This morning, I received a press release announcing that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) had approved the joint decision by the City of Houston and the San Jacinto River Authority to temporarily lower the level of Lake Conroe during the peak of hurricane season. The lake will be lowered by two feet from 201 mean feet about sea level (msl) to 199 msl between mid-August and the end of September. This will provide buffer against flooding while the Army Corps of Engineers removes excess sediment from the West Fork deposited by Hurricane Harvey that is exacerbating flooding. Because this has legal implications and the Lake Conroe Association fought the lowering, I’m reprinting the entire text of the press release below…with special thanks to Houston City Council Member Dave Martin, Mayor Sylvester Turner, and SJRA Board Members Kaaren Cambio and Mark Micheletti who lobbied long and hard for this. Also to all the Lake Houston and Lake Conroe residents who made the trek to testify about this issue to the SJRA board.
Text of Press Release
CITY AND SJRA RECEIVE APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH TEMPORARY FLOOD MITIGATION PROPOSAL FOR LAKE HOUSTON AND LAKE CONROE
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will use “enforcement discretion” if flood mitigation releases for Lake Houston and Lake Conroe exceed annual water rights
HOUSTON, TEXAS – Hurricane Harvey deposited tremendous amounts of silt in the West Fork of the San Jacinto River. The silt physically changed the river’s ability to safely pass flows during storms and created the need for a significant dredging project to restore the river’s capacity. As a temporary flood mitigation solution, the City of Houston and the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) proposed a temporary, joint reservoir operations strategy for Lake Houston and Lake Conroe. The temporary flood mitigation would be in place for up to two years or until the dredging project is completed.
The proposed strategy involves the pre-release of water from Lake Houston immediately prior to certain storms and the seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe’s water level during the Spring and Fall.
A significant hurdle to final consideration of the proposed temporary strategy was a decision by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on how releases of water from the two reservoirs would be “accounted for” by the state. TCEQ issues permits that limit how much water can be diverted each year from water supply reservoirs like Lake Houston and Lake Conroe.
The proposal from Houston and SJRA highlights the difficulty of balancing the state’s long-term need for reliable water supplies with the short-term goal of protecting public health and safety while emergency measures are implemented to reduce flood risks.
In a letter to the City of Houston and SJRA on Friday, June 15, 2018, the TCEQ expressed its intent to use enforcement discretion to allow the two agencies to move forward with finalizing their temporary flood mitigation strategy.
The letter states that “if flood mitigation releases . . . result in an exceedance of the annual permitted amounts for diversion or release by SJRA of the City of Houston, the TCEQ Executive Director will exercise enforcement discretion with respect to such exceedance.” The TCEQ’s decision acknowledges the importance of accounting for all diversions from the state’s water supply reservoirs, but it also recognizes the emergency nature of the flood mitigation work being conducted in the San Jacinto River.
The City of Houston and SJRA express their sincere appreciation to the leadership and staff at the TCEQ for their thoughtful consideration of the unique flood challenges that our region is facing. We look forward to finalizing the details of our proposed joint reservoir operations strategy. Additional details on the project including a timeline will be provided as they become available.
ABOUT HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS
Houston Public Works (www.HoustonPublicWorks.org) is responsible for streets and drainage, production and distribution of water, collection and treatment of wastewater, and permitting and regulation of public and private construction covering a 627-square mile service area. Houston Public Works is accredited by the American Public Works Association. Facebook & Twitter:@HoustonPWE
ABOUT SAN JACINTO RIVER AUTHORITY
Created by the Texas Legislature in 1937, the San Jacinto River Authority is a government agency whose mission is to develop, conserve, and protect the water resources of the San Jacinto River basin. Covering all or part of seven counties, the organization’s jurisdiction includes the entire San Jacinto River watershed, excluding Harris County. SJRA is one of two dozen river authorities in Texas, and like other river authorities, its primary purpose is to implement long-term, regional projects related to water management and development. For more information, visit www.sjra.net.
00adminadmin2018-06-17 10:16:372020-01-17 10:05:27TCEQ Approves SJRA and City Plan to Temporarily Lower Lake Conroe
Regular readers of this site will notice something new today – a top-level page that contains links to information about sand mining best practices.
The page features four categories of information about sand mining:
Best management practices from other states and countries
Academic articles and case studies
Texas laws and regulations
Observations
The material within each category ranges from easy-to-understand to for-experts-only. Descriptions beneath each link hint at the nature, content and authorship of the entry along with its degree of difficulty.
I hope to expand the page over time. If you know of additional valuable references, please send me links.
