How Would You Spend $750 Million on Flood Mitigation?

Harris County’s Community Services Department wants to know how you would spend $750 million? The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Texas General Land Office (GLO) allocated that amount to the County for flood mitigation in the wake of Harvey.

Flood Mitigation funds (MIT) go to projects that help communities reduce future flooding. They differ from Disaster Relief funds (DR). The latter help individuals recover from past floods.

GLO announced the $750 million allocation on March 18. HUD is NOT giving the money to Harris County outright. The County must first submit a plan of how and where it will use the money. Both HUD and GLO must approve that plan, called the Method of Distribution (MOD) before work can begin. Then, as vendors submit invoices, Harris County will submit them for reimbursement.

Notification of Planning Meeting For CDBG-MIT funding

Harris County wants your input on the plan. The Community Services Department will accept written and oral input regarding the use of funding and development of Harris County’s MOD at a planning meeting scheduled for:

Thursday, May 19, 2022

1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Harris County Community Services Department (HCCSD) Office

9418 Jensen, Houston, Texas, 77093

Harris County will accept written input before May 30, 2022, 5:00 pm. via mail to Attn:  HCCSD Planning Section, 13105 Northwest Freeway Suite 400, Houston, Texas 77040 or by email to DRplancomments@csd.hctx.net.

To Request Special Accommodations at Meeting

Harris County will provide for reasonable accommodations for persons attending Harris County functions. Requests from persons needing special accommodations should be received by Harris County staff 48-hours prior to the function. The public hearing will be conducted in English and requests for language interpreters or other special communication needs should be made at least 72 hours prior to a function.

Please call 832-927-4700 or email DRplancomments@csd.hctx.net for assistance or additional information about this posting.

Restrictions on Use of Money

The funds represent an opportunity to mitigate disaster risks and reduce future losses in areas impacted by Harvey.

HUD defines mitigation as: “Those activities that increase resilience to disasters and reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of loss of life, injury, damage to and loss of property, and suffering and hardship, by lessening the impact of future disasters.”

Virtually all Harris County Flood Control District Bond Projects would qualify under that definition.

Eligible recipients include units of local government, special purpose districts, and port and river authorities.

The GLO encourages the prioritization of regional investments with regional impacts. Those include:

  • Projects that reduce risk from hurricanes, tropical storms and depressions, flooding, wind and other hazards
  • Disaster-resistant infrastructure
  • Upgrading water, sewer, solid waste, communications, energy, transportation, health and medical, and other public infrastructure
  • Multi-use infrastructure
  • Green or natural mitigation infrastructure.

Low-to-Moderate Income Requirement

At least fifty (50) percent of Harris County Mitigation MOD funds must benefit low-to-moderate income (LMI) persons.

Section 5.4.5.10 of Texas Action Plan Amendment 1

The table below shows the percentage of LMI Residents in each of Harris County’s 23 watersheds and the number of structures damaged in those watersheds by Harvey. Cross reference this information with the list of flood bond projects in making your recommendations for how to allocate the $750 million. And, of course, you don’t have to restrict yourself to flood bond projects.

Information obtained from Harris County Flood Control District Via FOIA Request.

Brittany Eck, GLO spokesperson, emphasized that the LMI requirement applies to “beneficiaries of a project.” She also said that GLO encouraged Harris County to look both upstream and downstream for beneficiaries. Not everybody in a watershed may benefit.

New Halls bayou detention pond
Just west of Keith Weiss Park along Halls Bayou, this new floodwater detention basin is taking shape. Detention basins, channel widening, and green infrastructure are all examples of types of projects the $750 million could help fund.

Pages 250-256 of the Action Plan contain the exact text of all requirements.

Time Limitation on Expenditure of Funds

No less than 50% of the $750,000,000 CDBG-MIT allocated to Harris County must be expended by January 12, 2027, with the full balance expended by January 12, 2032.

While this may sound like plenty of time, remember that today almost five years have passed since Harvey. And only 45 of 181 projects originally in the flood bond have begun construction. The rest are in still in feasibility surveys, engineering, or right-of-way acquisition.

All flood bond projects have already started and passed through one or more of those preliminary phases.

This Money Could Fully Fund the Bond Program

This $750 million, together with the Flood Resilience Trust approved last year by Commissioners Court last year, should be enough to fully fund every project in the bond program.

However, the County Administrator chose the Community Services Department (CSD) to recommend projects for the MOD. The thinking was that CSD was more in touch with the needs of LMI neighborhoods. Of course, CSD will consult with HCFCD on the final recommendations.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/14/2022

1719 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Save Date: Public Input Scheduled for Adlong Ditch Project on May 25

The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) will hold a virtual Community Engagement Meeting for Adlong Ditch Conveyance Improvements on May 25. The purpose: to share project information and update residents on status of the project.

