This is off-topic but it affects thousands of readers who may be delayed on their way to work or medical appointments this week. Kingwood Drive will shut down in both directions at Loop 494 from 9 a.m. on Thursday, February 4 to 7 p.m. on February 6. North-South traffic on Loop 494 will remain open.
Purpose to Widen KWD and Add Sidewalk
TXDoT and Union Pacific Railroad have agreed on the closure to accommodate roadway widening and new sidewalk. The railroad track crossing at Kingwood will also have to be widened and replaced. TxDOT can stop all train traffic to perform the work during that window.
Detours
To detour the closure, consider Northpark Drive or Hamblen Road.
Closures Subject to Change Depending on Weather
All closures are subject to change due to inclement weather. TXDOT is asking drivers to be cautious in the construction area. For more information, contact Emily Black at (713) 802-5022.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/KWD-Detour.jpg?fit=1200%2C809&ssl=18091200adminadmin2021-02-01 15:41:552021-02-01 15:41:57Kingwood Drive Closed at Loop 494 from February 4-6
(Updated 2/2/2021 at 8PM) In the “lawsuits-are-stranger-than-fiction department,” Colony Ridge developer Trey Harris has filed yet another lawsuit against the Plum Grove City Council and Plum Grove’s former Mayor Leann Walker. This time, Harris wants more than a million dollars. Among other things, the suit alleges that by hiring Wayne Dolcefino, they attempted to smear Harris. But in the next sentence, Harris trumpets “Their smear tactic was not successful.” So where was the damage?
More Questionable Allegations
Dig a little deeper and you’ll find several more equally questionable allegations. For instance, he alleges that elected officials acting in their official capacity can be sued as private citizens. To support this assertion, Harris alleges that council members had personalvendettas against him when they tried to defend residents from road damage, flooding and more.
Harris also alleges that:
The City Council doesn’t represent the public’s interest. Yet Colony Ridge issues have been front and center in multiple elections during the last decade.
Harris is a citizen of Plum Grove although he reportedly lives in Huntsville.
Defendants “trespassed” on his property, presumably by driving on a public road.
The Council refused Harris’ offer to help repair roads when, in fact, they accepted his $25,000.
Geez! When does a City Council have an obligation to like someone who they believe has destroyed the homes, roads and safety of City residents?
History of Disputes with Multiple Parties Contradicts Vendetta Claim
A long history of legal and political disputes between Colony Ridge and Plum Grove under different councils and mayors contradicts Harris’ claim that current criticisms are “personal vendettas.”
Harris previously sued Walker and lost in 2015. The judge ordered Harris to pay Walker’s legal fees. Harris also sued the City, which was under a different mayor at the time, and reportedly settled.
Downstream residents in neighboring counties have also expressed concerns about flooding and road damage related to Colony Ridge construction practices.
Sediment coming down the East Fork (right) from Colony Ridge on Jan. 1, 2021.
Rumor also has it that the Army Corps in Galveston has an open investigation into wetland mitigation issues in Colony Ridge.
Finally, last year, Plum Grove sued Colony Ridge to get the developer to repair roads his trucks have damaged. Could Harris’ recent suit simply be a countersuit designed to intimidate Plum Grove into dropping its suit? Possibly. But there’s something else going on, too.
Enter Wayne Dolcefino, Investigative Journalist
Having found no way to get Liberty County to enforce its own regulations in Colony Ridge, last October, Walker and the City Council hired Wayne Dolcefino, one of the country’s leading investigative journalists. They hired him to help shine a light on problems there. And for the first time ever, Liberty County started paying attention.
A short while later, Harris filed his latest lawsuit.
Intimidating People into Silence
Harris seeks more than a million dollars from the tiny city of Plum Grove. On Page 4 of the suit, Harris alleges, “This action [the hiring of Dolcefino] was not taken with the public’s best interest in mind. It was taken as a calculated and vindictive action in an attempt to harm Plaintiff.” But in the very next sentence, Harris also claims, “Their smear tactic was not successful.” So if he wasn’t damaged, why is he suing? To intimidate people into silence?
