Today, rumors sprung up on social media about a campaign contribution from Perry Homes to Congressman Dan Crenshaw. Some people new that he had accepted the check from Perry Homes back in November of 2018. Most people did not know, however, what Crenshaw had done with it. A quick call to Sue Walden, a Crenshaw aid, cleared up the confusion.
Congressman Crenshaw talks with flooded Elm Grove residents shortly after the September 19th floodabout where the water came from.
After touring the devastation in Elm Grove this week, Crenshaw did two things.
He called Perry Homes and told them “firmly” that they needed to fix the drainage in Woodridge Village so that Elm Grove residents did not flood again.
Crenshaw wrote a check for $2500 to the flood relief effort being sponsored by First Baptist Church of Kingwood. The amount of the donation matches the 2018 campaign contribution that Perry Homes made to his campaign.
I think this shows class, compassion, and integrity. It eliminates any appearance of a conflict of interest. It also helps the people who need it most, flood victims, rather than putting the money back in the hands of the people suing them.
In the drop down box at top of the page, make sure you select, Flood Recovery Kingwood.
Posted by Bob Rehak
760 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 10 days after Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/CrenshawElmGrove-e1690218032150.jpg?fit=1100%2C825&ssl=18251100adminadmin2019-09-27 18:56:312019-09-27 18:56:43Crenshaw Donates Perry Homes’ Campaign Contribution to First Baptist Flood Relief Fund
After May 7th and September 19th storms, reports started pouring in about homes that flooded that had not flooded during Harvey. How could that be? Harvey dumped more rain than any storm in history of the continental U.S. The short answer: When you look closely at the rainfall statistics, its comes down to totals versus intensities. Even though Harvey brought more rain, its peak intensity never came close to the other storms’. Those higher peaks can create street flooding miles from any river. And they did.
Those looking for a more detailed explanation can read below.
Using the Harris County Flood Warning System, you can find historical rainfall data for any date or gage in the region. Here’s what I found for three local gages and three storms.
Comparison of Storm Totals, Peak Intensities and Durations
During Harvey, we received:
33.04 inches at the West Fork/US59, with a peak 2.36 inches in one hour.
27.44 inches at the East Fork/FM1485, with a peak 1.4 inches in one hour.
East Fork/FM2090 – no data reported.
On May 7th, we received:
6.76 inches at the West Fork/US59 with a peak 3.64 inches in one hour
9.84 inches at the East Fork/FM1485 with a peak 3.16 inches in one hour
6.76 inches at the East Fork/FM2090 with a peak 1.6 inches in one hour
On September 19th, we received:
11.56 inches at the West Fork/US59 with a peak 4.56 inches in one hour
18.88 inches at the East Fork/FM1485, with a peak 9.4 inches in three hours.
19.68 inches at the East Fork/FM2090, with the peak of 3.24 inches in one hour.
Comparing Totals and Intensities
From this data, several things become immediately apparent.
Harvey dropped the most rain, but had the lowest peak intensity.
Compared to May 7th, the September 19th storm dropped roughly 2-3X more rain at each gage.
Comparing gage locations, you can also see tremendous variability over just a few miles for any given storm. For instance, on September 19th, 63% more rain fell on New Caney than the Humble/Kingwood area.
Comparing All 3 Storms to Precipitation Frequency Estimates
The next question: How do these numbers compare to the hypothetical 100- and 500-year rainfall events? Here are the updated precipitation frequency estimates for this area from NOAA Atlas 14.
Take the totals and peak intensities from the gage information above. Then locate them in the table below. Here’s what you find.
Frequency Estimates for Harvey – August 25-30, 2017
US59 at West Fork during Harvey
500-year event based on 5-day total
2- to 5- year event based on peak hour.
FM1485 At East Fork during Harvey
200-year event based on 5-day total
1-year event based on peak hour.
FM2090 at East Fork during Harvey
No data available
Frequency Estimates for May 7 Storm
US59 Gage on May 7
5-year storm based on 24-hour totals
25-year storm based on the 1-hour peak
Street and minor yard flooding in an event like this is normal. But it should not have entered your house if the house is above the 100-year flood plain. (Most homes are at least two feet above.)
