I often post about the loss of forests and wetlands to development and how that affects flooding. But the loss also affects wildlife. A new movie, Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story, follows our ever-changing relationship with the natural world. It showcases our ability to destroy, conserve, and recover wildlife and habitat. The producers tell the story through the eyes of wildlife.
First Blue-Chip Wildlife Documentary About Texas
This gorgeous documentary about Texas wildlife opens in theaters on June 3, 2022.
MovieInsider.com calls Deep in The Heart, “The first blue-chip wildlife documentary ever produced about Texas.” And the trailer certainly lives up to that promise.
Image from DeepInTheHeartWildlife.com
The producers say, “Deep in the Heart is a visually stunning celebration of what makes Texas unique. Its diverse landscapes and remarkable wildlife behavior cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
“Narrated by Matthew McConaughey and featuring state-of-the-art cinematography, this family-friendly film journeys from the highest peaks in West Texas, through our aquifers, rivers, and bays, and deep into the Gulf of Mexico.
“Deep in the Heart aims to conserve our remaining wild places, to show the connectivity of water and wildlife, and to recognize Texas’ conservation importance on a continental scale.”
A consortium of foundations made the film possible. The primary sponsor was Texan by Nature, founded in 2011 by former First Lady Laura Bush. Texan by Nature (TxN) unites landowners, business, conservation, and civic leaders who believe Texas’ prosperity depends on conservation of natural resources. Learn more at www.texanbynature.org.
Where to See The Film
The film is in limited distribution at only seven Houston theaters. The closest to the Lake Houston Area: the Regal Benders Landing on the Grand Parkway between I-45 and I-69. Check here for show times.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/28/2022with thanks to Pamela Davidson for the heads up on this movie
1733 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/20220528-Screen-Shot-2022-05-28-at-9.14.24-AM.jpg?fit=1200%2C727&ssl=17271200adminadmin2022-05-28 10:48:022022-05-28 10:48:04Deep in The Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story
Discovery will soon begin in the Texas Attorney General’s case against the Triple PG sand mine in Porter. The AG is suing the mine on behalf of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). TCEQ investigations documented repeated breaches of the mine’s dikes over a period of several years prior to filing the lawsuit. The breaches allegedly resulted in the release of hundreds of millions of gallons of industrial waste into the headwaters of Lake Houston, the source of drinking water for 2 million people.
Over the years, I’ve written more than 50 posts featuring the Triple PG sand mine in Porter. The mine first came to my attention on May 18, 2019. I was giving Tony Buzbee, then a candidate for Mayor of Houston, a tour of sediment buildups in the San Jacinto watershed. As we turned a corner on Caney Creek, we came to a giant breach in the dike of the Triple PG mine.
Triple PG Breach to Caney Creek photographed in May of 2019.
I immediately reported the breach to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). TCEQ manages water quality in the State. And Triple PG was directly discharging industrial wastewater into the creek.
On October 11, 2019, the Attorney General of Texas sued the Triple PG mine on behalf of the TCEQ. The charges alleged violations of Chapter 26 of the Texas Water Code and related TCEQ rules pertaining to the discharge of industrial waste and process wastewater.
Mere days after the Texas Attorney General (AG) filed a lawsuit against Triple P.G. Sand Development, the mine’s owner transferred ownership of the mine. Even though the transfer was recorded in October 2019, the attorney general says the papers were dated in the prior January — before the unauthorized discharges that triggered the lawsuit.
This appeared to be an attempt to shield assets from liability. Subsequently, the AG filed an amended petition on June 17, 2020, adding five defendants:
Guniganti Family Property Holdings, L.L.C.
Prabhakar R. Guniganti, individually
Prabhakar R. Guniganti, as Director of Triple P.G. Sand Development, L.L.C.
Prabhakar R. Guniganti, as sole manager of Guniganti Family Property Holdings, L.L.C.
Guniganti Children’s 1999 Trust.
The next week, on June 24, 2020, the defendant’s counsel withdrew from the case.
On July 8, 2020, the judge granted a motion to substitute counsel. Then, everything ground to a halt. During Covid, judges reportedly granted any request for a delay. And nothing happened for almost 2 years!
Susan Jablonski, head of TCEQ’s Enforcement Division, says she’s looking forward to deposing defendants. TCEQ has met with the AG on a monthly basis. Right now, they are preparing subpoenas for four depositions.
But with Guniganti listed in the case as an individual, it could be harder for him to shield assets.
