Denise Faulkner sent this picture in via ReduceFlooding.com’s Submissions page. It gets my vote for the funniest Harvey photo ever. I call it “Rosie Takes a Ride on the Harvey Cruise Line.”
Rosie the Dog on the Harvey Cruise Line during Harvey
Here’s the backstory. The dog, Rosie, belong’s to Denise’s mother. She parked the dog on this floating foam cushion while collecting her “essentials” before evacuation. How ingenious! A short while later, they were rescued on the jet ski you see in the background in the doorway.
According to Denise, Rosie did great during and after Harvey. She survived the storm and bounced back without any trauma or drama. Dogs are great in that respect. All they need is a little food, a lot of love, and a warm place to sleep.
It’s hard to find comedy in the middle of tragedy. But now that the hurt of Harvey is 952 days in the past, this photo gave me a belly laugh. I hope the Harvey Cruise Line and Rosie at least make you smile.
If you have flood pictures that you would like to share with the world, please send them in via the Submissions page.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/7/2020 with thanks to Denise Faulkner
952 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Denise-Faulkner.jpeg?fit=1200%2C899&ssl=18991200adminadmin2020-04-07 15:41:152020-04-07 15:54:03Rosie Takes Ride on Harvey Cruise Line
Mine process wastewater flooding neighboring properties in upper right. Picture taken Jan 20, 2020.Mine process wastewater flooding neighboring properties in foreground. Picture taken Feb. 13, 2020.Triple PG wastewater on neighboring properties on March 6, 2020. See water in strip of trees in front of stockpile.
TCEQ Report on Compliance Investigation
TCEQ observed process water outside Triple PG’s property boundary and concluded, “The allegation of a discharge of process water was confirmed. As a result of the investigation conducted on March 11, 2020, one alleged violation was noted for failure to prevent the discharge of process water.” That was the fourth such finding in five years for the mine.
TCEQ says in part, “Because process water was located outside of the facility’s property boundary with a high likelihood to enter waters of the state, an unauthorized discharge had occurred.”
676% Higher Levels of Suspended Sediment than Creek Water
Wastewater was overflowing from Ponds Five and Six. Analysis of water samples showed that the overflow had levels of suspended solids in it that were 137% to 676% higher than the background level found upstream in White Oak Creek. That’s more than 2X to almost 8X above the creek water.
Discharge Not Authorized
Both TCEQ rules and the terms of the injunction prohibit any discharges of process water not authorized by the TCEQ.
The Notice of Enforcement issued by the TCEQ on 4/3/2020 cites, “Unauthorized discharge of process water: Specifically, during the investigation conducted on March 11, 2020, process water was noted outside the property boundary of Triple PG Sand Development Facility with the likelihood to enter waters of the state.”
Recommended corrective action? TCEQ simply says, “There shall be NO unauthorized discharge of pollutants.”
Additional Fines Possible
The Texas Water Code Section 7.102 allows fines up to $25,000 per day for each day of a continuing violation. See flooded neighboring properties above in January, February and March flyover photos.
That water was building up and flooding adjoining properties for at least three months. This could get expensive for Triple PG!
The Attorney General’s office did not respond yet to a request for comment about the type of penalties that it would seek, if any.
Fourth Unauthorized Discharge in Last Year
TCEQ has conducted eight other investigations at Triple PG in the previous 5 years. They included investigations into:
Failure to renew their registration
Alleged failure to maintain pollution prevention measures and controls
Failure to maintain a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWP3)
Unauthorized discharge of process water (three times since May 2019)
This makes the fourth citation for unauthorized discharges in a year.
Editorial Comment: This mine just doesn’t seem to take the TCEQ, Attorney General, State of Texas or the health of their neighbors seriously. I hope the Attorney General shuts them down.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/6/2020
951 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 200 after 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/2020/03/20200306-RJR_0052.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-04-06 18:39:052020-04-06 20:36:51TCEQ Alleges Fourth Unauthorized Discharge in 10 Months at Triple PG Mine
In tomorrow’s Harris County Commissioners’ Court meeting, county leaders will discuss, in executive session, the possibility of purchasing Woodridge Village land from Perry Homes. The idea: to build a large detention basin with sufficient capacity to keep Elm Grove from flooding again.
Then Elm Grove flooded twice in five months, on May 7th and September 19th, 2019. Approximately two hundred homes flooded in May. Two or three times that number flooded in September.
The flooding was not due to normal street flooding or overflow from Taylor Gully. Overland sheet flow from Woodridge Village caused it.
Clearcutting increased the amount and rate of runoff in both storms so that it accumulated at the county line culvert quickly and overflowed into Elm Grove streets.
Even that capacity is undersized by approximately 40% because Perry contractors used pre-Atlas 14 rainfall statistics in their computer modeling.
The water table is much higher than Perry anticipated. Their 15-foot deep detention basin is constantly about one-third filled with water, reducing detention capacity even more.
About a quarter to a third of the site was previously wetlands. Standing water there has not evaporated for months.
If Harris County doesn’t buy it and convert it into a detention basin, Elm Grove is likely to flood again.
The recurrent flooding and uncertainty have caused many families to flee the affected area already. Homes are selling for 50 cents on the dollar. Many homes remain vacant and rotting. Many who are left can’t afford to move.
It’s becoming a public-health and mental-health issue at this point. People are reluctant to repair their homes until they are certain of mitigation that has a chance to succeed.
