Kelly Callahan is a retired widow who loves fishing, kayaking and living near nature. That’s why she bought a home near the San Jacinto West Fork. Callahan accepted the flood risk. However, she didn’t expect that the man who bought the sand mine behind her wooded lot would partially drain the dredge pond into the river. Where a small creek flows across part of her property, the sudden drop in the pond’s elevation triggered what geomorphologists call “headcut erosion.”
About Headcut Erosion
Headcut erosion happens where flowing water reaches an abrupt, near-vertical drop. The falling water scours the base, causing the overhanging soil and plant roots to collapse. That forces the “waterfall” to rapidly migrate upstream. In Kelly’s case, it could soon threaten her home. Instead of fixing the sand-pit dike, the mine’s new owner has offered to buy the widow’s land for below-market value. I talked with her at length about her situation and options. But first, some pictures that illustrate what happened.
#1: Satellite image as of 12/23with full sand-pit pondbehind Callahan’s home.#2: January 2026. The breach is now real and level of pond has dropped precipitously.#3 Breach is virtually twice as tall as man.Note excavator that created breach in upper left.#4: Meanwhile, the ephemeral creek flowing across Callahan’s land has downcut to the new level of the pond.
#5: 12-second video from inside the treeline shows attempt to slow erosion by owner of former mine. Recent heavy rains blew out the tarp and erosion continues.
Impact on Widow
Rehak: You investigated this property pretty thoroughly before buying it.
Callahan: Yes, I even talked to the sand-mine foreman. Never on God’s green earth did I think that somebody would purchase it and then lower the pond and cause all of this damage.
Rehak: What did the new owner do?
Callahan: He hired someone to cut through the dike surrounding the mine. He said it was to prevent flooding the homeowners on our street. But the dike completely blew out and 10-20 feet of water from the pond went downstream with a tremendous amount of sand.
Breach still not repaired as of 6/20/26
Rehak: You were dealing with some medical issues at the time?
Callahan: I had horrible sciatica and could barely walk. So, I couldn’t see what was going on back there until recently.
Rehak: What happened when he saw all the damage he caused?
Callahan: He started coming to me and saying “It’s eroding back there. You need to get some fill and fix it.
Rehak: Did you?
Callahan: No. He caused the problem.
Rehak: What happened the other day when you got 4.5 inches of rain in a few hours?
Callahan’s home in foreground. Note creek, bottom left, flowing toward pond near top.
Callahan: He showed up unannounced and trudged back to his pond. When he came back, he said, “Kelly, we got a $100,000 problem now. You didn’t put any fill back there.” I said, “That’s a band-aid and I’m not going to do it. It’s just going to erode again.”
Rehak: What did he say to that?
Kelly Callahan looking wistfully toward erosion on back of her property.
Callahan: He said, “As far as I can tell, in two and a half years, it’s going to be all the way up to your house.” (At this point, Callahan breaks down into tears.) “It’s already travelled over a hundred feet. My guess is that it’s already 20% of the way to your house.” And again he asked, “Did you ever get someone with heavy equipment to come out and give you a quote?”
Note how far erosion has cut into her back yard.
Rehak: You talked to Montgomery County Engineering instead.
Callahan: Right. Every department I talked to advised me why I shouldn’t. Had I been band-aiding this, I would have been fined by the MoCo permitting office. They were requiring me to hire an engineer and get a permit. The new owner of the former mine has the same problems.
Rehak: It doesn’t sound like you’re responsible for this. Headcut erosion happens when there’s an abrupt drop in a stream bed. That happened when the mine owner cut through the berm and lowered his pond. He created a miniature waterfall migrating upstream. That’s why they call it headcut.
Callahan: My son thinks he’s just trying to get my property on the cheap.
Despite the erosion and permitting issues, Callahan tries to keep smiling and enjoying the beauty that remains around her.
Rehak: Where do you go from here?
Callahan: I don’t want to move back to the suburbs. After being out here, you can’t really go back to that. I cry every day. It breaks my heart.
Callahan kayaking on the creek in her own backyard during happier times.
Posted By Bob Rehak on 6/21/26
3218 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/DSC_5438.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2026-06-21 14:38:132026-06-21 15:21:32Sand-Mine Breach Triggers Erosion Threatening Widow’s Home
10/30/25 – San Jacinto Preserve (aka Scarborough Development) presented new plans yesterday to the City of Houston District E Council Member Fred Flickinger and Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, PE, for the development of 5,316 acres most of which is in floodplains or floodways. The land lies where Spring Creek, Cypress Creek, Turkey Creek and the San Jacinto West Fork converge south of the Grand Parkway.
Meeting in Response to City’s Request for More Information
Council Member Flickinger and Commissioner Ramsey both had requested the City Planning Commission to defer approval of the new development by taking it off their consent agenda on 10/16/25 until the City could learn more.
General plan submitted to Houston Planning Commission didn’t show much detail.
In response, the District E office said the developer presented these two pages at the followup meeting on 10/29/25.
The first looks somewhat like a paisley shirt. The new plans show where homes and detention basins would be built, but they omit floodplain/floodway boundaries, streets and wetlands.
Note that the new plan still shows a proposed corridor for Townsen Road, which was taken off the Montgomery County 2025 Road Bond. It also shows a bridge across Spring Creek which Commissioner Ramsey previously (and strenuously) objected to.
The developer also presented the following summary sheet, designed to allay concerns. It says that out of the total 5,316 acres, only 2,012 are “intended” for development. 550 acres are set aside for detention and floodplain mitigation. And 2,754 acres are not “intended” for development – 52% of the total tract. See the pie chart below. Then compare the percentages to the map above.
My eye sees less green than gray in the map above. But the irregular shapes make it difficult to precisely quantify percentages. So, judge for yourself.
Troubling, Vague Language
The developer also presented this summary sheet along with the new plans.
