After the flood, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) received multiple complaints about alleged SWPPP (stormwater pollution prevention plan) violations on the site. TCEQ referred them to Montgomery County for investigation. Montgomery County then referred them to LJA Engineering, which coincidentally also represented the Woodridge developer. But more on the apparent conflict later.
Timeline of Investigation
Between May 8 and May 10, 2019, LJA Engineers received five complaints for investigation.
On or about May 11, 2019, Rebel Contractors began installing safeguards and posting permits that should have been in place months before the flood.
LJA conducted its investigation on May 15, 2019.
LJA submitted its findings to Montgomery County on May 16. The report showed several deficiencies, but many more had been corrected shortly before the LJA inspection.
On June 5, 2019, LJA reinspected the site and found that all corrective actions requested on 5/15/2019 had been completed.
On July 8th, an email between LJA and the TCEQ indicated that the contractor was now in compliance and that Montgomery County considered all the complaints resolved.
Results of 5/15 inspection show that SWPPP permits were posted, however they were posted just before the inspection even though construction had been in progress for months.
The following photos were attached to the email containing the report above. They give the impression that the vast majority of silt fencing had been in place and that all the permits were posted. I could see no fencing and no permits when I visited the site immediately after the flood.
Permit notices, such as these, should have been in place months earlier, but showed up just before the LJA inspection.Silt fence along Woodland Hills in Kingwood was also missing at time of flood, but installed days before inspection.Lack of protection around storm sewer allowed silt to enter drains near Woodland Hills Drive.Looking south on Woodland Hills, you can see silt fence adjacent to road but none protecting Sherwood Trails in background.Looking east along county line (southern border of development), you can see recently installed silt fence.These rock baskets at the entrance to Taylor Gulley in Kingwood were installed just before the inspection to control erosion (visible in the background).They were not in place at the time of the flood on May 7.Looking south toward Taylor Gulley from the concrete culvert above.Interior portion of the site without silt fencing. Taylor Gulley lies between utility poles and tree line on the left.Looking south along the Porter boundary. Yates property is on right. Lack of silt fencing and adequate drainage covered his property in muck.Clean bill of health issued after reinspection on 6/5/2019.
As proof of compliance, LJA submitted these two before/after photo sequences. Neither sequence corresponded to the photos from May 15 where the inspector noted deficiencies. These “before” photos bear a different date: May 23. The second report above never mentions an inspection on May 23.
Conflict of Interest?
Both the developer and Montgomery County hired LJA Engineering independently:
Subsidiaries of Perry Homes (Figure Four Partners and PSWA) hired LJA to design the site and its detention ponds. AND…
Montgomery County hired LJA to investigate complaints about multiple construction sites throughout the county.
LJA did not see a conflict of interest. Nor did it recuse itself. Instead, it claimed that two different divisions of the company handled the contracts, therefore, there was no conflict.
However, the timing of the investigation by LJA raises questions. LJA gave Rebel Contractors time to install most of the pollution-prevention measures that they should have installed months earlier.
Questions of Conscience
At this point, after reviewing hundreds of photos and drone footage taken after the flood, I have several questions:
Why didn’t Rebel Contractors address these deficiencies before the May 7th flood?
Copies of the SWPPP plans still have not been made public to see if other irregularities exist. LJA Engineering has not returned phone calls.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/10/2019
680 Days after Hurricane Harvey
All thoughts expressed in this 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.
Chances of Formation Increase to 70% in 2-Day Outlook
As of 2PM EDT Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) again increased the chances of Invest 92L turning into a tropical storm. This morning, the two-day outlook said 50%. Now it’s 70%. The 5-day outlook remains at 80%. The animated GIF below shows the first hints of circulation. An Air Force reconnaissance plane is scheduled to fly into the storm tomorrow if necessary.
Since this morning, the chances of Invest 92L turning into a tropical storm have increased from 50% to 70% in the two-day outlook issued by the National Hurricane Center.Five-hour loop showing first hints of circulation offshore Florida Panhandle.