This project is in the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) stage. PER objectives include delivering more detailed recommendations for flood damage reduction and an implementation strategy.


The Virtual Community Engagement Meeting will be held on: 
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022
6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Join online at: PublicInput.com/Adlong
Or by phone* at 855-925-2801 with Meeting Code: 4964

2018 Bond Program funds will pay for this project. Community engagement is an important component of the Bond. And HCFCD invites your participation.

About the Meeting

The meeting will begin with a brief presentation to share project updates. A moderated Q&A session with Flood Control will follow. Residents may submit questions and comments before, during and after the meeting and throughout the public comment period. Any comments not addressed during the Q&A session will receive a response at the conclusion of the public comment period.  

Even if you can’t attend the virtual meeting, you can register to receive future project updates. HCFCD will post a recording of the meeting on the District’s website and YouTube after the event.

If you need accommodations because of a disability, please contact 346-286-4040 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. For questions, please contact the Flood Control District at 346-286-4000, or fill out the comment form online at hcfcd.org/f-43.

*If you attend by phone only, maps and other exhibits will not be visible. However, you can find those after the meeting at hcfcd.org/f-43. 

Location of Ditch

Adlong Ditch runs north to south through a mostly rural area, east of Lake Houston between FM2100 and Cedar Bayou. The ditch runs from approximately Old Atascocita Road on the north to its confluence with Cedar Bayou east of Crosby.

Adlong Ditch starts near the center of the frame and runs toward the lower right. See Q128-00-00 where it crosses Highway 90.

Arkema Disaster Happened Near Adlong Ditch

A high-level executive of the flood control district described flooding in this area during Harvey. He said it was “a giant lake.”

The U.S. Chemical Hazards and Safety Investigation Board (CSB) said the flooding directly contributed to the disaster at the Arkema chemical plant, one block east of the ditch on Highway 90.

Adlong Ditch (left) flooded Arkema Chemical Plant (right) during Harvey, cutting off an evacuation route because of toxic fumes released.

According to the Board, Harvey disabled refrigeration systems at the Arkema plant in Crosby, where the company manufactures organic peroxides normally stored at -20 degrees F. As temperatures increased, the peroxides spontaneously combusted on August 31.

Arkema had a history of flooding, but never as bad as it did during Harvey. As a result, managers did not initially consider the plant’s safety systems at risk. But floodwaters at the plant during Harvey eventually reached 5 feet high – incredible for such a flat area.

Arkema Facility during Harvey. Rescuing part of the crew riding out the storm inside the plant.

The full report by the CSB details a series of catastrophic, bone-chilling miscalculations. It serves as a grim reminder of the power of floods and the need for preparation.

Residents within a 1.5 mile radius had to be evacuated. And because plant managers knew from experience that miles of surrounding roads would become impassable, they left a crew inside the plant to ride out the storm.

Not much later, 350,000 pounds of organic peroxide spontaneously combusted. Residents living within 1.5 miles of the plant had to evacuate and could not return home for a week. The incident endangered the lives of employees, first responders and neighbors. Highway 90, an evacuation route, had to be closed for days because of toxic fumes.

Cedar Bayou Flood Risk Reduction Study

Ironically, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) had started a Cedar Bayou Flood Risk Reduction Study six months before Harvey as part of its Cedar Bayou Plan. This study investigated existing flood hazards and identified potential future drainage improvements to help mitigate flooding and flood damage.

Included in the study were the Cedar Bayou main stem (Q100-00-00) and 18 of its tributaries deemed as priorities, including Q128-00-00 (Adlong Ditch). 

Outline of Long-Term Solution for Adlong Ditch

The long-term proposed solution for Adlong Ditch includes:

  • A large regional stormwater detention basin (approximately 120 acres in size which would provide approximately 511 million gallons of storage volume
  • Widening and deepening the channel
  • Structure improvements to increase the capacity of existing bridges/culverts.

Short-Term Objectives

The short-term recommendations include:

  • Acquisition of right-of-way (ROW) for future improvements
  • Initial construction of the regional stormwater detention basin. 

Project Benefits

Implementation of the long-term proposed solution would be phased as funding becomes available. The project benefits include: 

  • More effective channel conveyance to contain future 100-year flows. 
  • Removal of inundation of up to 17 structures downstream of US 90 in the 100-year event.
  • Removal of inundation of approximately 1,169 acres and 4.5 miles of road in the 100-year event, 
  •  An estimated reduction of $1.1 million in damage

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/13/2022

1718 Days since Hurricane Harvey


Exploration Green: Old Golf Course Turned into Innovative Flooding Solution

One of the more innovative flooding solutions in the Houston area can be found in Clear Lake. It’s called Exploration Green. Exploration Green is an old 178-acre golf course converted into a series of five large stormwater retention basins that also act as wetlands, wildlife habitat, and recreational amenities. Reforestation forms an extensive part of the plan as does water-quality enhancement.

