As of Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, at 10:15 a.m., the Porter Dam had turned into the Porter Trench. Excavation of the undersized culvert continued.
Hopefully, their removal, will eliminate flooding like you see below after the 4.5 inch rain we had on Dec. 7.
Flooding on East Knox in Porter near Loop 494 after a 4.5″ rain on December 7th. Caused by an undersized culvert that backed water up for blocks. Photo courtesy of Mike Eberle.
Mike Eberle of Mike’s Hobby Shop on East Knox sent me these pics at the end of Saturday. They show the progress that the crew made during the day.
Downstream trench at end of Saturday. Photo courtesy of Mike Eberle. Mid-trench at end of Saturday. Photo courtesy of Mike Eberle.Upstream end of trench at end of day on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Mike Eberle.
It’s unclear at this time whether workers will install a larger culvert or just eliminate the Road to Nowhere altogether. I will continue to follow the story.
Street flooding, such as this blockage caused, can devastate homes and businesses every bit as much as river flooding. It only takes an inch of water to cause months worth of repair work.
This morning I learned of several more instances of tragic street flooding in Porter near Sorters Road. Apparently a broken or collapsed storm drain flooded the homes below repeatedly. Montgomery County has not fixed the drain despite repeated pleas from homeowners.
One home owner, a retired Marine, flooded five times in five years. His neighbors, a middle aged couple, flooded ten times in ten years.
Street flooding caused by another bad culvert. Photo courtesy of Tammy Gunnels.
The couple invested more than a quarter million dollars trying to flood-proof their home and virtually wiped out their life savings.
Let’s hope Montgomery County fixes that drain soon…as fast as TexDoT jumped on the Porter Dam problem.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/22, 2018
480 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Porter-DamPorterDam_1_01.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500adminadmin2018-12-22 14:43:412024-09-07 15:52:21Porter Dam Rapidly Becoming Porter Trench
Mike Eberle (owner of Lakeside Plumbing, Mike’s Hobby Shop, and Gulf Coast Raceway) and his son led the fight to have the Porter Dam removed. Mike’s son, a contractor, contacted TexDoT, showed them Mike’s pictures of the flooding, and TexDoT responded. By this afternoon, I found workmen with a backhoe and bulldozer removing blacktop and earth.
I could not tell whether the workers represented TexDoT or the owners of the property. They were not eager to talk to me while I had a camera. Their truck had no logo.
Backhoe begins removing the blockage that flooded several blocks of homes and businesses.
Regardless, the good news is that they are removing the Porter Dam. I will follow up again later if the job doesn’t get done.
But for now, it looks like Christmas has come early to the people of Porter, thanks to the efforts of Mike Eberle and his son. And this gift is so big, it won’t fit under the tree.
A much-happier Mike Eberle, in his hobby shop on East Knox Drive in Porter in front of his collection of miniature trains.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/21/2018
479 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Porter-DamPorterDam_5_01.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500adminadmin2018-12-21 15:38:182018-12-21 15:38:25Christmas Comes Early to Porter Dam Flood Victims
I’ve posted dozens of times about the dangers of mining in floodways. A local canoeist, Don Harbour, Jr., paddled down the West Fork of the San Jacinto twice during the last flood. He says he saw three breaches in one sand mine. The water was moving too fast to get pictures of all three, he says, but he did manage to get several shots. They eloquently illustrate the dangers of mining so close to the river.
Harbour, Jr. says he paddled by this mine on Saturday, December 8, and noticed water rushing into it.
River breaching into mine. Photo courtesy of Don Harbour, Jr.
The following Wednesday, December 12, he paddled down the river again and saw the reverse.
Sand mine sending sediment into river as flood went down. Photo courtesy of Don Harbour, Jr.
On that same trip, he photographed the owners frantically trying to plug the leaks in dangerous conditions.
Repairs to other breaches. Photo courtesy of Don Harbour, Jr.
Altogether, Harbour, Jr. says he saw three breaches in one mine in one week.
I have seen video of a fourth breach at the same mine last August. It appeared as though it was created with a backhoe. Six months later, the TCEQ says it is still investigating the August breach.
When Pro Business Means No Business, It’s Time to Rethink Mining in Floodways
Breaches allow the escape of sand and silt. They contribute to the buildup of sediment dams in the river. Those then contribute to downstream flooding.
When a rain that averaged only 5 inches across the watershed breaches the dike of one mine three times in one week, it’s time to rethink mining in floodways.
Such dangerous business practices can reduce growth.
The growth rate in the Humble ISD this past year dropped from 6% to 1% due to flooding, in part, caused by sedimentation.
44% of the businesses in the Lake Houston Chamber were damaged or destroyed during Harvey.
100% of the businesses in Kingwood Town Center and Kings Harbor were damaged or destroyed.
Move Miners Back from River
We don’t want to drive miners out of state; we just need them to move out of the floodway.
We don’t allow unsafe vehicles on the road. Why do we allow unsafe mining on the river?
Here’s the dike of another mine farther upriver. I took this picture shortly after Harvey. But the same dike breached again during the July 4th flood this year.
