The New York Times, Associated Press, France 24 and IndiaToday have reported a freak flash flood in northern India. It happened near the Himalayas after a portion of a glacier broke away and released pent up water.
The Times said, “Unconfirmed videos on social media showed violent surges of water heading down mountain gorges, washing away bridges and what looked like hydroelectric structures.”
Associated Press reported that the flood killed at least 9 people. They reported 140 missing. “The flood was caused when a portion of Nanda Devi glacier broke off in the Tapovan area of the northern state of Uttarakhand on Sunday morning. A video shared by officials and taken from the side of steep hillside shows a wall of water surging into one of the dams and breaking it into pieces with little resistance before continuing to roar downstream,” said the AP story.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Glacier-Flash-Flood-in-India.jpg?fit=1200%2C732&ssl=17321200adminadmin2021-02-07 10:27:592021-02-07 10:37:19More Than 140 Missing After Freak Flash Flood in India
Preliminary engineering and final design services for improvements to:
Taylor Gully
Kingwood Diversion Ditch
Purchase of Woodridge Village to build a stormwater detention basin in Montgomery County.
In case you plan to watch the meeting, all three items fall under Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD). Unless commissioners take items out of order, HCFCD projects usually come second on the agenda after Engineering. Below: exact text of each agenda item.
Agenda Item Text
Item 79:
Recommendation that the Harris County Flood Control District be authorized to negotiate an agreement for engineering services with IDCUS Inc. to provide preliminary engineering and final design services for improvements to Taylor Gully on HCFCD Unit G103-80-03.1. (San Jacinto River Watershed, Bond ID F-14, Project ID G103-80-03.1-E001, Precinct 4).
Item 82:
Recommendation that the Harris County Flood Control District be authorized to negotiate an agreement for engineering services with Neel-Schaffer, Inc. to provide preliminary engineering and final design services for improvements to the Kingwood Diversion Channel on HCFCD Unit G103-38-00. (San Jacinto River Watershed, Bond ID F-14, Project ID G103-38-00-E001, Precinct 4).
If purchased from Perry Homes, HCFCD will swap part of Woodridge Village – the northern 77 acres of the 268 total – with the City of Houston. The City wants to build a wastewater treatment plant there and has negotiated with the County to swap land elsewhere in the City that HCFCD can use to reduce the cost of flood mitigation projects. The land reportedly includes parcels along Halls and Greens Bayous. This swap represents a win/win that helps protect more people throughout the City and County.
Looking north, at most of the 268-acre Woodridge Village Property. Road connects to Woodland Hills Drive new Kingwood Park High School out of frame on left. City is interested in portion at top of frame. Flood Control would use the rest for mitigation.
Scope of Engineering Studies Still Unclear
Contracts for the engineering studies have not yet been negotiated. However, we do have clues in the Kingwood Area Drainage Assessment final report about what these projects might include. Last October, HCFCD talked about:
Widening and deepening Taylor Gully to increase conveyance and/or building the detention pond in Woodridge Village, which empties into Taylor Gully. So Woodridge and Taylor Gully are related; what happens with one will affect the other.
Widening the Kingwood Diversion Ditch all the way from St. Martha’s Catholic Church at the county line to the San Jacinto West Fork. The Diversion Ditch project also included building a detention pond to ensure no adverse downstream impacts. Finally, the Drainage Assessment recommended splitting the ditch near Deer Ridge Park. The split would convey part of the floodwaters straight to the West Fork instead of routing all through River Grove Park via a circuitous route that takes them under Woodland Hills Drive which has washed out in the past.
Red line is Bens Branch. White Line is Kingwood Diversion Ditch. Green line shows where Kingwood Area Drainage Assessment recommended splitting flow as it approached West Fork at bottom of frame. Detention pond location not yet finalized.
No Recommendations Certain Yet
Nothing is certain yet. Commissioners Court deferred the Woodridge Village purchase five times last year – in April, May, July, August and September.
And as for the engineering work, a close reading of the text above shows that HCFCD has not yet negotiated contracts. HCFCD simply wants permissionto negotiate the agreements. “Once we receive authorization to negotiate the agreements from Commissioners Court, we can meet with the consultants and develop the scope, schedule, and budget,” said Matt Zeve, Deputy Executive Director of HCFCD.
Regardless, this is good news and welcome progress for flood-weary Kingwood residents still struggling with recovery. These projects put us three steps closer to solutions.
1256 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 505 After Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/20200911-RJR_1153.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2021-02-05 11:17:142021-02-09 11:11:52Three Kingwood Flood-Mitigation Projects on Harris County Commissioners Court Agenda Next Tuesday
The Texas Railroad Commission has finished the cleanup of leaking oil storage tanks on the Noxxe Oil & Gas lease by the Forest Cove Little League fields. Several tanks remain, but they are empty and not leaking. According to a Railroad Commission spokesperson, another individual wants to take over the lease. That person intends to use the remaining tanks to help operate one or two wells that can still produce.
