Yesterday, shortly before the Kingwood Town Hall Meeting, I photographed the demobilization of the Great Lakes Dredge at the Army Corps Command Post. Great Lakes was dismantling the dredge. However, no one explicitly stated this at the meeting. The dredge had waited patiently at the mouth bar for 6 weeks since finishing its assignment from the Corps to dredge 500,000 cubic yards. Meanwhile, the City tried to organize a project to dredge more sediment. The City had been working toward that goal for a year, according to Stephen Costello, the City’s Chief Recovery Officer.
Great Lakes Dredge being dismantled at the Army Corps Command Site Thursday afternoon, 10.17.2019 at about 3PM., shortly before the Kingwood Town Hall Meeting to discuss flooding issues.
Only One Mention Made in Passing At Town Hall Meeting
Only Costello alluded to the demobilization. He did that obliquely in passing while talking about the permitting of a disposal site. He did not discuss the reasons for demobilization, the cost, or its significance within the context of additional dredging on the mouth bar. However, he did imply that the demobilization resulted from the Army Corps’ failure to permit a disposal site. The Corps permitted the disposal site at least six weeks ago.
Said Costello, “We had to get a disposal site. We didn’t have one.” After a brief discussion of permitting Berry Madden’s property, he finally said, “We were expecting that we weren’t going to be able to get this done before Great Lakes left the project. And it just so happens that that’s what’s happened.”
However, Madden’s property had been permitted before August 30th. Great Lakes had given the City a deadline of October 11 to make a decision about extending the mouth bar project. Great Lakes reportedly had a crew of 22 on standby for six weeks.
The City did not meet the October 11 deadline. The City did not even file its request for a new grant for additional dredging until Friday, October 11.
Photo taken east of West Lake Houston Parkway Bridge on 10/15/2019 at about 10:45 am.
Yesterday, before the Town Hall Meeting, I photographed the dredge at the dock being dismantled. That certainly wasn’t something that the City highlighted at the town hall meeting.
Great Lakes Dredge at dock being dismantled. Photo taken on 10/17/2019 at approximately 3pm., just hours before the Town Hall Meeting.
High Cost of Mobilization
Mobilization and demobilization costs for Phase One of the dredging program cost more than $17 million. The idea behind dredging the mouth bar while dredges were still in the river: save those costs for re-mobilization.
Now, if and when the City can secure a grant to cover additional mouth bar dredging, remobilization costs will have to come out of it, reducing the volume that can be dredged.
Options Looking Forward
The size of the Great Lakes dredge made it ideal for the mouth bar. It pumped large volumes of sediment quickly. It will soon leave like a cool Spring breeze. Question: Do you replace what Great Lakes had? Or find something smaller that’s more versatile? Residents around the lake have clamored to have sediment blocking drainage ditches removed?
A smaller dredge could maneuver in tight spaces better. However, many of those smaller canals are on private property. State and Federal money cannot be used on private property.
Another factor to consider: A smaller dredge might not overwhelm Madden’s property so quickly and cause runoff that returns sediment to the river.
Money from the County 2018 flood bond and the State Representative Dan Huberty’s amendment to last year’s Senate Bill 500 could make $50 million available for additional dredging.
But the City continues to look for ways to dredge without putting skin in the game. And now the City will have to rebid any future project that involves Federal dollars to meet Federal purchasing regulations. That will delay the start of any future dredging even further.
Whose Money Is It?
Several speakers at the meeting last night confused City spending on flood mitigation projects with Federal, State and County spending on those same joint projects. The effect? It inflated the City’s contribution. Some speakers even took credit for projects that the City had nothing to do with.
Unless citizens had immersed themselves in the details of each project, they likely left the meeting thinking the City’s contribution was greater than it actually was. For instance, entire excavation budgets for Ben’s Branch and Taylor Gully improvements have come from Harris County Flood Control.
