Jim Blackburn, the noted environmental lawyer and Rice professor, will hold a meeting to review new ideas on storm surge protection in and around Galveston Bay. If you or one of your loved ones works at one of the petrochemical plants or refineries near the Bay or Ship Channel – or if you use the Bay for recreation – you may be interested in this.
Quick, Inexpensive, Storm-Surge Solution
Says Blackburn, “No issue is more serious to the future of our region than is hurricane surge flooding, and we have a unique, once-in-a-lifetime chance to solve it relatively cheaply and relatively quickly. There are 800,000 people, 2.2 million barrels per day of refining capacity and over 200 chemical plants in harm’s way.
Piggybacking on Ship-Channel Widening
At the current time, the Port of Houston is trying hard to find a way to widen the Houston Ship Channel to allow two-way traffic. The SSPEED Center at Rice University has developed a hurricane flood protection plan that would utilize the dredged material created by the Port’s proposed widening project. The plan calls for building a 25-foot bay barrier system that would extend from Houston Point in Chambers County down the ship channel to a terminus at the Texas City hurricane protection levee system. It would combine flood protection with navigation enhancement along with recreational access to Galveston Bay, says Blackburn.
Storm Surge Meeting Details
Speakers at the meeting will explain this new opportunity. They will also provide an update on the Corps of Engineers planning process and an update from Texas A&M.
Time: 6:30 – 8 PM Date: Wednesday, May 15, 2019 Place: San Jacinto College Central Campus Music Building: Corbin Hall Address: 8060 Spencer Highway, Pasadena, TX 77505
Important, but Not Covered by Flood Bond
“We in Harris County need protection from flooding coming in from Galveston Bay, just as we need protection from rainfall flooding,” says Blackburn. “The 2018 bond issue did not provide funding for surge protection. We must find concepts that work and ways to fund these concepts sooner rather than later or else we risk significant loss of life and homes, loss of our regional economic engine and the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history.”
Mark Calendar and Invite Friends
So mark your calendars for May 15. This public meeting is sponsored by Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia. This should be of particular interest/concern to anyone who works near the Houston Ship Channel or the eastern sections of the City of Houston. If you are concerned about this issue or the alternatives that might be chosen to address it, please come. And please let your friends know about the meeting too.
About Jim Blackburn
Jim Blackburn is a professor in the practice of environmental law in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rice University. He teaches courses in sustainable development and environmental law. He is also a practicing environmental lawyer with the Blackburn & Carter law firm in Houston and a Rice faculty scholar at the Baker Institute. At Rice, he serves as the co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disaster (SSPEED) Center.
Posted by Bob Rehak on April 24, 2019
603 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/REVISED-GALVESTON-BAY-PROJECT-1.jpg?fit=1500%2C1941&ssl=119411500adminadmin2019-04-24 11:12:092019-04-24 11:18:44Quick, Inexpensive, New Idea for Hurricane Storm-Surge Protection
Thank you for your work with Reduce Flooding to raise awareness about flooding and flood-related issues since Hurricane Harvey. You have done a tremendous job of helping to educate the public on the causes of flooding and providing status updates on current and future flood-related projects and initiatives. Regarding your April 25 post titled ““Caution: SB 2126 Opens Door to Sand Mining in Rivers,” I want to clarify what SB 2126 is and what it is not.
Chuck Gilman, the author of this post, is Director of Water Resources and Flood Management for the San Jacinto River Authority
The concept behind SB 2126 is to create a proactive approach toward removing sediment from the river before it is deposited in Lake Houston. If you’ll recall the KBR report from 2000 noted “For long-term sediment management consideration, sedimentation basins, either on-channel or off-channel, are the most effective approach to minimizing sediment buildups and maintain the life of the channel conveyance.” That is what we are attempting to accomplish with this program.
