The Galveston District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Branch announced today public comments were forwarded to Romerica Investments, LLC, regarding permit application SWG-2016-00384 for a project in Kingwood, Texas.
Poster of Commercial District displayed by Romerica at Kingwood Public Meeting on 3/18/2019
Thirty Days from March 28
“We appreciate the time and effort of those concerned to meet the extended deadline,” said Elizabeth Shelton, a USACE Galveston District Regulatory project manager. “We have forwarded the public notice comments received to the applicant for response by letter dated 28 March 2019. The applicant has 30 days from the date of the letter to respond to the comments received.”
That means Romerica has until April 27 to respond to the hundreds of letters written by concerned residents and environmental groups. At this point, that means they have 24 days left to respond.
Discharge of Fill into Wetlands and Streams
Shelton said the Corps Regulatory Division’s role, in this permit application, is to evaluate, under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the proposed activity, the discharge of fill material into waters of the U.S., and the compliance of this proposed activity with other Federal laws, as applicable.
“The Division is evaluating the discharge of 68,323 cubic yards of fill material into 42.35 acres of wetlands and an estimated 285 cubic yards of fill material into 771 linear feet of streams adjacent to the West Fork of the San Jacinto River,” said Shelton.
The initial close of comment period was January 29. Corps Regulatory Division officials made the decision to allow for 30 additional days which extended the comment period to March 1.
Romerica will be giving a brief presentation at the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce BizCom meeting, on Thursday, April 4th, , 11 a.m., at Kingwood Park High School. Ms. Leah Manlove Howard, CMC, Chief Strategy Officer, VP and Program Chair of the American Advertisers Federation – Houston; and Michelle Hundley, President & CEO, Stratus Consulting will deliver the Heron Project Update, according to the Chamber.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/3/2019
582 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Herons.jpg?fit=1500%2C2000&ssl=120001500adminadmin2019-04-02 22:08:222019-04-02 22:09:10Next Countdown Clock Starts Ticking for Romerica’s High-Rise Development in Kingwood
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, more than 10,000 rescue missions were conducted, $125 billion worth of damage was reported, and more 700,000 residents registered for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance. The storm caused so much property damage, that the damage to people’s health has largely been overlooked. Documenting that damage has been the goal of the Hurricane Harvey Registry and Rice University in collaboration with many local government, environmental and health care leaders.
Key Findings of Hurricane Harvey Registry
Their first report issued in February, 2019, reflects the input of almost 10,000 respondents. Among this self-selected sample:
44% experienced flooded homes
55% had damaged homes
34% had vehicle damage
43% lost electricity
41% lost income
Almost half lost the use of their homes for 20 weeks. Sixty-five percent had to live among piles of trash for seven weeks; that’s the average time it took to clear piles.
People who experienced flooding were at risk for exposure to sewage, toxic chemicals, and other hazardous substances. Lack of knowledge, proper cleaning materials, and protective gear increased health risk. Exposure to mold, bacteria and toxins have been linked to new and worsening respiratory conditions.
Most Common Physical Maladies
Among the physical symptoms people showed:
50% complained of runny noses
26% experienced headaches or migraines
23% had problems concentrating
20% had shortness of breath
10% experienced skin rash.
People who lived in homes during cleanup reported much higher incidences of these problems than those who lived with relatives or somewhere else.
From page 9 of the Hurricane Harvey Registry Report. Share your Harvey experience at HarveyRegistry.rice.edu.
Psychological Aspects Revealed by Hurricane Harvey Registry
Property loss and damage correlate highly with poor mental health among hurricane survivors. Unemployment, physical illness or injury, and housing insecurity related to hurricanes have also been linked to mental health problems.
37% of respondents reported difficulty sleeping “sometimes or always”
33% reported feeling “numb” sometimes or always
30% reported dreaming about the flood sometimes or always
The report explores many other psychological dimensions of the aftermath.
Interestingly, psychological reactions to natural disasters occur in waves of emotional highs and lows. They take place well beyond the event’s anniversary and reveal an inability to put the storm behind them.