Early voting starts next week.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/18/2019
780 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 29 after Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/RJR_3733.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500adminadmin2019-10-18 20:16:572019-10-18 20:47:17Great Lakes Dredge Demobilizing After Waiting At Mouth Bar 6 Weeks
Today, Harris County Flood Control contractors demolished the townhomes on Aqua Vista Street in Forest Cove. Flooded during Harvey, then abandoned and vandalized, they burned the week before July 4th this year.
Townhomes flooded by Harvey, were burned during the week before the Fourth of July.Today, there’s nothing left. See below.
Only a tiny pile of rubble and some steel girders remain of that block of townhomes this afternoon. They should be gone by the end of the day.The demolition crew was scooping up the last of the structural beams when I photographed the site today.Into a giant truck they went.Tomorrow, there will be nothing left here but faded dreams of happier times.
Update on Remainder of Buyouts
HCFCD has purchased 80% of the townhomes on Aqua Vista St., Marina Drive and Timberline Court. There are 16 units remaining to purchase.
“We’ve demolished three buildings and four more will be demolished by the end of November,” said Matt Zeve, Deputy Director of Harris County Flood Control. “To date, we’ve spent approximately $4.1 million for all costs (appraisal, purchase price, closing cost, relocation, and demolition).”
“A FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) resulting from Hurricane Harvey is partially funding this acquisition. 75% of the cost is from the federal HMGP grant and 25% (plus some relocation costs) is funded by HCFCD. The estimated costs of the townhome buyouts, once complete, will total approximately $5M.” said Zeve.
“HCFCD hopes to complete all acquisition and demolition by the end of 2020,” he said.
Bittersweet Memories
Despite persistent flooding problems, right up until Harvey, many families loved the river lifestyle that these townhomes offered. Since then, they have become an eyesore, a haven for squatters, and a dumping ground. While many former owners and renters will lament the loss of these townhomes, they will also understand the need to move on.
At tonight’s Town Hall meeting at the Kingwood Community Center, the Houston Parks Board will talk about plans for this area. They include a green belt trail to connect the Spring Creek greenway to the Kingwood trail network through Forest Cove.
The Town Hall meeting starts at 6:30 pm.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/17/2019 with help from Matt Zeve, Harris County Flood Control
779 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 28 since Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/RJR_3749.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500adminadmin2019-10-17 17:22:252019-10-17 17:38:49HCFCD Demolishes Flooded, Burned, Vandalized Townhomes on Aqua Vista in Forest Cove Today
The San Jacinto East Fork watershed is immense. Many homes, vehicles, businesses and properties flooded along it during Imelda. Northeast Harris and East Montgomery counties, which contain the East Fork and its tributaries, received some of the heaviest rainfalls during that storm. So how much water came down them? And how did the peaks compare to Harvey?
East Fork Totals Computed by Harris County Flood Control
Jeff Lindner, Harris County Flood Control’s meteorologist computed the peak flows in cubic feet per second for ReduceFlooding.com.
He used the following gages. They are the closest to Kingwood and Huffman :
Peach Creek at FM2090
East Fork at FM1485
Caney Creek at FM2090
The peak flows in cubic feet per second past these gages during Imelda were:
East Fork = 34,600 cfs
Peach Creek = 32,800 cfs
Caney Creek = 9,230 cfs
Total = 76,630 cfs
Numbers Probably Understate True Peaks
The peaks probably exceeded those farther downstream. But we have no way of telling by how much because those are the closest gages to Lake Houston.
Many storm drains and smaller tributaries without gages enter into the flow downstream of those gages. For instance, White Oak Creak, Taylor Gully, Red Gully, Mills Branch, Luce Bayou and more all enter into the East Fork before it reaches Lake Houston. And all of those carry a lot of runoff from developed areas, i.e., areas with a lot of impervious cover, meaning high runoff rates.
Net: Look at the 76,630 cubic feet per second as a minimum.
