New Floodplain Maps Remain Secret For Now – At Least in Harris County

11/14/25 – Both Harris County Commissioners Court and the San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group agreed yesterday to keep new, updated Harris County floodplain maps secret from the public. They accepted Harris County Flood Control District’s (HCFCD) explanation that they couldn’t release the maps until FEMA finished vetting them…a process that has gone years longer than scheduled and could drag on for years more. Neither group:

  • Asked for an explanation of what was taking FEMA so long
  • Asked how withholding the maps could negatively impact Harris County residents
  • Pointed to any FEMA regulations requiring that FEMA must release information first
  • Agreed to pressure FEMA to speed up the vetting process
  • Addressed why local authorities elsewhere are releasing updated maps before FEMA.

However, a spokesperson for HCFCD insisted after the meetings that HCFCD had a contract with FEMA that prohibited HCFCD from releasing maps paid for with taxpayer money. However, she could not immediately produce the contract for this post.

Other Areas in Texas Released Updated Maps Ahead of FEMA

Other authorities elsewhere seem to have no trouble releasing their updated maps based on Atlas 14. Take the San Antonio River Authority (SARA), for instance. They have posted a DRAFT floodplain viewer since 2022 with disclaimers, even though FEMA has not yet released its versions of the maps.

Screen capture on 11/14/25. Site also contains disclaimer.

The SARA maps even show the 30-year chance-of-flooding to help mortgage applicants understand their flood risk.

San Antonio River Authority Draft Floodplain Viewer showing 30-year flood risk.

Williamson County (Georgetown/Round Rock) also has released its Atlas-14-based floodplain maps ahead of FEMA. The maps feature a slider that lets you compare the extent of old and new floodplains.

11/14/25 Screen capture of old/new floodplain comparison in Williamson County’s draft viewer.

So, it is possible to release new maps ahead of FEMA. No regulations that I can find prohibit it. If Harris County’s contract prohibits it, I will do a followup post when HCFCD produces the contract.

San Jacinto River Flood Planning Group Decides Not to Press Map Update Issue

The San Jacinto River Flood Planning Group (RFPG) met yesterday. Among other things, they voted on a progress report for the Texas Water Development Board that showed their work to date on the next iteration of the state flood plan.

Their interim report identified floodplain expansion everywhere in the river basin except Harris County.

That’s because maps for Harris County were redacted at the request of HCFCD. And that generated a lot of discussion.

One member of the committee said, “We have omitted mapping within Harris County as part of this tech memo deliverable, since that’s posted to the public.” [Emphasis added.] That same member later added, “Not incorporating that maybe oversimplifies or otherwise misleads the general audience.” That member proposed updating the maps before submitting the report to TWDB.

However, instead, the committee decided to simply edit text to remove FEMA’s delivery date for the new maps which HCFCD claims FEMA has repeatedly missed.

“It’s not a change to technical content or substantive content, it’s just going to be how it narrates,” another member said.

The committee also discussed applying political pressure on FEMA to release the maps, but decided not to.

Harris County Commissioners Court Takes No Action on Map Updates

Harris County Commissioners Court on 11/13/25 also included a discussion of the status of flood map updates. (See Item 325 on the agenda.)

Commissioner Tom Ramsey kicked off the discussion by saying, “We have known that FEMA is going to, at some point, issue new floodplain maps for Harris County. And we sit here waiting for FEMA to release these.” Later, he said there would be a significant difference in the extent of floodplains. “The existing 500-year floodplain is now going to be the 100.”

Commissioner Adrian Garcia then said, “This is not my first rodeo related to maps.” He continued. “It’s going to be tough enough when FEMA releases the maps on us, because…

“We’re going to find … developers holding properties that now are going to potentially be un-developable.”

Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia

Garcia suggested that perhaps the National Association of Counties (NACo) “move this item along because it is in limbo.” Then he added, “The federal government needs to own this. They need to do their part. And then we can work it at the local level.”

Tina Petersen, executive director of HCFCD claimed, “The responsibilities of FEMA have always been clear. They are responsible for releasing the flood insurance rate maps.” While that’s a true statement, FEMA is moving away from basing NFIP insurance rates strictly on flood zones. However, the maps will remain critical for mandatory flood-insurance purchase requirements for federally backed mortgages.

Commissioner Rodney Ellis tried to pin Petersen down by asking if other places were releasing updated flood maps and adding disclaimers like “draft” or “preliminary.”

