Note: I posted this this morning before a surprise storm dumped up to 10 inches of rain on the Lake Houston Area this afternoon. Now the river is expected to flood … despite the pre-release. At 7PM on Tuesday, the floodgates on Lake Houston remain wide open. As the river rises past flood stage, any thoughts of being land locked are now moot.
Houston City Council Member Dave Martin issued a press release this morning warning Lake Houston property owners to prepare for lower lake levels. Houston Public Works and the Coastal Water Authority are monitoring forecasts calling for substantial rainfall over the next several days.
Lower Lake Levels Heading Lower
Lake Houston is currently at 42.11 feet and still receiving water from weekend storms. But that’s a half inch down in the last 12 hours.
Lake Houston has a normal pool elevation of 42.5 feet. All four gates on the existing dam structure are open and will remain open with a goal of lowering the lake to 41.5 feet before the next round of rainfall. Property owners are encouraged to secure property along the shoreline.
Lake-Lowering Policy
Lake Houston is lowered if the National Weather Service predicts greater than 3 inches of rain within a 48-hour period. To monitor Lake Houston and the forecasted rain, click here.
6-day precipitation forecast: 7 inches across the Houston Metro Area
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/7/2019
616 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Houston-Map-Lake.png?fit=800%2C509&ssl=1509800adminadmin2019-05-07 11:56:232019-05-07 18:44:06Lake Houston Property Owners Should Prepare for Lower Lake Levels (or Not)
With major rainfall expected this week, here is a pre-storm report on lake and river levels.
Lake Conroe Pre-Storm
Even though Lake Conroe has released water continuously since April 1, the SJRA has not succeeded in reducing the lake level to their seasonal target of 200 feet. They were close at one point, but recent rains have elevated the lake back to its normal pool level. As of this writing, the lake is at 200.87 feet. Normal level is 201 mean feet above sea level. Thus Lake Conroe is only down about one tenth of an inch despite the fact that the SJRA continues to release water at the rate of 522 cubic feet per second.
Lake Conroe levels for the last week. On May 1, the SJRA increased the release rate from about 350 cfs to 522 cfs. Despite that, the lake has risen back to its normal level because of recent rains.
Here’s a picture of the massive gates at Lake Conroe. Compare them to…
The gates at Lake Conroe can release water at up too 150,000 CFS but are currently releasing at only 522 CFS to avoid flooding downstream areas.
Lake Houston Pre-Storm
Lake Houston has its gates wide open. At that setting, they can release 10,000 CFS. But the recent rains are also refilling Lake Houston as fast as its draining. Normal pool level is 42.5 feet and the lake is presently. at 42.6 feet. This is why we need more gates!
Gates on Lake Houston can release a maximum of 10,000 cubic feet per second, one fifteenth the rate of Lake Conroe.
To summarize, both Lake Conroe and Lake Houston are within a tenth of an inch of normal levels. Both are releasing water. Lake Houston is releasing water as fast as it can. Lake Conroe cannot release any faster without flooding the Humble/Kingwood area, especially with more rain on the way.
With rivers already highly elevated and some at or above flood stage, additional widespread heavy rainfall will only aggravate ongoing flooding or result in worsening flooding especially along the Trinity and Brazos basins.
San Jacinto River:
No flooding is currently impacting the basin, but forecasts for this week indicate significant rainfall potential over the basin. If accurate, the rainfall would result in significant rises on the system.
Trinity River:
Flooding is in progress both upstream of Lake Livingston and downstream of the lake in Liberty County. Flooding will continue through the end of the week and likely into next week. Liberty may approach major flood levels by the end of the week depending on releases from Lake Livingston.
Navasota River:
Minor flooding is in progress as upstream releases from Lake Limestone are maintained. River is in recession and may fall back below flood stage by the middle of the week.
Colorado River:
Upstream weekend flood wave is moving downstream and is at Columbus and will near approaching Wharton in the next 24-36 hours. No flooding is currently expected on the Colorado basin.
Brazos River:
Flood wave is passing Bryan and heading for Hempstead. Minor flooding is forecasted for Richmond and moderate flooding at Rosharon. These three charts tell the story.
Brazos River at Hempstead:
Brazos River at Richmond:
Brazos River at Rosharon:
Unlike street flooding which is fast and local, river flooding is delayed and regional. As you can see from these charts, it can take days for upstream rains to create downstream floods.
Please Help
Rains later this week could be intense. Some forecasters are predicting up to 10 inches. Make sure the storm drains on your street are clear. If you can’t remove accumulated debris yourself, please call 3-1-1. The last thing we need is for all the downed tree branches, twigs, and leaf litter from last week to clog drains with 10 more inches on the way.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/6/2019
615 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Screen-Shot-2019-05-06-at-7.25.15-PM.png?fit=2330%2C1132&ssl=111322330adminadmin2019-05-06 20:05:002019-05-06 20:05:26Pre-Storm Lake- and River-Level Report
After receiving 727 public comments, Kingwood Marina developer, Romerica Investments, LLC, asked Corps regulators on April 24, to “temporarily suspend an Individual Permit Application (SWG-2016-00384).”