Hints
Be positive. Harris County didn’t cause this problem.
Don’t flame. Honey attracts more bees than vinegar.
Don’t demand. They have many problems to solve.
Specify that this relates to Item IV on the agenda for 4/07/20. It relates to a request by Commissioner Cagle to discuss the purchase of real property in the Elm Grove area needed for flood control purposes.
Of the four other votes on the Court, Cagle needs commitments from two to make this happen. Steve Radack, Precinct 3 Commissioner; Lina Hidalgo, County Judge; and Adrian Garcia, Precinct 2 Commissioner are the most likely supporters.
951 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 200 since Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Harris-County-Logo.jpg?fit=800%2C800&ssl=1800800adminadmin2020-04-06 15:29:312020-04-06 15:43:51Last Chance to Ask County Leaders to Help Prevent Elm Grove Flooding
Rosie Takes Ride on Harvey Cruise Line
Denise Faulkner sent this picture in via ReduceFlooding.com’s Submissions page. It gets my vote for the funniest Harvey photo ever. I call it “Rosie Takes a Ride on the Harvey Cruise Line.”
Here’s the backstory. The dog, Rosie, belong’s to Denise’s mother. She parked the dog on this floating foam cushion while collecting her “essentials” before evacuation. How ingenious! A short while later, they were rescued on the jet ski you see in the background in the doorway.
According to Denise, Rosie did great during and after Harvey. She survived the storm and bounced back without any trauma or drama. Dogs are great in that respect. All they need is a little food, a lot of love, and a warm place to sleep.
It’s hard to find comedy in the middle of tragedy. But now that the hurt of Harvey is 952 days in the past, this photo gave me a belly laugh. I hope the Harvey Cruise Line and Rosie at least make you smile.
If you have flood pictures that you would like to share with the world, please send them in via the Submissions page.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/7/2020 with thanks to Denise Faulkner
952 Days after Hurricane Harvey
TCEQ Alleges Fourth Unauthorized Discharge in 10 Months at Triple PG Mine
In March, ReduceFlooding.com published pictures of the Triple PG sand mine pumping water onto adjoining properties near White Oak Creek. The TCEQ investigated within days. Today, they reported their findings and issued a Notice of Enforcement for the unauthorized discharge of process water. The discharge also appears to violate terms of the Attorney General’s injunction against the mine and could result in the AG seeking additional fines up to $25,000 per day for discharges at apparently lasted three months.
TCEQ Report on Compliance Investigation
TCEQ observed process water outside Triple PG’s property boundary and concluded, “The allegation of a discharge of process water was confirmed. As a result of the investigation conducted on March 11, 2020, one alleged violation was noted for failure to prevent the discharge of process water.” That was the fourth such finding in five years for the mine.
TCEQ says in part, “Because process water was located outside of the facility’s property boundary with a high likelihood to enter waters of the state, an unauthorized discharge had occurred.”
676% Higher Levels of Suspended Sediment than Creek Water
Wastewater was overflowing from Ponds Five and Six. Analysis of water samples showed that the overflow had levels of suspended solids in it that were 137% to 676% higher than the background level found upstream in White Oak Creek. That’s more than 2X to almost 8X above the creek water.
Discharge Not Authorized
The Notice of Enforcement issued by the TCEQ on 4/3/2020 cites, “Unauthorized discharge of process water: Specifically, during the investigation conducted on March 11, 2020, process water was noted outside the property boundary of Triple PG Sand Development Facility with the likelihood to enter waters of the state.”
Recommended corrective action? TCEQ simply says, “There shall be NO unauthorized discharge of pollutants.”
Additional Fines Possible
The Texas Water Code Section 7.102 allows fines up to $25,000 per day for each day of a continuing violation. See flooded neighboring properties above in January, February and March flyover photos.
That water was building up and flooding adjoining properties for at least three months. This could get expensive for Triple PG!
The Attorney General’s office did not respond yet to a request for comment about the type of penalties that it would seek, if any.
Fourth Unauthorized Discharge in Last Year
TCEQ has conducted eight other investigations at Triple PG in the previous 5 years. They included investigations into:
Editorial Comment: This mine just doesn’t seem to take the TCEQ, Attorney General, State of Texas or the health of their neighbors seriously. I hope the Attorney General shuts them down.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/6/2020
951 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 200 after 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.
Last Chance to Ask County Leaders to Help Prevent Elm Grove Flooding
In tomorrow’s Harris County Commissioners’ Court meeting, county leaders will discuss, in executive session, the possibility of purchasing Woodridge Village land from Perry Homes. The idea: to build a large detention basin with sufficient capacity to keep Elm Grove from flooding again.
If you have not yet called or written commissioners and the county judge, please do so. The outcome of this meeting will likely impact home values in the affected and surrounding areas for years to come. Here are points you could mention:
Key Points to Emphasize
Hints
Of the four other votes on the Court, Cagle needs commitments from two to make this happen. Steve Radack, Precinct 3 Commissioner; Lina Hidalgo, County Judge; and Adrian Garcia, Precinct 2 Commissioner are the most likely supporters.
Who/How to Contact
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo
Commissioner Adrian Garcia, Precinct 2
Commissioner Steve Radack, Precinct 3
Please call or write NOW. The meeting is tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.!
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, you can sign up to speak without actually going downtown.
To see the meeting online, go to https://www.harriscountytx.gov/Government/Court-Agenda/Court-Videos.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/6/2020
951 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 200 since Imelda