Sand mines on the West Fork come right up to the river where floodwaters repeatedly breach dikes.
Texas is the only state that has no minimum setbacks of mines from rivers. In contrast, Alaska allows no mining within 1,000 feet of a public water source. Other states and countries establish erosion hazard zones taking into account factors such as:
Many geologists and engineers believe erosion hazard zones represent a safer approach to determining setbacks.
Posted by Bob Rehak on December 21, 2018
479 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Harbour3.jpg?fit=750%2C587&ssl=1587750adminadmin2018-12-21 06:00:272018-12-21 06:18:21Sand Mine Dike Breached 3 Times in 1 Week During Minor Flood
Porter Dam Rapidly Becoming Porter Trench
Two days ago, I posted about the “Porter Dam.” The dam was actually an undersized culvert under a road to nowhere that backed water up for blocks. After the December 7th rain, dozens of properties flooded. Yesterday, demolition of the offending culvert started. The demo gave residents an early Christmas present. I went by there again this morning to check the progress. I saw this.
As of Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, at 10:15 a.m., the Porter Dam had turned into the Porter Trench. Excavation of the undersized culvert continued.
Hopefully, their removal, will eliminate flooding like you see below after the 4.5 inch rain we had on Dec. 7.
Mike Eberle of Mike’s Hobby Shop on East Knox sent me these pics at the end of Saturday. They show the progress that the crew made during the day.
It’s unclear at this time whether workers will install a larger culvert or just eliminate the Road to Nowhere altogether. I will continue to follow the story.
Street flooding, such as this blockage caused, can devastate homes and businesses every bit as much as river flooding. It only takes an inch of water to cause months worth of repair work.
This morning I learned of several more instances of tragic street flooding in Porter near Sorters Road. Apparently a broken or collapsed storm drain flooded the homes below repeatedly. Montgomery County has not fixed the drain despite repeated pleas from homeowners.
The couple invested more than a quarter million dollars trying to flood-proof their home and virtually wiped out their life savings.
Let’s hope Montgomery County fixes that drain soon…as fast as TexDoT jumped on the Porter Dam problem.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/22, 2018
480 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Christmas Comes Early to Porter Dam Flood Victims
Chalk one up for the little folks. Yesterday I wrote a post about someone who built a Road to Nowhere across a drainage ditch along Loop 494, creating the Porter Dam. An tiny culvert under the road backed water up into properties blocks away. It flooded homes, businesses and a church after the rain on December 7th.
Mike Eberle (owner of Lakeside Plumbing, Mike’s Hobby Shop, and Gulf Coast Raceway) and his son led the fight to have the Porter Dam removed. Mike’s son, a contractor, contacted TexDoT, showed them Mike’s pictures of the flooding, and TexDoT responded. By this afternoon, I found workmen with a backhoe and bulldozer removing blacktop and earth.
I could not tell whether the workers represented TexDoT or the owners of the property. They were not eager to talk to me while I had a camera. Their truck had no logo.
Regardless, the good news is that they are removing the Porter Dam. I will follow up again later if the job doesn’t get done.
But for now, it looks like Christmas has come early to the people of Porter, thanks to the efforts of Mike Eberle and his son. And this gift is so big, it won’t fit under the tree.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/21/2018
479 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Sand Mine Dike Breached 3 Times in 1 Week During Minor Flood
I’ve posted dozens of times about the dangers of mining in floodways. A local canoeist, Don Harbour, Jr., paddled down the West Fork of the San Jacinto twice during the last flood. He says he saw three breaches in one sand mine. The water was moving too fast to get pictures of all three, he says, but he did manage to get several shots. They eloquently illustrate the dangers of mining so close to the river.
Harbour, Jr. says he paddled by this mine on Saturday, December 8, and noticed water rushing into it.
The following Wednesday, December 12, he paddled down the river again and saw the reverse.
On that same trip, he photographed the owners frantically trying to plug the leaks in dangerous conditions.
Altogether, Harbour, Jr. says he saw three breaches in one mine in one week.
I have seen video of a fourth breach at the same mine last August. It appeared as though it was created with a backhoe. Six months later, the TCEQ says it is still investigating the August breach.
When Pro Business Means No Business,
It’s Time to Rethink Mining in Floodways
Breaches allow the escape of sand and silt. They contribute to the buildup of sediment dams in the river. Those then contribute to downstream flooding.
When a rain that averaged only 5 inches across the watershed breaches the dike of one mine three times in one week, it’s time to rethink mining in floodways.
Such dangerous business practices can reduce growth.
Move Miners Back from River
We don’t want to drive miners out of state; we just need them to move out of the floodway.
Here’s the dike of another mine farther upriver. I took this picture shortly after Harvey. But the same dike breached again during the July 4th flood this year.
Texas is the only state that has no minimum setbacks of mines from rivers. In contrast, Alaska allows no mining within 1,000 feet of a public water source. Other states and countries establish erosion hazard zones taking into account factors such as:
Many geologists and engineers believe erosion hazard zones represent a safer approach to determining setbacks.
Posted by Bob Rehak on December 21, 2018
479 Days since Hurricane Harvey