In March, Montgomery County Commissioners voted to sue a new sand mine operating near the Carriage Hills subdivision of Conroe. The county attorney sought to force the mine to remove unspecified materials from the West Fork floodway while they resolved permit issues. Since then, according to residents, the mine has voluntarily suspended operations.
Aerial Photos/Maps Show Mine in Floodway
However, a flyover on 4/21/2020 revealed that mining, processing, and transportation equipment remains in the floodway.
New mine in San Jacinto West Fork floodway near Carriage Hills (background on left) in Conroe.Reverse angle. Floodway cuts between homes in foreground and mine in background. River concealed by trees in background.See FEMA flood map below.Cross-hatched area = floodway. Aqua color represents 100-year floodplain. Brown = 500-year floodplain. Source: FEMA.
From 600 Truckloads a Day to Nothing
The once bustling operation with 600 trucks per day coming and going down Carriage Hills Boulevard now seems eerily quiet. It’s not clear whether the suspension of operations relates to the County lawsuit, COVID, a drop in demand due to the economic downturn, or all of the above.
Close up shot of operations.Residents say that before suspension of operations, the mine was running up to 600 trucks per day up Carriage Hills Blvd. leading to top of photo.A second, smaller part of the operation.Another sand mining operation brackets the other side of Carriage Hills.
Residents Fear Resumption of Activity
While residents enjoy the quiet, they see it as temporary. They fear that once the COVID crisis passes and the mine resolves its permit issues, the round-the-clock truck traffic will quickly return.
Indeed, the Montgomery County Engineer’s Office, indicates that the owner of the new mine has re-applied for a permit. That permit is now under review.
Even if you see zoning as a communist conspiracy, as some in Montgomery County do, being surrounded by sand mines kind of makes you a believer in large-scale, master-planned communities.
So much for those idyllic little hideaways in the woods.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/27/2020
972 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/2020/04/20200421-RJR_0611.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-04-27 14:19:092020-04-28 10:54:01Carriage Hills Sand Mine Still Has Equipment in West Fork Floodway
It’s not quite gone yet. But the West Fork Mouth Bar, which forms a dam behind the dam, is getting smaller every day. Every time I fly over it, I can see how mechanical dredging has shaved more off of it . Excavators take one row after another. At this point, it appears that about half of the above-water portion of the bar has been removed.
Mouth Bar Photos from Flyover on 4/21/2020
I took this series of photos taken on 4/21/2020.
Looking northwest, towards Foster’s Mill across the slowing diminishing West Fork Mouth Bar.Excavators load up a waiting barge.Looking west, upstream, you can see how the excavators remove one row of sand after another.After excavators load up pontoons, tugs shuttle them upstream to Berry Madden’s property.Once at Berry Madden’s property (opposite River Grove Park), more workers offload the sediment and carry it out of the floodway.
Goal of Project Still Not Made Public
When contractors remove the last of the island sticking up above water, it’s not clear what the plan will be for the rest of the sand bar below water. Like icebergs, that’s where most of the mass is.
Conveyance improved somewhat last year when the Corps removed 500,000 cubic yards of sediment from the broad area between the mouth bar and Atascocita Point. This project should improve conveyance even more.
But the Corps did not dredge a channel that connected the upstream portion of the West Fork with Lake Houston. And it appears that this effort will not re-establish a channel either.
The end result will be a plateau or mesa 3-5 feet below the surface. The channel immediately upstream where the Corps finished dredging is approximately 25 feet deep. That means water coming downstream in a flood will still hit a wall.
Top Geologist’s Perspective
Tim Garfield was the top geologist for one of the world’s largest oil companies. He lives behind the mouth bar and had this to say about it.
“Although it likely represents some progress, shaving off the subaerial (above water) portion of the mouth bar seems more cosmetic than useful for flood mitigation. The reason: the Corp’s dredging two years ago trenched a channel roughly 400-500’ wide and 20-25’ deep that extends downstream of West Lake Houston bridge. It ends a few hundred yards upstream of the Mouth Bar. This greatly increases flow conveyance in the channel. But that ends abruptly at a sand pile where water depths are less than 5’ deep,” said Garfield.