However, regarding a new producer, Gilbert Herrera, a spokesman for the Railroad Commission said, “I haven’t seen any P4 (transfer of wells) come through on the Noxxe wells in Harris County, so far.”
Before/After Pictures of Two Worst Areas
Worst Area
Worst portion of lease on 1/20/2021 as cleanup started.Same area 11 days later on 1/31/2021.Tanks on right have been left intentionally for now and are empty.
Second Worst Area
Second worst area on 1/1/2020.Same area on 1/31/2021 after cleanup.Note that five storage tanks are gone.
Industrial Litter Still Clutters Site
A drilling rig, travel trailers, trucks, drill pipe and more still remain on the site. Peter Fisher, District Director for the Railroad Commission said the Commission planned to salvage/auction those items. However, he could make no promises. “Sometimes we’re successful and sometimes we’re not,” said Fisher. It depends on the market.
Abandoned pipe and more still remains on Noxxe site.
Abandoned Wells Still Not Plugged
Abandoned wells on this site have not yet been plugged. Neither have wells on the western portion of the site near Marina Drive and Aqua Vista. The Railroad Commission says that “depending on well prioritization, approvals, rig scheduling, and so on, we have an estimated time of 14 to 19 weeks” for plugging.
Note oil sheen on ponding water next to San Jacinto West Fork, upper right.Again, note the oily sheen on the water next to these abandoned wells. The San Jacinto West Fork/Lake Houston (lower left) provide water for 2 million people.
Much Work Still Yet to Do
“All eligible orphan wells for plugging will be submitted to Austin for approval. From there and dependent on the factors mentioned before, we will plug as many of the wells as possible in that area,” said Gilbert Herrera of the Railroad Commission.
Harvey forced Noxxe out of business. The company could not afford the cleanup. However, the Pew Foundation found that “So-called “orphan” oil and gas wells, which have been abandoned by defunct companies that cannot pay to plug them, are a growing problem in many states thanks to a recent slump in energy prices that has forced marginal operators out of business.”
“Nobody knows how many orphan and abandoned drilling sites litter farms, forests and backyards nationwide. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates there are more than a million of them. Unplugged wells can leak methane, an explosive gas, into neighborhoods and leach toxins into groundwater,” said Pew.
How many wells are there around the Humble salt dome? Hundreds, if not thousands. See below.
The Railroad Commission GIS database lets you toggle software switches to see which wells are active, dry, plugged, orphaned, etc. Hovering your cursor over a dot shows the current status of the well.
Once again, thanks to State Representative Dan Huberty for working with the Railroad Commission to accelerate cleanup of this area once the problems became known.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/3/2021
1254 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/20210131-DJI_0163-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C776&ssl=17761200adminadmin2021-02-03 13:48:012021-02-03 16:09:18Cleanup of Leaking Oil Tanks on Noxxe Lease by Forest Cove Little League Fields Complete
More Than 140 Missing After Freak Flash Flood in India
The New York Times, Associated Press, France 24 and IndiaToday have reported a freak flash flood in northern India. It happened near the Himalayas after a portion of a glacier broke away and released pent up water.
The Times said, “Unconfirmed videos on social media showed violent surges of water heading down mountain gorges, washing away bridges and what looked like hydroelectric structures.”
Associated Press reported that the flood killed at least 9 people. They reported 140 missing. “The flood was caused when a portion of Nanda Devi glacier broke off in the Tapovan area of the northern state of Uttarakhand on Sunday morning. A video shared by officials and taken from the side of steep hillside shows a wall of water surging into one of the dams and breaking it into pieces with little resistance before continuing to roar downstream,” said the AP story.
To see a video shared on YouTube by France 24, a French public broadcast service, click here or on the image below.
A longer video on IndiaToday shows roiling water splashing hundreds of feet up on canyon walls.
Rescue teams from India and Tibet have rushed to the scene. Towns and villages downstream are being evacuated.
While we don’t have any glaciers in Texas, we do experience flash flooding. This dramatizes how flooding anywhere can change lives in an instant.
To learn more about different types of flooding, view this presentation by the National Weather Service.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/7/2020
1258 Days after Hurricane Harvey
Three Kingwood Flood-Mitigation Projects on Harris County Commissioners Court Agenda Next Tuesday
Harris County Commissioners posted their agenda for next Tuesday and it has three Kingwood flood-mitigation projects on it.
In case you plan to watch the meeting, all three items fall under Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD). Unless commissioners take items out of order, HCFCD projects usually come second on the agenda after Engineering. Below: exact text of each agenda item.
Agenda Item Text
Item 79:
Recommendation that the Harris County Flood Control District be authorized to negotiate an agreement for engineering services with IDCUS Inc. to provide preliminary engineering and final design services for improvements to Taylor Gully on HCFCD Unit G103-80-03.1. (San Jacinto River Watershed, Bond ID F-14, Project ID G103-80-03.1-E001, Precinct 4).