If you’re near this gage and your home flooded on May 7th, it probably wasn’t because of the peak rainfall intensity or total. You should be looking for clogged or broken storm drains, fallen trees/sediment blocking ditches, or upstream development, like Woodridge Village, that overtaxed the capacity of drainage systems.
FM1485 Gage on May 7
25-year storm based on rainfall total
10-year storm based on peak intensity (1-hour rate).
Again, this should be well within the capacity of infrastructure to handle. If your home flooded, look for other causes like those above.
FM2090 Gage on May 7
5-year storm based on rainfall total
1-year storm based on peak intensity.
Infrastructure should have handled that easily. If your home flooded, look for one of the possible causes listed above.
Most infrastructure, homes, and businesses are built to handle a hundred-year rain event. Even homes surrounded by 100-year flood plains are usually raised above them.
If you flooded in this event, it may have been because of the extreme rainfall or because your slab wasn’t elevated two feet above the 100 year flood plain like most building regs require.
Other causes may have factored in also. When there’s little margin for error, a partially clogged storm drain or ditch, or upstream development could have made the difference between flooding and not flooding.
100- to 200-year storm based on 3-hour peak intensity.
It easily surpassed the design capacity of infrastructure. Events like this make a good case for flood insurance if you don’t have it.
FM2090 Gage on September 19
200-year event based on 24 hour total
10-year event based on peak intensity.
Again, think flood insurance. You’re way past the design capacity of infrastructure.
River Flooding Vs. Street Flooding
Peak intensity usually affects streets first. Storm totals usually affect rivers later.
From the frequency estimates above we can see that Harvey was extreme in its totality, but did not reach the peak intensity that either the May 7th or September 19th storms did. In fact…
The highest one-hour total for the May 7th and September 19th storms at all three gages exceeded the highest one-hour measurement during Harvey.
The real story of Harvey: how much rain KEPT falling for days and days. And how much water was released from the Lake Conroe Dam at the peak of the storm. Harvey was not about street flooding. It was about river flooding.
River Flooding Versus Street Flooding
Rainfall totals, intensities and durations affect flooding differently.
Street Flooding
Intense bursts of rain like we saw on September 19th create street flooding. Short bursts quickly exceed storm drain capacity, and the storage capacity of sewers and streets. Water comes up in the streets quickly and goes down quickly. This could be miles from a river, long before river flooding. Rainfall just can’t get out of the neighborhood quickly enough.
River Flooding
It can take days for water to migrate to a river and for large rainfall totals to force the river out of its banks. River flooding usually happens long AFTER street flooding, when the storm totals exceed the conveyance capacity of the river.
Importance of Location
During Imelda, New Caney received 20 inches of rain, while Lake Conroe received only 2. So there was no need to release water from Lake Conroe. For the most part, West Fork flooding was minor. But it was a totally different event on the East Fork where heavy rain piled up for two days.
Harvey – Classic River Flooding
During Harvey, the rainfall intensity only briefly surpassed the carrying capacity of infrastructure. But when the rain piled up in rivers for days and the SJRA released 80,000 cubic feet per second from Lake Conroe, tens of thousands of people flooded.
As the river rose, the water in ditches had nowhere to go.
As the ditches rose, the water in storm drains had nowhere to go.
As the water in storm drains backed up, the water in streets had nowhere to go.
And when the rain kept coming…you know the rest.
Summary
I hope this helps explain why some people flooded on May 7th and/or September 19th and not during Harvey. Different intensities and different durations produced different types of flooding.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/27/19 and dedicated to my old friend David Lyday
759 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/CallbackPanelPartial-1-1.png?fit=820%2C400&ssl=1400820adminadmin2019-09-26 19:03:322019-09-27 17:17:01Why Some People Flooded on May 7th or September 19th, But Not During Harvey
During Imelda, most of the new Kingwood Docks development in Town Center went underwater and stayed that way for days. Much of it is still underwater. Many people have expressed concerns about the development of this area in recent months. It frequently floods. They worry about the potential for the development to increase flood risk for surrounding homes and businesses.