Note that the Summary Sheet above uses words such as “intended,” “proposed,” and “limited.” They should raise red flags. They convey promises without legal obligations and beg for explanation that isn’t given.
But there may be an even bigger problem in the Summary Sheet. The developer claims it’s using updated flood maps. However, they don’t show the extent of floodplains and floodways. Nor do they show the difference between the existing and as-yet-unreleased new maps.
And note the reference to “wetlands mitigation credits.” That means they’re mitigating the wetlands they destroy, but doing it somewhere else, i.e., not on this site. So the mitigation may or may not help people in Humble, Kingwood and the Lake Houston Area. It all depends on where the credits are.
LONO References Demand Elaboration
The “LONO” references in the Summary Sheet stand for Letters of No Objection. They imply approval but mean something entirely different.
“LONO” is a formal statement issued by a regulatory authority to indicate that it has no objection to a proposed action, activity, or project — provided certain conditions are met and no specific approval is required under existing rules.
For instance, Harris County Flood Control District issued the LONO for a bridge across Spring Creek without seeing any plans. Such letters serve as an assurance during the early stages of a project that the regulator does not see a regulatory barrier. However, the letter does not relieve the applicant of responsibility for compliance with other requirements or liabilities that may arise.
I have not yet obtained a copy of the Montgomery County LONO, but have filed a FOIA request.
Much Green Space Could Not Be Developed Anyway
While the “52% green space” claim sounds like a concession to preservation and safety concerns, City of Houston regulations already prohibit building in floodplains and floodways without significant restrictions. And this land is almost ALL floodways and floodplains.
Floodplains shown by Ryko (the previous owner) in their drainage analysis.
Restrictions include:
Elevation of the first finished floor 2 feet above the 500-year flood elevation
Construction on stilts/piers to allow water to flow under the home without constricting the flow of water
A floodplain development permit
Flood insurance.
Such restrictions raise the price of building in such areas while lowering the demand, making development – and home ownership – much riskier.
From FEMA’s Base Flood Elevation Viewer.
At the southern end of the area, builders would have to raise homes 27.1 feet to comply with City of Houston regulations…if they could get a permit.
“Like Aiming a Fire Hose at Kingwood”
One of the most respected hydrologists in the region told ReduceFlooding.com that if that area got developed, it would be like “aiming a fire hose at Kingwood and Humble.”
But the letter objecting to the study’s conclusions was later rescinded after it came under fire from MoCo Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack. Noack was subsequently voted out of office by his constituents. The letter cited a “sincere concern for the safety of the public.” The risk of development was just too high, it said.
Leading Preservation Group Has Better Plan
The Bayou Land Conservancy, one of the leading conservation groups in the area, issued the following statement today after reviewing the plans above.
“Bayou Land Conservancy believes that the highest and best use of this entire tract is conservation that protects upstream and downstream communities from flooding, while preserving the quality of our drinking water.”
“Although the developer currently plans to set aside 52% of the available land with ‘no future plans of development,’ conservation easements would act as permanent protection of those areas and give the nearby community an assurance that they would remain green space forever.”
I couldn’t agree more. Just a mile downstream on the San Jacinto West Fork, townhomes in Forest Cove were flooded to the third floor. And some were swept off their foundations.
Forest Cove Townhome destroyed by Harveyone mile downstream from proposed developmenton West Fork.
Rather than make the public pay handsomely to buy out such properties after they flood, why not just keep the area natural?
The entire proposed development is laced with wetlands which act as natural sponges during floods.Proposed development photographed from a helicopter flying over the West Fork on 6/22/25.
All those trees create friction that reduces the speed of floodwaters coming into the Humble/Kingwood area. Removing them would increase the velocity of floodwaters that have already swept homes off their foundations.
Leaving this land natural would avoid future home damages and mitigation costs altogether. At a much lower cost to the public and unsuspecting home buyers.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/30/25
2984 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
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8/29/25 – Eight years ago today, the Lake Houston Area woke up to the dawn of a disaster. During the previous day and night, the San Jacinto River rose 22 feet above flood stage at US59.
Looking S toward Humble at the US59 bridge under swollen West Fork San Jacinto
It swept several townhomes in Forest Cove off their foundations. And destroyed all the rest for blocks around.
Forest Cove Townhome destroyed by Harvey.
Rising floodwaters eventually claimed the lives of 15 people in the Kingwood area – 12 of them in a senior center more than a mile from the river.
Residents trying to escape Kingwood Village Estates as Harvey’s floodwaters rose
Harvey was not a single day event. It lasted the better part of a week. Different areas fell to its driving rains and howling winds at different times.
The Lake Houston Area bore the brunt of not only the storm, but water funneled downstream from an area 50% larger than Harris County itself.
Watershed Map of the San Jacinto River Basin
That included a massive 79,000 cubic feet per second from Lake Conroe, the largest release ever by the SJRA.
Where more than 400,000 Cubic Feet Per Second came from.
Before It Was All Over…
16,000 homes and 3,300 businesses in the Lake Houston Area flooded.
Multiply this times 16,000
Damage included 44% of all businesses in the Lake Houston Chamber and 100% of all businesses in Kingwood’s Town Center.
Harvey Flood in Kings Harbor. Photo by Sally Geis.
Kingwood High School flooded to the second floor. Thousands of students would be bussed to another high school for a year.
Kingwood High School during Harvey.
The flood also destroyed thousands of cars. The owners parked many of them on higher ground that they thought was safe.
Flood damaged cars hauled to a holding facility near Bush Intercontinental Airport
Displaced families shuffled from one safe haven to another as the floodwaters spread.
Sally Geis Harvey Rescue. From a condo near the river, she evacuated up West Lake Houston Parkway. Kingwood Town Center in background.
Neighborhoods turned into islands, like lily pads, as rising water cut off evacuation routes for those who waited too long.
