think they are done, they schedule a walkthrough for HCFCD to inspect the work. If anything misses the mark, the Contractor has 30 days to clean-up the “punch list items”. Then HCFCD walks it again. Once the Contractor has addressed all outstanding items, the company demobilizes and the Flood Control District “accepts” the channel.
1303 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 552 since Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/20210319-DJI_0329.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=19001200adminadmin2021-03-24 15:38:492021-03-24 15:42:48Taylor Gully Excavation, Repairs Now Focusing on Area Downstream from Maple Bend Bridge
Hurricane naming is changing. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has retired the names of Hurricanes Laura, Eta, and Iota from 2020 and Dorian from 2019 because of the death and destruction they caused. WMO also eliminated use of the Greek alphabet when names based on the Latin alphabet are used up. Now, a second list of names, also keyed to the Latin alphabet will be available. In other words, we’ll go around twice with the Latin alphabet if necessary.
The Greek alphabet will not be used in the future because it creates a distraction from the communication of hazard and storm warnings and is potentially confusing.
The 2020 season got off to an early start with a nine named storms from May through July. And for the first time on record, it ended with two MAJOR storms in November. The season was so active that the Greek alphabet was used for only the second time; the first was in 2005.
“In total, 93 names have now been retired from the Atlantic basin list since 1953, when storms began to be named,” says WMO.
Recently retired Hurricane Names
Recap of Storms with Newly Retired Names
2019 – Dorian
Dorian was a Category 5 hurricane and the strongest to hit the Bahamas in modern times. “More than 75 percent of all homes on the island were damaged,” said WMO. The hurricane left 29,500 people homeless and/or jobless.
2020 – Laura
Category 4 Laura hit Louisiana with a 17 feet storm surge. It killed 47 people in the United States and Hispaniola, and caused more than $19 billion in damage.
2020 – Eta & Iota
Hurricanes Eta and Iota hit Nicaragua two weeks apart in November last year. They caused extensive flooding in Central America, killed 272, can caused more than $9 billion in damages.
Reasons for Retiring Greek Alphabet
According to WMO, “The annual name list has been exhausted on two occasions during the past 15 years, and it is likely that this will occur again in the future.”
Because of problems associated with the Greek alphabet, WMO will substitute Latin-based A-Z names (excluding Q, U, X, Y, Z).
Confusion when translating Greek names into some languages.
Too much focus on the novelty of Greek names detracts from safety messaging.
Similarity of Zeta, Eta, Theta, which occur in succession resulted in storms with very similar sounding names occurring simultaneously. This caused confusion.
WMO has already agreed on a supplemental list of Atlantic tropical cyclone names to replace the Greek names. It’s a little bizarre. I noted that they used “Pax.” Pax means stability and peace, not meanings I would normally associate with a Cat 5 hurricane!
Post by Bob Rehak on March 23, 2021, based on information from the World Meteorological Organization.
Even if you don’t believe in climate change, the way the National Hurricane Center (NHC) covers tropical weather will change this year. Until now, NHC began issuing regular tropical weather outlooks on June 1st. Now they will start two weeks earlier.
The actual start date of the Atlantic basin hurricane season will remain June 1, but this is also being looked at for changes to an earlier start date in future years.
Hurricane Harvey at its peak intensity in August of 2017 as it came ashore in Texas. Photo courtesy of NOAA.
Text of NHC Press Release
“In order to provide more frequent information on the potential for tropical cyclone formation as the official June 1 start of the Atlantic hurricane season approaches, the National Hurricane Center will begin routine issuance of the Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook (TWO) and the Graphical TWO at 800 AM EDT (1200 UTC) May 15, 2021.”
“Given recent increased tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic basin in late May, routine issuance of the Atlantic TWO starting on May 15 offers a service improvement over unscheduled Special TWOs that are issued to discuss the possibility of tropical cyclone formation prior to the official start of hurricane season on June 1.”
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/23/21 based on information from the National Hurricane Center
1302 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Harvey-Peak-Intensity.jpg?fit=1500%2C843&ssl=18431500adminadmin2021-03-23 13:25:162021-03-23 13:25:20National Hurricane Center Starting Tropical Weather Outlooks Two Weeks Earlier
Taylor Gully Excavation, Repairs Now Focusing on Area Downstream from Maple Bend Bridge
Harris County Flood Control District’s current excavation/repair project on Taylor Gully is nearing its downstream limit. The project began in January upstream from the Maple Bend Bridge. Drone photos below taken on 3/19/21 show the extent of work downstream from the bridge.