Let’s look at this property, its history, and the plans for it.
Repetitive Flooding
When the site was apartments for the first 30 years of Kingwood, it had a history of flooding repeatedly. It still does. It went underwater during Harvey, May 7th, and Imelda – three times in the last two years.
Here’s what the site looked like before redevelopment into commercial space. Note the triangular area at the far right.Here’s what it looked like a couple years ago. Lovett started clearing the land on the end.
Entire Property in Flood Plain
FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer shows the entire development is in the 100 year flood plain (aqua). Brown areas represent the 500 year flood plain. Unshaded areas (top right) are not in a known flood hazard zone.
Restaurants with a River View
Since 1998, this site went through a series of five owners. All chose not to develop it once they discovered the site’s problems … until now.
Lovett Commercial bought this property in 2014 under the name Kingwood Retail Partners LTD. They intend to develop this area into a strip of restaurants. During heavy rains, those restaurants will have a river view. Except no one will be able to park by them.
Here’s what the area looked like from Kingwood Drive on 9/19 as rains for Imelda receded. Photo courtesy of Josh Alberson.
How High the Water Got
The debris on this sign shows how high the water got in what will become the parking lot/entry area. Docks! A prophetic name if ever there was one.Perhaps someone was trying to turn a negative into a positive.What the parking area looked like the day after the storm. Water stayed like this for days.Part of it is still under water a week after Imelda. Photo taken 9/21/19 shows erosion to pad site.The restaurants themselves will be built up 6-7 feet.Get out your climbing gear. That’s going to be one hell of an ADA ramp.
More Restaurants Planned
Lovett will build twin 14,000 sf structures on that elevated portion (right). They hope to squeeze five restaurants into them. Each structure will measure 200 ft x 70 ft according to their plans.
This shows part of what will become a detention pond around the eastern perimeter of the site.Note how it’s much lower than the creek next to it.Another view of the “mitigation” area.Photo taken Saturday 9/21/2019. Two days after Imelda, it still had not drained.
The parking will be underwater when it rains. So think seafood restaurants. (Sorry.) Crawfish anyone?
Lessons of History
The current owners bought this property in 2014, about the time that the adjacent apartments were cleared to make way for the HEB center. Lovett began clearing its land in 2016, as HEB and Memorial Hermann Convenient Care Center began construction. By Hurricane Harvey in August 2017, they knew something was terribly wrong.
Lovett knew that its land was lower than the adjacent shopping center as you can clearly see from this Google Earth photo dated 8/30/2017, one of the last days of Harvey. Look where all the water ponds!
Lovett clearly saw the catastrophic flooding during Harvey. Torchy’s, adjacent to them, flooded to the rafters during Harvey. So did every other building in the center.
Despite all that, Lovett started developing the property in earnest this year. Their sign promised that retail space would be available by Fall of 2019. It’s now Fall, and from the photos above, I doubt the owners will have it ready in the next three months.
Ain’t No Arguing with Mother Nature
I spent the last two years writing about flooding. One thing has become perfectly clear to me. We have flooding because people don’t respect the power of water. They think they can win arguments with Mother Nature. So in the name of science, engineering, free enterprise and private property rights, they build in areas where they should not. Confident that they will have the National Flood Insurance Program to bail them out when Mother Nature puts her foot down.
The Simple Solution to Flooding
If we want to stop flooding, we have to stop pushing the envelope into questionable areas. We pay lip service to that idea, but, here we go again. It’s death by a thousand cuts. One parcel at a time.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/26/2019
758 Days after Hurricane Harvey
All thoughts in this post represent my opinions on matters of public policy 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/2019/09/Docks_003-2.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500adminadmin2019-09-25 23:09:412019-09-25 23:17:10Kingwood Docks Development Submerged
Crenshaw Donates Perry Homes’ Campaign Contribution to First Baptist Flood Relief Fund
Today, rumors sprung up on social media about a campaign contribution from Perry Homes to Congressman Dan Crenshaw. Some people new that he had accepted the check from Perry Homes back in November of 2018. Most people did not know, however, what Crenshaw had done with it. A quick call to Sue Walden, a Crenshaw aid, cleared up the confusion.
