Overflow spillways in could have prevented many homes from flooding in May and again in September. Rain came down so fast in some neighborhoods that it couldn’t get through storm drains and into drainage ditches fast enough. Water backed up and flooded homes. I’m not talking about flooding like Elm Grove experienced from an external source. I’m talking about situations like we had in Mills Branch where approximately 25 homes flooded. They flooded, says the resident, when water backed up in the street, not because Taylor Gully overflowed.
Now Required in New Neighborhoods
Over the weekend, I corresponded with a Mills Branch resident who has anguished over what to do for months. In some cases, but not all, there may be a simple, relatively low-cost answer for the whole neighborhood. Overflow spillways. And Mills Branch might be a perfect candidate.
Matt Zeve, Deputy Executive Director of Harris County Flood Control, pointed out that regulations in newer neighborhoods now require, where applicable, overflow spillways.
How Overflow Spillways Work
These work for neighborhoods adjacent to drainage ditches, streams or bayous. The channel is built at an elevation that retains water in the street during heavy storms, but lets it flow out before it reaches the level of homes. Obviously, the street must slope toward the spillway. This wouldn’t work for homes in the middle of a block that formed a natural bowl. But assuming conditions are right…
Can Be Retrofitted to Older Neighborhoods
I asked Zeve if the Flood Control District could retrofit this concept to older neighborhoods. The answer: YES, if there’s a home between the neighborhood and the ditch that can be bought out to create space for the spillway AND if that home has flooded repeatedly.
Here are some pictures of the overflow relief spillways in place. The first goes into a retention pond.
The second goes into some woods that apparently contain a natural drainage channel.
Zeve says the Flood Control District has been buying homes and converting them to overflow spillways in key areas around the County. These homes are in the lowest points and have flooded repeatedly.
Posted by Bob Rehak 1/6/2020, with thanks to Harris County Flood Control
860 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 109 since Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Spillway-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C655&ssl=16551200adminadmin2020-01-06 23:35:042020-01-06 23:35:13Overflow Spillways: Simple Idea to Help Keep Street Flooding Out of Homes
After stonewalling discovery in the Elm Grove lawsuits, on December 27th, defendant Double Oak Construction objected to use of the documents in court that the judge forced it to produce. I don’t know what’s in those documents, but I plan to camp out at the courthouse when this case goes to trial. The documents must be juicier than Juicyfruit gum.
Double Oak appears to be a Perry Homes’ contractor working primarily on the northern portion of the Woodridge Village site, where downed trees are now being turned into mulch.
Summary of Objections
After producing documents, Double Oak now objects to their use in court.
The plaintiffs filed notice that they intended to use, in court, all documents and items produced by Double Oak during discovery.
Double Oak claims that this notice is insufficient and contradicts the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.
The Plaintiff’s Notice leaves them, they say, without knowledge of the specific documents plaintiffs intend to use. That, claims Double Oak, handicaps the company in its ability to defend itself. It must prepare to object to every single document, they say.
But the objections don’t stop there. Double Oak reserves its right to make further objections when the company becomes aware of specific documents being used by the plaintiffs.
And if that isn’t enough, Double Oak reserves the right to object to all documents on all grounds, including documents produced by third parties.
Playing the delay game is a high risk strategy for companies already facing obscenely high risk due to previous delays.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/5/2020
859 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 108 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/2020/01/20191030-RJR_3830.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-01-05 21:29:572020-01-05 21:32:38Double Oak Construction Causes Yet Another Delay in Elm Grove Lawsuits
But it evidently has also triggered the demise of Western Civilization and recreational boating on Lake Conroe. People can no longer boat to their favorite float-in restaurants to clog their arteries with fried shrimp and shatter their neighbor’s eardrums with the shrill screams of outboard engines.
In New York, the United Nations called a special session to raise awareness of the threat to Lake Conroe. In Rome, the Pope considered gathering Cardinals from around the world to debate the threat to bass fishing. In Hollywood, the Screen Actors Guild summoned Bruce Willis to star in a thriller about the next “Threat to Life on Earth as We Now Know It.”