Center Now in Northeastern Gulf
According to the NHC, a broad low-pressure area has emerged over Apalachee Bay in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Environmental conditions are conducive for tropical cyclone formation and development over the next several days, and…
… a tropical depression is likely to form by late Wednesday or Thursday while the system moves westward across the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Heavy Rainfall Potential, But More to East
This disturbance has the potential to produce heavy rainfall from the Upper Texas Coast to the Florida Panhandle during the next several days. In addition, this system could produce wind and storm surge impacts later this week or this weekend from Louisiana to the Upper Texas coast. Continue to monitor the storm at least twice a day.
Uncertainty still high; track uncertain, though all models now suggest landfall east of Houston.
The satellite image below shows infrared imagery. Note how the moisture has built up in the eastern Gulf in the last three hours. It now occupies an area from south Louisiana to south Florida.
24-hour satellite infrared loop shows explosion of convection in northeastern Gulf.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/radar_flanim.gif?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=17681024adminadmin2019-07-09 15:19:412019-07-09 15:19:50Invest 92L Now Offshore; First Hints of Circulation
The chances of Invest 92L becoming a named tropical storm have increased to 50% in the two-day forecast and 80% in the five-day forecast, according to the National Hurricane Center. That’s the bad news. The good news for the Houston area: most models now predict the storm will make landfall in Louisiana.
Jeff Lindner, Harris County meteorologist caps predicted rainfall totals at 1 to 3 inches for now, but with the understanding that totals could go significantly higher.
Invest in this context means “area of investigation.” A weather system receives this designation when forecasters start to track something serious more closely.
Uncertainty Remains High at This Time
Because the center of this storm is still over land at the moment, it’s hard to predict. Models diverge widely. Those that take the storm further south into the Gulf result in stronger winds and higher rainfall totals because the storm will remain over water longer.
However, some models predict the storm will remain closer to shore as it tracks westward through the Gulf. Those models suggest lower winds and less rainfall. The current radius of circulation of the storm is 150 nautical miles. (One nautical mile = 1.15078 miles.)
Net: forecasts are all over the map at the moment. Uncertainty remains high.
Suggested Actions
Your best bet is to:
Monitor forecasts twice a day
Check and stock hurricane kits and have plans ready to be enacted this week
Be ready to enact plans by the middle to end of this week
Follow trusted weather sources for information (National Hurricane Center, Houston/Galveston National Weather Service, West Gulf River Forecast Center and local government) for any recommendations
Graphical Predictions
From Mikes Weather Pageas of Monday evening.Numbers on each track indicate hours from 6 UTC, Tuesday morning.If the red model is correct, the storm would hit the Texas/Louisiana border by 6am Saturday morning.
LJA Engineering Report on Woodridge Stormwater-Pollution Safeguards Shows Deficiencies
An investigation by LJA Engineering found many stormwater pollution-prevention safeguards were not in place on the Woodridge Village construction site at the time of the Elm Grove flood on May 7.
After the flood, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) received multiple complaints about alleged SWPPP (stormwater pollution prevention plan) violations on the site. TCEQ referred them to Montgomery County for investigation. Montgomery County then referred them to LJA Engineering, which coincidentally also represented the Woodridge developer. But more on the apparent conflict later.
Timeline of Investigation
Findings of LJA Engineering Investigation
Below are copies of the reports. Note that the LJA report reflects only what was in place at the time of their investigation, not before the flood.
The following photos were attached to the email containing the report above. They give the impression that the vast majority of silt fencing had been in place and that all the permits were posted. I could see no fencing and no permits when I visited the site immediately after the flood.
As proof of compliance, LJA submitted these two before/after photo sequences. Neither sequence corresponded to the photos from May 15 where the inspector noted deficiencies. These “before” photos bear a different date: May 23. The second report above never mentions an inspection on May 23.