Two and a quarter miles north of the West Fork, Carolanne Norris took this shot as she and her family hiked to safety on Valley Manor. Shot is looking back down Woods Estates.
Raging currents damaged the West Lake Houston Parkway Bridge. They also wiped out the UnionPacific bridge which they had to completely rebuild.
Repair work underway on the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge that parallels US59.
Rushing floodwaters also destroyed the southbound US59 bridge.
US59 during Harvey. Photo by Melinda Ray.
TXDoT spent almost a year repairing the southbound lanes. Their supports were weakened by scouring.
Southbound lanes of I-69 bridge took almost a year to rebuild.
Grocery stores? Restaurants? Gone. People lived on Igloo cooler cuisine, potato chips and granola bars.
Whataburger in the new HEB shopping center during flooding from Hurricane Harvey.Photo courtesy of John Knoezer.Humble shopping area near US59 and Townsen
Communications? Knocked out.
Electricity? Gone. For days or weeks in some cases. Gas stations couldn’t pump gas. Forget about air conditioning. People gutted homes in sweltering heat.
Photo by Kendall Taft: “Two feet of sheetrock removal, with floors covered in drywall muck.” Atascocita Shores.
Mountains of discarded family treasures littered streets for weeks as looters pillaged the community.
Families lived in campers and RVs or with friends for months while restoring homes.
Home, Home on the Driveway! The Slaughter family lived in a trailer for almost 9 months as they gutted and restored their home.Slaughter’s House. Gutted to the studs.
Troubles Just Beginning
But the hardest part was still to come: understanding why all this destruction happened and determining what could be done to prevent it from happening again. And finally, organizing politically to build the solutions.
We would soon discover that as much as we were united by disaster, we were also divided by recovery. That would become the dawn of a another disaster. But more on that in a future post.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/29/25with thanks to the hundreds of people who have contributed pictures
2922 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Harvey-at-59-Bridge-IMG_3686-e1741129570215.jpeg?fit=1100%2C685&ssl=16851100adminadmin2025-08-29 15:36:232025-08-29 22:13:08Dawn of a Disaster: Harvey Remembered
8/28/25 – NOAA’s Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program (SCIPP) just published its annual report. It includes new research findings on three key elements of tropical systems: a lengthening tropical season, stalling storms, and tropical cyclone size at landfall.
SCIPP publishes fascinating reports tailored to the south central region of the U.S. including Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana.
The government/university partnership conducts research to understand climate hazard trends and patterns that are useful to decision makers. The information below is summarized from their annual report.
Tropical Season Lengthens 16 days
SCIPP analysis of Atlantic hurricane season length from 1970 to 2022 found that storms are forming increasingly earlier AND later in the season. In 1970, the first named storm formed around July 27th. However, by 2022, the date shifted to around May 31st. That represents an increase of season length of 11 days per decade … just on the front end.
On the back end, in 1970, the last named storm dissipated around October 24th. However, in 2022, the last storm dissipated around November 18th. This represents a roughly 5-day per decade shift, say the researchers.
“While improvements in observational practices raised some concerns about data quality,” they say, “our results suggest that the primary driver of season expansion is the earlier onset and prolonged persistence of favorable conditions for tropical cyclones, such as warm sea surface temperatures, elevated humidity, and reduced wind shear.”
The researchers recommend that the National Hurricane Center consider moving the start of hurricane season to May 15th to heighten awareness of these early season storms. They have presented their work widely within the scientific community. For more information, see Dr. Vincent Brown’s virtual presentation to the Inland Marine Underwriters Association.
Stalling Storms Increasing 1.5% Per Year
SCIPP researchers also found seasonality in stalling storms. Stalling is most common in October (17.3% of storms) and least common in August (8.2%).
Their analysis showed a significant increase in annual stalling frequency during the satellite era (1966–2020) at 1.5% per year.
They also found an increase in the proportion of stalling storms relative to all storms.
SCIPP 2024-2025 Annual Report
Stalling storms were also significantly more likely to reach major-hurricane intensity.
These findings have been presented to stakeholders, academic audiences, and emergency managers to help them better prepare for future stalling events in vulnerable regions.
“Size at Landfall” Increasing Later in Season
The third featured project was a database of tropical cyclone size at landfall.
Size at landfall is critical in determining the extent and severity of storm impacts.
SCIPP 2024-2025 Annual Report
Accurate size data allows emergency managers, planners, and policymakers to better estimate potential exposure, improve evacuation planning, allocate resources, and design infrastructure that accounts for the full spatial footprint of storms. Their database supports:
Enhanced risk assessments
Insurance modeling
Building codes
Long-term coastal planning.
The analysis found no statistically significant long-term change in size at landfall, However, it did find that:
Parts of the season—particularly September through November—exhibited larger landfall sizes compared to other months.
Average landfall size was comparable between the Gulf of Mexico and the East Coast.
Size did not differ significantly across Category 1–4 storms.
Implications of the Three Studies
SCIPP says that collectively, these three studies highlight the “critical need to better understand tropical cyclone characteristics that directly affect coastal populations.”
The researchers hope to translate their scientific findings into actionable guidance for emergency management, infrastructure planning, and long-term community resilience.
The annual report also contains fascinating findings by leading academic institutions in the region on:
Hazard mitigation in areas without hazard mitigation planning capabilities
Heat stress and football-game kickoff times
Impacts of fiscal decentralization on Disaster Risk Reduction
Climate migration
Case studies
Workshop and intern opportunities
More
SCIPP’s theme is “Planning for Long-Term Change in a Short-Term World.” To learn more about their excellent work and conferences, or to sign up for their newsletters, visit SouthernClimate.org.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/28/2025
2921 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/TS-Harvey-8-30-17-209.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=17681024adminadmin2025-08-28 19:29:022025-08-28 19:41:24SCIPP Research Sheds New Light on Key Elements of Tropical Systems
8/18/25 – The Montgomery County (MoCo) water war has produced a number of unintended casualties in the last decade. They include:
Water ratepayers
Flood victims
Conroe’s reputation as the fastest growing large city in America
Developers
Area infrastructure
Homeowners living near fault lines
Neighbors in Harris County
Groundwater storage capacity to help the area bridge droughts
Science
Unfortunately, those who profited from excessive groundwater withdrawals aren’t the ones paying the price.