Layout featured in masterplan shows integration with surrounding community, recreational amenities and reforestation.

Exploration Green demonstrates how “innovative green” approaches to flood prevention can amplify the value of traditional engineering. Islands in the ponds have attracted more than 150 species of birds.

Photo by Exploration Green

Stormwater Retention at Core of Plan

The master plan shows 38 acres of permanent water (wet bottom ponds) and 39 acres of wetlands. The slopes around the ponds create 1,680 acre feet of floodwater storage capacity. That’s enough to hold a foot of rain falling over 2.6 square miles. While the permanent water depth is six feet, the slopes around the ponds can safely hold water up to 13 feet.

Proposed typical cross section from master plan shows permanent pond surrounded by additional acreage for stormwater retention and recreational amenities.e

Stormwater runoff from the surrounding area (2,000 acres) flows directly to the site.

The project has proven so successful that FEMA prepared a case study on it. Exploration Green protects an estimated 16,000 homes in the immediate area.

The facility has prevented $300 million in flood damage to date and contributed to a $120 million increase in property values.

Alternative to Commercial Development

Local developers had expressed interest in turning the area into a massive commercial development. So, residents in the community – who didn’t like that idea – approached the Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA) Board of Directors. 

Public input from town hall meetings helped guide a masterplan created by SWA Architects. The ideas included ADA accessible trails, native trees and grasses, benches, athletic fields and other amenities. Then engineers and hydrologists reviewed feasibility. Finally, voters approved bond funding to purchase the property.

The primary intent: floodwater detention. Secondary: to create a multi-purpose space that the entire community could enjoy. See the original masterplan document here.

CLCWA began purchasing the land in 2005. They divided construction into Phases 1A, 1B, 1C, 2, 3A, 3B, 4, and 5. Work could finish this year.

When complete, the facility will have 6 miles of 10-foot wide concrete trails connecting amenities with the local community.

CLCWA water rates fund maintenance of the park.

For More Information

Visit the Clear Lake City Water Authority website or the Exploration Green website. They also offer a brochure you can download.

The project has garnered an impressive list of awards.

It’s easy to access – between I-45 and the Johnson Space Center. See the map here.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/12/22

1717 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Of Active HCFCD Bond Construction Spending Totaling $226 Million, Lake Houston Area Has $2 Thousand

Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) delivered its March 2022 Flood Bond Spending Update yesterday to Commissioners Court. It shows $226,476,745 dollars worth of active capital construction projects underway throughout the county. But only two of those valued at a grand total of $2,000 are in the Lake Houston Area.

That’s less than one-tenth of one percent, despite the fact that the Lake Houston Area was one of the most heavily damaged in the county during Harvey.

Heat map of Harvey Flood Damage from MaapNext.org.

Maintenance Costs Harder to Determine

The update also includes active maintenance projects. However, those are grouped in ways that make it difficult to determine the exact cost of each. The Lake Houston Area had 3 out of 36 of those. At least one of the three is now complete. It consisted of cleaning a block-long stretch of the drainage ditch that parallels Stonehollow Drive in Kingwood. Judging by the group costs, none of the three qualifies as major.

The update does not disclose the value of past projects. Nor does it break out the value of studies, right-of-way acquisition, or future improvements.

For the full update, click here. I compiled the numbers above from the last two pages in the PDF. To see the location of projects, check the HCFCD’s Flood Education Mapping Tool. It shows the number of every ditch and stream in Harris County.

Other Insights

The report yields many insights.

  • 19.7% of the bond work has been completed as of the end of March. That’s up from 19.4% at the end of February. That percentage should increase faster as HCFCD completes more preliminary studies and moves into the expensive phases of projects, such as right-of-way acquisition and construction.
  • Of 1175 buyouts identified, 457 have completed – 39%.
  • Biggest winners to date in the flood-bond, mitigation-funding sweepstakes have been:
    • Brays Bayou – $173.1 million
    • Cypress Creek – $87.4 million
    • Greens Bayou – $82.7 million
    • Addicks Reservoir – $75.4 million
    • Little Cypress Creek – $53.7 million
    • White Oak Bayou – $53.2 million
    • Clear Creek – $38 million
    • Halls Bayou – $35.4 million
    • Hunting Bayou – $34.1 million
    • Willow Creek – $33.5 million
  • The San Jacinto River watershed has received $20.7 million despite being the largest in the county.
  • HCFCD completed two projects during the month and began construction on one other.
  • Eight other projects changed stages, i.e., from feasibility study to preliminary engineering.
From page 10 of HCFCD March Update on Bond Spending.