Romercia’s environmental consultants said in a letter to Corps regulators, they made the request based on the large volume of comments provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on March 28.
The request acknowledged, “It will take several months to conduct the surveys and studies needed to respond fully to these comments.”
Interview withCorps’ Chief of Evaluation Branch
Last week, I spoke with Janet Botello, Chief of the Evaluation Branch of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/Galveston District. We talked about what comes next for Romerica after its permit application for the proposed high-rise development in Kingwood was withdrawn by the Corps. Bottom line: if they reapply, we would likely have another public comment period.
In this satellite image taken on 2/23/19, you can see the West Fork San Jacinto at the bottom, River Grove Park at the left, Kingwood Country Club on the right and the Barrington at the top. Romerica hopes to build multiple 25-50 high rises between the little lake in the center and the golf course fairways below the Barrington.
Difference: Suspension vs. Withdrawal
Rehak: “Romerica requested a suspension of their permit application. The Army Corps withdrew it. What’s the difference? Is there any legal significance?”
Botello: “The correct wording in this case is “withdrawal.” There IS a legal difference. There is a provision within our regulations for suspending a permit. But that only occurs when a permit has actually been issued. In this case, the permit was not issued; there was only an application. We never made a final decision. So the pending application was withdrawn.”
Another Public Comment Period Likely
Rehak: “If they reapply, would there be another public comment period during the evaluation of new application?”
Botello: “I am comfortable in saying that there probably will be another public comment period based on the number of public interest factors and concerns that were raised and potential changes that could occur. But we won’t know for sure until we get the revised packet of information.”
Rehak: “How frequently does this happen?”
Botello: “It’s common. If a significant number of comments are raised during the public comment period and applicants aren’t prepared to address them within 30 days, we withdraw it. Then they go back and try to answer the concerns that were raised or revise their plans. Conversely, if they can answer and fully address concerns within 30 days, we keep evaluating the permit and we go ahead with the next step. If not, we withdraw it and give them time on their own to address the public concerns.”
Next Steps If Romerica Reapplies
Rehak: “What will be the next steps if Romerica reapplies?”
Botello: “First, we will evaluate the new submittal internally for a review of the Corps’ concerns. Then we will draft a public notice for public review – to gather public concerns. Then typically, we gather up the comments and concerns raised after that 30-day period, and forward them again to the applicant. They will have to respond within 30 days and then we will gather their responses and determine what steps are appropriate.”
Where We Are At
Romerica has not returned phone calls to discuss their intentions. If other agencies had concerns as serious as the TCEQ’s, this project could die quietly. If Romerica reapplies, which they have said they will do, the developer will likely have to significantly revise plans, and start over with a lengthy permitting process including a new public comment period.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/6/2019
615 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/HighRiseHell.jpg?fit=1500%2C936&ssl=19361500adminadmin2019-05-06 16:40:492019-05-06 16:41:17Interview with Corps’ Chief of Evaluation: What’s Next for Romerica?
Lake Houston Property Owners Should Prepare for Lower Lake Levels (or Not)
Note: I posted this this morning before a surprise storm dumped up to 10 inches of rain on the Lake Houston Area this afternoon. Now the river is expected to flood … despite the pre-release. At 7PM on Tuesday, the floodgates on Lake Houston remain wide open. As the river rises past flood stage, any thoughts of being land locked are now moot.
Houston City Council Member Dave Martin issued a press release this morning warning Lake Houston property owners to prepare for lower lake levels. Houston Public Works and the Coastal Water Authority are monitoring forecasts calling for substantial rainfall over the next several days.
Lower Lake Levels Heading Lower
Lake Houston is currently at 42.11 feet and still receiving water from weekend storms. But that’s a half inch down in the last 12 hours.
Lake Houston has a normal pool elevation of 42.5 feet. All four gates on the existing dam structure are open and will remain open with a goal of lowering the lake to 41.5 feet before the next round of rainfall. Property owners are encouraged to secure property along the shoreline.
Lake-Lowering Policy
Lake Houston is lowered if the National Weather Service predicts greater than 3 inches of rain within a 48-hour period. To monitor Lake Houston and the forecasted rain, click here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/7/2019
616 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Pre-Storm Lake- and River-Level Report
With major rainfall expected this week, here is a pre-storm report on lake and river levels.
