Lake Conroe Swamps Lake Houston Again

The SJRA held its second of three board meetings last night to consider public input on its temporary policy of lowering Lake Conroe seasonally. Once again, red-shirted protesters from Lake Conroe showed up in busloads. About 50 people from the Lake Houston Area made it to the meeting. Lake Conroe people outnumbered them by an estimated 25:1. See below.

Lake Conroe people in red shirts vastly outnumbered Lake Houston people in the white, clustered in a corner.

Lake Houston People Forced to Wait up to Four Hours to Speak

With the exception of several Lake Houston Area officials who spoke early, the vast majority of Lake Houston Area residents had to wait three to four hours for their 3 minutes at the microphone. Many had to leave before they got their chance to speak. Sadly, I knew what they planned to talk about. The SJRA needed to hear it; Lake Conroe residents needed to hear it, too. But neither group did.

Lake Conroe Residents Still Laboring Under Misinformation

During those three to four hours, scores of Lake Conroe residents took the mic to spout misinformation. The Lake Conroe Association fed them exaggerations, lies, and half-truths designed to whip them into a hysterical frenzy. To be fair, several told poignant personal stories about businesses that suffered at the shallow north end of the lake. A realtor mentioned that homes there were on the market longer and some were not getting their asking price.

But virtually all of the rest seemed unrestrained by facts or issues.

For instance, SJRA staff told the crowd upfront that one third of the water coming down the West Fork came from the Lake Conroe release. At least twenty Lake Conroe residents then got up and claimed that 14% of the water coming into Lake Houston was from the release. Statistical subterfuge!

While technically true, that distorts the picture. The SJRA has no control over East Fork water. The lake-lowering policy is designed to reduce West Fork damage.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not

Here are some more:

  • “Lake Conroe had nothing to do with flooding Kingwood.” (Why were most areas dry then until Lake Conroe water hit town?)
  • “If Kingwood people don’t want to flood, they shouldn’t buy homes in a flood plain.” (As if everyone who flooded was in a flood plain.)
  • “There’s no proof that lowering Lake Conroe will help prevent flooding in Kingwood.” (The SJRA’s flood mitigation manager had just given a presentation explaining when it did.)

Six Inches Killing A 79′ Deep Lake

And then there were outright exaggerations. Staff explained that evaporation normally lowered Lake Conroe to within six inches of target levels in spring and hurricane season. That means, they’re really only lowering the lake intentionally another six inches! That’s as deep as a glass of ice tea. But still, scores of Lake Conroe residents steadfastly claimed that intentionally lowering the lake another six inches was “destroying”:

  • The environment
  • Montgomery County’s tax base
  • Recreation
  • The lake
  • The county’s school system
  • Home values
  • Safety on the lake
  • Bass fishing

Lake Conroe is normally 79 feet deep at its deepest point.

Adding Insult to Injury

Lake Conroe residents repeatedly blamed Kingwood residents for not whipping the City of Houston into shape and getting it to act faster. They blamed Harris County Flood Control for dragging its feet and not spending its flood bond money fast enough. Incredibly, they denied that people died after the Lake Conroe release hit Kingwood. They even heckled State Rep. Dan Huberty and interrupted other Kingwood speakers.

All in all, it was more fun than a firing squad.

Sadly, I don’t think many, or even any, of those who talked had any idea of the real devastation that happened in Kingwood.

There has to be a better way to discuss these issues.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/22/2020

876 Days after Hurricane Harvey

Woodridge Village Swamped by 1/4 Inch of Rain in 7 Days

.28 inches of rain in the last week swamped Woodridge Village. Woodridge contributed to the flooding of Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest twice last year after contractors clearcut 268 acres.

Gage at West Lake Houston Parkway

Standing Water Over Half of Development

Looking southwest across Woodridge Village. Virtually half of subdivision is holding ponding water. This and all photos below taken on 1/20/2020.
A closer shot. Looking southwest across Woodridge Village at land once classified as wetlands by USGS

Extremely Low Infiltration Rate

Now we know why the runoff rate was so high after Perry Homes clearcut the land. The soils may be sandy clays with very low infiltration rates. Alternatively, there may be clay close to the surface that prevents water from infiltrating. 

If approximately 1/4 inch of rain in seven days does this, you can imagine how much would run off when you get 6 to 12 inches in a day.

LJA designed this development to hold 12 inches of rain that falls in 24 hours. But contractors still have only installed 23% of the detention. And the runoff rate may have been based on non-representative samples.

Mysteries Abound

Also Perry Homes’ clearcut the entire northern section when LJA promised that contractors would only cut 30 acres in Phase One. That could be a Career Limiting Move (CLM) for Perry Homes CEO Kathy Perry Britton.