“Partner Funds” To Date Virtually Equal “Bond Funds”

Virtually half of flood bond spending through the end of March 2022 came from partner funds. Local funds plus grants totaled $483 million. Money spent out of the bond itself has totaled $492 million. So, 49.5% of spending to date came from partner funds. It has gone largely to watersheds supposedly disadvantaged by partnership requirements. A popular political narrative claims low-to-moderate income watersheds get no partner funding and more affluent watersheds get it all. But that simply isn’t true.

The narrative is being used to accelerate the start of projects in LMI neighborhoods by decoupling grant approval and project initiation. However, as these numbers show, turning our backs on partnership funds could potentially double the cost of flood mitigation.

49.5% of mitigation dollars to date have come from partners. 50.5% came from the bond itself.

Glaring $750 Million Omission

Although the March update contained a discussion of several partnership grants, it failed to mention $750 million allocated to Harris County by HUD and the GLO for flood mitigation on March 18. The March update did, however, discuss several smaller grants, earmarks and partner funds. Those took up two and a half pages.

The $750 million, together with the flood resilience trust approved last year, would fully fund the flood bond. That means that no watershed should have to wait on partner funding for construction projects to begin once engineering is completed.

Only one step remains before Harris County can start using the money – approval of a “method of distribution.” That’s a final plan for how and where the money will be used.

Posted by Bob Rehak on May 11, 2022

1716 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.

TWDB grants HCFCD $2,208,906 to Expand Lauder Basin

Last month, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved a $2,208,906 grant from the State’s Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) to the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) for expansion of the Lauder Stormwater Detention Basin.

The detention basin will eventually hold 1,260 acre-feet of stormwater in Aldine along Greens Bayou. The project will help reduce repetitive flooding in that area. It is one of dozens of such projects under construction in the watershed.

Map showing phases and location of Lauder basin.

The 86th Texas Legislature created the Flood Infrastructure Fund with voter approval through a constitutional amendment in 2019. The fund helps develop drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects. State Senator Brandon Creighton sponsored the bill that created the fund.

About Phase 2 of Lauder Project

This particular TWDB grant will help enable Phase 2 of the Lauder Stormwater Detention Basin project (Bond ID C-34).

“We are extremely thankful for this funding and for the support of the Texas Water Development Board to improve flood resilience for residents in the Greens Bayou Watershed,” said Tina Petersen, Harris County Flood Control District Executive Director.

HCFCD finished Phase 1 of the Lauder Stormwater Detention Basin project in the fall of 2021. Phase 2 will provide additional stormwater detention in the former Castlewood development. Homes built there have been bought out.

HCFCD estimates the total cost of Phase 2 will be approximately $20.5 million. The additional capacity in Phase 2 will hold excess stormwater during heavy rain events and then release it slowly back to the channel when the threat of flooding has passed.

Phase 2 will be broken into two compartments.

  • Compartment 1 will bid later this month. Construction will start later this year and finish in 2024.
  • Compartment 2 (which TWDB is funding) is currently will be in design until 2023. Construction will begin in April 2024 and complete in early 2025.

Photos of Areas Involved

Phase 1 included a wet-bottom stormwater detention basin, with a permanent pool and features designed to improve stormwater quality.

Lauder Detention Basin on Greens Bayou as of 10/12/2021
Lauder Detention Basin Phase 1 on Greens Bayou (right) as of 10/12/2021. Looking SSW toward Lauder Road.

Phase 2 will be a dry-bottom stormwater detention basin with opportunities for recreational development by other entities. It will be in the wooded area (top center) of the photo below.

Lauder
HCFCD will construct Phase 2 of the HCFCD Lauder Detention Basin in the wooded area (top center) along Greens Bayou (upper right). Looking northwest toward Greenspoint area.

Garcia Lauds Lauder Progress

“Reducing chronic flooding has been my main priority since taking office. This Lauder Stormwater Detention Basin project represents the kind of progress residents expect and need to see, and we are grateful for the Texas Water Development Board’s support in making this critical project possible,” said Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia. 

“Making Harris County businesses and homeowners safer from flood events requires a commitment to make smart investments, like the TWDB’s. If we want to see our community thrive, we have to ensure families and companies can confidently grow in areas where their businesses and homes are free from flood fears,” he continued.

Relief from Repetitive Flooding

TWDB Chairwoman Brooke Paup said, “We’re proud to provide grant funding for this much-needed project, which has been a team effort, and to partner with our good friends at the Harris County Flood Control District. The TWDB works diligently to help communities across the state, but it’s especially fulfilling to be a partner in helping an area see some relief after experiencing repetitive flooding.”