Subsidence problems in southern Montgomery County – once thought to be solved by the San Jacinto River Authority’s (SJRA) Groundwater Reduction Plan (GRP) – have recurred. And despite settlement of a long running lawsuit on 8/14/25, there’s still plenty of hurt to go around.
How It All Started
To comply with the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District‘s (LSGCD) rules to reduce groundwater pumping in Montgomery County, the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) introduced its Groundwater Reduction Plan (GRP) in 2009. The plan addressed the need to ensure adequate water supply for the county’s rapidly growing population using surface water from Lake Conroe.
The LSGCD’s rules, adopted in 2006, mandated a 30% reduction in overall groundwater pumping. In 2010, LSGCD also capped groundwater use, starting in 2016, at 64,000 acre-feet per year.
That gave the SJRA time to sell bonds, complete a half-billion dollar surface-water-treatment plant at Lake Conroe, and build a 55-mile pipeline-distribution system.
Then, the water war erupted.
Defectors Undermine Success
When water rates went up to pay for surface water, the City of Conroe, City of Magnolia, Quadvest, and Woodlands Oaks sued to get out of their GRP contracts. That, in turn, led to:
Conroe’s nine-year legal battle that made several round trips to the Texas Supreme Court.
Rate increases on participants still in the plan to make up for shortfalls created by those who left it.
Legal and fiscal uncertainty that burdened other GRP participants left covering shortfalls caused by the non-paying entities.
Uncertainty about the ability to service debt on bonds.
Significant legal fees affecting both sides, including water ratepayers.
Subsidence: Briefly Halted
Ironically, all this happened as the groundwater reduction plan started to reduce subsidence. Areas in The Woodlands that had subsided consistently for years saw subsidence virtually level off. But the success was brief.
Subsidence in The Woodlands at the monitoring station with the longest history. When surface water became available, subsidence virtually plateaued…until political changes at the LSGCD.
The leveling off lasted between three and four years. Then subsidence accelerated again. The trigger this time: politics.
The newly elected board was sworn in during November, 2018, shortly before the graph above turned down again.
Groundwater Levels Decline with Changes in Groundwater Regulations
The newly elected LSGCD board removed conservation rules from their regulatory plan, leading to a rejection of the plan by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). This introduced uncertainty regarding the regulatory framework for groundwater management and the GRP’s role within it.
Several cities disputed the SJRA’s ability to raise rates for surface water. Conroe initially refused to pay a rate increase implemented in 2016, and Magnolia followed suit. The SJRA responded by suing the cities for breach of contract.
These legal challenges created significant financial strain for the SJRA and its other customers. Unpaid fees caused shortfalls that had to be covered by other GRP plan participants. The recent settlement has resolved the dispute between SJRA and Conroe. But legal battles may still continue with others.
Meanwhile, southern Montgomery County has experienced the steepest well declines in the entire region.
From 1977 to 2025, maximum water level decline in the Chicot-Evangeline (undifferentiated) aquifer occurred in The Woodlands where water levels fell more than 400 feet. Likewise, water levels in the Jasper aquifer declined more than 250 feet near The Woodlands during the same time period.
Every water well drilled into those aquifers that USGS monitors in Montgomery County with the exception of two experienced significant water-level declines since the LSGCD board became elected. See below.
As subsidence worsened, so did flooding in many parts of The Woodlands, especially those near streams whose gradients changed and those who lived near down-thrust faults that created bowls in the landscape.
Water Capacity Crunch Led to Development Moratorium
The U.S. Census Bureau rated Conroe the fastest‑growing large city in America for the period from July 1, 2015, to July 1, 2016. However, within several years, Conroe experienced a water-capacity shortfall and imposed a development moratorium (Aug 29, 2024).
TCEQ later approved a temporary reduction in the required water-supply allocation per connection—from 0.60 to 0.46 gpm—so projects could restart under tighter per-lot assumptions. For a year, that pause reportedly stalled plats, permits, and site work citywide.
It even affected large commercial projects. The Conroe Courier reported that Kelsey-Seybold was considering pulling a $24 million medical facility. Construction could not move forward because of concerns about water infrastructure capability.
With the settlement announced last Friday, Conroe has ended the development moratorium for now, but projects must use the TCEQ-approved 0.46 gpm through Feb. 2029. But the City’s plan reviewers will reportedly press for conservation fixtures/phasing until new supply is online.
The Greater Houston Homebuilders Association said the moratorium had had “detrimental effects on every facet of our industry from concrete to roofers, to pools to developers and builders.”
Under the terms of last week’s settlement, SJRA will provide additional water to Conroe. Heather Ramsey of the SJRA said that, “The additional surface water should keep them from using additional groundwater to accommodate their growth.” But in the meantime…
Homes Near Fault Lines Damaged
Deregulation of aquifer groundwater withdrawal in Montgomery County by the LSGCD led to declines in area water wells.
As Conroe and surrounding areas pumped more and more groundwater, subsidence continued. That triggered geologic faults in The Woodlands, which damaged homes.
Woodlands home split in half when groundwater extraction led to subsidence that activated a fault-line.Steps in front of same house dropped so far, they had to be replaced and are now twice their original height.
It also damaged infrastructure.
Faulting damage exacerbated by subsidence due to excessive groundwater extraction at The Woodlands High School.
Two subsidence experts in The Woodlands gave me a tour of three fault lines. Street after street showed dips, cracks, and storm sewer damage aligned precisely with the fault lines. Some of the repairs reportedly cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Many Paid the Price
Excessive groundwater withdrawals are also tilting Lake Houston. The area near the dam is subsiding much slower than the area in the headwaters of the Lake near the Montgomery County Line.