Comparison of Harvey to Imelda
How did the peaks on these three tributaries compare to Harvey? Consulting the SJRA’s peak flow map from Harvey, we can see that Harvey dumped much more rain:
Caney Creek = 20,00 cfs
Peach Creek = 31,300 cfs
East Fork = 119,000 cfs
Total = 170,000
So Harvey generated peak flows rates twice as high as Imelda. Only Peach Creek had a higher peak during Imelda than Harvey.
Importance of Looking Upstream when Comparing Storms
Remember, when comparing storms, it’s not just how much rain fell on you. It’s how much fell upstream from you. Rainfall patterns can produce dramatically different flooding patterns. During Imelda, while 20 inches of rain were falling on Patton Village, Lake Conroe received only two inches.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/17/2019, with thanks to Jeff Lindner and Harris County Flood Control
779 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 28 since Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/EF-Tributaries.jpg?fit=1500%2C985&ssl=19851500adminadmin2019-10-17 16:11:362019-10-17 16:11:47How Much Water Came from Where on the East Fork During Imelda ?
Great Lakes Dredge Demobilizing After Waiting At Mouth Bar 6 Weeks
Yesterday, shortly before the Kingwood Town Hall Meeting, I photographed the demobilization of the Great Lakes Dredge at the Army Corps Command Post. Great Lakes was dismantling the dredge. However, no one explicitly stated this at the meeting. The dredge had waited patiently at the mouth bar for 6 weeks since finishing its assignment from the Corps to dredge 500,000 cubic yards. Meanwhile, the City tried to organize a project to dredge more sediment. The City had been working toward that goal for a year, according to Stephen Costello, the City’s Chief Recovery Officer.
Only One Mention Made in Passing At Town Hall Meeting
Only Costello alluded to the demobilization. He did that obliquely in passing while talking about the permitting of a disposal site. He did not discuss the reasons for demobilization, the cost, or its significance within the context of additional dredging on the mouth bar. However, he did imply that the demobilization resulted from the Army Corps’ failure to permit a disposal site. The Corps permitted the disposal site at least six weeks ago.
Said Costello, “We had to get a disposal site. We didn’t have one.” After a brief discussion of permitting Berry Madden’s property, he finally said, “We were expecting that we weren’t going to be able to get this done before Great Lakes left the project. And it just so happens that that’s what’s happened.”
However, Madden’s property had been permitted before August 30th. Great Lakes had given the City a deadline of October 11 to make a decision about extending the mouth bar project. Great Lakes reportedly had a crew of 22 on standby for six weeks.
Then on or about October 14, Great Lakes pulled its dredge back from the mouth bar to Kings Harbor. Cranes on barges started partially dismantling the dredge to get it under the West Lake Houston Parkway Bridge. I took the photo below by Sharkey’s on 10/15/2019.
Yesterday, before the Town Hall Meeting, I photographed the dredge at the dock being dismantled. That certainly wasn’t something that the City highlighted at the town hall meeting.
High Cost of Mobilization
Mobilization and demobilization costs for Phase One of the dredging program cost more than $17 million. The idea behind dredging the mouth bar while dredges were still in the river: save those costs for re-mobilization.
Options Looking Forward
The size of the Great Lakes dredge made it ideal for the mouth bar. It pumped large volumes of sediment quickly. It will soon leave like a cool Spring breeze. Question: Do you replace what Great Lakes had? Or find something smaller that’s more versatile? Residents around the lake have clamored to have sediment blocking drainage ditches removed?
A smaller dredge could maneuver in tight spaces better. However, many of those smaller canals are on private property. State and Federal money cannot be used on private property.
Another factor to consider: A smaller dredge might not overwhelm Madden’s property so quickly and cause runoff that returns sediment to the river.
Money from the County 2018 flood bond and the State Representative Dan Huberty’s amendment to last year’s Senate Bill 500 could make $50 million available for additional dredging.
Whose Money Is It?
Several speakers at the meeting last night confused City spending on flood mitigation projects with Federal, State and County spending on those same joint projects. The effect? It inflated the City’s contribution. Some speakers even took credit for projects that the City had nothing to do with.