Difficulty of Putting Past Behind
Compared to those who didn’t flood, people who DID flood were almost THREE times more likely to say they OFTEN:
“..tried not to think about it.”
…”had waves of strong feelings about it.”
“…thought about it when I didn’t mean to.” Or…
“Other things kept making me think about it.”
They were FIVE times more likely to say that they were aware that “I still had a lot of feelings about it, but I didn’t deal with them.”
Unmet Needs Revealed by Study
Researchers hope their work will help the region better understand and identify gaps in air quality regulations and help devise better intervention efforts aimed at addressing asthma within the state.
They also note that mental health services remain a significant need for the entire region. “Oftentimes, in the aftermath of traumatic stress,” they say, “it can take months for mental health conditions to manifest.”
Long-term displacement, financial challenges, and adverse health effects all contribute to anxiety, stress, persistent headaches, and other mental health related symptoms.
The researchers request that if you have not registered already, please make sure to visit HarveyRegistry.rice.edu. If you have friends, family, or neighbors in the region who have not registered, please make sure to share the link with them.
To view the full list of more than 50 researchers and sponsors who contributed to the Hurricane Harvey Registry project, download the full report.
Posted by Bob Rehak on April 2, 2019
581 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Screen-Shot-2019-04-02-at-4.02.45-PM-copy.jpg?fit=1500%2C935&ssl=19351500adminadmin2019-04-02 17:41:002019-04-02 17:43:45How Harvey Affected Houstonians Physically and Mentally
On April 1, The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) began releasing water from Lake Conroe at a slow, controlled rate to help guard against flooding this spring. This is the first of two seasonal lowering periods scheduled this year.
Details of Lowering Policy
From April 1 to May 31, SJRA will lower Lake Conroe one foot from 201 to 200 msl (mean feet above sea level).
During the peak of hurricane season, from August 1 to September 30th, SJRA will lower the lake two feet to 199 msl.
If the lake level has already dropped to the target elevation due to evaporation, no additional releases would be made.
If a storm enters the forecast while seasonal releases are being made, releases would be stopped until rainfall is out of the forecast to avoid overloading the downstream watershed.
Yesterday, SJRA began releasing water at the rate of about 375 cubic feet per second (cfs). This rate is slow enough that it will not flood downstream communities, yet fast enough that, over time, it will give Lake Conroe extra capacity to absorb heavy, spring rains.
On April 1, the SJRA began lowering the level of Lake Conroe by 345 cubic feet per second.
“We should not forget that the Tax Day and Memorial Day floods both happened in the spring,” said Chuck Gilman, SJR’s Director of Water Resources and Flood Management.
Gilman emphasized that the seasonal lowering strategy is temporary while downstream communities address their own flood mitigation strategies such as dredging and additional gates for Lake Houston. Dredging will help restore conveyance of the San Jacinto river. Gates will increase the release rate of Lake Houston. Increasing the release rate is important for two main reasons:
The gates on Lake Houston have one fifteenth the release rate of Lake Conroe’s, creating a bottleneck – 150,000 cfs for Lake Conroe; 10,000 cfs for Lake Houston.
Pre-releasing water from Lake Houston in advance of a storm can take days. A storm can easily veer away during that time, resulting in wasted water. The long lead time significantly raises the level of that risk. More gates will enable the Coastal Water Authority to release water faster and reduce that risk.
Gates on the Lake Conroe Dam can release water 15X faster than the small gates on Lake Houston’s Dam.
Pressure Mounting on Board as Board Changes
During last February’s SJRA board meeting, the board voted to continue the lowering policy, which it began in 2018. However, lowering Lake Conroe has encountered pushback from boat owners who complain about the inconvenience. Board member Brenda Cooper voted against the lowering. All other board members who were present voted to continue it.
However, the board has seven directors and the terms of three will expire this year. As pressure mounts on the board and board members change, the seasonal lowering policy could be in jeopardy.
Mitigation Projects Also Pressured
All the more reason to dredge the mouth bar on the West Fork NOW! By the time Phase 1 is completed, it will have taken 15 months. But six months of that was surveying, bidding, and mobilizing the job. If FEMA and the Corps authorized dredging the mouth bar today, it could be completed before next spring. That would reduce the need to lower Lake Conroe again next year.