Petersen dodged the question. Her 55-second response boiled down to, “We believe we are close. We believe it is prudent to wait.”

Petersen also dodged Ellis questions relating to FOIA requests and how much the new maps cost the county.

Commissioner Leslie Briones asked for an update on what FEMA has accomplished in the second half of the year. Petersen replied, “Really, where FEMA is at now is all of the data that has been submitted from the flood control district has been reviewed, and they are currently working to develop the draft flood insurance rate maps.”

Briones concluded the discussion. “We are all in and making sure we’re supporting you so that we can get the information out and work in support as strongly as possible,” she said.

That concluded the discussion. Commissioners took no action. They just moved to the next agenda item.

No Good Answers

In the end, the recognition of higher flood risk could increase flood insurance premiums and make floodplain properties more difficult to develop.

Kicking the can down the road and pointing fingers at FEMA, an agency undergoing radical change, avoids difficult conversations now. But it also exposes Harris County residents to higher flood risk.

See the Harris County Commissioners Court discussion of flood maps at 3:13:36 of this video. The San Jacinto River Flood Planning Group does not publish video of its meetings.

FEMA’s Region 6 Map Division would not confirm when they will release new flood maps for Harris County. They referred me back to HCFCD.

HCFCD has refused to share flood risk information with the County’s own Community Flood Resilience Task Force despite repeated requests since 2021.

And partially as a result, people are building and buying tens of thousands of homes in Harris County floodplains that could flood in the next big storm.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/14/25

2999 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.

Izzy Finds Harris County Magically Solved All Its Flooding Problems Overnight

11/12/25 – My weird nephew Izzy called this morning. He was all excited about what he thought would be a tax refund check from Harris County. He had just finished scanning through the San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group’s latest report and had convinced himself that the check was in the mail.

The Holiday Miracle

“Uncle Bob! Uncle Bob! Did you see what happened?”

“No Izzy. Calm down. What happened?”

“Harris County solved all its flooding problems and they didn’t even have to spend half the money in the flood bond!”

“Whoa there, Izzy. That sounds a little too good to be true. What makes you think that?”

(Flipping through a loose-leaf binder with hundreds of pages): “Lookee here, Uncle Bob. Every map in the book is like this. Yessiree.”

Existing Conditions Flood Hazard from San Jacinto Regional 2028 flood plan

“Yep, Uncle Bob. Every county in the river basin has flooding problems ‘cept Harris County. We done solved all our problems! I’m going to get me a new motorcycle with my refund check.”

“What’s wrong with your old motorcycle, Izzy?”

“It got flooded out.”

“And why do you think the county would give you a refund, Izzy?”

“They solved all our problems but only spent half the money. They geniuses.”

Izzy Gets an Education

“But that’s not how bonds work, Izzy. They don’t borrow the money until they need it.”

(Suddenly deflated) “You got to be kidding me.”

“Sorry Iz. I could use a refund check, too.”

“Oh, man. I was going to splurge and get me some nacho cheese Doritos with the change.”

“I’ll treat you to Doritos, Izzy, but I want to figure out what’s going on here.”

Uncle Bob’s Shocking Discovery

(Flipping through the report) “See, Uncle Bob. Harris County has NO flooding problems anymore, anywhere, nohow. I’m going to drop my flood insurance. That’ll save me some serious bank.”

“I wouldn’t drop it just yet, Izzy.”

“Why not?”

“Did you read this explanation on page 14, Izzy?”

“Read? Who reads anymore, Uncle Bob? That’s so old school.”

“It says the flooding in Harris County is still bad. They just aren’t saying how bad.”

“Why?”

“They claim they’ve been trying to figure out how to dish up the bad news…for four years.”

“Seriously?”

“I’m sorry, Izzy. They shoulda hired you to run Flood Control.”

“I got me a calculator that goes to 15 digits.”

“I’m sure you could have helped, Izzy.”

“Damn straight. I just can’t believe they’d try to trick me like this. They ‘da govmint. They ain’t supposed to trick people. Lives depend on this.”

“What do you say we drown our sorrows in some nacho cheese Doritos while I explain about government, Izzy?”

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/12/25

2997 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.

San Jacinto Flood Planning Group’s Proposed Minimum Floodplain Management Practices

11/11/25 – The San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group will consider adopting a set of proposed minimum floodplain management practices for the entire river basin at its meeting on November 13. The standards are part of a requirement by the Texas Water Development Board for the 2028 update of the state’s next flood plan.