Lake Conroe Pre-Storm
Even though Lake Conroe has released water continuously since April 1, the SJRA has not succeeded in reducing the lake level to their seasonal target of 200 feet. They were close at one point, but recent rains have elevated the lake back to its normal pool level. As of this writing, the lake is at 200.87 feet. Normal level is 201 mean feet above sea level. Thus Lake Conroe is only down about one tenth of an inch despite the fact that the SJRA continues to release water at the rate of 522 cubic feet per second.
Here’s a picture of the massive gates at Lake Conroe. Compare them to…
Lake Houston Pre-Storm
Lake Houston has its gates wide open. At that setting, they can release 10,000 CFS. But the recent rains are also refilling Lake Houston as fast as its draining. Normal pool level is 42.5 feet and the lake is presently. at 42.6 feet. This is why we need more gates!
Additional rainfall tomorrow should saturate the ground. More storms later in the week could cause river flooding. Harris County Flood Control expects heavy rain for the next 5-7 days.
Pre-Storm River Report
With rivers already highly elevated and some at or above flood stage, additional widespread heavy rainfall will only aggravate ongoing flooding or result in worsening flooding especially along the Trinity and Brazos basins.
San Jacinto River:
No flooding is currently impacting the basin, but forecasts for this week indicate significant rainfall potential over the basin. If accurate, the rainfall would result in significant rises on the system.
Trinity River:
Flooding is in progress both upstream of Lake Livingston and downstream of the lake in Liberty County. Flooding will continue through the end of the week and likely into next week. Liberty may approach major flood levels by the end of the week depending on releases from Lake Livingston.
Navasota River:
Minor flooding is in progress as upstream releases from Lake Limestone are maintained. River is in recession and may fall back below flood stage by the middle of the week.
Colorado River:
Upstream weekend flood wave is moving downstream and is at Columbus and will near approaching Wharton in the next 24-36 hours. No flooding is currently expected on the Colorado basin.
Brazos River:
Flood wave is passing Bryan and heading for Hempstead. Minor flooding is forecasted for Richmond and moderate flooding at Rosharon. These three charts tell the story.
Brazos River at Hempstead:
Brazos River at Richmond:
Brazos River at Rosharon:
Unlike street flooding which is fast and local, river flooding is delayed and regional. As you can see from these charts, it can take days for upstream rains to create downstream floods.
Please Help
Rains later this week could be intense. Some forecasters are predicting up to 10 inches. Make sure the storm drains on your street are clear. If you can’t remove accumulated debris yourself, please call 3-1-1. The last thing we need is for all the downed tree branches, twigs, and leaf litter from last week to clog drains with 10 more inches on the way.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/6/2019
615 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Interview with Corps’ Chief of Evaluation: What’s Next for Romerica?
After receiving 727 public comments, Kingwood Marina developer, Romerica Investments, LLC, asked Corps regulators on April 24, to “temporarily suspend an Individual Permit Application (SWG-2016-00384).”
Romercia’s environmental consultants said in a letter to Corps regulators, they made the request based on the large volume of comments provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on March 28.
The request acknowledged, “It will take several months to conduct the surveys and studies needed to respond fully to these comments.”
Interview withCorps’ Chief of Evaluation Branch
Last week, I spoke with Janet Botello, Chief of the Evaluation Branch of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/Galveston District. We talked about what comes next for Romerica after its permit application for the proposed high-rise development in Kingwood was withdrawn by the Corps. Bottom line: if they reapply, we would likely have another public comment period.
Difference: Suspension vs. Withdrawal
Rehak: “Romerica requested a suspension of their permit application. The Army Corps withdrew it. What’s the difference? Is there any legal significance?”
Botello: “The correct wording in this case is “withdrawal.” There IS a legal difference. There is a provision within our regulations for suspending a permit. But that only occurs when a permit has actually been issued. In this case, the permit was not issued; there was only an application. We never made a final decision. So the pending application was withdrawn.”
Another Public Comment Period Likely
Rehak: “If they reapply, would there be another public comment period during the evaluation of new application?”
Rehak: “How frequently does this happen?”
Botello: “It’s common. If a significant number of comments are raised during the public comment period and applicants aren’t prepared to address them within 30 days, we withdraw it. Then they go back and try to answer the concerns that were raised or revise their plans. Conversely, if they can answer and fully address concerns within 30 days, we keep evaluating the permit and we go ahead with the next step. If not, we withdraw it and give them time on their own to address the public concerns.”
Next Steps If Romerica Reapplies
Rehak: “What will be the next steps if Romerica reapplies?”
Where We Are At
Romerica has not returned phone calls to discuss their intentions. If other agencies had concerns as serious as the TCEQ’s, this project could die quietly. If Romerica reapplies, which they have said they will do, the developer will likely have to significantly revise plans, and start over with a lengthy permitting process including a new public comment period.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/6/2019
615 Days since Hurricane Harvey