The Attorney General seeks $1.1 million in damages plus $25,000 per day for every day that the dikes remained open. By my estimates the dikes remained open approximately 5 months. That could add up to millions more.
That case also involves sedimentation. Plaintiffs allege that defendants’ business practices caused sediment to be released from mines during Harvey. Further, they allege that that sediment reduced the conveyance of the San Jacinto and the storage capacity of Lake Houston, contributing to the flooding of their homes.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/27/22
1732 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/2020/06/20200616-RJR_4335.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2022-05-27 16:56:212022-05-27 17:07:47Triple PG Sand Mine Case Finally Starting Discovery
May 26, 2022, marked the official completion of a 40-year, $480-million flood-mitigation project in the Brays Bayou Watershed. Project Brays was the largest project in Harris County Flood Control District’s history. It included:
21 miles of channel modifications
Construction of four stormwater detention basins that cover more than 800 acres
Reconstruction of 32 bridges
Miles of hike and bike trails
Benefits of Project Brays
The Texas Medical Center, one of the major economic engines of the City lies within the Brays watershed. No one at the ceremony promised Brays would never flood again. But they did emphasize how Project Brays reduced flood risk. They also emphasized how that could benefit entire communities, not just individual structures.
The detention basins alone will hold more than 3.5 billion gallons of stormwater. That’s a foot of rain falling across 17 square miles!
According to County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the combination of improvements will reduce flood depth by an average of 2 feet.
The project reduced flood risk for more than 15,000 structures in the Brays Bayou Watershed where 775,000 people live. According to HCFCD statistics, 58% of those residents have low-to-moderate incomes (less than half the average for the region).
Ribbon cutting on Project Brays near Hermann Park
Rare Moment of Bipartisan Appreciation
The theme for the ribbon-cutting ceremony was “partnership” between Federal, State, County and City authorities. More than half a dozen different speakers spread the kudos around. The project could not have happened without the cooperation of all of them and their predecessors.
Colonel Timothy Vail of the U.S. Army Corps called the partnerships in this project the “most sophisticated” he has ever seen during a career that has taken him around the world.
And Judge Lina Hidalgo gave a nod to the past as well as the present. She thanked past Flood Control District executives, such as Russ Poppe, Matt Zeve and Mike Talbott. They helped start this project and advance it for decades. She also thanked Poppe and Zeve for architecting the flood bond, which reversed “decades of investment that simply was not aggressive enough.”
Hidalgo also stated that regulations were not aggressive enough before the flood bond. For instance, she cited buyouts that took place as part of Project Brays and said that those homes would never have been safe no matter what the partners did to mitigate flooding.
Project Milestones
It’s interesting to see “what happened when” on this project, recognizing that the pace depended on funding – or lack thereof – as Hidalgo acknowledged.
Early 1980s
U.S,. Army Corps of Engineers began the study of Brays Bayou.
1991
Design and engineering began on the Brays Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction Project.
1993
Construction of the first stormwater detention basin at Arthur Story Park began.
2004
Excavation of Brays Bayou main channel began.
2005
Freshwater Marsh at Mason Park was completed.
2008
Arthur Storey Park and Old Westheimer Stormwater Detention Basin completed.
2015
Eldridge Stormwater Detention Basin completed.
2017
Control Structures at Eldridge, Old Westheimer, and Arthur Storey completed.
Channel modifications from Houston Ship Channel to Fondren Road completed.
2022
Final bridge construction projects and overall Project Brays completed.
(Note: since originally posting this story, I learned that minor work remains on three bridges even though the bridges are open to traffic. HCFCD decided to hold the ceremony when it did to avoid hurricane season and because of the impending transfer of Colonel Vail who played a key role in this project.)
A Helicopter Flight Up Brays Bayou Before Completion of Construction
In June of 2021, I flew a helicopter from one end of Brays Bayou to the other, when many of the improvements were still under construction. See the photos below.
