Photo taken on 9/11/2020 shows transportation center in foreground and Perry Homes Woodridge Village in background on other side of Ford Road.
Saving Taxpayers $2 Million Per Year
The District claims that the new 11.7-acre center will save about $2 million in operation costs per year due to shorter routes in half of the District. Management says it should be ready for the 2021 school year and that it will improve response times.
September Aerial Photo Shows Substantial Detention Pond
Here’s what the North Transportation Center looked like on 9/11/2020 from the air. Note the detention pond on the right side of the photo. This pond was one of the first things developed during construction. It also forms a significant percentage of the overall site. Visually, it appears to be about 15-20 percent. And as you can see, it actually holds stormwater!
The transportation facility will be directly across Ford Road from Woodridge Village which has been plagued by flooding problems. You can see Woodridge in the background of the photo above. Woodridge Village contributed to flooding Elm Grove Village twice last year in May and September.
When Humble ISD started clearing land for their North Transportation Center, worried neighbors expressed their concerns about possible flooding. But so far, no damage.
Close up shot of pond and newly poured concrete. Note depth of pondcompared to homes in background and construction container in foreground.Wider shot shows areas where contractors were getting ready to pour new concrete on 9/11/2020.
The Humble ISD has not responded to a request for their drainage analysis.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/2/2020
1130 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 378 since Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/20200911-RJR_1168.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-10-02 13:18:192020-10-02 14:14:17Humble ISD North Transportation Center Taking Shape
This morning, at its October 1 board meeting, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) announced the members of its regional flood planning groups. Back in April, the TWDB announced the formation of 15 flood-planning regions and started soliciting nominations for members in 12 categories for each region.
Members of San Jacinto Watershed Regional Flood Planning Group
In Region 6, the San Jacinto watershed, the 12 initial members will be:
According to the TWDB, the regional flood-planning groups (RFPGs) will meet as required to develop their own plans. They must:
Deliver the first regional flood plan no later than January 10, 2023
Adequately represent their associated interest group as it exists throughout the entire region
Consider all the region-wide stakeholders when making decisions
Commit to regularly attending their RFPG meetings
Understand and follow the state flood planning framework and process, as well as review the various materials that will be considered by the RFPG along the way
Solicit and consider stakeholder input in a transparent process
Participate in directing the work of technical consultants
Make decisions and recommendations regarding flood management goals and strategies and flood mitigation projects for their region
Ensure adoption of a regional flood plan that meets all requirements, including that no neighboring area may be negatively affected by an element of the regional flood plan
600 Nominees Considered
The TWDB selected RFPG members from more than 600 nominations. Several groups across the state will have smaller groups. TWDB either did not receive nominations or they could not find qualified candidates in some categories. For a complete list of members in all groups, see the last two pages of this agenda item from today’s TWDB meeting.
The TWDB will soon convene initial planning group meetings. All meetings will include opportunities for public input and will be open and transparent. Meeting notices will be posted to the TWDB’s Regional Flood Planning Group Meetings webpage. One of the many important considerations of the new flood planning groups will be the potential to include additional voting and/or non-voting members to the group.
Making Texas a Safer Place to Live
This is a significant step forward in making Texas a safer place to live. The distinguished members of the San Jacinto RFPG should represent the interests of this watershed capably. They have a little more than two years to formulate a plan. Game on.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/1/2020
1029 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Screen-Shot-2020-10-01-at-12.26.10-PM.png?fit=726%2C220&ssl=1220726adminadmin2020-10-01 12:27:172020-10-01 13:22:15TWDB Announces Members of New Regional Flood Planning Groups
Last year, the flood during Tropical Storm Imelda washed out the sand supporting a natural gas pipeline running across an easement through the Triple PG Sand Mine in Porter. Luckily, Kinder Morgan (KM) shut the line down before anyone was hurt. KM then drilled 75 feet under the mine and spliced in a new section. But now Triple PG is mining over the new section, once again eroding the the public’s margin of safety.
Of course, it’s possible that the miners won’t get down to 75 feet. But TACA and some West Fork sand mines say they routinely mine 100 feet down.
Eroding Margin of Safety
Just as bad, they’re mining toward five pipelines carrying highly volatile liquids (HVL), potentially exposing them in the next flood, just like they were on the West Fork at the LMI River Road Mine.
The Kinder Morgan natural gas line runs diagonally between the trees in the foreground, parallel to helicopter skid in the lower left.Five HVL pipelines run in the utility corridor in the background.Here’s how that same area looked after Imelda on 9/27/2019, when Caney Creek (right) had flowed through the mine.
Shortly before Harvey, the sand mine started mining next to the road cutting diagonally from top left to bottom right. Then, Harvey flowed through the mine, creating much of the erosion you see here.
Two years later, Imelda cut through the mine again, extending the erosion headward to the point where it could threaten the HVL pipelines in the utility corridor near the top of the frame above during the next flood.
In two years, the headward erosion cut toward the pipelines by 2000 feet.
Triple PG Already Operating Under Injunction
The sand mine sits at the confluence of two floodways and floods repeatedly.
A Travis County Court set a trial date for 6/22/2020, but the trail has been delayed by COVID. Shortly after the Attorney General filed his suit, the owner of the mine, a cardiologist from Nacogdoches, tried to transfer ownership within his family’s companies and trusts.
2020 will certainly go down in history as the year of living dangerously. A miner trying to push his luck is just one more thing we shouldn’t have to worry about…especially when he’s sitting on top of a huge stockpile of sand that he has barely touched in months.