“If they can drain Lake Conroe,” said Willis, “What’s next? Fort Knox? Your IRA? Your crankcase?”
In Washington DC, the EPA declared the seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe a larger threat than climate change, deforestation and baby wipes flushed down your toilet … put together.
“This is an existential threat to Budweiser and the American way of life,” intoned Larry the Cable Guy from a stand-up gig at Hooters on 105. “Why can’t we all live in peace? Two feet of water out of a 75-foot-deep lake is outrageous. Those Kingwood people whose homes and businesses were flooded just don’t recognize the sacrifice Lake Conroe bass fishermen are making.”
At press time, it is unclear what the Lake Houston response will be, if any.
Some community organizers were considering a rally of flooded cars around a “Days of Thunder and Lightning” theme. For a spokesperson, they were reportedly negotiating with Tom Cruise to play the role of Hurricane Harvey.
Personally, I would like to see the five to six thousand West Fork home and business owners who flooded submit pictures of their damage. Then maybe policy makers can consider real vs. imagined threats as they debate whether to extend the seasonal lake lowering policy another year.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/4/2020
858 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/2020/01/IMG_2705.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=19001200adminadmin2020-01-04 17:08:572020-01-17 10:12:12Billboard on FM105 Implies Lake Conroe Is Threatened and Near Death
Overflow Spillways: Simple Idea to Help Keep Street Flooding Out of Homes
Overflow spillways in could have prevented many homes from flooding in May and again in September. Rain came down so fast in some neighborhoods that it couldn’t get through storm drains and into drainage ditches fast enough. Water backed up and flooded homes. I’m not talking about flooding like Elm Grove experienced from an external source. I’m talking about situations like we had in Mills Branch where approximately 25 homes flooded. They flooded, says the resident, when water backed up in the street, not because Taylor Gully overflowed.
Now Required in New Neighborhoods
Over the weekend, I corresponded with a Mills Branch resident who has anguished over what to do for months. In some cases, but not all, there may be a simple, relatively low-cost answer for the whole neighborhood. Overflow spillways. And Mills Branch might be a perfect candidate.
Matt Zeve, Deputy Executive Director of Harris County Flood Control, pointed out that regulations in newer neighborhoods now require, where applicable, overflow spillways.
How Overflow Spillways Work
These work for neighborhoods adjacent to drainage ditches, streams or bayous. The channel is built at an elevation that retains water in the street during heavy storms, but lets it flow out before it reaches the level of homes. Obviously, the street must slope toward the spillway. This wouldn’t work for homes in the middle of a block that formed a natural bowl. But assuming conditions are right…
Can Be Retrofitted to Older Neighborhoods
I asked Zeve if the Flood Control District could retrofit this concept to older neighborhoods. The answer: YES, if there’s a home between the neighborhood and the ditch that can be bought out to create space for the spillway AND if that home has flooded repeatedly.
Here are some pictures of the overflow relief spillways in place. The first goes into a retention pond.
The second goes into some woods that apparently contain a natural drainage channel.
Zeve says the Flood Control District has been buying homes and converting them to overflow spillways in key areas around the County. These homes are in the lowest points and have flooded repeatedly.
Posted by Bob Rehak 1/6/2020, with thanks to Harris County Flood Control
860 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 109 since Imelda
Double Oak Construction Causes Yet Another Delay in Elm Grove Lawsuits
After stonewalling discovery in the Elm Grove lawsuits, on December 27th, defendant Double Oak Construction objected to use of the documents in court that the judge forced it to produce. I don’t know what’s in those documents, but I plan to camp out at the courthouse when this case goes to trial. The documents must be juicier than Juicyfruit gum.
Summary of Objections
After producing documents, Double Oak now objects to their use in court.
The plaintiffs filed notice that they intended to use, in court, all documents and items produced by Double Oak during discovery.
Double Oak claims that this notice is insufficient and contradicts the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.