After touring the devastation in Elm Grove this week, Crenshaw did two things.
If you can help, please donate at:
https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/665161
In the drop down box at top of the page, make sure you select, Flood Recovery Kingwood.
Posted by Bob Rehak
760 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 10 days after Imelda
Why Some People Flooded on May 7th or September 19th, But Not During Harvey
After May 7th and September 19th storms, reports started pouring in about homes that flooded that had not flooded during Harvey. How could that be? Harvey dumped more rain than any storm in history of the continental U.S. The short answer: When you look closely at the rainfall statistics, its comes down to totals versus intensities. Even though Harvey brought more rain, its peak intensity never came close to the other storms’. Those higher peaks can create street flooding miles from any river. And they did.
Those looking for a more detailed explanation can read below.
Let’s start by looking at three local rainfall gages on the West and East Forks. Then we’ll compare statistics.
Where To Find Statistics
Using the Harris County Flood Warning System, you can find historical rainfall data for any date or gage in the region. Here’s what I found for three local gages and three storms.
Comparison of Storm Totals, Peak Intensities and Durations
During Harvey, we received:
On May 7th, we received:
On September 19th, we received:
Comparing Totals and Intensities
From this data, several things become immediately apparent.
Comparing All 3 Storms to Precipitation Frequency Estimates
The next question: How do these numbers compare to the hypothetical 100- and 500-year rainfall events? Here are the updated precipitation frequency estimates for this area from NOAA Atlas 14.
Take the totals and peak intensities from the gage information above. Then locate them in the table below. Here’s what you find.
Frequency Estimates for Harvey – August 25-30, 2017
US59 at West Fork during Harvey
FM1485 At East Fork during Harvey
FM2090 at East Fork during Harvey
Frequency Estimates for May 7 Storm
US59 Gage on May 7
Street and minor yard flooding in an event like this is normal. But it should not have entered your house if the house is above the 100-year flood plain. (Most homes are at least two feet above.)
If you’re near this gage and your home flooded on May 7th, it probably wasn’t because of the peak rainfall intensity or total. You should be looking for clogged or broken storm drains, fallen trees/sediment blocking ditches, or upstream development, like Woodridge Village, that overtaxed the capacity of drainage systems.
FM1485 Gage on May 7
Again, this should be well within the capacity of infrastructure to handle. If your home flooded, look for other causes like those above.
FM2090 Gage on May 7
Infrastructure should have handled that easily. If your home flooded, look for one of the possible causes listed above.
Frequency Estimates for September 19 Storm
US59 Gage on September 19
Most infrastructure, homes, and businesses are built to handle a hundred-year rain event. Even homes surrounded by 100-year flood plains are usually raised above them.
If you flooded in this event, it may have been because of the extreme rainfall or because your slab wasn’t elevated two feet above the 100 year flood plain like most building regs require.
Other causes may have factored in also. When there’s little margin for error, a partially clogged storm drain or ditch, or upstream development could have made the difference between flooding and not flooding.
FM1485 Gage on September 19
It easily surpassed the design capacity of infrastructure. Events like this make a good case for flood insurance if you don’t have it.
FM2090 Gage on September 19
Again, think flood insurance. You’re way past the design capacity of infrastructure.
River Flooding Vs. Street Flooding
Peak intensity usually affects streets first. Storm totals usually affect rivers later.
From the frequency estimates above we can see that Harvey was extreme in its totality, but did not reach the peak intensity that either the May 7th or September 19th storms did. In fact…
The real story of Harvey: how much rain KEPT falling for days and days. And how much water was released from the Lake Conroe Dam at the peak of the storm. Harvey was not about street flooding. It was about river flooding.