No one has died yet. Hopefully they won’t. But if they do, it won’t take long for a lawyer to argue negligence and triple damages for the Triple PG owners. Of course, they will then likely declare bankruptcy and tuck tail back to Nacogdoches.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/30/2020
1128 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 377 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.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/20200911-RJR_1346.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-09-30 18:38:582020-09-30 18:57:16Sand Mine Continues to Push Its Luck by Mining Over and Between Pipelines
Humble ISD North Transportation Center Taking Shape
In 2018, Humble ISD voters approved construction of a new north transportation center in Montgomery County.
Saving Taxpayers $2 Million Per Year
The District claims that the new 11.7-acre center will save about $2 million in operation costs per year due to shorter routes in half of the District. Management says it should be ready for the 2021 school year and that it will improve response times.
September Aerial Photo Shows Substantial Detention Pond
Here’s what the North Transportation Center looked like on 9/11/2020 from the air. Note the detention pond on the right side of the photo. This pond was one of the first things developed during construction. It also forms a significant percentage of the overall site. Visually, it appears to be about 15-20 percent. And as you can see, it actually holds stormwater!
The pond was the first thing contractors started building on the site, as you can see in these pictures from last June.
Adjacent to Woodridge Village
The transportation facility will be directly across Ford Road from Woodridge Village which has been plagued by flooding problems. You can see Woodridge in the background of the photo above. Woodridge Village contributed to flooding Elm Grove Village twice last year in May and September.
When Humble ISD started clearing land for their North Transportation Center, worried neighbors expressed their concerns about possible flooding. But so far, no damage.
The Humble ISD has not responded to a request for their drainage analysis.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/2/2020
1130 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 378 since Imelda
TWDB Announces Members of New Regional Flood Planning Groups
This morning, at its October 1 board meeting, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) announced the members of its regional flood planning groups. Back in April, the TWDB announced the formation of 15 flood-planning regions and started soliciting nominations for members in 12 categories for each region.
Members of San Jacinto Watershed Regional Flood Planning Group
In Region 6, the San Jacinto watershed, the 12 initial members will be:
Regional Flood Planning Group Responsibilities
According to the TWDB, the regional flood-planning groups (RFPGs) will meet as required to develop their own plans. They must:
600 Nominees Considered
The TWDB selected RFPG members from more than 600 nominations. Several groups across the state will have smaller groups. TWDB either did not receive nominations or they could not find qualified candidates in some categories. For a complete list of members in all groups, see the last two pages of this agenda item from today’s TWDB meeting.
The TWDB will soon convene initial planning group meetings. All meetings will include opportunities for public input and will be open and transparent. Meeting notices will be posted to the TWDB’s Regional Flood Planning Group Meetings webpage. One of the many important considerations of the new flood planning groups will be the potential to include additional voting and/or non-voting members to the group.
Making Texas a Safer Place to Live
This is a significant step forward in making Texas a safer place to live. The distinguished members of the San Jacinto RFPG should represent the interests of this watershed capably. They have a little more than two years to formulate a plan. Game on.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/1/2020
1029 Days after Hurricane Harvey
Sand Mine Continues to Push Its Luck by Mining Over and Between Pipelines
Last year, the flood during Tropical Storm Imelda washed out the sand supporting a natural gas pipeline running across an easement through the Triple PG Sand Mine in Porter. Luckily, Kinder Morgan (KM) shut the line down before anyone was hurt. KM then drilled 75 feet under the mine and spliced in a new section. But now Triple PG is mining over the new section, once again eroding the the public’s margin of safety.
Eroding Margin of Safety
Just as bad, they’re mining toward five pipelines carrying highly volatile liquids (HVL), potentially exposing them in the next flood, just like they were on the West Fork at the LMI River Road Mine.
Shortly before Harvey, the sand mine started mining next to the road cutting diagonally from top left to bottom right. Then, Harvey flowed through the mine, creating much of the erosion you see here.
Two years later, Imelda cut through the mine again, extending the erosion headward to the point where it could threaten the HVL pipelines in the utility corridor near the top of the frame above during the next flood.
Triple PG Already Operating Under Injunction
The sand mine sits at the confluence of two floodways and floods repeatedly.
On October 11, 2019, the State Attorney General at the request of the TCEQ, filed a temporary restraining order and temporary injunction against the sand mine. Repeated breaches of its dikes which had gone unrepaired allowed process wastewater to escape directly into the headwaters of Lake Houston. The issue even became part of the last Mayoral campaign when Tony Buzbee picked it up.
A Travis County Court set a trial date for 6/22/2020, but the trail has been delayed by COVID. Shortly after the Attorney General filed his suit, the owner of the mine, a cardiologist from Nacogdoches, tried to transfer ownership within his family’s companies and trusts.
The attorney general wound up suing all of them and the cardiologist’s attorney petitioned to withdraw from the case as counsel – a highly unusual move.
The case is still pending trial. Until then, the mine continues to operate under an injunction which prohibits it from dredging, but not dry mining.
2020 will certainly go down in history as the year of living dangerously. A miner trying to push his luck is just one more thing we shouldn’t have to worry about…especially when he’s sitting on top of a huge stockpile of sand that he has barely touched in months.
No one has died yet. Hopefully they won’t. But if they do, it won’t take long for a lawyer to argue negligence and triple damages for the Triple PG owners. Of course, they will then likely declare bankruptcy and tuck tail back to Nacogdoches.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/30/2020
1128 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 377 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.