The recommendations start on page 22 of the technical document. However, the document is 634 pages long and 214 megabytes in size. So, I’ve extracted them for easy reference.

They are targeted to floodplain managers in cities and counties in the San Jacinto River Basin. But they affect everyone from developers, homebuilders, and home buyers to home owners, insurers and first responders. So, I will add some explanatory comments below the proposed regs for those who may not understand their logic or language.

Proposed Minimum Floodplain Management Practices

Participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
  • All regulatory entities to implement ordinances that meet minimum requirements per the NFIP
  • All regulatory entities to remain active NFIP participants in good standing
  • All regulatory entities to participate in the Community Rating System (CRS) Program to reduce flood insurance rate premiums across the region.
Development of “No Adverse Impact” Policies
  • All regulatory entities to define a no adverse impact policy.
  • The no adverse impact policy should be focused on preventing negative impacts. Evaluation of impacts should be completed using best available hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, where appropriate.
Establish Minimum Finished Floor Elevations
  • All new habitable structures shall have a finished floor elevation established at or above or waterproofed to the FEMA effective 0.2% Annual Chance of Exceedance (ACE) flood elevation as shown on effective FIRMs except in areas designated as coastal flood zones.
  • Where regulatory mapping has been updated using Atlas 14 or newer rainfall data, all new habitable structures shall have a finished floor elevation established at or above or waterproofed to the FEMA effective 1.0% ACE flood elevation as shown on effective FIRMs except in areas designated as coastal flood zones.
  • In areas designated as coastal flood zones, all new habitable structures shall have a finished floor elevation established at or above or waterproofed to the FEMA effective 1.0% ACE flood elevation as shown on effective FIRMS plus 1 foot of freeboard.
  • All new critical facilities shall have a finished floor elevation established at or above or waterproofed to the FEMA effective 0.2% ACE flood elevation as shown on effective FIRMs plus 2 feet of freeboard except in areas designated as coastal flood zones.
  • Where regulatory mapping has been updated using Atlas 14 or newer rainfall data, all new critical facilities shall have a finished floor elevation established at or above or waterproofed to the FEMA effective 1.0% ACE flood elevation as shown on effective FIRMs plus 2 feet of freeboard except in areas designated as coastal flood zones.
  • In areas designated as coastal flood zones, all new critical facilities shall have a finished floor elevation established at or above or waterproofed to the FEMA effective 1.0%ACE flood elevation as shown on effective FIRMS plus 2 feet of freeboard.
Encourage Use of Best Available Data
  • Utilize the latest rainfall data, NOAA Atlas 14 or newer rainfall data, when conducting new analyses, designing drainage infrastructure, or developing regulations and criteria.
Compensatory Storage Requirements in the 1.0% ACE Floodplain
  • Any reduction in floodplain storage or conveyance capacity within the 1.0% ACE regulatory floodplain must be offset with a hydraulically equivalent (one-to-one) volume of mitigation sufficient to offset the reduction, except in areas identified as coastal flood zones.
  • A full hydrologic and hydraulic analysis should be performed to demonstrate that floodplain fill mitigation provided is sufficient.
Compensatory Storage Requirements in the 0.2/% ACE Floodplain
  • Any reduction in floodplain storage or conveyance capacity within the 0.2% ACE regulatory floodplain must be offset with a hydraulically equivalent (one-to-one) volume of mitigation sufficient to offset the reduction, except in areas identified as coastal flood zones.
  • A full hydrologic and hydraulic analysis should be performed to demonstrate that floodplain fill mitigation provided is sufficient.
Development of Detailed Hydrologic and Hydraulic Analysis Criteria/Requirements
  • All regulatory entities to develop hydrologic and hydraulic modeling criteria or requirements.
  • All regulatory entities to identify features of a proposed development that would warrant a full hydrologic and hydraulic analysis.
Incentivizing the Preservation of the Floodplain
  • All regulatory entities to explore and develop systems for incentivizing the preservation of the floodplain directly within the regulatory floodplain or within 100 feet of the banks of unstudied streams.
Nature-Based Solutions
  • All regulatory entities to adopt criteria for design of nature-based solutions for drainage infrastructure and stormwater quality management. TWDB’s nature-based solutions guidance manual should be referenced when adopting criteria.
  • All regulatory entities to establish criteria that would require new construction to incorporate, or minimally consider, nature-based solutions in design of drainage infrastructure and mitigation.
Operations and Maintenance
  • All flood-related authorities who own and operate drainage infrastructure to create a maintenance plan for those assets to manage and reduce future replacement costs.
  • All flood-related authorities who own and operate drainage infrastructure to develop and maintain an asset management plan, including GIS dataset of assets, to support maintenance of infrastructure. Datasets to leverage infrastructure toolkit that has been prepared by the TWDB to improve the assessment of drainage infrastructure condition and functionality.
Property Acquisition Program
  • All regulatory entities to develop property acquisition program for repetitive loss structures.
Flood Warning System
  • All regulatory entities to develop flood warning system for public awareness.
Hazard Mitigation Plan
  • All regulatory entities to develop a Hazard Mitigation Plan to help prepare for, respond to, and recover from flood events and maximize funding eligibility for disaster recovery funding.