“That’s a 15’ – 20’ high, underwater sediment dam during floods,” he continued. “That will result in a significant hydraulic backwater effect causing overbank flow and upstream flooding. These points are illustrated in diagram below.”
Top and side views of West Fork show how the current will still run into an underwater dam even if the part above water is removed. Graph by Tim Garfield and RD Kissling.
Conclusion: Hydraulic Model Needed
Garfield concluded, “We really need an extension of the Corps’ dredged channel profile through the 1960 bridge opening to where Lake Houston water depth equals the channel depth of 22’-25’. That work requires an up to date bathymetric map of the area and a hydraulic model to confirm optimal channel configuration and location.”
“That plan should be made public so that we can verify that the vast sums of public funds being spent are effectively reducing the flood risk we are still exposed to,” said Garfield.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/27/2020with thanks to Tim Garfield and RD Kissling
972 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20200421-RJR_1162.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-04-27 10:07:502020-04-27 15:24:46West Fork Mouth Bar: Going, Going…
On Tuesday, Harris County Commissioners will vote on an asset-swap proposal that could improve drain and ditch maintenance county wide. It’s item 2A1 on the Commissioners Court Agenda. But it may take a while to implement. Here’s the background.
Untangling Overlapping Responsibilities
During recent storms, many blamed local flooding on lack of drain and ditch maintenance. The 80,000 cubic yards of silt clogging the lower portion of Ben’s Branch is just one example. Hundreds of others exist throughout the City of Houston and Harris County.
As the City and County Flood Control District tried to determine who was responsible for what, they became mired in legal tangles. Often, they discovered, both entities had responsibility for different portions of the same ditch.
But determining where one’s responsibilities stopped and the other’s started delayed mitigation and ran up legal fees. And even where responsibilities were clear cut, they wound up mobilizing two different crews, when one would have sufficed. This duplication of efforts ran up mitigation costs needlessly. It also often resulted in a patchwork quilt of repairs where one part of a ditch was maintained and another was not. And that reduced effectiveness.
Dividing Responsibilities by Core Competency
Luckily, common sense prevailed. The City and County reached an agreement in principle after Harvey to exchange responsibilities. Now each will focus on its core competency to maximize efficiency.
The goal: to get to a point where the City takes over responsibility for underground drainage and the County takes responsibility for above ground inside City limits.
One of the Flood Control District’s core competencies resides in ditch maintenance and improvements. Likewise, the City Public Works Department specializes in storm drains and sewers.
Any business school grad can tell you that companies maximize efficiency when focusing on their core competencies. The key: outsourcing parts of businesses where others offer greater efficiency.
Gradual Changeover In Series of Asset Swaps
However, the changeover won’t be like flipping a universal switch. It will happen gradually over several years with a series of asset swaps. Why? To ensure that neither side becomes saddled with deferred maintenance costs of the other.
Accordingly, each asset must be brought up to standards before swapping responsibilities.
Along with the agreement, the parties have identified the first batch of properties for exchange. However, they have not yet publicized those.
Only One Potential Problem
I only see one problem with this program. Some ditches that desperately need maintenance may not qualify for exchange before people flood.
Kings Forest, for example, has a ditch that parallels Valley Manor, west of Kingwood High School. Like Ben’s Branch, the City never maintained it. Now, water backs up dangerously close to homes on Kingsway Court and Twin Grove during heavy rains.
Rick Beaubien, a resident who lives near the ditch, took the pictures below.
Downed trees in ditch between Valley Manor and Twin Grove.
Clogged drain in same ditch.
North side of Kingwood Drive looking south. Trees and silt block channel and culverts.You can tell by the size of the trees that no one has maintained this ditch in a long time.Same culverts, but in center of Kingwood Drive.