Absorbs a Foot of Rain Falling Over 2 Square Miles

The two basin phases will hold at least 1,260 acre-feet, or 391 million gallons, of excess stormwater that might otherwise flood homes and businesses.

To visualize an acre foot, think of a football field with a foot of water on it. Now imagine that water extending upwards 1260 feet!

Another way to think about that is to visualize water spreading out horizontally. 1260 acre feet would would be a little less than two square miles. (A square mile comprises 640 acres.) So the two basins would hold a foot of rain falling over two square miles!

Looking at the Atlas 14 Rainfall Probability table below, the two phases would hold a 24-hour, 25-year rain falling over 2 square miles.

atlas 14 rainfall probabilities
Atlas 14 rainfall probabilities for northern Harris County

Flood-Risk Reduction Status

But the service area for the basins is bigger than 2 square miles. So the ponds won’t be enough by themselves to provide protection in a 25-year flood. That’s when other Greens Bayou projects will help. Together, the projects in the Greens Bayou Mid-Reach Program, when all are complete, should protect residents in a ten-year rain. See 10-year column in table above.

The two phases of the Lauder basin by themselves should reduce the risk of flooding for more than 4,500 structures in the 100-year floodplain. Learn more about the Lauder Basin at www.hcfcd.org/C34.

Overall, the flood bond allocated $280 million for Greens Bayou improvements. So far, HCFCD has spent $104 million in bond funds on those projects. So 63% the planned budget remains.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/10/22

1715 Days since Hurricane Harvey

United by Disaster, Divided by Recovery

Ironically, Hurricane Harvey united us in disaster and divided us during recovery. Perhaps that is the storm’s most lasting insult.

United by Disaster

1,714 days ago, Hurricane Harvey ravaged Harris and surrounding counties. The storm dropped the greatest rainfall in the history of the North American continent. It flooded 154,000 homes in Harris County and destroyed 300,000 vehicles.

In the months that followed, HCFCD organized meetings in each watershed to gather input from residents on what it would take to reduce flood risk in their neighborhoods. At the meetings, HCFCD also discussed what professionals thought it would take. Out of that dialog came a project list with a hefty $5 billion price tag.

Despite the price, exactly one year after Harvey, voters approved a historic flood bond by 86%! People came together and recognized the need to address flooding to ensure the future of their homes, businesses, and communities.

I contacted Matt Zeve, then the Deputy Executive Director of the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), immediately after the vote tally to congratulate him on the outcome. He was already hard at work on projects. Within seconds, I received this response.

“We are ready to deliver for everyone in Harris County.”

Matt Zeve, Former Deputy Executive Director of HCFCD after passage of bond, 8/25/2018

It was a rare moment of unity. Then the backbiting started as factions jockeying for a greater share of funding.

Soon, Russ Poppe, HCFCD’s executive director, and Zeve would be hounded from office, despite their contributions in architecting the bond.

Divided by Recovery

Since passage of the bond, a contentious recovery process – driven by partisan politics – has divided us.

Initially, questions centered around which projects HCFCD would implement first. After promising to fix the “worst first” (but never defining what “worst” meant). The three Democratic members of Commissioners Court pushed through an “Equity Prioritization Framework.”

The framework prioritized projects in watersheds with a high Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and high percentage of Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) residents. Said another way, they defined the “worst” flooding as flooding that affected LMI neighborhoods. This is not necessarily where the deepest flooding, the most frequent flooding or the most damaged homes are.

Since then, the three Democrats recommended changing the framework several times. For example:

Population and SVI now account for almost half of a project’s score regardless of other merits such as damage reduction.

Despite promises that all projects in the flood bond would eventually be completed, Commissioners Ellis and Garcia have also voted to cancel projects that voters approved. For instance, they tried to defund $191 million of flood-mitigation projects in Cedar Bayou and transfer the money to Garcia’s new Precinct 2.

Garcia has also suggested fixing 500-year flooding in LMI neighborhoods before more frequent flooding elsewhere. Together with other changes to the equity formula, that could mean certain projects in outlying neighborhoods never get built for lack of enough money.

Now the mostly Democrat-appointed Community Flood Resilience Task Force has recommended more changes to the formula. They include cherry-picking certain flood-risk reduction investments for a proposed Flood Mitigation Benefit Index. The apples-to-oranges comparison would make it look as though some watersheds were underfunded compared to others.

Who Would Favor Another Bond at this Point?

The new changes would apply to the flood resilience trust as well as any future flood bonds which do NOT have defined project lists approved by voters. Thus, a majority of commissioners could move dollars freely to the projects of their choice.

