Houston City Council Member Dave Martin’s office issued the following release today re: the lowering of Lake Houston in advance of storm warnings for the weekend. Some people anticipated additional lowering for a lake that had already been lowered due to maintenance. The City will NOT lower the lake. Here’s what’s happening and why.
Lake Houston Not Releasing Any Water
Houston, TX – Council Member Dave Martin would like to make Lake Houston Area residents aware that he has not requested any lowering of Lake Houston since October of 2018. In February, the lake was lowered by one foot to 41.5 feet, allowing for spillway dam repairs, which was a Houston Public Works maintenance project. After repairs were completed the lake was to be naturally refilled to its normal pool elevation of 42.5 feet during the month of March through regular rain events.
Unseasonably Dry March
This March was unseasonably dry which did not allow for the lake to refill as quickly as expected. On April 1, 2019, Lake Conroe began their seasonal release of water to Lake Houston which will result in the release of one foot of water to Lake Houston, bringing Lake Houston back to normal pool elevation of 42.5 feet by the end of the month. The release from Lake Conroe must be controlled and systematic. To monitor the seasonal release you can visit the San Jacinto River Authority’s website here.
Harvey filled the lagoon by the popular boardwalk at River Grove with sand and silt. With Lake Houston lowered for dam repairs, you can see exactly how much sediment was deposited. KSA discussed two options for this area: dredging when the Corps completes its work or turning it into wetlands. Which would you prefer?
Council Member Martin has requested that no additional water be released from Lake Houston during this upcoming weekend’s rain event. The holding of any water received due to rain this weekend will assist in speeding up the refill process for Lake Houston. The current level of Lake Houston is 41.5 feet, which is one foot below its normal level.
To observe Lake Houston water levels please visit the Coastal Water Authority website here.
Unnecessary Release
During last weekend’s inclement weather Council Member Martin advised Houston Public Works that an additional release of water from Lake Houston was NOT necessary due to the lake already being low. However, Houston Public Works without the direction from Council Member Martin released an additional six inches of water on Friday, April 5 from Lake Houston.
Upon notification from Houston Public Works, which occurred after hours over the weekend, that an additional release had been conducted, Council Member Martin immediately requested the closure of all gates at Lake Houston in an effort to stop the unnecessary release of water. We appreciate resident’s patience as our office works diligently with Houston Public Works to improve communication with residents regarding the operations of Lake Houston.
Martin Calls for Improved Communication and Formal Protocol
As a result of this failure in communication by Houston Public Works, our office has requested the department provide a formal protocol to our office so that we may share with the community. As in the past during inclement weather situations, which predict more than three inches of rain in the San Jacinto Watershed, our office will provide at least 48 hour notification to residents. This advance notification will allow time to secure boats and other water vehicles. For more information please contact the District E office by calling (832) 393-3008 or by emailing DistrictE@houstontx.gov.
Posted by Bob Rehak on April 11, 2019
590 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Dredging-3.27.19_8-1.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500adminadmin2019-04-11 20:14:142019-04-11 20:20:31Why Lake Houston is NOT Releasing Water Despite Approaching Storm
Kingwood photographer and kayaker Emily Murphy has done it again. With her eagle eye, she spotted yet another eagle’s nest. This one is east of the stream that divides the Kingwood Country Club from Romerica property.
This nest clearly has two eaglets in it. Here you can see them both.
Two eaglets in nest on Kingwood Country Club Property immediately adjacent to the property where Romerica wants to build its high-rise marina. Photo by Emily Murphy.
It usually takes 10-12 weeks for bald eagles to leave the nest. However, fledglings then often stay around learning from their parents and honing their flying and feeding skills for another 1-2 months. Their heads gradually turn white over a period of up to five years.
Eaglet tests its wings on the edge of the nest. Photograph courtesy of Emily Murphy.
Emily got out of her kayak to examine the area below the nest. She found droppings and bones, both clear signs of feeding in the nest.
Bone below eagle’s nest on golf course. If anyone recognizes what type of bone this is, please contact me through this web site.Photograph courtesy of Emily Murphy.
Romerica’s Wish Comes True
The Romerica developers said they hoped someone would find eagles near their property at their March 18 meeting at the Kingwood Community Center; they got their wish. Now we will see how sincere they were.
Eagles can live up to 30 years and often return to the same nest year after year. They even build multiple nests in the same area, like the one Emily photographed from the river a couple weeks ago ON the Romerica property.