I listed science as the last victim in the water war. At some point during this skirmish, subsidence deniers started trotting out their own studies claiming huge volumes of water from the aquifers above could be produced without adverse consequences.
The loss of groundwater storage capacity due to subsidence will also leave Montgomery County more vulnerable to future droughts. Groundwater backs up surface water supplies. And now there will be less groundwater storage volume.
Someday, this will become a cautionary case study for other areas that think of groundwater as an unlimited resource.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/19/25
2912 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
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8/15/25 – The San Jacinto River Authority and City of Conroe issued a joint press release about the settlement this morning of their nine-year legal battle over water rates. This press release just came in. I’ve added subheads to help highlight key points. Otherwise, the text between the lines is verbatim:
SJRA Directors Unanimously Approve
Conroe, Texas—Today the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) Board of Directors unanimously approved the execution of a Mutual Release and Settlement Agreement with the City of Conroe to end current litigation related to the SJRA Groundwater Reduction Plan (GRP). The City of Conroe considered and approved the Mutual Release and Settlement Agreement at a City Council meeting on Thursday.
End to Legal Squabbles is Mutually Beneficial
SJRA General Manager, Aubrey Spear, said “We appreciate the City of Conroe’s efforts in working with SJRA in reaching this settlement agreement. Putting this litigation behind us is best for all GRP participants and their rate payers. With Conroe’s payment and savings on legal fees, the wholesale water rates will go down. Ending the litigation also strengthens our partnership with Conroe to continue supplying water to its growing population.”
Conroe City Administrator, Gary Scott, said “After months of negotiations, I am pleased with an outcome that is truly beneficial to both parties. Securing additional water is critical to Conroe’s economic growth and long-term vitality. We recognize and appreciate the efforts of the San Jacinto River Authority in working with us. This agreement represents a shared commitment to the betterment of us all. This is a historic decision that sets Conroe on the path to the future.”
The agreement settles legal disputes between the parties dating back to 2016 when the City of Conroe disputed increases in wholesale water rates related to SJRA’s 2010 Groundwater Reduction Plan contract.
Conroe Agrees to Pay Full Amount
In the settlement, the City of Conroe agrees to pay the full amount that it has short-paid SJRA since 2017 to the present that it has been holding in escrow. Conroe also agrees to begin paying the current rate for treated surface water from Lake Conroe and the groundwater pumpage fee going forward.
SJRA Agrees to Provide More Surface Water and More
On the other hand, SJRA agrees to provide Conroe with additional surface water, reduce the term of Conroe’s GRP contract from 80 years to 40 years, forgive penalties and fees on past due amounts, and clarify in the contract that there is no obligation by the City of Conroe to participate in future GRP phases or expansion of the GRP water treatment plant.
Documents Not Yet Available
Agreement documents are in the process of being fully executed.
Reliance on Groundwater Has Contributed to Subsidence
This is good news for both parties. It will reduce the amount they spend on legal fees that rate- and taxpayers have funded.
However, the press release did not address how it will affect the amount of groundwater that Conroe pumps aside from saying that SJRA will provide Conroe with “additional surface water.”
Subsidence in southern Montgomery County including Conroe and the Woodlands is among the most severe in the region. SJRA’s Water Treatment Plant and the Groundwater Reduction Plan were at the heart of the lawsuit. Both were intended to reduce subsidence. And they did briefly when the plant first came online in 2015. Then the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District (LSGCD) started pumping huge amounts of groundwater, claiming there was no connection between the loss of groundwater and subsidence.
LSGCD says on their Resources Page under the subsidence tab that, “…the rate at which [their] compaction occurs is 10 times (10x) slower than the rate at which compaction occurs in Harris County.”
Regardless, a huge area is still sinking 8 to 12 millimeters per year. And most of Montgomery County is sinking at least 6 according to this subsidence map recently published by the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District.
Subsidence Has Triggered Faults
The subsidence has triggered faults in the area. That in turn has damaged homes, streets and drainage infrastructure. I spent a whole day last week taking a fault tour of the Woodlands with area residents. Below are three of dozens of pictures I took at day.
Fault line under the foundation cracked this Woodland’s home’s slab and walls.Front steps are now twice their original height because the front yard sank relative to the front door.Faulting damage in parking lot of Woodland’s High School.
Millimeters may not sound like much. But 12 millimeters per year is half an inch per year. During the life of a 30-year mortgage, that’s 15 inches…plus a lot of home and street repairs, and a lot of foundation leveling.
Inland subsidence has also been linked to flooding. It can change the gradient of streams and rivers, so water moves more slowly and builds higher during floods.
And differential subsidence (between two areas) can reduce the height of structures above floodplains. For instance, the subsidence rate in Conroe is far higher than subsidence at the Lake Houston Dam. That means homes north of the dam have less freeboard (height above expected floods). Said another way, it’s like tilting Lake Houston toward the homes north of the dam.
SJRA has not yet responded to questions about how the settlement will affect Conroe’s groundwater pumping.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/15/25
2908 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/10-year-Subsidence-Rates.png?fit=1624%2C1532&ssl=115321624adminadmin2025-08-15 15:55:562025-08-15 16:14:58SJRA, Conroe Settle Lawsuit after Nine Years
4/7/25 – Last Saturday, 2.5 inches of rain turned the Meritage construction site in Atascocita into Lake Meritage. But by this morning, contractors were draining Lake Meritage into a City of Houston storm sewer.
Close examination of aerial photos shows a series of trenches cut under silt fences to let the water drain from the site quickly and bypass the usually slow filtration process that the fences provide.
Contractors had also cut a series of trenches within the site to move trapped stormwater toward the street. And an excavator was scooping muddy stormwater from the beginnings of a detention basin into yet another trench that led toward the exit rows.