Throughout the constant changing of priorities, Commissioners Ellis and Garcia have sent signals that the amount of money in the bond isn’t enough to fix our flooding problems. Without mentioning any specific projects, defining costs, estimating benefits, or promising how the money would be spent, they have suggested they want another $50 to $60 billion from voters.

That’s a pretty big ask before we know what the first $5 billion has achieved – or even where the most frequent flooding occurs.

Democratic commissions say all the money to date has gone to affluent watersheds and LMI watersheds have received none. But people in neighborhoods like Kingwood can see the money going to LMI watersheds. This has created a “confusion” disaster that undermines trust in government – perhaps the biggest disaster of all.

Funding since 2000 in all 23 Harris County watersheds through end of 2021.

Net: everyone believes they are getting nothing from the first flood bond. So, why would they vote for a second?

Ultimately, the partisan dialog now dividing us could make everyone in the county more vulnerable to the next big flood. This is part of the reason why disasters repeat themselves.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/9/22

1714 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Mitigation Update: 3rd Anniversary of First Elm Grove Flood

Back in 2019, portions of Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest Villages flooded twice. The first time occurred on May 7th. According to Harris County Flood Control District’s (HCFCD) report on the storm, “A 30-min rate of 2.9 inches was recorded at US 59 and the West Fork of the San Jacinto River and a 1 hour rate of 4.0 inches.”

“380 structures were flooded in the Elm Grove Village subdivision and other nearby subdivisions in the northern portions of Kingwood.”

Investigation by HCFCD the following day revealed that “… the flooding was potentially caused by development upstream in Montgomery County that sent large volumes of sheetflow into the subdivisions and Taylor Gully.” This video shows the sheetflow pouring out Perry Homes’ Woodridge Village property into homes along Village Springs Drive.

Perry contractors had clearcut 267 acres without installing the required detention ponds when the rain hit.

In the three years that followed, I posted 242 reports about every aspect of that flood and a second one during Imelda. The second flood affected two to three times more homes in the same areas.

The floods triggered multiple lawsuits which Perry Homes, its subsidiaries and contractors finally settled late in 2021.

What It Looked Like

Shady Maple the night of the May 7 2019 flood
Escape. In Elm Grove on Shady Maple the night of the May 7, 2019 flood.
High water rescue
Rustling Elms Bridge in Elm Grove underwater as school bus tries to cross it.
Water in Keith Stewart's home on Shady Maple after May 7th flood in 2019.
Water rising at night in Keith Stewart’s home on Shady Maple after May 7th flood in 2019.

Catalog of Flood Mitigation Efforts

Ever since the Elm Grove floods, Harris County, HCFCD, the City of Houston, Congressman Dan Crenshaw’s team and others have worked diligently to reduce future flood risk.

On this Mother’s Day weekend, it may bring flooded families comfort to understand how far we have come. Much remains to do, but much has already been done, or at least started.

Major Maintenance on Taylor Gully

Even before the second flood, HCFCD undertook a major maintenance project on Taylor Gully to remove accumulated sediment and restore channel conveyance.

The project began in 2019. Work extended downstream to the natural portion of the channel. It finished in 2021.

Taylor Gully maintenance
HCFCD working to remove sediment buildup in Taylor Gully near the Maple Bend Bridge in January of 2021. The work began upstream near Rustling Elms in July 2019.

Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis and Taylor Gully Study

In 2019-20, HCFCD, Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (TIRZ 10), and City of Houston teamed up to conduct a drainage analysis for all streams in the Kingwood area. A recommendation to prioritize engineering of drainage improvements along Taylor Gully (including Woodridge) came out of that study.

The Flood Control District began preliminary engineering study on the Taylor Gully improvements in 2021. HCFCD anticipates presenting results during late summer or early fall this year.

Purchase of Woodridge Village By County and City

In early 2021, the Flood Control District and the City of Houston partnered to acquire the 267.35-acre Woodridge Village property for approximately $14 million.

They closed on the purchase of Woodridge Village in March 2021.

Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin lobbied the City to purchase about 70 acres of the property.

HCFCD will use the remaining 194.35 acres of the Woodridge site for stormwater detention. That will help reduce flood risk.

Crenshaw Earmarks

Congressman Dan Crenshaw secured an earmark for $1.6 million for engineering of flood mitigation improvements along Taylor Gully. The engineering should shrink the floodplain. That will effectively remove 387 structures from the floodplain and has the potential to remove another 62.

Crenshaw also has another earmark pending for $10 million to actually construct the improvements recommended by the study.

Local groups must spend earmarks during the fiscal year in which Congress approves them. So funding can’t get too far ahead of the engineering.