Conflict of Interest?
Both the developer and Montgomery County hired LJA Engineering independently:
LJA did not see a conflict of interest. Nor did it recuse itself. Instead, it claimed that two different divisions of the company handled the contracts, therefore, there was no conflict.
However, the timing of the investigation by LJA raises questions. LJA gave Rebel Contractors time to install most of the pollution-prevention measures that they should have installed months earlier.
Questions of Conscience
At this point, after reviewing hundreds of photos and drone footage taken after the flood, I have several questions:
Hundreds of Elm Grove residents have sued the Woodridge developer and contractor, alleging negligence, gross negligence, and negligence per se. They deserve answers to these questions.
Copies of the SWPPP plans still have not been made public to see if other irregularities exist. LJA Engineering has not returned phone calls.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/10/2019
680 Days after Hurricane Harvey
All thoughts expressed in this 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.
Invest 92L Now Offshore; First Hints of Circulation
Chances of Formation Increase to 70% in 2-Day Outlook
As of 2PM EDT Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) again increased the chances of Invest 92L turning into a tropical storm. This morning, the two-day outlook said 50%. Now it’s 70%. The 5-day outlook remains at 80%. The animated GIF below shows the first hints of circulation. An Air Force reconnaissance plane is scheduled to fly into the storm tomorrow if necessary.
Center Now in Northeastern Gulf
According to the NHC, a broad low-pressure area has emerged over Apalachee Bay in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Environmental conditions are conducive for tropical cyclone formation and development over the next several days, and…
Heavy Rainfall Potential, But More to East
This disturbance has the potential to produce heavy rainfall from the Upper Texas Coast to the Florida Panhandle during the next several days. In addition, this system could produce wind and storm surge impacts later this week or this weekend from Louisiana to the Upper Texas coast. Continue to monitor the storm at least twice a day.
The satellite image below shows infrared imagery. Note how the moisture has built up in the eastern Gulf in the last three hours. It now occupies an area from south Louisiana to south Florida.
Where to Find Most Current Information 24/7
Official:
National Hurricane Center
NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration)
National Weather Service
Harris County Flood Warning System
National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service
USGS Water on the Go App
San Jacinto River Authority
Coastal Water Authority
Other:
Mikes Weather Page
Weather Nerds
Stay dry.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/9/2019 at 3:15pm
679 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Tuesday AM Invest 92L Update: Chances of Tropical Formation Keep Increasing
The chances of Invest 92L becoming a named tropical storm have increased to 50% in the two-day forecast and 80% in the five-day forecast, according to the National Hurricane Center. That’s the bad news. The good news for the Houston area: most models now predict the storm will make landfall in Louisiana.
Jeff Lindner, Harris County meteorologist caps predicted rainfall totals at 1 to 3 inches for now, but with the understanding that totals could go significantly higher.
Invest in this context means “area of investigation.” A weather system receives this designation when forecasters start to track something serious more closely.
Uncertainty Remains High at This Time
Because the center of this storm is still over land at the moment, it’s hard to predict. Models diverge widely. Those that take the storm further south into the Gulf result in stronger winds and higher rainfall totals because the storm will remain over water longer.
However, some models predict the storm will remain closer to shore as it tracks westward through the Gulf. Those models suggest lower winds and less rainfall. The current radius of circulation of the storm is 150 nautical miles. (One nautical mile = 1.15078 miles.)
Net: forecasts are all over the map at the moment. Uncertainty remains high.
Suggested Actions
Your best bet is to:
Graphical Predictions
Where to Find Most Current Information 24/7
Official:
National Hurricane Center
NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration)
National Weather Service
Harris County Flood Warning System
National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service
USGS Water on the Go App
San Jacinto River Authority
Coastal Water Authority
Other:
Mikes Weather Page
Weather Nerds
Good luck!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/9/2019
679 Days since Hurricane Harvey