The project has two main objectives: 1) restore the conveyance of the ditch, and repair damaged or blocked storm-drain outfalls and backslope interceptor structures.
Pictures from 3/19/21
Smaller pipes stacked along the banks (see below) will be used to create backslope interceptors before the job is complete.
Excavation and final dressing of slopes is almost complete upstream of the bridge. See below. When complete, the downstream slopes will look this way, too!
Next Steps
The project started in mid-January. At the current rate of progress and assuming cooperative weather, “substantial completion” could happen within a month. Substantial completion is a major milestone for contractors. When they think they are done, they schedule a walkthrough for HCFCD to inspect the work. If anything misses the mark, the Contractor has 30 days to clean-up the “punch list items”. Then HCFCD walks it again. Once the Contractor has addressed all outstanding items, the company demobilizes and the Flood Control District “accepts” the channel.
This project is separate from a Taylor Gully preliminary engineering study for capital improvements. The capital improvements could include more upstream detention on the Woodridge Village Property, which has now been purchased by the City and County from Perry Homes on March 4.
A previous study, the Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis, proposed improvements to Taylor Gully in October 2020.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/24/2021
1303 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 552 since Imelda
Hurricane Naming Changes
Hurricane naming is changing. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has retired the names of Hurricanes Laura, Eta, and Iota from 2020 and Dorian from 2019 because of the death and destruction they caused. WMO also eliminated use of the Greek alphabet when names based on the Latin alphabet are used up. Now, a second list of names, also keyed to the Latin alphabet will be available. In other words, we’ll go around twice with the Latin alphabet if necessary.
Changes Result of Record-Breaking 2020 Season
Changes to hurricane naming conventions resulted from the record-breaking 2020 Atlantic season, according to the WMO.
The 2020 season got off to an early start with a nine named storms from May through July. And for the first time on record, it ended with two MAJOR storms in November. The season was so active that the Greek alphabet was used for only the second time; the first was in 2005.
How Retirement of Names Works
WMO rotates Atlantic tropical cyclone name lists every six years. However, extra-deadly storms can have their names retired and replaced.
“In total, 93 names have now been retired from the Atlantic basin list since 1953, when storms began to be named,” says WMO.
Recap of Storms with Newly Retired Names
2019 – Dorian
Dorian was a Category 5 hurricane and the strongest to hit the Bahamas in modern times. “More than 75 percent of all homes on the island were damaged,” said WMO. The hurricane left 29,500 people homeless and/or jobless.
2020 – Laura
Category 4 Laura hit Louisiana with a 17 feet storm surge. It killed 47 people in the United States and Hispaniola, and caused more than $19 billion in damage.
2020 – Eta & Iota
Hurricanes Eta and Iota hit Nicaragua two weeks apart in November last year. They caused extensive flooding in Central America, killed 272, can caused more than $9 billion in damages.
Reasons for Retiring Greek Alphabet
According to WMO, “The annual name list has been exhausted on two occasions during the past 15 years, and it is likely that this will occur again in the future.”
Because of problems associated with the Greek alphabet, WMO will substitute Latin-based A-Z names (excluding Q, U, X, Y, Z).
WMO has already agreed on a supplemental list of Atlantic tropical cyclone names to replace the Greek names. It’s a little bizarre. I noted that they used “Pax.” Pax means stability and peace, not meanings I would normally associate with a Cat 5 hurricane!
Post by Bob Rehak on March 23, 2021, based on information from the World Meteorological Organization.
1302 Days since Hurricane Harvey
National Hurricane Center Starting Tropical Weather Outlooks Two Weeks Earlier
Even if you don’t believe in climate change, the way the National Hurricane Center (NHC) covers tropical weather will change this year. Until now, NHC began issuing regular tropical weather outlooks on June 1st. Now they will start two weeks earlier.
The National Hurricane Center will begin regular tropical weather outlooks starting on May 15 this year. This change has been made due to the increased number late May tropical and sub-tropical systems in the last several years.
Text of NHC Press Release
“In order to provide more frequent information on the potential for tropical cyclone formation as the official June 1 start of the Atlantic hurricane season approaches, the National Hurricane Center will begin routine issuance of the Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook (TWO) and the Graphical TWO at 800 AM EDT (1200 UTC) May 15, 2021.”
“Given recent increased tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic basin in late May, routine issuance of the Atlantic TWO starting on May 15 offers a service improvement over unscheduled Special TWOs that are issued to discuss the possibility of tropical cyclone formation prior to the official start of hurricane season on June 1.”
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/23/21 based on information from the National Hurricane Center
1302 Days after Hurricane Harvey