But like the boxer he was, Harris has come out swinging. Things will soon get interesting.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/1/2021and updated on 2/2
1252 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 490 Days since Imelda
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.
Based on new information obtained on 2/2/2021, mention of the Texas Municipal League paying for legal costs was deleted.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/20210101-RJR_4809.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2021-02-01 13:55:172021-02-02 20:04:47Colony Ridge Developer Sues Critics For More Than Million Dollars Based on Questionable Allegations
A study by Samuel D. Brody, Sammy Zahran, Wesley E. Highfield, Himanshu Grover, and Arnold Vedlitz called “Identifying the impact of the built environment on flood damage in Texas” quantifies the flood reduction benefits of wetlands along the Gulf coast. The authors studied property damage in 423 floods between 1997 and 2001. They identified the effect of several built-environment issues, including wetland alteration, impervious surface and dams on reported property damage while controlling for biophysical and socio-economic characteristics.
Their statistical results suggest that naturally occurring wetlands play a particularly important role in mitigating flood damage. But how much? The results vary by location, of course, but in one county, they discovered that a 3.4X increase in wetland alteration permits correlated to a 10X increase in flood damage.
Floods damage more property than any other type of natural disaster in America – billions of dollars every year. However, the author’s say, there is lack of research on the relationship between the built environment and flood impacts in the eastern portion of Texas. Say the authors, “Such information is critical given the continued development of coastal areas and the increasing vulnerability of human populations to inland coastal flooding.”
What Study Correlated and How
The authors correlated flood property damage (total dollar loss adjusted by the consumer price index) to variables such as:
Precipitation (day of flood)
Precipitation (day before flood)
Percentage of county in 100-year floodplains
Duration of flood
Dams
Percent impervious surface
Wetland alteration
FEMA Community Rating System
Median Household Income
They measured everything by counties. Watershed data would have been better for floods, but damage is not often aggregated by watersheds.
Researchers measured “wetland alterations” by counting wetland permits issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers in Galveston under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. They simply counted the number of permits issued up to the day of any given flood. This enabled them to measure the cumulative impact of wetland alterations over time.
FEMA’s Community Rating System encourages city and county leaders to promote responsible development over time. The more an area reduces flood damage through regulations, mapping and 18 flood mitigation measures, the higher the discounts that residents earn on flood insurance.
The researchers used multivariate regression analyses to find which factors most influenced the degree of flood damage in eastern Texas. Multivariate regression identifies the degree of influence that multiple variables have over each other. It measures correlation, not causation.
Major Findings
Specific characteristics of the human-built environment in eastern Texas have an important influence on property damage resulting from floods, even when controlling for biophysical and socio-economic factors. Below are four major findings from the study.
First. the amount and duration of precipitation associated with a given storm flood largely governs flood damage.
When looking at biophysical variables, timing of precipitation is particularly important. “Heavy precipitation the day before the actual flood event is by far the strongest predictor of total property damage,” say the authors. This may be because of the delay in the rise of water or the saturation of soil. “It is important for decision-makers and the public to understand that heavy precipitation followed by sunny skies can still result in significant flood damage the next day.”
Second, the most important built-environment indicator of flood damage is the the alteration of naturally occurring wetlands.
“Impervious surfaces have long been criticised for their contribution to increased flooding and associated damage. However, the most significant impact may not depend solely on the total amount of imperviousness in a watershed or drainage basin, but rather on where exactly these built surfaces are placed. Altering or removing a wetland to construct car parks, roads and rooftops, for instance, effectively eliminates its ability to capture, hold and store water run-off.”
For example, comparing two identical rainfalls four years apart in De Witt County showed a 10X increase in damage. During that time, the number of wetland permits granted increased from 5 to 17 – 3.4X.