Knowledge: Your Best Defense
People who have closely followed the sand mining debate in the Lake Houston area know that the Texas Aggregate and Concrete Association and others have pushed back against this website.
Sand mine in Porter next to Caney Creek covers approximately 600 acres as of Hurricane Harvey. Kingwood’s East End Park, just downstream from here, had 30 acres covered with sand up to 10 feet high after Harvey.
I believe that such debate is healthy. I also believe that informed people can make better decisions about what’s in the public interest and their own self-interest.
Start with Louisiana
If you want to learn more, the Louisiana Best Management Practices represent a great place to start. Louisiana has geology, topology, weather, climate and vegetation much like ours. Beyond that, the document is clear, concise, well-illustrated and well researched…and balanced. It contains sections that explain why we need sand mining and how it’s done. It also contains good descriptions of the dangers. Then it describes best management practices and explains how they can help mitigate those dangers.
Similarities Around the World
As you explore best practices, notice their similarity throughout the world. Our problems are not unique.
Pay particular attention to recommendations pertaining to:
Setbacks from the river
Slopes of dikes
Location and protection of stockpiles
Vegetative ground cover
Buffer zones
Remediation
Erosion control
Huge Gaps Exist Between Desired, Required, and Actual Practices
Be mindful of the distinctions between desired, required and actual practices. Best practices lead to best outcomes. Required practices usually lead to minimally acceptable outcomes. Actual practices sometimes fall short of even those. That’s why I’ve also included the section on laws.
Statewide, sand mine operators received more than 600 fines for violations in the last five years.
After reviewing laws and best practices, browse through the aerial photos of sand mines on this site and ask yourself, “Are they complying with laws and observing the industry’s best management practices?”
If your answer is “No”, ask “Why?” And DEMAND answers.
Finding the Solution to Pollution
Sand comes at us from many sources, some natural and some man-made. We can’t stop nature, but we can stop harming ourselves.
Our lake and river are rapidly filling with sediment.
Drainage ditches are backing up into neighborhoods.
Water filtration costs are high.
Turbidity is high.
Oxygen in the water is low.
Recreation, boating and fishing are impaired.
Dredging will cost tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars.
Maintenance dredging will cost even more.
Demand Excellence, Not Just Compliance
We must hold the mines to the highest standards if they want a license to operate next to the source of drinking water for millions of people. Violations are simply not acceptable.
Also, any solution must acknowledge that this region is prone to repetitive flooding. We’ve had FIVE five-hundred year storms in the last 24 years (1994, 2001, 2015, 2016, 2017). During each, we also had huge releases from Lake Conroe that exacerbated flooding.
If mine design cannot withstand these types of events, we invite disaster. The most sediment transport happens during floods; it’s time we started planning for them.
How You Can Help
All of us are smarter than one of us. You may see things that I missed. Please review the aerial photos, best practices and laws. If you see opportunities for improvement, send them to me.
Example: Alaska, I noticed, discourages mining within 1000 feet of a public water source. Here, the sand mines operate right next to ours and even drive trucks through it.
Sand mines on the west fork of the San Jacinto adjacent to Kingwood. Note how close they are operating next to the source of our drinking water. Also note what appears to be a breach of the dike between the mine on the left and the river about two-third of the way up the left side of the photo. Photo taken after Harvey on 9/14/2017.
Sand mine on the West Fork of the San Jacinto adjacent to Kingwood. Industry best practices elsewhere discourage running vehicles through water sources. Here the operator built a road right through the river. Also notice the steepness of the dikes. Most best management practices recommend setting them back from the river, sloping them at 3:1 to 10:1 and planting them with vegetation such as grass to retard erosion.
Fresh sand deposits after Harvey coming out of the sand mines on the west fork of the San Jacinto adjacent to Kingwood. Note that the height of the dune is engulfing several medium sized trees on the right. Also note the road leading to the river on the left and machinery at work in an area unprotected by dikes.
Let’s compile of list of such observations, then start a dialog with the sand mining industry to encourage voluntary compliance with best practices and improve disaster planning.
Posted on 6/15/18 by Bob Rehak
Day 290 since Hurricane Harvey
00adminadmin2018-06-15 12:56:152018-06-16 12:02:17More About Sand Mining than You Ever Wanted to Know
The fast-approaching Harris County Flood Bond referendum scheduled for August 25 is forcing people to focus on their top mitigation priorities. The Flood Control District is actively soliciting community input on projects that we think are needed in this watershed.