Lake Meritage 24 Hours After Storm
Here’s what the site looked like 24 hours ago.
Meritage Phase II (right) on April 6, 2025 24 hours after 2.5 inch rain
Pictures and Videos Taken Another 24 Hours after Storm
Here’s the same area today.
Meritage Phase II (right) 24 hours after photo above.
Where did all the water go?
Interior channels brought the stormwater toward the street…The excavator (center left) was scooping buckets of water out of the detention basin and dumping it into another channel that led toward the street.…and a series of shovel-wide trenches let water leak out from under the silt fence.
Much of the muck flowed through a roadside swale to a storm sewer inlet. See below.
10-Second Video by Michelle Chavez, who lives next to the Meritage construction site.
But not all of the muck stayed in the swale. The next ten-second video shows part of it running down the street. There was so much at one point that contractors had to partially block it off.
Another 10-second video showing stormwater entering street. Supplied by passing motorist.
Motorist tracks overflowing silty stormwater down street for another 18 seconds until it flows into City storm sewer inlet.
When I drove by about an hour after the last video was shot, the flow through the street had ended and someone had installed a screen over the inlet that’s clearly not on the video. The screen could make them appear compliant with their Stormwater Pollution Protection Plan.
Silt Fence Repairs Not a Priority
Unfortunately, the contractors did not drain the water invading neighbors’ yards. And repairing damaged silt fences that protected neighbors from the muck was not their highest priority.
Broken silt fence and runoff on neighboring properties as of noon 4/7/25.
To File a Complaint
Practices like those above are usually discouraged by the Harris County Engineer and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
If you’re concerned about runoff that floods your property or potentially clogs your storm drains, please file a complaint.
Harris County Engineer
Phone: 713-274-3600 Monday Through Friday 8 AM to 5 PM
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/20250407-DJI_20250407131009_0059_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-04-07 17:51:082025-04-07 18:08:34Lake Meritage Drained into City Storm Sewer
4/6/2025 – After a little more than two inches of rain in a two hour period on 4/5/25, neighbors of the Meritage development in Atascocita bordering Pinehurst Trail Drive began noticing muddy runoff creeping toward their foundations.
Aerial photos taken today show that Meritage and its contractors have made some improvements to control runoff since previous storms. However, the attempts did not protect neighbors’ property during this storm, most likely because of poor execution and slow construction progress.
Failures Illustrate Need to Complete Drainage Work Faster
In Phase I, Meritage still has yet to install drainage and silt fence in areas it clearcut early in 2024.
In Phase II, dirt pushed silt fencing over in places. Muddy runoff invaded neighbors’ yards. Silty water also flooded Pinehurst Trail Drive.
These failures illustrate the need to complete drainage work faster once land is cleared.
Meritage is creating the same issues for its neighbors in Atascocita that the Perry Homes Woodridge Village development did with its neighbors in Kingwood.
Construction, in general, increases flood risk. For neighbors when construction practices are flawed or incomplete. And for larger, surrounding areas when increases in impervious cover may be insufficiently mitigated.
One-Year Rain Overcame Meritage Efforts
Before looking at photos of yesterday’s rain and its aftermath, let’s look at the rainfall totals. The closest Harris County Flood Control District gage is at West Lake Houston Parkway, a little more than a mile north. It received 2.6 inches of rain in a two-hour period on Saturday.
From Harris County Flood Warning System gage on West Lake Houston Parkway at West Fork.
That’s a one- to two-year rain according to NOAA’s precipitation-frequency estimates for this area. See the 2-hour row in Columns 1 and 2 below.
Atlas 14 Rainfall Probability Statistics for Lake Houston Area
It may have rained intensely yesterday. But the rain did not come close to setting any records. It’s EXPECTED. Statistically, construction companies should PLAN on encountering such rainfalls on virtually EVERY project of this scale.
But yesterday’s experience shows they don’t. At least Meritage and its contractor(s) didn’t.
Attempts to Control Drainage Fall Short
Meritage broke this project up into two phases on opposite sides of Pinehurst Trail Drive.
Contractors finished clearing Phase I on the west by the end of January 2024.
They finished clearing Phase II on the east by early 2025.
They added more silt fencing, staked out wattle rolls to help filter runoff, and built berms in places to help protect neighbors. They also placed sand bags next to storm sewer entrances to help stop sediment before it escaped into storm sewers.
But photos and video taken after yesterday’s rain also show:
In Phase I:
Severe erosion
Storm sewers and drainage pipes stacked and waiting for installation
No silt fencing protecting wetlands
No paving, no visible progress toward completion in months.
In Phase II:
Dirt pushed up against silt fences, knocking them over
Silty stormwater in neighbor’s yards near the damaged silt fence
Ponding water throughout the site
Runoff closing off half of Pinehurst Trail Drive.
See below.
Video and Photos From Day of Storm
A reader sent me these two clips. The first shows street flooding caused by runoff from Phase II. The second shows flooding in the Phase II site itself.
Pinehurst Trail Drive on 4/5/25 Near Meritage Phase II construction site.(13 seconds).
Meritage site on 4/5/25 after a one-year rain. (22 seconds).
A neighbor, James Montgomery, whose yard flooded badly sent me these shots.
Silty water approaching pool and house from Meritage site beyond fence.Hours later, his yard was still floodedwith silty water from construction site.
Aerial Photos Taken 24 Hours Later
Here’s how homes along the northern property line of Phase II looked around noon on Sunday.
Note damaged silt fence.Runoff from Phase II still creeping toward neighbors’ homes 24 hours after rainfall.Ponding water in Phase II on right overflowing into swale and heading toward storm sewer (top center).Note ponding water along entire silt fence on right. A well-constructed berm could have helped here.Looking E at entire Phase II of the Meritage site. Despite months of ideal construction weather since last major rain in February, runoff is still not controlled.Phase I shot shows grass around the detention basin finally taking hold. But drainage work is still far from completemore than a year after clearing.More drainage materials stacked up near western edge of Phase I. Note lack of silt fence and silty runoff escaping into wetlands that used to occupy a much larger part of Phase I.Entire site almost 1.5 years into development. Phase I in foreground. Phase II in upper left. Lake Houston at top of frame.