Taylor Gully Preliminary Engineering Study

The Taylor Gully study will look at Woodridge in conjunction with other potential Taylor Gully improvements. However, HCFCD must perform additional preliminary engineering to further evaluate specific alternatives for Woodridge and determine the best. 

During each study, HCFCD will hold Community Engagement Meetings to present alternatives and gather feedback.

Excavation & Removal Contract

In January 2022, HCFCD began work on a Woodridge Excavation and Removal (E&R) project.

Start of the new floodwater detention basin that could double the capacity on Woodridge Village.This pond should ultimately expand beyond the lone trees in the middle of the frame near the top. Photo taken 4/30/22.

E&R projects provide a head start on the excavation process and risk reduction. They can start before the design of a stormwater detention basin. Contractors excavate a set amount of material within an agreed-upon timeframe and general area.

The excavation can also potentially provide interim stormwater storage while awaiting the design and construction of the final stormwater detention basin.

As of April 30, 2022, 36,421 cubic yards of material has already been removed from the site. See photo above taken that day. The project will remove as much as 500,000 cubic yards of soil and other material.

Woodridge will remain an active construction zone for up to three years.

Have a Happy Mother’s Day this weekend.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/6/2022

1711 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 1096 Days since May 7, 2019

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.

Half of Preserve at Woodridge Already Framed Out.

Less than six months ago, Guefen started clearing land for the Preserve at Woodridge. Plans showed that the Preserve would contain 131 Lilliputian-sized homes for rent, some as large as 668 square feet. Already, more than half the homes are framed out. And one fifth have roofs. I counted 73 homes either completely or mostly framed in the photos below.

Photos Taken April 30

Here are some pictures taken of the Preserve at Woodridge last week.

According to plans, the vertical wall behind the homesites will be a retaining wall. In the pond itself, contractors are to install a 2-foot thick clay liner in 8″ lifts, each compacted to 95%.
As of last Saturday, contractors were still pumping silty stormwater into this channel which empties into Bens Branch at Northpark Drive.
Looking SW across 17 acre site toward Northpark Drive and St. Martha Catholic Church.
Not much grass will grow between these homes. It will be in shade most of the day.
Looking east from over Woodridge Parkway toward Kingwood Park High School and KSA’s Northpark Recreation area.

The developer claimed 65% impervious cover. But work to date appears much denser.

Preserve at Woodridge Detention Pond Progress Much Slower

If only the pace of work on the detention pond went as fast! Instead, contractors have treated it like an afterthought. They still haven’t come close to finishing it. And grass lining? Plans don’t mention it as far as I can see.

To see the complete plans, click here. You can find the detention basin plans and calculations on pages 18-24.

It’s not clear whether the detention pond will have a grass liner to reduce erosion or simply a compacted clay liner.

The construction plans call for compacted clay. And a search for the word “grass” did not turn up any mentions in the construction docs.

MoCo Drainage Regs Murky on Grass Lining of Detention Ponds

Montgomery County Drainage regulations get murky on whether detention ponds must have a grass lining.

“7.2.7 Erosion Control Measures for Detention Facilities” on Page 113 says:

“The erosion potential for a detention basin is similar to that of an open channel. For this reason the same types of erosion protection are necessary, including the use of backslope swales and drainage systems (as outlined in SECTION 6), proper revegetation, and pond surface lining where necessary.”

The wording in 7.2.7 leaves room for interpretation. It’s not clear whether engineers must specify all or one of the alternatives listed.

So I checked Section 6, which pertains to CHANNEL construction. “6.2.1 Grass Establishment” on Page 85 says:

“A good grass cover must be established on all areas within the right-of-way (except the channel bottom) disturbed by channel improvements or by any type of construction. An adequate grass stand on the banks helps stabilize the channel and minimizes erosion caused by overbank flow and high velocities in the channel.”

There’s certainly a lot of ambiguity in these specifications. Montgomery County has not yet responded to a complaint about the pumping of the silty stormwater down Ben’s Branch. And the only plans the engineering department supplied are those linked above.

Best Practices Vs. Industry Standard Vs. Minimum Requirements

A source knowledgeable about construction reminded me of the tremendous difference that exists between Best Practices, Industry Standards, and Minimum Requirements. Few companies will follow best practices if it costs them money, said the source. Even industry standard practices are optional. Most just follow the minimum requirements.

And even if the engineering plans comply with those requirements, there’s no guarantee contractors will follow the plans.

So understand your local regs. And report corner cutting when you see it.

Best practices call for detention ponds to be among the first things finished on a construction site. MoCo doesn’t mandate that, however. Grass would certainly help reduce erosion here.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/4/2022

710 Days after 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.

Construction Update: KMS and West Fork High School

I last updated Humble ISD’s Kingwood Middle School (KMS) and New Caney ISD’s West Fork High School construction projects in mid-March. Since then, KMS contractors have continued work to finish the exteriors while beginning interior work.