Please note: this is even closer than the nest I photographed in January. Texas Parks and Wildlife defines bald eagle habitat protection zones spreading outward from the nest. They prohibit certain construction activities within defined distances. Almost the entire Romerica property would fall within some kind of protection zone around this nest.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/10/19
589 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/DSC06214.jpg?fit=1929%2C1579&ssl=115791929adminadmin2019-04-10 19:55:332019-04-10 19:56:15Emily Murphy Photographs Active Eagle Nest Next to Romerica Property
I drove through my village this week and saw ten homes in desperate need of help. More than 18 months after Harvey, some families still have not finished repairing their homes. Worse, some still have not started. On the positive side, some fully repaired their homes within three months. Why such an uneven recovery?
As I talk to people, their stories take many forms, but they usually involve some combination of five things: cash, contractors, confidence, quality and delayed aid.
More than 18 months after Harvey, most of the townhomes along Marina Drive “still stand.” Although clearly uninhabitable, buyouts are still not complete and only two units have been taken down. Before Harvey these homes flooded repeatedly.
Cash is King
In a disaster, such as Harvey, ready cash trumps everything. Those without insurance or the savings of a Bill Gates felt Harvey’s sting first. Many people compared repairing a flooded home without insurance to the unplanned purchase of a second home – out of pocket. Not many can afford that, especially younger people who stretched to cover the mortgage on their first home.
On the other hand, those who could afford to pay contractors weekly – in cash – got attention. Those who could not, did not. Their contractors showed up between faster paying jobs.
Available Pool of Quality Contractors
Of course, the available pool of quality contractors limited the pace of recovery. Some so-called “contractors” decided to get into the contracting business the day after Harvey. They picked up unskilled labor when and where they could find it. Their customers/victims, desperate for help, accepted bad contracts and argued constantly about substandard workmanship and materials. They felt re-victimized at every turn. They just could not get the results they expected. I’ve heard of some fly-by-night contractors who skipped town with deposits. The more common story? Do-overs and endless punch lists created delays that cost months…not to mention cash that couples didn’t have.
Those who found good, reputable, experienced contractors (and there are many) found a lifeline to sanity. Generally, they quickly returned to beautiful homes…some in just three or four months.
Quality
Some people decided to sit out Round One of renovation. Rather than fight for quality contractors and materials, they decided to wait until supply caught up with demand. They started after the con men moved on to Florida or North Carolina or the wildfires. They paid a price in inconvenience for many months. But many are now finishing up restoration and moving back into beautifully restored and updated homes – without appliances from scratch-and-dent sales.
Confidence in Recovery
I know one lady who lost her husband to cancer shortly before Harvey. Already in a state of shock, her home next flooded badly. As time went on, it became clear that she deeply, deeply feared getting flooded again. Many older people fell into this category. Even though she is a very strong woman, the fear paralyzed her in some ways.
She could not afford to restore her home twice on one income. So she waited … to see when government officials would begin mitigation efforts. Passage of the Harris County Flood Bond on the anniversary of Harvey gave her hope. She began restoration after waiting a year.
Then came perceived delays in starting the projects, followed by debate about where the County would start. Stress precipitated cardiac problems. Now she has even more worries. Sadly, the stress hospitalized her.
Lack of confidence in recovery efforts can create a downward spiral just as in a recession. However, confidence in recovery efforts can reverse that. Confidence is especially crucial for vulnerable populations, such as the retired, sick, widows or those with low incomes.
Delayed Aid
Delayed aid means delayed starts. It comes in many forms:
Insurance adjusters who itemized everything rather than accepting IRS-approved, per-square-foot guidelines
Adjusters who move from disaster to disaster for higher paying jobs leaving Harvey clients in the lurch
Insurance companies that argued endlessly
HUD money showing up 18-months after the disaster
Buyout offers that come long after people have already repaired and moved back into their homes
A rainy-day fund that turned out to be anything but that for 18 months
Cities that don’t or can’t budget for disasters
Having to apply for grants to quality for matching grants
Filling out a state application for the right to fill out a federal application
Deserving people who made just enough money to get shuffled into low-priority categories for aid while the government sought to “fill up” quotas in higher priority (low income) categories
Federal dollars appropriated by Congress that still haven’t shown up
Studies that can add three to four years to the timetable for any flood mitigation project.
This list is far from complete. However, it explains why some repairs and mitigation projects happened right away and other efforts have not yet begun.
Things Government Can Influence
At the March 21st town hall meeting in Kingwood, Congressman Dan Crenshaw addressed the need to streamline government business processes to accelerate flood mitigation and aid. This certainly is a daunting task, but a noble and necessary one.