Personally, I hoped for more – especially from a company whose advertising slogan includes the words “Built. Better.” Construction opens a window of vulnerability to flooding. Companies should do everything they can to complete drainage work as fast as they can to close that window.
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
12/7/24 – One of the leading environmental groups in the Houston region is the Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC). Their motto: “We preserve land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife.”
Last year, BLC volunteers logged thousands of hours maintaining and improving natural areas and trails that help others appreciate nature’s wonders.
One such volunteer is Jeff Hodges. He helped restore land along Spring Creek in BLC’s Arrowwood Preserve, which is being used for environmental education. His story is a testament to the tenacity of BLC volunteers in their service of nature.Below are excepts from Hodges’ responses to my questions.
Preserve’s Contribution to Flood Reduction
Rehak: How does the Bayou Land Conservancy help reduce flooding?
Hodges: Development in the Houston area will continue. We need to understand how this can lead to increased flood risk of flooding if not managed correctly.
BLC is a land trust. It protects lands where rain water is absorbed and held as flood waters, slowing down the release of water into creeks, streams and rivers. That helps reduce or eliminate flooding downstream.
These lands are increasingly important. They let water soak into the land providing much needed water, to the water table and aquifers.
Currently, ever major aquifer in the U.S. is being depleted, except in the Pacific Northwest. This depletion contributes to subsidence, which increases flood risk. Areas in the Woodlands have lost two feet of elevation from subsidence.
The lands that BLC protects also provide habitat for wildlife and give people a chance to enjoy nature.
Rehak: Specifically, how does Arrowwood reduce flooding along Spring Creek.
Hodges: Arrowwood is a natural flood plain. It slows and stores rainwater flowing toward Spring Creek. A large portion of the preserve floods in heavy rains. It gives stormwater someplace to sit and wait instead of moving quickly downstream and flooding other areas already developed.
Restoring the Natural Environment
Rehak: I hear that in trying to make Arrowwood more user friendly, you and your fellow volunteers removed more than a mile of silt fence. How did it get there?
Hodges: A sand-and-gravel company installed the silt fence when it applied for a permit to turn the property into a quarry. But neighbors blocked approval of the permit. The mining company, after a number of years, donated the land to Bayou Land Conservancy.
Rehak: Removing that silt fence must have been a chore!
Hodges: We actually made a short movie about it. The preserve comprises 117 acres and the fence surrounded 22 acres. As work began to make the preserve accessible, we realized that we did not have the correct equipment to remove the silt fence.
Bayou Land Conservancy Volunteer Jeff Hodges led the Arrowwood Silt Fence Removal Project
We originally estimated the preserve had 2 miles of silt fencing containing approximately 700 posts, each weighing 5 pounds.
Jeff Hodges
The task seemed overwhelming. But we were very concerned about the impact of the fence on wildlife. Turtles and other small wildlife couldn’t get over or around it.
Volunteers Discover Task is Herculean
Rehak: What kind of problems did you encounter?
Hodges: I started to wonder if we could remove the silt fence manually. Bayou Land Conservancy gave me and a small team permission to work on it. The first day, two of us tried to develop a process to remove the silt fencing. In a half day, we could only remove about 10 posts and 50 feet of fencing.
Most of the posts had to be dug out by hand. Each was four feet and originally pounded into the ground to a depth of two feet. But over time, silt built up around the fence. Many sections were totally buried.
The silt fencing has three components: posts, heavy metal fencing, and a plastic tarp. The combination prevents silt, sand and rocks from washing into the creek.
After the first day, most people would have been discouraged. But our volunteers proved it could be done. It was just going to take a lot of time and effort.
Volunteers decided to separate the fence and post removal operations to speed things up.
We decided we would remove the metal fence along with the black tarp first. We left the posts until we were able to develop a better way to remove them.
But the removal of the fencing was not without problems. Portions of the fencing were buried, so we had to dig them out. Worse, the fencing had become overgrown. Before we could remove it, we first had to remove fallen trees, and cut away vines and brambles.
Triumph of Ingenuity, Sweat and Safety Goggles
Rehak: Did you ever develop a faster system?
Hodges: As we removed fencing over the next couple of months, we worked on developing a technique to remove posts without digging. Eventually, we developed a technique that sped up the operation. We hit the posts with a sledge hammer on all four sides to loosen them. Then we hooked up a farm jack to pry them out of the ground.
Working as a team, we could remove about 15 posts per hour. Some, buried to the top in heavy clay, still had to be dug out by hand. Those just took longer.
Everyone working on this project had to wear long pants, long sleeves, safety glasses, and heavy-duty work gloves. We also had to be up to date on our tetanus shots, too for obvious reasons.
Rehak: What did the final boxscore say?
Hodges: All in all, the team ended up removing 499 posts and more than 1.5 miles of fencing. While working on the fencing, we also removed trash and litter which seemed to be everywhere. Fencing and trash filled two industrial dumpsters.
Some of the trash and fencing materials removed from the BLC Arrowwood Preserve.
It was grueling work. But the transformation of the land is overwhelming. And very satisfying. The beauty of what this preserve will become is now evident.
Postscript: Jill Boullion, Bayou Land Conservancy Executive Director, said, ““Jeff was awarded our Trailblazer Award for 2024 because of his leadership on this project. It’s an important part of our restoration plan for Arrowwood that will make the preserve even more ecologically valuable for the community. We appreciate volunteers like Jeff and the crew that did this very difficult project.”
