Of all the sand mines on the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto, the Triple PG Mine is unique. It alone sits inside the confluence of TWO floodways. The Prabhakar Guniganti family owns the mine. So far they have cleared, grubbed and mined about 700 of the 2000 acres they own in the area. But that hasn’t stopped them from receiving timber exemptions from the Montgomery County Appraisal District on the land being mined (that has no timber).
After Harvey, when I found 30 acres of sand up to 15 feet deep covering East End Park (just downstream from the mine), I rented a helicopter to see where the sand came from. That’s when I discovered this horrific mine for the first time.
Last week, Charlie Fahrmeier, a Lake Houston Area resident and an expert in sediment control, observed the same breach open AGAIN. Right above East End Park, which was destroyed by sand AGAIN.
So Friday, I rented another helicopter to see what I could see. What I saw turned my stomach. There was more than one breach. There were at least two and possibly three.
It appeared that Caney Creek (from the north) and White Oak Bayou from the west “captured the pit.” The streams then apparently crossed the mine sweeping out through the breach on the southeast side back into Caney Creek and then down the East Fork of the San Jacinto River.
White Oak Creek approaches the mine from the west and Caney Creek runs along its north and east sides. From the images below, taken a week after Imelda, it appears that the both creeks captured the mine and cut across it.From FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer.
Where Breaches Occurred
The TCEQ fined Triple PG $16,875 for breaches one and two that were first reported after the May 7th storm. TCEQ has opened another investigation into the most recent breaches. Fines could be more substantial this time.
Three Breaches from the Air
Looking north from over the pit toward Caney Creek out of frame on the top. Water likely entered the mine from the north as Caney Creek reached flood stage and cut across the point bar above the mine. Taken 9/27/19.
A reverse shot shows how water tore through the mine.
Looking south from over Caney Creek, you can see how current ripped through the mine. The road across the mine in the middle of the frame had been recently repaired when I took this shot on 9/27/19.At the far end of the shot above on the west (right) side of the mine, I found this breach near White Oak Creek.Taken 9/27/19.Looking east, directly across the mine, I saw this breach in the same location as the May breach. That’s Caney Creek in the background.Taken 9/27/19.This close up shot of the same breach looking west from over Caney Creek shows how flimsy the repair was from earlier in the year. It was nothing but some sand dumped into a hole.Taken 9/27/19.
Designed to Fail?
Two engineers told me that patch looked like it was “designed to fail.” Mine Safety and Health Administration regulation §56.20010 regarding retaining dams specifies that “If failure of a water or silt retaining dam will create a hazard, it shall be of substantial construction and inspected at regular intervals.” Clearly, sand is not substantial. “Built properly, that repair would not have reopened in this past flood,” said Fahrmeier.
TCEQ Requirements for Dike Construction and Repairs
Here are the TCEQ requirements for constructing dikes and levees. Note the paragraph on page 2 about structural integrity. “Construction must be based upon sound engineering principles. Structural integrity must withstand any waters which the levee or other improvement is intended to restrain or carry, considering all topographic features, including existing levees.”
These dikes had the structural integrity of a sand castle at a beach when the tide comes in.
Also interesting: Paragraph 4, Rights of Third Parties to be Protected. It’s a good read as far as regulations go.
Certainly, East End Park, just downstream was not protected.
KSA just finished cleaning up East End Park from Harvey. The organization spent close to $200,000 to restore trails covered in sand that reached to the treetops. Now the entire Kingwood community will have to sacrifice again. This area used to be a boardwalk over wetlands. The sign used to be shoulder high. Now it’s knee high.
Another trail covered in sand and silt. Not all of this came from the mine; some came from river erosion. But the serious problems first appeared after the mine.
How to Tell Mine from River Sedimentation
Charlie Fahrmeier who first discovered the most recent breach said that when he discovered it, water and sediment was streaming out of the mine. The water color was distinctly different from the color of water coming down Caney Creek. If the creek were responsible for all the sedimentation, the colors would have been reversed.
Caney Creek Now Averages 1.7 Feet Deep
In a future post, I will examine the growing mouth bar on the East Fork. That’s right. The East Fork and Caney Creek are barely navigable now. John Alberson took his jet boat up Caney Creek today and noted giant sand bars stretching across the river below the pit. He said the deepest part of the creek was 1.7 feet. The more sand there is in the creek and East Fork, the less room there is for water, so the higher the water rises during a flood.
How to File a Complaint With Mine Safety Authorities
Mine is in two zip codes but breaches appear to be in 77365.