The strategies and programs that could be implemented if SB 2126 is approved would not be river mining or dredging. Any kind of dredging (either hydraulic or mechanic) would be very limited in scope, allowing conservation and reclamation districts to restore conveyance in the rivers in a strategic location through small-scale, periodic, targeted removal of sediment in the river. This could be as large-scale as the current dredging project currently in progress, or as simple as the construction of sand traps that are dredged annually. Regardless, your point about oversight and management is well noted, and is a requirement for this program to be a success.
The San Jacinto River Authority has secured the support from the sand mining industry through the Texas Aggregates and Concrete Association to explore options to remove sand, gravel, shell, and other aggregates from the river—all without a cost to taxpayers. Ideally, the SJRA would be the public agency overseeing and managing the program, conducting the necessary studies, and coordinating with the appropriate state and federal agencies to determine where and how much material should be removed. Partners from the private sector could then remove the material as directed by SJRA.
After Hurricane Harvey, Governor Abbott tasked all of us with flood control and flood management. SB 2126 creates opportunities for public-private partnerships to help preserve the channel conveyance capacity of the San Jacinto River. As we know in the Lake Houston area, this sediment impedes the flow of storm water where the West Fork converges with Lake Houston.
Senator Creighton has led the effort to develop a flood resiliency funding bill in the Senate this legislative session (SB 7), and continues to seek other options to help create a regional flood management effort in the San Jacinto Basin. This bill would simply create another tool in our toolbox to help reduce potential flooding in the future.
As stewards of the San Jacinto River and its water supply, the SJRA supports Senator Creighton’s proactive approach to managing sediment in the river. We are trusted partners with the State of Texas, Harris County Flood Control District, and FEMA to execute $2.5B in flood control bond projects like the comprehensive San Jacinto Watershed Master Drainage Plan. We value our role as a community partner and appreciate the opportunity to further reduce the risk of flooding by providing oversight and management of this plan.
Chuck Gilman Director of Water Resources and Flood Management San Jacinto River Authority
For additional information on SJRA visit our website at www.sjra.netor like SJRA on Facebook @SanJacintoRiverAuthority
Posted verbatim from SJRA letter by Chuck Gilman on 4/23/2019
602 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SJRA-Logo-2016-250x250.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1250250adminadmin2019-04-23 14:40:322019-04-23 14:52:56SJRA Responds to Post about SB 2126 Opening Door to River Mining
Best management practices for sand mining in many states say that miners should avoid clearing land until they’re ready to mine it. The roots of trees and grasses help stabilize soil during floods.
Barren land exposed to three 500-year storms. Vegetation not only binds the soil, it reduces the velocity of floodwaters, reducing the potential for erosion. Picture taken on 9/14/2017 two weeks after Hurricane Harvey.
Land Cleared, Then Three 500-Year Storms
However, on Caney Creek in Porter, a sand miner cleared 60 acres right before three 500-year storms in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Except for a tiny pond at the far end of this cleared area, no mining had occurred here when I took this photo shortly after Harvey.
With little vegetation to reduce the velocity of floodwaters, the miner lost sand from this area and a significant portion of his stockpile. Below is a closer shot of the stockpile.
34-acre stockpile suffered severe erosion during Harvey.
Sand Damage Downstream from Mine
Meanwhile, downstream from the mine, when Harvey’s floodwaters subsided, Kingwood residents found 30 acres of East End Park covered with sand, including this area that was once wetlands.
Eagle Point section of Kingwood’s East End Park. After Harvey, sand dunes replaced wetlands.
Extreme events like Harvey reveal the need for regulations that protect both miners and the public.
Restoring the trails in the park cost residents hundreds of thousands of dollars. Several months after the storm, trees covered by sand started dying and continue dying to this day. Eagles, other birds, and residents have lost valuable wetlands.
Bills to Regulate Sitting Idle
State Representative Dan Huberty introduced a bill that would establish best management practices for sand miners and another bill that would require miners in the San Jacinto watershed to follow them.
HB 909 calls for the TCEQ to adopt and publish best management practices for sand mines.
HB 1671 creates penalties for non-compliance with best practices defined under HB 909.