Brays Bayou at the ship channel.Railroad bridge being upgradednear Tipps Street.New Bridge over Brays at South 75th. Widening of a channel may require a new bridge OR the widening of supports under the bridge.288 and Brays. Bridge construction on Almeda.Looking NE toward Med Center and downtown in background across another new bridge over Brays. Note the electrical infrastructure next to the bayou.Looking NE toward downtown where Fannin St. crosses Brays at UT Health Science Center.Looking NE toward downtown in background along Main Street. Medical Center is in middle of frame.Looking north across new bridge over Brays along Buffalo Speedway toward Greenway Plaza in background.Looking east toward downtown along Brays just inside of Loop 610 at detention pond. Note sewage treatment plant across bayou.SW Corner of Loop 610 looking toward downtown in upper right.Same intersection south of Galleria area. Note complexity where seven streams of traffic intersect.Looking north at new bridge over Brays at Chimney RockLooking WSW across same new bridge at Hillcroft. Note wide spans and wings designed to prevent erosion.Looking NNE at Hilcroft and North Braeswood Blvd.
Stormwater Detention Basins
Arthur Storey Park at Beltway 8 West and Bellaire Blvd. Looking N toward Westchase District.Southern part of same park. Looking NE across BW8 West.One of the five compartments in the Willow Water Hole Stormwater Detention Basin near S. Post Oak and US 90.Two northeastern compartments within Willow Water Hole complexon either side of South Post Oak Road.From page 57 of HCFCD 2019 Federal Briefing. Note all of the projects recently funded, completed or under construction.
Projects like Brays don’t happen spontaneously. This took decades of planning and collaboration. So, we should all remember that progress in flood mitigation can sometimes take decades. And that public safety requires reaching across party lines and generations.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/20220526-Screen-Shot-2022-05-26-at-6.27.25-PM.jpg?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=16281200adminadmin2022-05-26 18:49:012022-05-27 17:30:18$480 Million Project Brays Complete After 40 Years
Each of those numbers falls within the ranges shown above by NHC.
Seventh Consecutive Above-Average Season
Heat Map showing variation from normal for May 24, 2022. Source: NOAA.Note higher than normal temps in Gulf, Atlantic and most of Caribbean.
If NOAA predictions prove true, 2022 would make the seventh consecutive above-average hurricane season.
NOAA’s outlook for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, which extends from June 1 to November 30, predicts a:
65% chance of an above-normal season
25% chance of a near-normal season
10% chance of a below-normal season.
For the 2022 hurricane season, NOAA is forecasting a likely range of 14 to 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). NOAA provides these ranges with a 70% confidence.
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center will update the 2022 Atlantic seasonal outlook in early August, just prior to the historical peak of the season.
The 2022 hurricane outlook is not a “landfall forecast.”
NOAA Enhances Products and Services
NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. emphasized that NOAA’s forecasting accuracy continues to improve. The agency has enhanced the following products and services this hurricane season:
The Excessive Rainfall Outlook (ERO) has been experimentally extended from three to five days of lead time. This will give people more notice of rainfall-related flash flooding risks from tropical storms and hurricanes. ERO forecasts the probability of intense rainfall that could lead to flash flooding within 25 miles of a given point.
In June, NOAA will enhance Peak Storm Surge Forecasts. Upgrades include color coding that illustrates the peak storm surge inundation forecast at the coast.
Start Preparing Now
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said, “It’s important for everyone to understand their risk and take proactive steps to get ready now.” Some tips:
Visit Ready.gov for preparedness tips on what to do before, during and after a flood.
Have several ways to receive alerts.
Download the FEMA app and receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide.
Sign up for community alerts in your area and be aware of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA), which require no sign up.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/25/22 based on information from the National Hurricane Center and Ready.Gov
1730 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/20220525-Screen-Shot-2022-05-25-at-11.23.28-AM.jpg?fit=1200%2C757&ssl=17571200adminadmin2022-05-25 11:44:502022-05-25 11:44:53NHC Predicts Above-Normal 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season
A best practice in the construction industry is to build detention ponds before you clear all the land. In Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest, we saw what can happen when you don’t. Contractors cleared 277-acres before installing sufficient detention pond capacity. The result: hundreds of homes flooded needlessly. Twice. And silt poured into Taylor Gully which had to be excavated at public expense.
Staging Construction, Temporary Seeding, Mulching Not Used to Reduce Sedimentation
Harris County Stormwater Quality Management Regulations discourage clearcutting large sites all at once. See section 4.2.3.1, Stormwater Pollution Prevention (SWPPP) During Construction. The text states, “The clearing, grubbing and scalping (mass clearing or grading) of excessively large areas of land at one time promotes erosion and sedimentation problems. On the areas where disturbance takes place the site designer should consider staging construction [emphasis added], temporary seeding and/or temporary mulching as a technique to reduce erosion. Staging construction involves stabilizing one part of the site before disturbing another [emphasis added].“
But those rules don’t apply in Montgomery County. So you often see developers trying to build detention ponds as they build (or even after they build) the rest of the site.