Similarly, comparing two 1.5 inch rainfalls in Wharton County, damage doubled while the number of wetland-alteration permits increased from 17 to 26.
Incredibly, Galveston County experienced a 20X increase in flood damage based on two 0.09 inch rainfalls three years apart. During that time, the number of wetland permits increased from 546 to 921.
“Developments initially believed to be safe from flood threats become an unexpected target of expensive flood damage over time,” say the authors. “The planning goal in this situation is to allow development to proceed without reducing the hydrological function and value of wetland systems.”
The authors suggest that achieving this objective will involve identifying and protecting wetlands through local land use policies. They include zoning restrictions, land acquisition programs, clustered development, density bonuses and more. Net economic benefits to a locality may result by reducing costs related to repair of damaged structures and mitigation solutions.
Third, wetlands may be more effective than dams in mitigating property loss over time.
Dams are extremely costly mitigation alternatives. And they can encourage development in flood-prone areas out of a false sense of security. See more below.
Fourth, FEMA’s Community Rating System reduces property damage.
Communities ranked high by FEMA for mitigation measures experience significantly lower amounts of flood-related property damage. “In fact, CRS participation appears to reduce community-wide flood damage more than dams, which are far more costly,” the study claims.
Economic Tradeoffs
In comparing the relative effects of various variables on flood damage, the authors also assessed economic tradeoffs of various mitigation measures.
For instance, they compared the cost in property damage in a flood to the price of wetland permits and dams. They found that 129 wetland alteration permits cost as much property damage per flood as one dam saved.
“Given the expense of building dams, their negative environmental ramifications, and the possibility of structural failure, protecting naturally occurring wetlands may be a more rational policy alternative,” says the study.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/30/21 based on a study by Samuel Brody, et. al.
1250 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SJR_704_048-e1612057029212.jpg?fit=1200%2C811&ssl=18111200adminadmin2021-01-30 19:57:462021-02-01 15:54:48Scientists Quantify Flood-Damage-Reduction Benefit of Texas Wetlands
Kingwood Drive Closed at Loop 494 from February 4-6
This is off-topic but it affects thousands of readers who may be delayed on their way to work or medical appointments this week. Kingwood Drive will shut down in both directions at Loop 494 from 9 a.m. on Thursday, February 4 to 7 p.m. on February 6. North-South traffic on Loop 494 will remain open.
Purpose to Widen KWD and Add Sidewalk
TXDoT and Union Pacific Railroad have agreed on the closure to accommodate roadway widening and new sidewalk. The railroad track crossing at Kingwood will also have to be widened and replaced. TxDOT can stop all train traffic to perform the work during that window.
Detours
To detour the closure, consider Northpark Drive or Hamblen Road.
Closures Subject to Change Depending on Weather
All closures are subject to change due to inclement weather. TXDOT is asking drivers to be cautious in the construction area.
For more information, contact Emily Black at (713) 802-5022.
Colony Ridge Developer Sues Critics For More Than Million Dollars Based on Questionable Allegations
(Updated 2/2/2021 at 8PM) In the “lawsuits-are-stranger-than-fiction department,” Colony Ridge developer Trey Harris has filed yet another lawsuit against the Plum Grove City Council and Plum Grove’s former Mayor Leann Walker. This time, Harris wants more than a million dollars. Among other things, the suit alleges that by hiring Wayne Dolcefino, they attempted to smear Harris. But in the next sentence, Harris trumpets “Their smear tactic was not successful.” So where was the damage?
More Questionable Allegations
Dig a little deeper and you’ll find several more equally questionable allegations. For instance, he alleges that elected officials acting in their official capacity can be sued as private citizens. To support this assertion, Harris alleges that council members had personal vendettas against him when they tried to defend residents from road damage, flooding and more.
Harris also alleges that:
Geez! When does a City Council have an obligation to like someone who they believe has destroyed the homes, roads and safety of City residents?