The legislature has taken no action on either bill since:
The Environmental Regulation Committee received HB 909 on 2/25/19.
The Natural Resources committee received HB 1671 on 3/4/19.
Time Running Out
With only 37 days left in this legislative session, hopes for both bills are quickly fading. If you would like to see them enacted, please email committee members:
602 Days since Hurricane Harvey with 37 Days Left in the Legislative Session
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Harvey-SanJac_374.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&ssl=113332000adminadmin2019-04-23 07:05:322019-04-26 10:52:40Earth Week Part 2: Clearing Land for Sand Mining
Quick, Inexpensive, New Idea for Hurricane Storm-Surge Protection
Jim Blackburn, the noted environmental lawyer and Rice professor, will hold a meeting to review new ideas on storm surge protection in and around Galveston Bay. If you or one of your loved ones works at one of the petrochemical plants or refineries near the Bay or Ship Channel – or if you use the Bay for recreation – you may be interested in this.
Quick, Inexpensive, Storm-Surge Solution
Piggybacking on Ship-Channel Widening
At the current time, the Port of Houston is trying hard to find a way to widen the Houston Ship Channel to allow two-way traffic. The SSPEED Center at Rice University has developed a hurricane flood protection plan that would utilize the dredged material created by the Port’s proposed widening project. The plan calls for building a 25-foot bay barrier system that would extend from Houston Point in Chambers County down the ship channel to a terminus at the Texas City hurricane protection levee system. It would combine flood protection with navigation enhancement along with recreational access to Galveston Bay, says Blackburn.
Storm Surge Meeting Details
Speakers at the meeting will explain this new opportunity. They will also provide an update on the Corps of Engineers planning process and an update from Texas A&M.
Time: 6:30 – 8 PM
Date: Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Place: San Jacinto College Central Campus
Music Building: Corbin Hall
Address: 8060 Spencer Highway, Pasadena, TX 77505
Important, but Not Covered by Flood Bond
“We in Harris County need protection from flooding coming in from Galveston Bay, just as we need protection from rainfall flooding,” says Blackburn. “The 2018 bond issue did not provide funding for surge protection. We must find concepts that work and ways to fund these concepts sooner rather than later or else we risk significant loss of life and homes, loss of our regional economic engine and the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history.”
Mark Calendar and Invite Friends
So mark your calendars for May 15. This public meeting is sponsored by Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia. This should be of particular interest/concern to anyone who works near the Houston Ship Channel or the eastern sections of the City of Houston. If you are concerned about this issue or the alternatives that might be chosen to address it, please come. And please let your friends know about the meeting too.
About Jim Blackburn
Jim Blackburn is a professor in the practice of environmental law in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rice University. He teaches courses in sustainable development and environmental law. He is also a practicing environmental lawyer with the Blackburn & Carter law firm in Houston and a Rice faculty scholar at the Baker Institute. At Rice, he serves as the co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disaster (SSPEED) Center.
Posted by Bob Rehak on April 24, 2019
603 Days since Hurricane Harvey
SJRA Responds to Post about SB 2126 Opening Door to River Mining
Letter to the Editor
RE: “Caution: SB 2126 Opens Door to Sand Mining in Rivers”
Bob,
Thank you for your work with Reduce Flooding to raise awareness about flooding and flood-related issues since Hurricane Harvey. You have done a tremendous job of helping to educate the public on the causes of flooding and providing status updates on current and future flood-related projects and initiatives. Regarding your April 25 post titled ““Caution: SB 2126 Opens Door to Sand Mining in Rivers,” I want to clarify what SB 2126 is and what it is not.
Director of Water Resources and Flood Management for the
San Jacinto River Authority
The concept behind SB 2126 is to create a proactive approach toward removing sediment from the river before it is deposited in Lake Houston. If you’ll recall the KBR report from 2000 noted “For long-term sediment management consideration, sedimentation basins, either on-channel or off-channel, are the most effective approach to minimizing sediment buildups and maintain the life of the channel conveyance.” That is what we are attempting to accomplish with this program.