Exit of same culvert south of Kingwood Drive
Dustin Hodges, District E North Sector Manager for Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin indicates that Public Works is working on a plan to maintain this and other ditches. However, he also admits that “Currently, there are no available funds to address this ditch and there is no timeline on when any funds would be available for this ditch.”
Theory Good, Time Will Tell
I wholeheartedly support the asset-exchange program outlined in agenda item 2A1. Voting against it will not immediately accelerate the maintenance of ditches such as the one above. However, in principle and in the long run, it should help if the City and County treat neighborhoods equitably and partisan politics don’t intervene.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/26/2020with thanks to Rick Beaubien
971 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/image-3.png?fit=796%2C596&ssl=1596796adminadmin2020-04-26 15:40:362020-04-27 09:12:25Commissioners Will Vote Tuesday On Measure That Could Improve Drain/Ditch Maintenance
Carriage Hills Sand Mine Still Has Equipment in West Fork Floodway
In March, Montgomery County Commissioners voted to sue a new sand mine operating near the Carriage Hills subdivision of Conroe. The county attorney sought to force the mine to remove unspecified materials from the West Fork floodway while they resolved permit issues. Since then, according to residents, the mine has voluntarily suspended operations.
Aerial Photos/Maps Show Mine in Floodway
However, a flyover on 4/21/2020 revealed that mining, processing, and transportation equipment remains in the floodway.
From 600 Truckloads a Day to Nothing
The once bustling operation with 600 trucks per day coming and going down Carriage Hills Boulevard now seems eerily quiet. It’s not clear whether the suspension of operations relates to the County lawsuit, COVID, a drop in demand due to the economic downturn, or all of the above.
Residents Fear Resumption of Activity
While residents enjoy the quiet, they see it as temporary. They fear that once the COVID crisis passes and the mine resolves its permit issues, the round-the-clock truck traffic will quickly return.
Indeed, the Montgomery County Engineer’s Office, indicates that the owner of the new mine has re-applied for a permit. That permit is now under review.
Even if you see zoning as a communist conspiracy, as some in Montgomery County do, being surrounded by sand mines kind of makes you a believer in large-scale, master-planned communities.
So much for those idyllic little hideaways in the woods.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/27/2020
972 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.
West Fork Mouth Bar: Going, Going…
It’s not quite gone yet. But the West Fork Mouth Bar, which forms a dam behind the dam, is getting smaller every day. Every time I fly over it, I can see how mechanical dredging has shaved more off of it . Excavators take one row after another. At this point, it appears that about half of the above-water portion of the bar has been removed.
Mouth Bar Photos from Flyover on 4/21/2020
I took this series of photos taken on 4/21/2020.
Goal of Project Still Not Made Public
When contractors remove the last of the island sticking up above water, it’s not clear what the plan will be for the rest of the sand bar below water. Like icebergs, that’s where most of the mass is.
Conveyance improved somewhat last year when the Corps removed 500,000 cubic yards of sediment from the broad area between the mouth bar and Atascocita Point. This project should improve conveyance even more.
But the Corps did not dredge a channel that connected the upstream portion of the West Fork with Lake Houston. And it appears that this effort will not re-establish a channel either.
The end result will be a plateau or mesa 3-5 feet below the surface. The channel immediately upstream where the Corps finished dredging is approximately 25 feet deep. That means water coming downstream in a flood will still hit a wall.
Top Geologist’s Perspective
Tim Garfield was the top geologist for one of the world’s largest oil companies. He lives behind the mouth bar and had this to say about it.
“Although it likely represents some progress, shaving off the subaerial (above water) portion of the mouth bar seems more cosmetic than useful for flood mitigation. The reason: the Corp’s dredging two years ago trenched a channel roughly 400-500’ wide and 20-25’ deep that extends downstream of West Lake Houston bridge. It ends a few hundred yards upstream of the Mouth Bar. This greatly increases flow conveyance in the channel. But that ends abruptly at a sand pile where water depths are less than 5’ deep,” said Garfield.