Posted by Bob Rehak and Jeff Hodges on 12/7/24
2657 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241207-Bayou-Land-Conservancy-Arrowwood-1.jpg?fit=1100%2C603&ssl=16031100adminadmin2024-12-07 18:17:022024-12-07 18:30:07Bayou Land Conservancy Volunteers Protect Nature’s Flood Protection
Improving building codes to mandate higher home elevations
Requiring greater setbacks from rivers, streams and bayous
De-snagging to prevent log-jams from backing water up
Preserving wetlands, grasslands and forests to absorb and slow runoff, and to create recreational opportunities for nearby homeowners
Bio-swales and ditches to create more stormwater storage and positive drainage around homes
Buying out flood-prone homes and converting the property to recreational or flood-mitigation space.
I’m sure more techniques exist. But those represent the big categories.
Complex Decisions Involving Many Factors
No one tool works for all situations. And many of the tools that reduce flood risk fly in the face of other human values. They may conflict with other values beyond safety, that we hold dear. Consider, for instance, property rights, individual freedom, job formation, expanding the tax base, a desire to live near water, and risk-taking.
So how do professionals decide which tools to apply where and when?
Again, it depends on a number of factors. To name a few:
Is State or Federal disaster-mitigation aid available?
Is Disaster Relief aid available?
Homeowner Inquiry Prompted Exploration
A homeowner reacted to one of my posts today. She lives in a low-lying area near FM1485 and the San Jacinto East Fork. It flooded badly on May2, 2024. She was certain that dredging and tree removal from the East Fork would help. But after investigating the area online, then from the ground and air, I wasn’t sure.
The normal river elevation in that area is 47.25 feet.
But on May 2, the river rose to 77.4 feet – 17 feet above the top of the river banks and 30 feet above normal!
Jeff Lindner, Harris County Meteorologist, had this to say about the May flood. “Since 1994, this was the second highest crest of the river at FM 1485. It exceeded Tropical Storm Imelda by 4.0 ft and the October 1994 flood by 1.0 ft.”
Lindner continued, “The flood of record remains Harvey which was 4.0 ft higher than the May 2024 event. The river exceeded the .2% (500-yr) exceedance probability elevation at the FM 1485 bridge by 1.5 ft. The table below shows the top five highest peaks on the East Fork of the San Jacinto River since 1994 at that location.”
Residents in this neighborhood experienced five 100-year-or-greater floods in 20 years. That’s one every four years. Is the risk 1% or 25% per year?
See the FEMA floodplain map below for the area in question.
It shows you how difficult flood prediction can be. It also shows you why even nature lovers should give water in Texas a wide berth unless they are prepared to lose everything. The May flood wasn’t even related to a tropical event!
Yellow/green diagonal line is the Harris/Montgomery County line. Image shows neighborhood S of FM1485 near East Fork. Crosshatch=floodway, Aqua=100-year and Tan=500 year floodplain.
Unfortunately, most of the homes in this neighborhood didn’t look like people could afford to lose everything. And I saw several that had been totally obliterated along with two roads that washed out.
I’m not sure what this was. But it was the only structure semi-standing for blocks around.
Professionals Say Buyouts Best Option In This Case, But…
In an area like this, flood-mitigation professionals have few good options. Given the depth of flooding, three professionals told me that intervention would have to be on a massive and costly scale to make a difference. As a result, each suggested buyouts as the best, most cost-effective alternative in this area.
Shortly after the May event, I interviewed a young couple named Daniel and Kathleen Moore. They lived on some of the highest land in the subdivision, but had flooded three times in the seven years that they owned their home (Harvey, Imelda, and May 2024).
They were hoping for a buyout. I called again today to see if they succeeded, but they were selling their property and moving out of state with their new baby. Why?
While Daniel was restoring the home, someone burned it to the ground on July 28th. Nothing stands there now but a charred chimney.
This was a heartbreaking story that deeply affected me personally. I once lived in a home near a creek that flooded frequently when I had two young babies.
While buyouts may sometimes be the most cost-effective option, they are not easy, according to a County Emergency Management Director that I interviewed. Counties must apply for FEMA buyout money and then it can take years to evaluate and rank all the applications and distribute the money.
Forest Cove buyouts took five years after Harvey to complete.
Ironically, the fact that the Moore’s were in a 500-year floodplain may have hurt their buyout chances. FEMA likes money to go to homes that are insured but which flood frequently.
So What About Dredging and Tree Removal?
The Moore’s lived in Montgomery County. But the other family that contacted me lived on the Harris side of the county line in the same neighborhood.
Typical scene in East Fork south of FM1485Area has trees down everywhere.
Experts I talked to suggested dredging wouldn’t make an appreciable difference given the narrow width of the river channel and the height of flooding. Plus, it could undermine more trees along the heavily wooded banks.
Removing trees that have already fallen, they say, is a good idea. They could float downstream, form log dams that flood other homes, and/or harm boaters in Lake Houston. But who is responsible for removing them?
I asked Matt Barrett, head of SJRA’s Flood Management Division. Said Barrett, “SJRA’s jurisdiction does not include Harris County, so projects constructed in Harris County would have to be led by HCFCD.”
Distant Chances for Other Flood Mitigation
That said, Barrett also volunteered that SJRA has partnerships with both HCFCD and the City of Houston. The entities work together on multiple projects from the San Jacinto River Basin Master Drainage Plan. But finding funding remains a challenge. And large scale projects are not quick to implement.
That brings us full circle to the original question in the headline. What was or is the best thing(s) homeowners can do to reduce their flooding chances? In my opinion:
Avoid buying property near water if you have a flooding concern
I’m not a professional engineer and I do not render professional engineering opinions. But I have interviewed a lot of flood victims who wish they could turn back the hands of time and build on higher ground.
Foundation being endangered by riverbank erosion.
If you have the slightest qualms about flooding when purchasing property, make sure you consult a professional engineer to evaluate your risk and mitigation options.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/20/24
2548 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
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