The strategies and programs that could be implemented if SB 2126 is approved would not be river mining or dredging. Any kind of dredging (either hydraulic or mechanic) would be very limited in scope, allowing conservation and reclamation districts to restore conveyance in the rivers in a strategic location through small-scale, periodic, targeted removal of sediment in the river. This could be as large-scale as the current dredging project currently in progress, or as simple as the construction of sand traps that are dredged annually. Regardless, your point about oversight and management is well noted, and is a requirement for this program to be a success.
The San Jacinto River Authority has secured the support from the sand mining industry through the Texas Aggregates and Concrete Association to explore options to remove sand, gravel, shell, and other aggregates from the river—all without a cost to taxpayers. Ideally, the SJRA would be the public agency overseeing and managing the program, conducting the necessary studies, and coordinating with the appropriate state and federal agencies to determine where and how much material should be removed. Partners from the private sector could then remove the material as directed by SJRA.
After Hurricane Harvey, Governor Abbott tasked all of us with flood control and flood management. SB 2126 creates opportunities for public-private partnerships to help preserve the channel conveyance capacity of the San Jacinto River. As we know in the Lake Houston area, this sediment impedes the flow of storm water where the West Fork converges with Lake Houston.
Senator Creighton has led the effort to develop a flood resiliency funding bill in the Senate this legislative session (SB 7), and continues to seek other options to help create a regional flood management effort in the San Jacinto Basin. This bill would simply create another tool in our toolbox to help reduce potential flooding in the future.
As stewards of the San Jacinto River and its water supply, the SJRA supports Senator Creighton’s proactive approach to managing sediment in the river. We are trusted partners with the State of Texas, Harris County Flood Control District, and FEMA to execute $2.5B in flood control bond projects like the comprehensive San Jacinto Watershed Master Drainage Plan. We value our role as a community partner and appreciate the opportunity to further reduce the risk of flooding by providing oversight and management of this plan.
Chuck Gilman
Director of Water Resources and Flood Management
San Jacinto River Authority
For additional information on SJRA visit our website at www.sjra.netor like SJRA on Facebook
@SanJacintoRiverAuthority
Posted verbatim from SJRA letter by Chuck Gilman on 4/23/2019
602 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Earth Week Part 2: Clearing Land for Sand Mining
Best management practices for sand mining in many states say that miners should avoid clearing land until they’re ready to mine it. The roots of trees and grasses help stabilize soil during floods.
Land Cleared, Then Three 500-Year Storms
However, on Caney Creek in Porter, a sand miner cleared 60 acres right before three 500-year storms in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Except for a tiny pond at the far end of this cleared area, no mining had occurred here when I took this photo shortly after Harvey.
With little vegetation to reduce the velocity of floodwaters, the miner lost sand from this area and a significant portion of his stockpile. Below is a closer shot of the stockpile.
Sand Damage Downstream from Mine
Meanwhile, downstream from the mine, when Harvey’s floodwaters subsided, Kingwood residents found 30 acres of East End Park covered with sand, including this area that was once wetlands.
Extreme events like Harvey reveal the need for regulations that protect both miners and the public.
Restoring the trails in the park cost residents hundreds of thousands of dollars. Several months after the storm, trees covered by sand started dying and continue dying to this day. Eagles, other birds, and residents have lost valuable wetlands.
Bills to Regulate Sitting Idle
State Representative Dan Huberty introduced a bill that would establish best management practices for sand miners and another bill that would require miners in the San Jacinto watershed to follow them.
The legislature has taken no action on either bill since:
Time Running Out
With only 37 days left in this legislative session, hopes for both bills are quickly fading. If you would like to see them enacted, please email committee members:
House Environmental Regulation Committee
House Natural Resources Committee
Click here to see my top ten recommendations for sand mining practices that could reduce erosion. Each represents an opportunity for improvement relative to other states.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/23/2019
602 Days since Hurricane Harvey with 37 Days Left in the Legislative Session