River Flooding Versus Street Flooding
Rainfall totals, intensities and durations affect flooding differently.
Street Flooding
Intense bursts of rain like we saw on September 19th create street flooding. Short bursts quickly exceed storm drain capacity, and the storage capacity of sewers and streets. Water comes up in the streets quickly and goes down quickly. This could be miles from a river, long before river flooding. Rainfall just can’t get out of the neighborhood quickly enough.
River Flooding
It can take days for water to migrate to a river and for large rainfall totals to force the river out of its banks. River flooding usually happens long AFTER street flooding, when the storm totals exceed the conveyance capacity of the river.
Importance of Location
During Imelda, New Caney received 20 inches of rain, while Lake Conroe received only 2. So there was no need to release water from Lake Conroe. For the most part, West Fork flooding was minor. But it was a totally different event on the East Fork where heavy rain piled up for two days.
Harvey – Classic River Flooding
During Harvey, the rainfall intensity only briefly surpassed the carrying capacity of infrastructure. But when the rain piled up in rivers for days and the SJRA released 80,000 cubic feet per second from Lake Conroe, tens of thousands of people flooded.
Summary
I hope this helps explain why some people flooded on May 7th and/or September 19th and not during Harvey. Different intensities and different durations produced different types of flooding.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/27/19 and dedicated to my old friend David Lyday
759 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Kingwood Docks Development Submerged
During Imelda, most of the new Kingwood Docks development in Town Center went underwater and stayed that way for days. Much of it is still underwater. Many people have expressed concerns about the development of this area in recent months. It frequently floods. They worry about the potential for the development to increase flood risk for surrounding homes and businesses.
Let’s look at this property, its history, and the plans for it.
Repetitive Flooding
When the site was apartments for the first 30 years of Kingwood, it had a history of flooding repeatedly. It still does. It went underwater during Harvey, May 7th, and Imelda – three times in the last two years.
Entire Property in Flood Plain
Restaurants with a River View
Since 1998, this site went through a series of five owners. All chose not to develop it once they discovered the site’s problems … until now.
Lovett Commercial bought this property in 2014 under the name Kingwood Retail Partners LTD. They intend to develop this area into a strip of restaurants. During heavy rains, those restaurants will have a river view. Except no one will be able to park by them.
How High the Water Got
More Restaurants Planned
Lovett will build twin 14,000 sf structures on that elevated portion (right). They hope to squeeze five restaurants into them. Each structure will measure 200 ft x 70 ft according to their plans.
The parking will be underwater when it rains. So think seafood restaurants. (Sorry.) Crawfish anyone?
Lessons of History
The current owners bought this property in 2014, about the time that the adjacent apartments were cleared to make way for the HEB center. Lovett began clearing its land in 2016, as HEB and Memorial Hermann Convenient Care Center began construction. By Hurricane Harvey in August 2017, they knew something was terribly wrong.
Lovett clearly saw the catastrophic flooding during Harvey. Torchy’s, adjacent to them, flooded to the rafters during Harvey. So did every other building in the center.
Despite all that, Lovett started developing the property in earnest this year. Their sign promised that retail space would be available by Fall of 2019. It’s now Fall, and from the photos above, I doubt the owners will have it ready in the next three months.
Ain’t No Arguing with Mother Nature
I spent the last two years writing about flooding. One thing has become perfectly clear to me. We have flooding because people don’t respect the power of water. They think they can win arguments with Mother Nature. So in the name of science, engineering, free enterprise and private property rights, they build in areas where they should not. Confident that they will have the National Flood Insurance Program to bail them out when Mother Nature puts her foot down.
The Simple Solution to Flooding
If we want to stop flooding, we have to stop pushing the envelope into questionable areas. We pay lip service to that idea, but, here we go again. It’s death by a thousand cuts. One parcel at a time.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/26/2019
758 Days after Hurricane Harvey
All thoughts in this post represent my opinions on matters of public policy and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP statute of the Great State of Texas.