Case in Point: Preserve at Woodridge
Such is the case at the Preserve at Woodridge…which promises “resort-style amenities.”
Preserve at Woodridge on 5/22/22. Eighty-five of 131 rental homes now under construction. That’s two thirds…before the detention pond is built.
Meanwhile, compare the detention ponds below. One is a white, chalky mess with dirt still piled around the edges. The other: pretty clean. Of course, residents pay to keep it that way.
Preserve at Woodridge is in bottom left and Woodridge Forest is in upper part of frame. Notice the difference in the water color in the detention ponds.Contractors have excavated additional dirt from the detention pond (mounded around edges and at left) to bring in clay to form a liner.
The sad part of this: downstream residents will pay the price. And because this is another development just north of the county line, that will be Kingwood. The last time, the developer pumped stormwater into the drainage ditch, the silt traveled miles down Ben’s Branch.
Why Bring In Clay?
I asked an expert in floodwater detention basin construction, why the developer would bring in clay? The answer: “To create a wet-bottom pond.” Developers sell those as residential amenities. I applaud that. But my point is this. Had they completed the detention pond first, it could have been growing grass to reduce sedimentation while they developed the rest of the property. That approach seemed to work well at the New Caney High School ISD West Fork High School.
The detention pond at the New Caney West Fork High School had already been mowed when they began pouring concrete. Photo from March 2021.
Lest you think I’m a MoCo basher, let me point out this. The detention pond above is also in MoCo.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/24/22
1729 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/2022/05/20220522-DJI_0515.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2022-05-24 19:47:392022-05-24 19:51:36Why You Build Detention Ponds First
If flood risk still concerns you, remember to vote on Tuesday in the runoff election for Harris County Judge. Current Judge Lina Hidalgo has already won the Democratic primary. But two formidable competitors still vie for the Republican nomination.
At Stake: Shifting the Balance of Power in Commissioners Court
Winning the county judge position back represents the fastest way for Republicans to swing the balance of power in Commissioners Court.
Right now, Harris County has three Democrats and two Republicans. The Democrats vote as a block on virtually every topic in every meeting. That power has shifted massive amounts of flood mitigation money to their inner city strongholds away from outlying neighborhoods.
Flood loss map of Harris County updated after Hurricane Harvey: Source MaapNext.org. This map shows where all flooding claims have occurred throughout the county since 1978.
This massive shift in funding comes in the name of “equity.” But less than one thousandth of one percent hardly seems equitable. That’s right, the Lake Houston Area gets 0.0008% of total flood-mitigation construction spending. That’s not equity! That’s hijacking.
Commissioner Rodney Ellis constantly tells his constituents that Kingwood gets all the money and that poorer neighborhoods get none. In reality, low-to-moderate income watersheds (one third of all watersheds) have received almost two thirds of all Flood Control spending since 2000.
Garcia also tried to cancel $191 million of flood-mitigation projects in the Cedar Bayou watershed and shift the money to areas inside his newly redrawn Precinct 2.
As a result, it takes longer to get things done. Case in point, the Community Flood Resilience Task Force requested data that would show the level of risk in each watershed more than a year ago. Now we’re told, we probably won’t see it until after the election.
Republicans Put Up Two Strong Competitors in Runoff
So, for whom should you vote for County Judge if you’re a Republican?
Republics have two excellent candidates: Alexandra del Moral Mealer and Vidal Martinez.
Mealer is a West Point graduate who commanded a bomb squad in Afghanistan. After serving her country, she earned MBA and law degrees from Harvard before going into banking. She structured billion-dollar, oil-and-gas deals as a VP for one of the nation’s largest banks. She and her husband have two young children.
Martinez has one of the most enviable resumes you will ever see. He, too, has a law degree. Martinez has been on the board of Methodist Hospital for three decades. He also served as a federal prosecutor, a Port Authority Commissioner and UH regent. And because he has been around longer, he knows all the players in Harris County politics.
Alexandra del Moral Mealer (left) and Vidal Martinez (right), candidates in Republic runoff election for Harris County Judge.
Both have an impressive list of endorsements. Both see crime and flooding as major issues.
In the primary, Mealer had more votes. She received 50,000 to Martinez’ 44,000. But the race had seven other people in the running.