Stephen Costello, the City of Houston’s Chief Recovery Officer, speaking at a Kingwood Town Hall Meeting on March 21, said it could take 3 years to add 10 additional gates to Lake Houston. That was the best case. Others have previously estimated it could take 10 years.
It’s unlikely that residents of Lake Conroe would tolerate seasonal lowering of their lake for 3 more years, let alone ten. The longer flood mitigation takes, the more pushback we can expect. That’s yet another reason why we need to accelerate mitigation projects.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/2/2019
581 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Screen-Shot-2019-04-02-at-9.42.29-AM-copy.jpg?fit=1200%2C743&ssl=17431200adminadmin2019-04-02 08:39:162020-01-17 10:01:04SRJA Begins Seasonal Lowering of Lake Conroe to Provide Buffer Against Flooding
Next Countdown Clock Starts Ticking for Romerica’s High-Rise Development in Kingwood
The Galveston District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Branch announced today public comments were forwarded to Romerica Investments, LLC, regarding permit application SWG-2016-00384 for a project in Kingwood, Texas.
Thirty Days from March 28
“We appreciate the time and effort of those concerned to meet the extended deadline,” said Elizabeth Shelton, a USACE Galveston District Regulatory project manager. “We have forwarded the public notice comments received to the applicant for response by letter dated 28 March 2019. The applicant has 30 days from the date of the letter to respond to the comments received.”
That means Romerica has until April 27 to respond to the hundreds of letters written by concerned residents and environmental groups. At this point, that means they have 24 days left to respond.
Discharge of Fill into Wetlands and Streams
Shelton said the Corps Regulatory Division’s role, in this permit application, is to evaluate, under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the proposed activity, the discharge of fill material into waters of the U.S., and the compliance of this proposed activity with other Federal laws, as applicable.
“The Division is evaluating the discharge of 68,323 cubic yards of fill material into 42.35 acres of wetlands and an estimated 285 cubic yards of fill material into 771 linear feet of streams adjacent to the West Fork of the San Jacinto River,” said Shelton.
The initial close of comment period was January 29. Corps Regulatory Division officials made the decision to allow for 30 additional days which extended the comment period to March 1.
The notice can be viewed at: https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Media/Public-Notices/Article/1722068/swg-2016-00384-romerica-investments-llc-west-fork-of-the-san-jacinto-river-harr/
Romerica At BizCom
Romerica will be giving a brief presentation at the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce BizCom meeting, on Thursday, April 4th, , 11 a.m., at Kingwood Park High School. Ms. Leah Manlove Howard, CMC, Chief Strategy Officer, VP and Program Chair of the American Advertisers Federation – Houston; and Michelle Hundley, President & CEO, Stratus Consulting will deliver the Heron Project Update, according to the Chamber.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/3/2019
582 Days since Hurricane Harvey
How Harvey Affected Houstonians Physically and Mentally
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, more than 10,000 rescue missions were conducted, $125 billion worth of damage was reported, and more 700,000 residents registered for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance. The storm caused so much property damage, that the damage to people’s health has largely been overlooked. Documenting that damage has been the goal of the Hurricane Harvey Registry and Rice University in collaboration with many local government, environmental and health care leaders.
Key Findings of Hurricane Harvey Registry
Their first report issued in February, 2019, reflects the input of almost 10,000 respondents. Among this self-selected sample:
Almost half lost the use of their homes for 20 weeks. Sixty-five percent had to live among piles of trash for seven weeks; that’s the average time it took to clear piles.
People who experienced flooding were at risk for exposure to sewage, toxic chemicals, and other hazardous substances. Lack of knowledge, proper cleaning materials, and protective gear increased health risk. Exposure to mold, bacteria and toxins have been linked to new and worsening respiratory conditions.
Most Common Physical Maladies
Among the physical symptoms people showed:
People who lived in homes during cleanup reported much higher incidences of these problems than those who lived with relatives or somewhere else.