Humble ISD has not updated its web page on KMS construction details, but some changes are visible from the exterior.

South side of building now almost all “glassed in.”

Ditto for north side. Roof is substantially complete, though some work remains on AC units.
West side looking east from over Woodland Hills Drive.
SW side looking NE. Most of the heavy equipment is gone.
Looking NW from SE side. Old building in foreground will be demolished to make way for athletic fields.
Easternmost building still has the longest way to go.

Humble ISD still indicates the school will open in 2022.

Compare Current with Previous Pics

See the progress of work to date by comparing these pictures with those taken in previous months.

West Fork High School

New Caney ISD posted this April update on work to date for its new West Fork High School. The high school is south of the HCA Kingwood Medical Center between Sorters McClellan Road and US59.

“Overall completion of the buildings and site work is 78 percent complete. The main building and athletic support facilities are dried in with portions of the main building being air conditioned. All interior partitions are complete with finishes such as painting and ceramic tile in progress. The electrical, plumbing, and HVAC rough-in work is 85 percent complete. The ceiling grid is being installed, allowing the installation of light fixtures, A/C grills, life/safety devices, data, and sound systems to progress. The artificial turf for the football field is 80 percent complete with turf at the baseball and softball fields to follow. The general contractor is distributing topsoil in preparation to begin irrigation and landscaping.”

Here’s what all of that looks like.

Looking SE across front of campus. Sorters McClellan Road is on right. West Fork is in background out of sight.
Looking NE from over Sorters-McClellan Road.
Field house and football field.
It’s starting to feel like fall and it’s not even summer yet. Looking north. Campus is out of frame on left. 59 is out of frame on right.
Looking NW across front of field house toward high school and Sorters-McClellan Road.
Looking N toward northern entrance off Kingwood Place Drive.

Compare with Previous Updates

To see how the project has progressed, compare these previous posts.

New Caney ISD expects to complete the project this summer. It is one of the District’s 2018 bond projects.

Impact on Flooding

Neither of these projects has yet had an impact on local flooding.

KMS built a temporary retention pond. When the old school is torn down, it will be replaced with a larger permanent pond.

West Fork High School already has a permanent pond. It was the first thing to be completed. Grass has been growing in it since March of 2021. This has reduced the threat of sedimentation during construction. I wish all construction projects followed this model.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/4/2022

1709 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Houston Community College Announces Resilience Center

Houston Community College last week announced what it called a first-in-the-nation Resilience Center. The Center will offer continuing education and certification in seven aspects of resiliency that affect ten industries.

Artist’s rendering. The center will offer “boots on the ground training” in controlled, but authentic field and virtual simulations.

From Virtual to Real-World Similations

Students will experience all the dangers an individual is likely to encounter in a real disaster. Those include “flooded residential streets and commercial areas complete with hazards such as debris, downed power lines, submerged vehicles, and varying light levels that make the challenges all too real.”

Dimensions of resiliency addressed include:

  • High-water rescue
  • Incident management
  • Electricity
  • Debris removal
  • IT + drones
  • Facilities design
  • Integrated physical infrastructure

Industries include:

  • Construction
  • Additive Manufacturing and materials sciences
  • Health sciences
  • Engineering
  • Transportation
  • Public safety
  • Natural sciences
  • Digital and IT
  • Global energy
  • Logistics

All Types of Disasters, Not Just Flooding

HCC’s brochure emphasizes that, “Community resiliency is more than responding to major flood events. It includes disasters like fires, oil spills and leaks, pandemics, and freezes. This initiative is about skill mastery for ALL potential disaster scenarios.”

HCC will build the center on its northeast campus. It will accommodate three to four thousand citizens, business people and first responders per year.

“From applied ‘boots-on-the-ground’ training, they’ll experience all the dangers an individual is likely to encounter in a real disaster,” said HCC. “Those dangers include flooded residential streets and commercial areas complete with hazards. Hazards include debris, downed power lines, submerged vehicles, and varying light levels that make the challenges real.” Until the ROC’s completion, HCC will leverage existing facilities, equipment, labs, and classrooms.

Residential Risk Assessment

Students can also sign up for classes in:

  • Home risk assessment
  • How to support neighbors during emergencies
  • The value of insurance.

HCC hopes to complete the $30 million, 65,000 square-foot Resiliency Center in 2024.

Ultimately HCC may offer associate-degree programs around resiliency.

This YouTube video describes the program. It won’t prevent disasters. But it will help us deal with them.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/3/2022

1708 days since Hurricane Harvey