“That’s a 15’ – 20’ high, underwater sediment dam during floods,” he continued. “That will result in a significant hydraulic backwater effect causing overbank flow and upstream flooding. These points are illustrated in diagram below.”
Conclusion: Hydraulic Model Needed
Garfield concluded, “We really need an extension of the Corps’ dredged channel profile through the 1960 bridge opening to where Lake Houston water depth equals the channel depth of 22’-25’. That work requires an up to date bathymetric map of the area and a hydraulic model to confirm optimal channel configuration and location.”
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/27/2020 with thanks to Tim Garfield and RD Kissling
972 Days after Hurricane Harvey
Commissioners Will Vote Tuesday On Measure That Could Improve Drain/Ditch Maintenance
On Tuesday, Harris County Commissioners will vote on an asset-swap proposal that could improve drain and ditch maintenance county wide. It’s item 2A1 on the Commissioners Court Agenda. But it may take a while to implement. Here’s the background.
Untangling Overlapping Responsibilities
During recent storms, many blamed local flooding on lack of drain and ditch maintenance. The 80,000 cubic yards of silt clogging the lower portion of Ben’s Branch is just one example. Hundreds of others exist throughout the City of Houston and Harris County.
As the City and County Flood Control District tried to determine who was responsible for what, they became mired in legal tangles. Often, they discovered, both entities had responsibility for different portions of the same ditch.
But determining where one’s responsibilities stopped and the other’s started delayed mitigation and ran up legal fees. And even where responsibilities were clear cut, they wound up mobilizing two different crews, when one would have sufficed. This duplication of efforts ran up mitigation costs needlessly. It also often resulted in a patchwork quilt of repairs where one part of a ditch was maintained and another was not. And that reduced effectiveness.
Dividing Responsibilities by Core Competency
Luckily, common sense prevailed. The City and County reached an agreement in principle after Harvey to exchange responsibilities. Now each will focus on its core competency to maximize efficiency.
One of the Flood Control District’s core competencies resides in ditch maintenance and improvements. Likewise, the City Public Works Department specializes in storm drains and sewers.
Any business school grad can tell you that companies maximize efficiency when focusing on their core competencies. The key: outsourcing parts of businesses where others offer greater efficiency.
Gradual Changeover In Series of Asset Swaps
However, the changeover won’t be like flipping a universal switch. It will happen gradually over several years with a series of asset swaps. Why? To ensure that neither side becomes saddled with deferred maintenance costs of the other.
Accordingly, each asset must be brought up to standards before swapping responsibilities.
See the explanation for Agenda Item 2A1 – The Houston City Council approved the interlocal agreement on February 27, 2020. Harris County Commissioners will vote on it on Tuesday, 4/28/2020.
Along with the agreement, the parties have identified the first batch of properties for exchange. However, they have not yet publicized those.
Only One Potential Problem
I only see one problem with this program. Some ditches that desperately need maintenance may not qualify for exchange before people flood.
Kings Forest, for example, has a ditch that parallels Valley Manor, west of Kingwood High School. Like Ben’s Branch, the City never maintained it. Now, water backs up dangerously close to homes on Kingsway Court and Twin Grove during heavy rains.
Rick Beaubien, a resident who lives near the ditch, took the pictures below.
Dustin Hodges, District E North Sector Manager for Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin indicates that Public Works is working on a plan to maintain this and other ditches. However, he also admits that “Currently, there are no available funds to address this ditch and there is no timeline on when any funds would be available for this ditch.”
Theory Good, Time Will Tell
I wholeheartedly support the asset-exchange program outlined in agenda item 2A1. Voting against it will not immediately accelerate the maintenance of ditches such as the one above. However, in principle and in the long run, it should help if the City and County treat neighborhoods equitably and partisan politics don’t intervene.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/26/2020 with thanks to Rick Beaubien
971 Days since Hurricane Harvey