Harris County includes 22 different watersheds within 1,756 square miles. Each watershed has its own independent flooding problems and presents unique challenges. We need to communicate with the District to ensure that:
Solutions for our area benefit the largest number of people possible
The language in the bond proposal, if adopted, would let the county address our needs
That’s why the County established a flood bond website and hotline. That’s also why County Judge Ed Emmett is meeting with Kingwood residents on July 10 at 6 pm at the Kingwood Community Center.
You can also click on the interactive map of the county’s bond program website. Zoom in on our area and start clicking on icons to reveal the location and details of projects.
Do those sound like your top priorities?
Would the current language in the bond proposal even allow the County to address your top priorities?
Here are four ideas that have been proposed for this area that could have a huge impact on flooding.
Four Important Projects
More river dredging. We must restore the velocity and carrying capacity of the entire river, not just a small portion of the West Fork and not just to pre-Harvey conditions. The Army Corps of Engineers is restoring a 2-mile stretch to pre-Harvey conditions. But we need to dredge deeper and further. And we need to do it on a regular basis. In 2000, Brown & Root recommended dredging and periodic maintenance as the best option they examined to mitigate flooding. Neither was ever done. That’s a huge part of the reason why we face increased flood risk today. Personally, I’d like to see the East and West Forks restored at least to their condition in the Year 2000.
Better ditch maintenance. Before Harvey, many of our drainage ditches became silted and clogged with fallen trees. Some, like Ben’s Branch, near the public library, still have islands and standing water in them. Keeping these ditches clear and free flowing should be a high priority. We must ensure water has a way to get to the river without spilling out of the ditches.
Does Language in Bond Proposal Support These Ideas?
Because the text is written for lawyers, by lawyers, I asked an expert to see if this language would allow the projects above to even be considered. One of the answers surprised me.
Dredging? Yes. Language allows “channel improvements” in cooperation with “City of Houston.”
Floodgates? Yes. Language allows “construction of improvements” in connection with “flood damage reduction” to “hold or convey storm water” in cooperation with “City of Houston.”
Upstream Detention? Yes. Language allows “purchasing lands, easements and rights of way” and constructing “detention basins” in “any county adjacent to Harris County.”
Ditch Maintenance? No. Language pertaining to maintenance was specifically taken out of this iteration of the proposal. HOWEVER…my expert pointed out this surprising twist. Currently, half of the Flood Control District’s $120 million budget is allocated to capital projects and about $20 million to maintenance other than mowing. If the bond proposal is approved, the $60 million currently allocated for capital improvements could be re-allocated to maintenance. That would almost quadruple the budget available for ditch maintenance. That extra money could be used to hire contractors to accelerate ditch repairs.
Speak now or forever hold your peace. Join the conversation. Please communicate your thoughts to Harris County Flood Control ASAP. The County is actively soliciting ideas for the bond proposal right now.
Remember, according the Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium, the Lake Houston area historically has received 0% of the region’s flood mitigation dollars, but sustained 14% of the region’s damage during Harvey. Let’s make sure we get our fair share of flood control dollars this time around and that they’re focused where they will do the most good.
Call 713-684-4107 or mail comments to 9900 Northwest Freeway, Houston, Texas 77092, ATTN: Bond Program Communications.
TCEQ Approves SJRA and City Plan to Temporarily Lower Lake Conroe
This morning, I received a press release announcing that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) had approved the joint decision by the City of Houston and the San Jacinto River Authority to temporarily lower the level of Lake Conroe during the peak of hurricane season. The lake will be lowered by two feet from 201 mean feet about sea level (msl) to 199 msl between mid-August and the end of September. This will provide buffer against flooding while the Army Corps of Engineers removes excess sediment from the West Fork deposited by Hurricane Harvey that is exacerbating flooding. Because this has legal implications and the Lake Conroe Association fought the lowering, I’m reprinting the entire text of the press release below…with special thanks to Houston City Council Member Dave Martin, Mayor Sylvester Turner, and SJRA Board Members Kaaren Cambio and Mark Micheletti who lobbied long and hard for this. Also to all the Lake Houston and Lake Conroe residents who made the trek to testify about this issue to the SJRA board.
Text of Press Release
CITY AND SJRA RECEIVE APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH TEMPORARY FLOOD MITIGATION PROPOSAL FOR LAKE HOUSTON AND LAKE CONROE
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will use “enforcement discretion” if flood mitigation releases for Lake Houston and Lake Conroe exceed annual water rights
HOUSTON, TEXAS – Hurricane Harvey deposited tremendous amounts of silt in the West Fork of the San Jacinto River. The silt physically changed the river’s ability to safely pass flows during storms and created the need for a significant dredging project to restore the river’s capacity. As a temporary flood mitigation solution, the City of Houston and the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) proposed a temporary, joint reservoir operations strategy for Lake Houston and Lake Conroe. The temporary flood mitigation would be in place for up to two years or until the dredging project is completed.