History of Disputes with Multiple Parties Contradicts Vendetta Claim
A long history of legal and political disputes between Colony Ridge and Plum Grove under different councils and mayors contradicts Harris’ claim that current criticisms are “personal vendettas.”
Harris previously sued Walker and lost in 2015. The judge ordered Harris to pay Walker’s legal fees. Harris also sued the City, which was under a different mayor at the time, and reportedly settled.
Numerous Plum Grove residents have complained about Colony Ridge to Liberty County officials for years. Resident’s concerns have included destruction of wetlands, inadequate detention pond capacity, damage to roads, public safety issues, violation of county regulations, plat irregularities and more.
Downstream residents in neighboring counties have also expressed concerns about flooding and road damage related to Colony Ridge construction practices.
TCEQ has repeatedly investigated Colony Ridge contractors and found multiple sewage leaks and substandard construction practices that jeopardize human health. Erosion caused by piling dirt next to ditches has clogged Plum Grove creeks with sediment and contributed to repeated flooding.
Rumor also has it that the Army Corps in Galveston has an open investigation into wetland mitigation issues in Colony Ridge.
Finally, last year, Plum Grove sued Colony Ridge to get the developer to repair roads his trucks have damaged. Could Harris’ recent suit simply be a countersuit designed to intimidate Plum Grove into dropping its suit? Possibly. But there’s something else going on, too.
Enter Wayne Dolcefino, Investigative Journalist
Having found no way to get Liberty County to enforce its own regulations in Colony Ridge, last October, Walker and the City Council hired Wayne Dolcefino, one of the country’s leading investigative journalists. They hired him to help shine a light on problems there. And for the first time ever, Liberty County started paying attention.
In January, Dolcefino’s reports forced Liberty County officials to investigate irregularities related to engineering reports that may have been falsified and alleged violations of County drainage/development regulations.
A short while later, Harris filed his latest lawsuit.
Intimidating People into Silence
Harris seeks more than a million dollars from the tiny city of Plum Grove. On Page 4 of the suit, Harris alleges, “This action [the hiring of Dolcefino] was not taken with the public’s best interest in mind. It was taken as a calculated and vindictive action in an attempt to harm Plaintiff.” But in the very next sentence, Harris also claims, “Their smear tactic was not successful.” So if he wasn’t damaged, why is he suing? To intimidate people into silence?
I’m not a lawyer and this is not legal advice, but the State’s Anti-SLAPP statute (AKA, the Texas Citizens Participation Act) may help Walker and the council members as individuals without governmental immunity. The act protects free speech on matters of public concern. If a legal claim is dismissed under the Texas Anti-SLAPP statute, the Court must award attorneys’ fees and may sanction plaintiffs from bringing improper lawsuits in the future.
But like the boxer he was, Harris has come out swinging. Things will soon get interesting.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/1/2021 and updated on 2/2
1252 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 490 Days since Imelda
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.
Based on new information obtained on 2/2/2021, mention of the Texas Municipal League paying for legal costs was deleted.
Scientists Quantify Flood-Damage-Reduction Benefit of Texas Wetlands
A study by Samuel D. Brody, Sammy Zahran, Wesley E. Highfield, Himanshu Grover, and Arnold Vedlitz called “Identifying the impact of the built environment on flood damage in Texas” quantifies the flood reduction benefits of wetlands along the Gulf coast. The authors studied property damage in 423 floods between 1997 and 2001. They identified the effect of several built-environment issues, including wetland alteration, impervious surface and dams on reported property damage while controlling for biophysical and socio-economic characteristics.
Their statistical results suggest that naturally occurring wetlands play a particularly important role in mitigating flood damage. But how much? The results vary by location, of course, but in one county, they discovered that a 3.4X increase in wetland alteration permits correlated to a 10X increase in flood damage.