If he can do it, he will help tens of millions of people – not just Harvey survivors, but also survivors of disasters that haven’t yet happened.
Accelerating aid so that people can get back to normal sooner is crucial to restoring the psychological health of the community as well as its image.
Confidence in the certainty of aid and mitigation helps restore optimism in the future. It encourages people to invest in repairing homes quickly, rather than waiting to see what government will do.
Most people are more than willing to do their part if government does its.
There are not many un-repaired homes in the Lake Houston Area as of this writing. But there are enough to make buyers wonder. What happened here? Why? Could it happen again? Could it happen to me? And until those doubts disappear, home values and tax revenues will continue to be less than what they could be.
Posted by Bob Rehak on April 9, 2019
588 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/SJR_299_017.jpg?fit=1800%2C1200&ssl=112001800adminadmin2019-04-09 21:00:032019-04-09 21:00:43Uneven Recovery from Harvey: A Story of Cash, Contractors, Quality, Confidence, and Delayed Aid
Why Lake Houston is NOT Releasing Water Despite Approaching Storm
Houston City Council Member Dave Martin’s office issued the following release today re: the lowering of Lake Houston in advance of storm warnings for the weekend. Some people anticipated additional lowering for a lake that had already been lowered due to maintenance. The City will NOT lower the lake. Here’s what’s happening and why.
Lake Houston Not Releasing Any Water
Houston, TX – Council Member Dave Martin would like to make Lake Houston Area residents aware that he has not requested any lowering of Lake Houston since October of 2018. In February, the lake was lowered by one foot to 41.5 feet, allowing for spillway dam repairs, which was a Houston Public Works maintenance project. After repairs were completed the lake was to be naturally refilled to its normal pool elevation of 42.5 feet during the month of March through regular rain events.
Unseasonably Dry March
This March was unseasonably dry which did not allow for the lake to refill as quickly as expected. On April 1, 2019, Lake Conroe began their seasonal release of water to Lake Houston which will result in the release of one foot of water to Lake Houston, bringing Lake Houston back to normal pool elevation of 42.5 feet by the end of the month. The release from Lake Conroe must be controlled and systematic. To monitor the seasonal release you can visit the San Jacinto River Authority’s website here.
Council Member Martin has requested that no additional water be released from Lake Houston during this upcoming weekend’s rain event. The holding of any water received due to rain this weekend will assist in speeding up the refill process for Lake Houston. The current level of Lake Houston is 41.5 feet, which is one foot below its normal level.
To observe Lake Houston water levels please visit the Coastal Water Authority website here.
Unnecessary Release
During last weekend’s inclement weather Council Member Martin advised Houston Public Works that an additional release of water from Lake Houston was NOT necessary due to the lake already being low. However, Houston Public Works without the direction from Council Member Martin released an additional six inches of water on Friday, April 5 from Lake Houston.
Upon notification from Houston Public Works, which occurred after hours over the weekend, that an additional release had been conducted, Council Member Martin immediately requested the closure of all gates at Lake Houston in an effort to stop the unnecessary release of water. We appreciate resident’s patience as our office works diligently with Houston Public Works to improve communication with residents regarding the operations of Lake Houston.
Martin Calls for Improved Communication and Formal Protocol
As a result of this failure in communication by Houston Public Works, our office has requested the department provide a formal protocol to our office so that we may share with the community. As in the past during inclement weather situations, which predict more than three inches of rain in the San Jacinto Watershed, our office will provide at least 48 hour notification to residents. This advance notification will allow time to secure boats and other water vehicles. For more information please contact the District E office by calling (832) 393-3008 or by emailing DistrictE@houstontx.gov.
Posted by Bob Rehak on April 11, 2019
590 Days after Hurricane Harvey
Emily Murphy Photographs Active Eagle Nest Next to Romerica Property
Kingwood photographer and kayaker Emily Murphy has done it again. With her eagle eye, she spotted yet another eagle’s nest. This one is east of the stream that divides the Kingwood Country Club from Romerica property.
This nest clearly has two eaglets in it. Here you can see them both.
It usually takes 10-12 weeks for bald eagles to leave the nest. However, fledglings then often stay around learning from their parents and honing their flying and feeding skills for another 1-2 months. Their heads gradually turn white over a period of up to five years.
Emily got out of her kayak to examine the area below the nest. She found droppings and bones, both clear signs of feeding in the nest.
Romerica’s Wish Comes True
The Romerica developers said they hoped someone would find eagles near their property at their March 18 meeting at the Kingwood Community Center; they got their wish. Now we will see how sincere they were.