The proposed strategy involves the pre-release of water from Lake Houston immediately prior to certain storms and the seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe’s water level during the Spring and Fall.
A significant hurdle to final consideration of the proposed temporary strategy was a decision by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on how releases of water from the two reservoirs would be “accounted for” by the state. TCEQ issues permits that limit how much water can be diverted each year from water supply reservoirs like Lake Houston and Lake Conroe.
The proposal from Houston and SJRA highlights the difficulty of balancing the state’s long-term need for reliable water supplies with the short-term goal of protecting public health and safety while emergency measures are implemented to reduce flood risks.
In a letter to the City of Houston and SJRA on Friday, June 15, 2018, the TCEQ expressed its intent to use enforcement discretion to allow the two agencies to move forward with finalizing their temporary flood mitigation strategy.
The letter states that “if flood mitigation releases . . . result in an exceedance of the annual permitted amounts for diversion or release by SJRA of the City of Houston, the TCEQ Executive Director will exercise enforcement discretion with respect to such exceedance.” The TCEQ’s decision acknowledges the importance of accounting for all diversions from the state’s water supply reservoirs, but it also recognizes the emergency nature of the flood mitigation work being conducted in the San Jacinto River.
The City of Houston and SJRA express their sincere appreciation to the leadership and staff at the TCEQ for their thoughtful consideration of the unique flood challenges that our region is facing. We look forward to finalizing the details of our proposed joint reservoir operations strategy. Additional details on the project including a timeline will be provided as they become available.
ABOUT HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS
Houston Public Works (www.HoustonPublicWorks.org) is responsible for streets and drainage, production and distribution of water, collection and treatment of wastewater, and permitting and regulation of public and private construction covering a 627-square mile service area. Houston Public Works is accredited by the American Public Works Association. Facebook & Twitter:@HoustonPWE
ABOUT SAN JACINTO RIVER AUTHORITY
Created by the Texas Legislature in 1937, the San Jacinto River Authority is a government agency whose mission is to develop, conserve, and protect the water resources of the San Jacinto River basin. Covering all or part of seven counties, the organization’s jurisdiction includes the entire San Jacinto River watershed, excluding Harris County. SJRA is one of two dozen river authorities in Texas, and like other river authorities, its primary purpose is to implement long-term, regional projects related to water management and development. For more information, visit www.sjra.net.
More About Sand Mining than You Ever Wanted to Know
Regular readers of this site will notice something new today – a top-level page that contains links to information about sand mining best practices.
The page features four categories of information about sand mining:
The material within each category ranges from easy-to-understand to for-experts-only. Descriptions beneath each link hint at the nature, content and authorship of the entry along with its degree of difficulty.
I hope to expand the page over time. If you know of additional valuable references, please send me links.
Knowledge: Your Best Defense
People who have closely followed the sand mining debate in the Lake Houston area know that the Texas Aggregate and Concrete Association and others have pushed back against this website.
Sand mine in Porter next to Caney Creek covers approximately 600 acres as of Hurricane Harvey. Kingwood’s East End Park, just downstream from here, had 30 acres covered with sand up to 10 feet high after Harvey.
I believe that such debate is healthy. I also believe that informed people can make better decisions about what’s in the public interest and their own self-interest.
Start with Louisiana
If you want to learn more, the Louisiana Best Management Practices represent a great place to start. Louisiana has geology, topology, weather, climate and vegetation much like ours. Beyond that, the document is clear, concise, well-illustrated and well researched…and balanced. It contains sections that explain why we need sand mining and how it’s done. It also contains good descriptions of the dangers. Then it describes best management practices and explains how they can help mitigate those dangers.
Similarities Around the World
As you explore best practices, notice their similarity throughout the world. Our problems are not unique.
Pay particular attention to recommendations pertaining to:
Huge Gaps Exist Between Desired, Required, and Actual Practices
Be mindful of the distinctions between desired, required and actual practices. Best practices lead to best outcomes. Required practices usually lead to minimally acceptable outcomes. Actual practices sometimes fall short of even those. That’s why I’ve also included the section on laws.