Can Either Beat Hidalgo?
As the incumbent, Hidalgo easily won her party’s nomination in March with 114,000 votes. But that doesn’t mean Hidalgo is a shoe-in come November. The Republican vote was split nine ways in March. Note, however, that 10,000 more people voted for a Republican Judge candidate than a Democratic one.
Hidalgo received 595,000 votes to Emmett’s 575,000. So, she won by 20,000 votes. But out of her 595,000, 105,000 were straight ticket votes, which are no longer allowed.
Also consider that Hidalgo’s administration has been plagued by crime, cronyism, waste and scandals. She will have an uphill battle in November.
Which Issues Are Most Important to You?
I can’t tell you whom to vote for. The decision is complex. Different people have different priorities. I’ve had a chance to spend two to three hours one-on-one with each candidate.
Both feel solid. Both are brilliant. And both are straight shooters. It’s a shame that so much of the advertising in this race has gone negative. That can only damage Republican chances in November.
If flooding remains one of your highest priorities, here are interviews with each of the Republican candidates on that topic.
Just make sure you vote Tuesday, if you did not vote early already.
Remember: if you didn’t vote in the primary in March, you can still vote in the runoff. But if you did vote in March, you must vote in the same party’s runoff.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/23/22
1728 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/AlexVidal.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2022-05-23 15:11:412022-05-23 18:28:36Editorial: Last Day for Runoff Voting Tuesday
The detention basin at the Laurel Springs RV Resort was supposed to have been a dry-bottom pond. Despite one of the driest springs on record, it’s still holding water. And it’s still leaking into Harris County Precinct 3’s Edgewater Park. Despite:
The leak in question is in the exact place where contractors dug a trench through the south wall of the detention pond. They discharged silt that spread out for hundreds of feet into the wetlands of the park. Then they laid pipes in the trench and covered them up.
But somehow silty, oily stormwater still seems to be escaping into the wetlands from where the pipes were.
5/15/22
Photo taken 5/15/22. Leak in same area where trench and pipes were.Close up cropped from shot above. Note ripples on rushing water.
5/22/22
Same area photographed again on 5/22/22.Close up cropped from 5/22/22shot. Again note running water and oily film on it.
One wonders why the pumps in the approved drains are still not working. See bottom center in photo below.
Wide shot taken from over Laurel Springs Lane on 5/22/22 showing location of approved drain (bottom center) and extent of construction.Forms being laid for next concrete pour. Will there be enough space between RV slots to open doors? Picture taken from over railroad tracks.
Obviously, from all the standing water, they still have a little work left to do on drainage.
Still No Replacement Trees Planted
Photo taken on 5/18/2022 showing swath of trees that contractors cut in county park (left).
The developer also has a lot of work to do replanting trees. Note the wide swath outside the fence in the photo above that stretches for approximately 750 feet. That’s where the contractor destroyed trees in the county park.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/22/2022
1727 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/2022/05/20220522-DJI_0526-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2022-05-22 17:43:332022-05-22 20:13:03RV Resort Still Leaking Stormwater into County Park
Contractors have cleared two parcels of land totaling 19.7 acres on West Lake Houston Parkway between Upper Lake Drive and Kings Park Way. They are now installing drainage. The developer (High Street Residential) specializes in multi-family housing. A second developer familiar with project confirmed that High Street plans to build apartments.
Location
The map below shows the location of the two parcels on West Lake Houston Parkway. They are approximately halfway between the West Fork at the top of the frame and FM1960 at the bottom.
Looking north across the two parcels. West Lake Houston Parkway is on left.Looking south from intersection of West Lake Houston Parkway and Upper Lake Drive.
The contractor appears to run a clean operation. They maintain the entrances well. And they keep adjacent streets clean. Silt fences surround the work area. So far, so good.
Parent Company, High Street Residential, Specializes in Multifamily
A sign at the entrance to the property says “High Street Residential.”
The company’s website says, “High Street Residential, a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of Trammell Crow Company, specializes in the development of multifamily housing.”
Elsewhere it says, “Renting is becoming the norm for the Millennial generation, many of whom do not own cars and view home ownership as less desirable as they seek flexibility for job changes. At the same time, empty nesters are looking to downsize to a maintenance-free lifestyle …”
The nationwide firm has more than 10,000 units in process or in the pipeline totaling more than $2 billion.