Eagles can live up to 30 years and often return to the same nest year after year. They even build multiple nests in the same area, like the one Emily photographed from the river a couple weeks ago ON the Romerica property.
Please note: this is even closer than the nest I photographed in January. Texas Parks and Wildlife defines bald eagle habitat protection zones spreading outward from the nest. They prohibit certain construction activities within defined distances. Almost the entire Romerica property would fall within some kind of protection zone around this nest.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/10/19
589 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Uneven Recovery from Harvey: A Story of Cash, Contractors, Quality, Confidence, and Delayed Aid
I drove through my village this week and saw ten homes in desperate need of help. More than 18 months after Harvey, some families still have not finished repairing their homes. Worse, some still have not started. On the positive side, some fully repaired their homes within three months. Why such an uneven recovery?
As I talk to people, their stories take many forms, but they usually involve some combination of five things: cash, contractors, confidence, quality and delayed aid.
More than 18 months after Harvey, most of the townhomes along Marina Drive “still stand.” Although clearly uninhabitable, buyouts are still not complete and only two units have been taken down. Before Harvey these homes flooded repeatedly.
Cash is King
In a disaster, such as Harvey, ready cash trumps everything. Those without insurance or the savings of a Bill Gates felt Harvey’s sting first. Many people compared repairing a flooded home without insurance to the unplanned purchase of a second home – out of pocket. Not many can afford that, especially younger people who stretched to cover the mortgage on their first home.
On the other hand, those who could afford to pay contractors weekly – in cash – got attention. Those who could not, did not. Their contractors showed up between faster paying jobs.
Available Pool of Quality Contractors
Of course, the available pool of quality contractors limited the pace of recovery. Some so-called “contractors” decided to get into the contracting business the day after Harvey. They picked up unskilled labor when and where they could find it. Their customers/victims, desperate for help, accepted bad contracts and argued constantly about substandard workmanship and materials. They felt re-victimized at every turn. They just could not get the results they expected. I’ve heard of some fly-by-night contractors who skipped town with deposits. The more common story? Do-overs and endless punch lists created delays that cost months…not to mention cash that couples didn’t have.
Those who found good, reputable, experienced contractors (and there are many) found a lifeline to sanity. Generally, they quickly returned to beautiful homes…some in just three or four months.
Quality
Some people decided to sit out Round One of renovation. Rather than fight for quality contractors and materials, they decided to wait until supply caught up with demand. They started after the con men moved on to Florida or North Carolina or the wildfires. They paid a price in inconvenience for many months. But many are now finishing up restoration and moving back into beautifully restored and updated homes – without appliances from scratch-and-dent sales.
Confidence in Recovery
I know one lady who lost her husband to cancer shortly before Harvey. Already in a state of shock, her home next flooded badly. As time went on, it became clear that she deeply, deeply feared getting flooded again. Many older people fell into this category. Even though she is a very strong woman, the fear paralyzed her in some ways.
She could not afford to restore her home twice on one income. So she waited … to see when government officials would begin mitigation efforts. Passage of the Harris County Flood Bond on the anniversary of Harvey gave her hope. She began restoration after waiting a year.
Then came perceived delays in starting the projects, followed by debate about where the County would start. Stress precipitated cardiac problems. Now she has even more worries. Sadly, the stress hospitalized her.
Lack of confidence in recovery efforts can create a downward spiral just as in a recession. However, confidence in recovery efforts can reverse that. Confidence is especially crucial for vulnerable populations, such as the retired, sick, widows or those with low incomes.
Delayed Aid
Delayed aid means delayed starts. It comes in many forms:
This list is far from complete. However, it explains why some repairs and mitigation projects happened right away and other efforts have not yet begun.
Things Government Can Influence
At the March 21st town hall meeting in Kingwood, Congressman Dan Crenshaw addressed the need to streamline government business processes to accelerate flood mitigation and aid. This certainly is a daunting task, but a noble and necessary one.
Accelerating aid so that people can get back to normal sooner is crucial to restoring the psychological health of the community as well as its image.
Confidence in the certainty of aid and mitigation helps restore optimism in the future. It encourages people to invest in repairing homes quickly, rather than waiting to see what government will do.
Most people are more than willing to do their part if government does its.
There are not many un-repaired homes in the Lake Houston Area as of this writing. But there are enough to make buyers wonder. What happened here? Why? Could it happen again? Could it happen to me? And until those doubts disappear, home values and tax revenues will continue to be less than what they could be.
Posted by Bob Rehak on April 9, 2019
588 Days since Hurricane Harvey