After reviewing laws and best practices, browse through the aerial photos of sand mines on this site and ask yourself, “Are they complying with laws and observing the industry’s best management practices?”
If your answer is “No”, ask “Why?” And DEMAND answers.
Finding the Solution to Pollution
Sand comes at us from many sources, some natural and some man-made. We can’t stop nature, but we can stop harming ourselves.
Demand Excellence, Not Just Compliance
We must hold the mines to the highest standards if they want a license to operate next to the source of drinking water for millions of people. Violations are simply not acceptable.
Also, any solution must acknowledge that this region is prone to repetitive flooding. We’ve had FIVE five-hundred year storms in the last 24 years (1994, 2001, 2015, 2016, 2017). During each, we also had huge releases from Lake Conroe that exacerbated flooding.
If mine design cannot withstand these types of events, we invite disaster. The most sediment transport happens during floods; it’s time we started planning for them.
How You Can Help
All of us are smarter than one of us. You may see things that I missed. Please review the aerial photos, best practices and laws. If you see opportunities for improvement, send them to me.
Sand mines on the west fork of the San Jacinto adjacent to Kingwood. Note how close they are operating next to the source of our drinking water. Also note what appears to be a breach of the dike between the mine on the left and the river about two-third of the way up the left side of the photo. Photo taken after Harvey on 9/14/2017.
Sand mine on the West Fork of the San Jacinto adjacent to Kingwood. Industry best practices elsewhere discourage running vehicles through water sources. Here the operator built a road right through the river. Also notice the steepness of the dikes. Most best management practices recommend setting them back from the river, sloping them at 3:1 to 10:1 and planting them with vegetation such as grass to retard erosion.
Fresh sand deposits after Harvey coming out of the sand mines on the west fork of the San Jacinto adjacent to Kingwood. Note that the height of the dune is engulfing several medium sized trees on the right. Also note the road leading to the river on the left and machinery at work in an area unprotected by dikes.
Let’s compile of list of such observations, then start a dialog with the sand mining industry to encourage voluntary compliance with best practices and improve disaster planning.
Posted on 6/15/18 by Bob Rehak
Day 290 since Hurricane Harvey
Update on County Flood Bond Status and Some Proposed Projects
The fast-approaching Harris County Flood Bond referendum scheduled for August 25 is forcing people to focus on their top mitigation priorities. The Flood Control District is actively soliciting community input on projects that we think are needed in this watershed.
Harris County includes 22 different watersheds within 1,756 square miles. Each watershed has its own independent flooding problems and presents unique challenges. We need to communicate with the District to ensure that:
That’s why the County established a flood bond website and hotline. That’s also why County Judge Ed Emmett is meeting with Kingwood residents on July 10 at 6 pm at the Kingwood Community Center.
Harris County Flood Control Bond Page at https://www.hcfcd.org/bond-program/.
Here is the current list of projects included in the Bond Proposal. Scroll down to page 7 to see those associated with the San Jacinto Watershed as of 6/1/18.
You can also click on the interactive map of the county’s bond program website. Zoom in on our area and start clicking on icons to reveal the location and details of projects.
Here are four ideas that have been proposed for this area that could have a huge impact on flooding.
Four Important Projects
Does Language in Bond Proposal Support These Ideas?
Here is the the most recent iteration of the language in the County Flood Bond Proposal. Matt Zeve, Director of Operations for the Flood Control District said he expects several more minor changes before the text gets locked down.
Because the text is written for lawyers, by lawyers, I asked an expert to see if this language would allow the projects above to even be considered. One of the answers surprised me.
What are Your Top Priorities?
What do you think would help the most? According to Community Impact, County Judge Ed Emmett said the county hopes to have a final list of projects to share with the public by Aug. 1. Early voting will begin on Aug. 8. Thus, you have only six weeks to influence the project list if you want to.
Give the County Your Thoughts
Speak now or forever hold your peace. Join the conversation. Please communicate your thoughts to Harris County Flood Control ASAP. The County is actively soliciting ideas for the bond proposal right now.
Remember, according the Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium, the Lake Houston area historically has received 0% of the region’s flood mitigation dollars, but sustained 14% of the region’s damage during Harvey. Let’s make sure we get our fair share of flood control dollars this time around and that they’re focused where they will do the most good.
Also, please mark your calendar. Come to the meeting with Judge Ed Emmett at the Kingwood Community Center on July 10 from 6 to 8 pm. Learn more about the bond proposal and give the Judge your feedback directly. Bring everyone in your neighborhood!
Posted by Bob Rehak 6/14/2018
289 days since Hurricane Harvey