Mysteriously, the core sampling done as part of the geotechnical report managed to miss all areas classified as wetlands in the USGS National Wetlands Inventory.

Mysteriously, Perry Homes hired a private consultant to review the wetlands rather than seeking a jurisdictional delineation from the US Army Corps of Engineers. Perry claims the consultant found no wetland issues though Perry has not released the consultant’s report.

Those wetland areas largely coincided with the areas now holding the ponding water.

USGS Wetlands Map. Background shows Woodridge Village BEFORE clearcutting.

So many questions and so little time.

Movement in Court Case and on Ground

The Harris County District Clerk’s office shows absolutely no movement in the court case between Perry subsidiaries, their contractors and flood victims. The last motion on file: December 27.

Meanwhile, Perry is still working on the S2 detention pond that they virtually completed last August. On October 17, lawyer extraordinaire and local savant J. Carey Gray promised they would finish that pond in 45 days. So far, it’s been 95. And they continue to UNDO work previously completed.

January 20, 2020. Contractors continue to elevate the southern and eastern edges of Woodridge Village’s S2 detention pond.
The same berm from ground level. Elevated several feet above Elm Grove. Backslope interceptor swale mysteriously eliminated. Ground now sloped to funnel runoff from slope directly into Elm Grove (left). Photo courtesy of Jeff Miller.
Where this pipe sticks up, there used to be a swale designed to keep water from flowing into Elm Grove and funnel it into the pond. See swale in background next to fence that contractors have not yet filled in. Photo courtesy of Jeff Miller.

This whole sad, sorry development reminds me of one of those Hollywood horror flicks in which the teenagers do everything wrong, oblivious to the danger that lurks beneath them. I expect to see Dracula’s hand poking up out of the clay any second.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/20/2020 with photos from Jeff Miller

874 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 123 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.

Janet Wilson’s Losses and Long Road Back from Hurricane Harvey Make Case for Lowering Lake Conroe

Janet Wilson lives in Kingwood Greens. Her home, like those of all 225 in the subdivision, flooded during Harvey AFTER Lake Conroe opened its gates and started releasing almost 80,000 cubic feet per second. That amounted to ONE THIRD of all the water coming down the highly populated Humble/Kingwood corridor on the West Fork where most flood damage occurred. Her photos tell a tragic story about the toll that flooding places on a family. But her words told an even more tragic story.

Below are photos of our home in Kingwood Greens. They show just a fraction of the overnight loss of 48 years’ accumulation of household effects, family heirlooms, clothing, medicines, pictures, letters, books, keepsakes, both our cars, including a vintage Porsche, and more.  

Kingwood Greens after the Lake Conroe release

Beyond the Tangible Items

But, these are just the tangible items. Some of our greatest losses could not be photographed.

It has taken us more than two years to try to restore our life.

That’s time we could have spent with aging and now deceased parents plus our children, grandchildren and friends.

Then consider the loss of wages; my husband is a consultant. Also consider the physical and continuing mental toll that stress from this has put on us.

AND finally, consider the permanent loss of friends and neighbors. Seven out of 21 families on our street alone were so traumatized, they have sold their homes and left our neighborhood forever.

Those “Stop the Drop” homeowners on Lake Conroe have no idea of what “loss of recreation” is, and their insensitive selfishness is incomprehensible. 

Tell YOUR Story In Person to the SJRA Board

If you feel like Janet, make sure you email the SJRA board and urge members to continue the policy of lowering Lake Conroe seasonally until other flood mitigation measures can be put in place. Until more gates can be added to Lake Houston and dredging is completed, it’s the only buffer against flooding that the Lake Houston Area has. You can email them or deliver your message in person at the next SJRA Board meeting.

  • Tuesday, January 21, 2020
  • 6pm at Lone Star Convention and Expo Center
  • 9055 Airport Road, Conroe, Texas 77303.
  • Doors open at 5pm.

Those wishing to address the board or register a comment at a special meeting must fill out a Comment Registration Form https://www.sjra.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Comment-Registration-Form_01062020.pdf. Comment Registration Forms may be submitted at the special meeting. The form may not be mailed, emailed, or dropped off prior to the meeting date.

If You Can’t Attend, Email Your Comments

Please write an email showing your support for continuing the temporary seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe. The SJRA Board of Directors also welcomes input via mail or email. To contact the Board please visit: https://www.sjra.net/about/board/. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the email form. Or email floodmanagementdivision@sjra.net.

Generally, original letters carry more weight than form letters. However, many people do not feel comfortable writing or speaking. So…

The Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce has automated email that makes the process easy.

For More Information About the Lake Lowering Strategy

A new page on this web site called Lake Lowering contains background information, sample letters, and previous posts. Please write or testify.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/19/2020

873 Days after Hurricane Harvey