Explaining the Proposed Minimum Floodplain Regulations

If you’re scratching your head about anything above, the following explanations may help.

NFIP and CRS

The National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System (CRS) encourages counties and municipalities to go beyond minimum floodplain management requirements in exchange for discounts on flood insurance premiums for their residents.

CRS rewards local governments that implement regulations which:

  1. Reduce flood losses
  2. Encourage accurate insurance rating
  3. Promote awareness of flood risk

Depending on the strength of a community’s practices, it could earn its residents anywhere from 0% to 45% discounts on their flood insurance premiums. Currently, Houston and Harris County earn 25% discounts. Montgomery County earns 15%.

So encourage your elected officials. This recommendation hits you in the pocketbook.

No Adverse Impact

Chapter 11.086 of the Texas Water Code says “No person may divert or impound the natural flow of surface waters in this state, or permit a diversion or impounding by him to continue, in a manner that damages the property of another by the overflow of the water diverted or impounded.”

The San Jacinto Flood Groups recommendation encourages local governments to adopt policies and best practices that prevent such adverse impacts.

Finished Floor Elevations

These recommendations encourage cities and counties to establish minimum heights above expected flood levels for buildings. “Finished floor” refers to living space. Sometimes people park cars under the first finished floor. This recommendation does not count garages below living space.

Together these recommendations say that if an area has adopted Atlas 14 (the latest rainfall probability statistics) and flood maps have been updated, the first finished floor can be set at or above the 100-year (1%) flood level. Otherwise, the first finished floor should be elevated at or above the 500-year (.02%) flood level.

Critical facilities, such as hospitals, fire stations, police stations and evacuation centers should always be at least 2 feet above the 500-year flood elevation.

Compensatory Storage Requirements

This recommendation is the same as “no net fill” requirements already in effect for many 100-year floodplains in the region. It has the effect of saying, “You can’t bring dirt into the floodplain, but you can move it around.” For instance, to elevate homes, builders would have to use the dirt excavated from a detention basin. It’s designed to prevent constriction of the floodplain, which could raise flood heights.

Hydrologic and Hydraulic (H&H) Analyses

H&H Studies define where and how flooding occurs, including how fast runoff occurs, how fast it will move and where it will go. They replace flood maps based on outdated or incomplete data. They incorporate Atlas 14 rainfall data and account for new development, impervious cover, and drainage changes, including recent channel improvements or detention basins.

They enable updated floodplain mapping and help build regional consistency in data and methodology. That in turn helps improve local floodplain regulations and insurance accuracy.

Floodplain Preservation and Nature-Based Solutions

The farther homes are from floodplains, the safer they are. Preventing flood damage is vastly cheaper than correcting damage afterwards, often by a factor of 5 to 10 times or more.

Floodplain preservation provides permanent benefits including economic continuity, insurance savings, environmental benefits, and recreational benefits. It also avoids post-flood recovery costs including infrastructure repair, housing assistance, insurance claims, business disruption, and environmental cleanup.

O&M, Property Acquisition, Flood-Warning System, and Hazard Mitigation Plan

The last four floodplain management recommendations emphasize preparation.

  • Regular maintenance, for instance, can keep channels from becoming clogged with sediment.
  • Buyouts in areas that flood repeatedly prevent future damage and mitigation costs.
  • Flood warning systems can tell people when to evacuate or streets to avoid in a flood.
  • A hazard mitigation plan helps identify natural hazards, assess risks and vulnerabilities, and outline long-term strategies to deal with them.