Operating Company is Kingwood Residences HTX LLC
Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) identities the owner. The parcels belong to KINGWOOD RESIDENCES HTX LLC. That company was incorporated in Delaware last July and in Texas last August. Developers often form operating companies for each of their projects.
Close examination of the aerial photos above reveals that contractors appear to be installing drainage for Kings River Commercial Drive already. Could more shopping or offices be in the near future?
The minutes from Harris County MUD #151 last August show that Kingwood Residences HTX LLC requested a transfer of capacity from Pinehurst Trail Holdings LLC, in the amount of 139 equivalent single-family connections. The connections are for water and wastewater capacity.
This does not necessarily mean the apartments will have 139 units. An adjustment factor applies, hence the word “equivalent.”
Specific Plans Not Yet Obtained
It’s not clear from photos where the site’s stormwater detention basin will go. However, Harris County specifies a minimum detention rate of .65 acre feet per acre for sites this large. Check back often. As more information and plans become available, I will provide updates.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/21/22
1726 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/2022/05/20220520-DJI_0462.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2022-05-21 13:42:302022-05-21 17:32:2219.7 Acres Cleared on West Lake Houston Parkway
When last I reported on Lake Houston dredging, the focus of operations had shifted from the East Fork to Rogers Gully. However, the dredgers were still stationed hundreds of feet offshore. According to State Representative Dan Huberty, shallow water forced them to dredge their way into the Gully. (See below.)
Location of dredge on March 1, 2022.Mouth bars, like the one in the foreground are deposited where water slows down as it reaches the lake.
Compare Photos Taken Today
Now, 2.5 months later, the dredgers have reached the Rogers Gully mouth bar and have completed dredging most of it.
Looking east toward Lake Houston. Compare photo above.Looking west toward the Walden Country Club, upper right.
Aerial photos taken this afternoon show that all but a small portion has already been removed. The operation could be completed in the next week or two, weather permitting.
Pontoons ferry the spoils to a converted marina across the lake now used as a temporary placement area. From there, trucks take the spoils to a fill-dirt company on FM1960 near SH99 east.
Before Dredging Began
To appreciate the progress, compare the photo below taken two years ago.
Rogers Gully Mouth Bar on June 16, 2020 before dredging started.
It’s not clear yet where the dredges will go next. They’re on a mission, with money that Huberty helped obtain from the legislature, to open up more ditches and streams that empty into Lake Houston. Blockages like the one at Rogers Gully can reduce the conveyance of streams. They create sediment dams that back water up. And that contributes to flooding homes and businesses behind them.
Wetlands provide free stormwater retention. They also provide valuable habitat that supports a remarkable level of biodiversity. In terms of the number and variety of species supported, wetlands rival rainforests and coral reefs. Trouble is, they also provide cheap land for developers. That brings people into direct conflict with wildlife.
Nesting waterfowl make a pretty good biologic indicator of wetlands.
Property Rights vs. Right to Life and Right to Information
By law, it’s illegal to disturb migratory birds such as herons and egrets while they are nesting. But the contractors in question did not respect that law even though they could have waited a month or two.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for property rights. And I support responsible development. But that means finding balance. Balance sustains life. It also provides beauty that supports property values. Would you rather raise your kids in biological barrens? Or in close to nature in a place teeming with life?
Finally I believe in the right to information that helps people make informed decisions and markets self-regulate. For instance, if people fully knew the flood risk on a piece of property before buying it, that knowledge could reduce demand, perhaps moderate prices, and discourage future development of wetlands.
But sadly, flood potential is often the last thing buyers look at. At closing, they’re probably provided with a survey that shows they’re above the base-flood elevation (aka the 100-year or 1%-annual-chance floodplain). Then it’s “Where do I sign?” And, “When can I move in?”
But a little investigation with free apps or on public websites, might help buyers drive harder bargains that would pay for the foundation leveling they will probably need eventually.
FromU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Mapper.This shows the wetlands that used to exist in the area where the birds were killed and maimed.1944 Aerial Photo of same area from Google Earth Pro.Cherrywood Bend Drive is where contractors were clearing land when they encountered the nesting egrets and herons.
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/2022/05/20220519-Screen-Shot-2022-05-19-at-11.12.49-AM.jpg?fit=1200%2C680&ssl=16801200adminadmin2022-05-19 14:58:262022-05-20 12:17:52Wetlands Once Covered Area Where 138 Nesting Birds Were Slaughtered, Maimed