Unless citizens had immersed themselves in the details of each project, they likely left the meeting thinking the City’s contribution was greater than it actually was. For instance, entire excavation budgets for Ben’s Branch and Taylor Gully improvements have come from Harris County Flood Control.
Early voting starts next week.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/18/2019
780 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 29 after Imelda
HCFCD Demolishes Flooded, Burned, Vandalized Townhomes on Aqua Vista in Forest Cove Today
Today, Harris County Flood Control contractors demolished the townhomes on Aqua Vista Street in Forest Cove. Flooded during Harvey, then abandoned and vandalized, they burned the week before July 4th this year.
Update on Remainder of Buyouts
HCFCD has purchased 80% of the townhomes on Aqua Vista St., Marina Drive and Timberline Court. There are 16 units remaining to purchase.
“We’ve demolished three buildings and four more will be demolished by the end of November,” said Matt Zeve, Deputy Director of Harris County Flood Control. “To date, we’ve spent approximately $4.1 million for all costs (appraisal, purchase price, closing cost, relocation, and demolition).”
“A FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) resulting from Hurricane Harvey is partially funding this acquisition. 75% of the cost is from the federal HMGP grant and 25% (plus some relocation costs) is funded by HCFCD. The estimated costs of the townhome buyouts, once complete, will total approximately $5M.” said Zeve.
“HCFCD hopes to complete all acquisition and demolition by the end of 2020,” he said.
Bittersweet Memories
Despite persistent flooding problems, right up until Harvey, many families loved the river lifestyle that these townhomes offered. Since then, they have become an eyesore, a haven for squatters, and a dumping ground. While many former owners and renters will lament the loss of these townhomes, they will also understand the need to move on.
At tonight’s Town Hall meeting at the Kingwood Community Center, the Houston Parks Board will talk about plans for this area. They include a green belt trail to connect the Spring Creek greenway to the Kingwood trail network through Forest Cove.
The Town Hall meeting starts at 6:30 pm.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/17/2019 with help from Matt Zeve, Harris County Flood Control
779 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 28 since Imelda
How Much Water Came from Where on the East Fork During Imelda ?
The San Jacinto East Fork watershed is immense. Many homes, vehicles, businesses and properties flooded along it during Imelda. Northeast Harris and East Montgomery counties, which contain the East Fork and its tributaries, received some of the heaviest rainfalls during that storm. So how much water came down them? And how did the peaks compare to Harvey?
East Fork Totals Computed by Harris County Flood Control
Jeff Lindner, Harris County Flood Control’s meteorologist computed the peak flows in cubic feet per second for ReduceFlooding.com.
He used the following gages. They are the closest to Kingwood and Huffman :
The peak flows in cubic feet per second past these gages during Imelda were:
Numbers Probably Understate True Peaks
The peaks probably exceeded those farther downstream. But we have no way of telling by how much because those are the closest gages to Lake Houston.
Many storm drains and smaller tributaries without gages enter into the flow downstream of those gages. For instance, White Oak Creak, Taylor Gully, Red Gully, Mills Branch, Luce Bayou and more all enter into the East Fork before it reaches Lake Houston. And all of those carry a lot of runoff from developed areas, i.e., areas with a lot of impervious cover, meaning high runoff rates.
Net: Look at the 76,630 cubic feet per second as a minimum.
Comparison of Harvey to Imelda
How did the peaks on these three tributaries compare to Harvey? Consulting the SJRA’s peak flow map from Harvey, we can see that Harvey dumped much more rain:
Importance of Looking Upstream when Comparing Storms
Remember, when comparing storms, it’s not just how much rain fell on you. It’s how much fell upstream from you. Rainfall patterns can produce dramatically different flooding patterns. During Imelda, while 20 inches of rain were falling on Patton Village, Lake Conroe received only two inches.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/17/2019, with thanks to Jeff Lindner and Harris County Flood Control
779 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 28 since Imelda