The Plaintiff’s Notice leaves them, they say, without knowledge of the specific documents plaintiffs intend to use. That, claims Double Oak, handicaps the company in its ability to defend itself. It must prepare to object to every single document, they say.
But the objections don’t stop there. Double Oak reserves its right to make further objections when the company becomes aware of specific documents being used by the plaintiffs.
And if that isn’t enough, Double Oak reserves the right to object to all documents on all grounds, including documents produced by third parties.
Here is the full text of Double Oak’s objections.
No End in Sight to Delays
Sadly, there’s no end in sight to these procedural delays in court. They parallel the construction delays on the actual job site.
Perry Homes broke its promise to the Houston City Attorney to accelerate construction of additional detention ponds. Perry pulled all actual excavation equipment from the job site in December. Only Double Oak crews turning dead trees into mulch remain.
Meanwhile, the flood risk remains high for the people of Elm Grove. Based on detention capacity in place today, that risk is no lower now than it was in August before Imelda. That’s when work on the site came to a virtual standstill.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/5/2020
859 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 108 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.
Billboard on FM105 Implies Lake Conroe Is Threatened and Near Death
Lake Conroe is being drained, says the billboard. The lake is threatened. It MUST be saved. Homes are being destroyed. Armageddon is at hand.
Lake Down About a Foot, No Releases in 3 Months
Well, the Lake IS down a foot compared to its average January level thanks to evaporation and a dry Fall.
So what’s all this “Stop Draining the Lake” stuff about?
When You Don’t Have Facts on Your Side, Rile Their Bile
The Lake Conroe Association is trying to rile people up to protest the seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe. That seasonal-lowering strategy, developed at Governor Abbott’s request, helped provide an extra measure of protection against downstream flooding by lowering the lake one foot in the Spring and two during the peak of hurricane season. It helped prevent West Fork flooding last May.
But it evidently has also triggered the demise of Western Civilization and recreational boating on Lake Conroe. People can no longer boat to their favorite float-in restaurants to clog their arteries with fried shrimp and shatter their neighbor’s eardrums with the shrill screams of outboard engines.
According to the Lake Conroe Association, the economy of the county and lake are collapsing – except for the second fastest growth rate in the region, which they fail to mention.
World Leaders Rally to Boaters’ Side
In New York, the United Nations called a special session to raise awareness of the threat to Lake Conroe. In Rome, the Pope considered gathering Cardinals from around the world to debate the threat to bass fishing. In Hollywood, the Screen Actors Guild summoned Bruce Willis to star in a thriller about the next “Threat to Life on Earth as We Now Know It.”
“If they can drain Lake Conroe,” said Willis, “What’s next? Fort Knox? Your IRA? Your crankcase?”
In Washington DC, the EPA declared the seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe a larger threat than climate change, deforestation and baby wipes flushed down your toilet … put together.
“This is an existential threat to Budweiser and the American way of life,” intoned Larry the Cable Guy from a stand-up gig at Hooters on 105. “Why can’t we all live in peace? Two feet of water out of a 75-foot-deep lake is outrageous. Those Kingwood people whose homes and businesses were flooded just don’t recognize the sacrifice Lake Conroe bass fishermen are making.”
Showdown in Conroe on the 21st
Lake Conroe lakefront homeowners are reportedly renting a flotilla of tour buses to ferry them to the Montgomery County Convention Center at 6PM on January 21. There, insiders say, the Lake Conroe Association plans to pack the room and shout Kingwood people down, as they did at the last SJRA board meeting, to deny Kingwood residents a chance to tell their side of this story.
At press time, it is unclear what the Lake Houston response will be, if any.
Some community organizers were considering a rally of flooded cars around a “Days of Thunder and Lightning” theme. For a spokesperson, they were reportedly negotiating with Tom Cruise to play the role of Hurricane Harvey.
Personally, I would like to see the five to six thousand West Fork home and business owners who flooded submit pictures of their damage. Then maybe policy makers can consider real vs. imagined threats as they debate whether to extend the seasonal lake lowering policy another year.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/4/2020
858 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.