Psychological Aspects Revealed by Hurricane Harvey Registry
Property loss and damage correlate highly with poor mental health among hurricane survivors. Unemployment, physical illness or injury, and housing insecurity related to hurricanes have also been linked to mental health problems.
The report explores many other psychological dimensions of the aftermath.
Interestingly, psychological reactions to natural disasters occur in waves of emotional highs and lows. They take place well beyond the event’s anniversary and reveal an inability to put the storm behind them.
Difficulty of Putting Past Behind
Compared to those who didn’t flood, people who DID flood were almost THREE times more likely to say they OFTEN:
They were FIVE times more likely to say that they were aware that “I still had a lot of feelings about it, but I didn’t deal with them.”
Unmet Needs Revealed by Study
Researchers hope their work will help the region better understand and identify gaps in air quality regulations and help devise better intervention efforts aimed at addressing asthma within the state.
They also note that mental health services remain a significant need for the entire region. “Oftentimes, in the aftermath of traumatic stress,” they say, “it can take months for mental health conditions to manifest.”
Long-term displacement, financial challenges, and adverse health effects all contribute to anxiety, stress, persistent headaches, and other mental health related symptoms.
The researchers request that if you have not registered already, please make sure to visit HarveyRegistry.rice.edu. If you have friends, family, or neighbors in the region who have not registered, please make sure to share the link with them.
To view the full list of more than 50 researchers and sponsors who contributed to the Hurricane Harvey Registry project, download the full report.
Posted by Bob Rehak on April 2, 2019
581 Days since Hurricane Harvey
SRJA Begins Seasonal Lowering of Lake Conroe to Provide Buffer Against Flooding
On April 1, The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) began releasing water from Lake Conroe at a slow, controlled rate to help guard against flooding this spring. This is the first of two seasonal lowering periods scheduled this year.
Details of Lowering Policy
If the lake level has already dropped to the target elevation due to evaporation, no additional releases would be made.
If a storm enters the forecast while seasonal releases are being made, releases would be stopped until rainfall is out of the forecast to avoid overloading the downstream watershed.
For the complete text of the SJRA’s seasonal lowering policy, click here.
Rationale for Seasonal Lowering
Yesterday, SJRA began releasing water at the rate of about 375 cubic feet per second (cfs). This rate is slow enough that it will not flood downstream communities, yet fast enough that, over time, it will give Lake Conroe extra capacity to absorb heavy, spring rains.
Gilman emphasized that the seasonal lowering strategy is temporary while downstream communities address their own flood mitigation strategies such as dredging and additional gates for Lake Houston. Dredging will help restore conveyance of the San Jacinto river. Gates will increase the release rate of Lake Houston. Increasing the release rate is important for two main reasons:
Pressure Mounting on Board as Board Changes
During last February’s SJRA board meeting, the board voted to continue the lowering policy, which it began in 2018. However, lowering Lake Conroe has encountered pushback from boat owners who complain about the inconvenience. Board member Brenda Cooper voted against the lowering. All other board members who were present voted to continue it.
However, the board has seven directors and the terms of three will expire this year. As pressure mounts on the board and board members change, the seasonal lowering policy could be in jeopardy.
Mitigation Projects Also Pressured
All the more reason to dredge the mouth bar on the West Fork NOW! By the time Phase 1 is completed, it will have taken 15 months. But six months of that was surveying, bidding, and mobilizing the job. If FEMA and the Corps authorized dredging the mouth bar today, it could be completed before next spring. That would reduce the need to lower Lake Conroe again next year.
Stephen Costello, the City of Houston’s Chief Recovery Officer, speaking at a Kingwood Town Hall Meeting on March 21, said it could take 3 years to add 10 additional gates to Lake Houston. That was the best case. Others have previously estimated it could take 10 years.
It’s unlikely that residents of Lake Conroe would tolerate seasonal lowering of their lake for 3 more years, let alone ten. The longer flood mitigation takes, the more pushback we can expect. That’s yet another reason why we need to accelerate mitigation projects.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/2/2019
581 Days since Hurricane Harvey