Location of Breach #1: Long 30.102968°, Lat -95.171932°
Location of Breach #2: Long 30.055360°, Lat -95.104712°
Location of Breach #3: 30.065451°, Lat -95.102904°
Please help shut this mine down. It’s dumping its process water loaded with sediment and chlorides into your drinking water. Moreover, the City doesn’t have enough money to dredge the East Fork and its tributaries every time we get a big rain. Let’s stop this problem at the source. We need sand for concrete, but we don’t need it from this mine.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/29/2019
761 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in the post represent my opinions on matters of public interest 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/TripePBreach.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500adminadmin2019-09-29 01:04:202019-09-29 08:44:35Triple PG Mine Dikes Breach in Multiple Places, Contributing to Giant East Fork Sand Buildups
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
Triple PG Mine Dikes Breach in Multiple Places, Contributing to Giant East Fork Sand Buildups
Of all the sand mines on the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto, the Triple PG Mine is unique. It alone sits inside the confluence of TWO floodways. The Prabhakar Guniganti family owns the mine. So far they have cleared, grubbed and mined about 700 of the 2000 acres they own in the area. But that hasn’t stopped them from receiving timber exemptions from the Montgomery County Appraisal District on the land being mined (that has no timber).
After Harvey, when I found 30 acres of sand up to 15 feet deep covering East End Park (just downstream from the mine), I rented a helicopter to see where the sand came from. That’s when I discovered this horrific mine for the first time.
Owned by Cardiologist Turned Sand Miner
Prabhakar Guniganti is a cardiologist from Nacogdoches who has broadened his practice into mining and land development.
I hope he’s better at cardiology than mining. His mine has received 15 citations in the last two years from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (see the MSHA site for a key to the citations). The one highlighted in yellow had to do with a breach.
Fifteen in two years averages out to more than one every other month. And that does not even include notices of enforcement from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, for instance when Tony Buzbee, candidate for Mayor discovered a massive breach in the dike of the Triple PG mine back in May.
Will This Never Stop?
Last week, Charlie Fahrmeier, a Lake Houston Area resident and an expert in sediment control, observed the same breach open AGAIN. Right above East End Park, which was destroyed by sand AGAIN.
So Friday, I rented another helicopter to see what I could see. What I saw turned my stomach. There was more than one breach. There were at least two and possibly three.
Where Breaches Occurred
Three Breaches from the Air
Taken 9/27/19.
A reverse shot shows how water tore through the mine.
Designed to Fail?
Two engineers told me that patch looked like it was “designed to fail.” Mine Safety and Health Administration regulation §56.20010 regarding retaining dams specifies that “If failure of a water or silt retaining dam will create a hazard, it shall be of substantial construction and inspected at regular intervals.” Clearly, sand is not substantial. “Built properly, that repair would not have reopened in this past flood,” said Fahrmeier.
TCEQ Requirements for Dike Construction and Repairs
Here are the TCEQ requirements for constructing dikes and levees. Note the paragraph on page 2 about structural integrity. “Construction must be based upon sound engineering principles. Structural integrity must withstand any waters which the levee or other improvement is intended to restrain or carry, considering all topographic features, including existing levees.”
These dikes had the structural integrity of a sand castle at a beach when the tide comes in.
Also interesting: Paragraph 4, Rights of Third Parties to be Protected. It’s a good read as far as regulations go.
Certainly, East End Park, just downstream was not protected.
How to Tell Mine from River Sedimentation
Charlie Fahrmeier who first discovered the most recent breach said that when he discovered it, water and sediment was streaming out of the mine. The water color was distinctly different from the color of water coming down Caney Creek. If the creek were responsible for all the sedimentation, the colors would have been reversed.
Caney Creek Now Averages 1.7 Feet Deep
In a future post, I will examine the growing mouth bar on the East Fork. That’s right. The East Fork and Caney Creek are barely navigable now. John Alberson took his jet boat up Caney Creek today and noted giant sand bars stretching across the river below the pit. He said the deepest part of the creek was 1.7 feet. The more sand there is in the creek and East Fork, the less room there is for water, so the higher the water rises during a flood.
How to File a Complaint With Mine Safety Authorities
I encourage everyone to file a Hazardous Condition Complaint with MSHA. You can do it online at https://lakmshaegov01.msha.gov/HazardousConditionComplaint.aspx. If they get enough complaints it could elevate the review.
Here’s some information you’ll need to file:
Please help shut this mine down. It’s dumping its process water loaded with sediment and chlorides into your drinking water. Moreover, the City doesn’t have enough money to dredge the East Fork and its tributaries every time we get a big rain. Let’s stop this problem at the source. We need sand for concrete, but we don’t need it from this mine.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/29/2019
761 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in the post represent my opinions on matters of public interest and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US constitution and the Anti-SLAPP statute of the great State of Texas.
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