Item 82:
Recommendation that the Harris County Flood Control District be authorized to negotiate an agreement for engineering services with Neel-Schaffer, Inc. to provide preliminary engineering and final design services for improvements to the Kingwood Diversion Channel on HCFCD Unit G103-38-00. (San Jacinto River Watershed, Bond ID F-14, Project ID G103-38-00-E001, Precinct 4).
Item 92:
Recommendation that the Harris County Flood Control (District) be given authorization to decree that this District project serve a public purpose and public necessity require that the Harris County Real Property Division be directed to acquire two (2) fee simple tracts for the public project known as Woodridge Village Stormwater Detention Basin on behalf of the District, for the purpose of stormwater detention, in Montgomery County.
Woodridge Village Plan
If purchased from Perry Homes, HCFCD will swap part of Woodridge Village – the northern 77 acres of the 268 total – with the City of Houston. The City wants to build a wastewater treatment plant there and has negotiated with the County to swap land elsewhere in the City that HCFCD can use to reduce the cost of flood mitigation projects. The land reportedly includes parcels along Halls and Greens Bayous. This swap represents a win/win that helps protect more people throughout the City and County.
Scope of Engineering Studies Still Unclear
Contracts for the engineering studies have not yet been negotiated. However, we do have clues in the Kingwood Area Drainage Assessment final report about what these projects might include. Last October, HCFCD talked about:
No Recommendations Certain Yet
Nothing is certain yet. Commissioners Court deferred the Woodridge Village purchase five times last year – in April, May, July, August and September.
And as for the engineering work, a close reading of the text above shows that HCFCD has not yet negotiated contracts. HCFCD simply wants permission to negotiate the agreements. “Once we receive authorization to negotiate the agreements from Commissioners Court, we can meet with the consultants and develop the scope, schedule, and budget,” said Matt Zeve, Deputy Executive Director of HCFCD.
Regardless, this is good news and welcome progress for flood-weary Kingwood residents still struggling with recovery. These projects put us three steps closer to solutions.
For the full agenda, click here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/5/2021
1256 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 505 After Imelda
Cleanup of Leaking Oil Tanks on Noxxe Lease by Forest Cove Little League Fields Complete
The Texas Railroad Commission has finished the cleanup of leaking oil storage tanks on the Noxxe Oil & Gas lease by the Forest Cove Little League fields. Several tanks remain, but they are empty and not leaking. According to a Railroad Commission spokesperson, another individual wants to take over the lease. That person intends to use the remaining tanks to help operate one or two wells that can still produce.
However, regarding a new producer, Gilbert Herrera, a spokesman for the Railroad Commission said, “I haven’t seen any P4 (transfer of wells) come through on the Noxxe wells in Harris County, so far.”
Before/After Pictures of Two Worst Areas
Worst Area
Second Worst Area
Industrial Litter Still Clutters Site
A drilling rig, travel trailers, trucks, drill pipe and more still remain on the site. Peter Fisher, District Director for the Railroad Commission said the Commission planned to salvage/auction those items. However, he could make no promises. “Sometimes we’re successful and sometimes we’re not,” said Fisher. It depends on the market.
Abandoned Wells Still Not Plugged
Abandoned wells on this site have not yet been plugged. Neither have wells on the western portion of the site near Marina Drive and Aqua Vista. The Railroad Commission says that “depending on well prioritization, approvals, rig scheduling, and so on, we have an estimated time of 14 to 19 weeks” for plugging.
Much Work Still Yet to Do
“All eligible orphan wells for plugging will be submitted to Austin for approval. From there and dependent on the factors mentioned before, we will plug as many of the wells as possible in that area,” said Gilbert Herrera of the Railroad Commission.
You can view all the “orphan wells” in that area on the Railroad Commission’s GIS map. An orphan well is one left behind by a bankrupt company.
Harvey forced Noxxe out of business. The company could not afford the cleanup. However, the Pew Foundation found that “So-called “orphan” oil and gas wells, which have been abandoned by defunct companies that cannot pay to plug them, are a growing problem in many states thanks to a recent slump in energy prices that has forced marginal operators out of business.”
“Nobody knows how many orphan and abandoned drilling sites litter farms, forests and backyards nationwide. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates there are more than a million of them. Unplugged wells can leak methane, an explosive gas, into neighborhoods and leach toxins into groundwater,” said Pew.
How many wells are there around the Humble salt dome? Hundreds, if not thousands. See below.
The Railroad Commission GIS database lets you toggle software switches to see which wells are active, dry, plugged, orphaned, etc. Hovering your cursor over a dot shows the current status of the well.
Drillers frequently find oil and gas around salt domes. Salt, which is buoyant within the earth, fractures surrounding rock. Oil and gas seep into those fractures where it collects in commercial quantities. Is there any doubt why this area was so attractive to oil companies over the years? Here’s a history of the Humble Oil field which was discovered in 1904.
Once again, thanks to State Representative Dan Huberty for working with the Railroad Commission to accelerate cleanup of this area once the problems became known.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/3/2021
1254 Days after Hurricane Harvey