Importance of Understanding Causes of Flooding
Floods damage more property than any other type of natural disaster in America – billions of dollars every year. However, the author’s say, there is lack of research on the relationship between the built environment and flood impacts in the eastern portion of Texas. Say the authors, “Such information is critical given the continued development of coastal areas and the increasing vulnerability of human populations to inland coastal flooding.”
What Study Correlated and How
The authors correlated flood property damage (total dollar loss adjusted by the consumer price index) to variables such as:
They measured everything by counties. Watershed data would have been better for floods, but damage is not often aggregated by watersheds.
Researchers measured “wetland alterations” by counting wetland permits issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers in Galveston under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. They simply counted the number of permits issued up to the day of any given flood. This enabled them to measure the cumulative impact of wetland alterations over time.
FEMA’s Community Rating System encourages city and county leaders to promote responsible development over time. The more an area reduces flood damage through regulations, mapping and 18 flood mitigation measures, the higher the discounts that residents earn on flood insurance.
The researchers used multivariate regression analyses to find which factors most influenced the degree of flood damage in eastern Texas. Multivariate regression identifies the degree of influence that multiple variables have over each other. It measures correlation, not causation.
Major Findings
Specific characteristics of the human-built environment in eastern Texas have an important influence on property damage resulting from floods, even when controlling for biophysical and socio-economic factors. Below are four major findings from the study.
First. the amount and duration of precipitation associated with a given storm flood largely governs flood damage.
When looking at biophysical variables, timing of precipitation is particularly important. “Heavy precipitation the day before the actual flood event is by far the strongest predictor of total property damage,” say the authors. This may be because of the delay in the rise of water or the saturation of soil. “It is important for decision-makers and the public to understand that heavy precipitation followed by sunny skies can still result in significant flood damage the next day.”
Second, the most important built-environment indicator of flood damage is the the alteration of naturally occurring wetlands.
“Impervious surfaces have long been criticised for their contribution to increased flooding and associated damage. However, the most significant impact may not depend solely on the total amount of imperviousness in a watershed or drainage basin, but rather on where exactly these built surfaces are placed. Altering or removing a wetland to construct car parks, roads and rooftops, for instance, effectively eliminates its ability to capture, hold and store water run-off.”
Similarly, comparing two 1.5 inch rainfalls in Wharton County, damage doubled while the number of wetland-alteration permits increased from 17 to 26.
Incredibly, Galveston County experienced a 20X increase in flood damage based on two 0.09 inch rainfalls three years apart. During that time, the number of wetland permits increased from 546 to 921.
“Developments initially believed to be safe from flood threats become an unexpected target of expensive flood damage over time,” say the authors. “The planning goal in this situation is to allow development to proceed without reducing the hydrological function and value of wetland systems.”
The authors suggest that achieving this objective will involve identifying and protecting wetlands through local land use policies. They include zoning restrictions, land acquisition programs, clustered development, density bonuses and more. Net economic benefits to a locality may result by reducing costs related to repair of damaged structures and mitigation solutions.
Third, wetlands may be more effective than dams in mitigating property loss over time.
Dams are extremely costly mitigation alternatives. And they can encourage development in flood-prone areas out of a false sense of security. See more below.
Fourth, FEMA’s Community Rating System reduces property damage.
Communities ranked high by FEMA for mitigation measures experience significantly lower amounts of flood-related property damage. “In fact, CRS participation appears to reduce community-wide flood damage more than dams, which are far more costly,” the study claims.
Economic Tradeoffs
In comparing the relative effects of various variables on flood damage, the authors also assessed economic tradeoffs of various mitigation measures.
For instance, they compared the cost in property damage in a flood to the price of wetland permits and dams. They found that 129 wetland alteration permits cost as much property damage per flood as one dam saved.
“Given the expense of building dams, their negative environmental ramifications, and the possibility of structural failure, protecting naturally occurring wetlands may be a more rational policy alternative,” says the study.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/30/21 based on a study by Samuel Brody, et. al.
1250 Days since Hurricane Harvey