As common-sense as these ideas are, it’s amazing that many areas still have not adopted them. That may be why Texas has more people living in floodplains than the populations of 30 states.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/11/25

2996 Days since Hurricane Harvey

100-Year Floodplains Doubling in Size, But HCFCD Won’t Release New Maps

11/10/25 – The Texas Water Development Board’s San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group will meet on Thursday, November 13, to consider adopting a technical memorandum that shows the river basin’s 100-year floodplains more than doubling in size.

From Page 16 of Draft 2028 Region 6 Flood Plan. 10-year floodplains were not previously mapped.

However, even though the group acknowledges the superiority of Harris County Flood Control District’s (HCFCD) MAAPnext floodplain models, Harris County refuses to release updated flood maps. As a consequence, hundreds of pages of maps in the 634-page document show nothing for Harris County flood risk. Why?

Example of redacted map from page 98.

You can find the answer at the top of Page 14. “MAAPnext mapping information has not yet been made available to the public and will not be released to the public by HCFCD until late 2025 or early 2026. Given the sensitivity of this information…”

“… HCFCD has asked that MAAPnext mapping information not be shared publicly so that they can continue to carefully and thoughtfully control the roll out of this information to Harris County residents.”

Page 14, Draft Region 6 Technical Memorandum dated November 2025

HCFCD did not respond to a request for explanation or comment.

Redacted Information Exposes Public to Unnecessary Risk

This isn’t national-defense information. It’s public-safety information that you need to protect your family and life savings.

The County has been on the verge of releasing this information since 2021. But the County has postponed the release multiple times without a good explanation.

MAAPnext FEMA timeline for flood map release explains uncertainty
Screen Capture from MAAPnext.org on July 4, 2021

I have little faith in the late 2025/early 2026 release date. They have simply postponed it too many times. And in fact, a quick check of the MAAPnext website shows they’ve already delayed release again. Now they predict the END of 2026.

Flood map update schedule as of August 2025

HCFCD blames delays on FEMA. But HCFCD doesn’t even need FEMA’s permission to release what they now have.

FEMA’s authority extends to flood insurance maps. But other counties release flood-map updates before FEMA for their own regulatory and public safety purposes. And that’s how this information could help.

Why We Need This Information Now

People need this data to make important decisions, such as:

  1. Should I buy this house?
  2. What is the real flooding risk at my house?
  3. Should I buy flood insurance?
  4. Can I afford flood insurance on top of my mortgage?
  5. Is my parent’s house at risk? My children’s?
  6. Is the assisted living center where my relatives live at risk for flooding?

Would you want to make one of these decisions knowing the government deliberately withheld information that could save a loved one’s life or your life savings? These are life-altering decisions affecting potentially hundreds of thousands of people.

A Houston Chronicle investigation found that 65,000 homes have been built in floodplains since Harvey – a number based on old pre-Atlas-14 flood maps.

The Region 6 Technical Report suggests that number may be radically understated. If floodplains cover twice as many square miles, it stands to reason more people will be affected.

Harris County has updated maps.

Not releasing the maps is a public-safety scandal.

Bob Rehak

Even worse, not explaining why the public can’t see information that could save lives and life savings is an even bigger scandal.

Meeting Information

The San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group (RFPG) will meet on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 10:00 AM at the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, 1660 W Bay Area Blvd, Friendswood, TX 77546, Board Room. 

The public may attend and address the RFPG in-person. Or as a courtesy you may virtually access the meeting “as technology permits.” The link for virtual access can be found at: sanjacintofloodplanning.org. And here is the agenda.

For the full report, see Draft 2028 Region 6 Flood Plan.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/10/2025

2995 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.

New Feature on ReduceFlooding.com

11/9/2025 – In a continuing effort to make ReduceFlooding.com as useful to readers as possible, I have added a new tab on the Reports Page. It’s called Real-Time Conditions and Floodplain Extents. The information on this page comes from national, state and local sources.

On one page, you can find numerous links to sources that can help you understand your flood risk when you are deciding whether to evacuate, fleeing from a flood, or buying a home.

For instance, want to see how high the water got during a particular flood in the Humble/Kingwood Area downstream from the US59 Bridge? Check out the interagency Flood Decision Support Toolbox below.

InFIRM decision support toolbox shows flood extent during Harvey in Humble Kingwod Area
From Flood Risk Management Decision Support Toolbox showing flood extent during Harvey at US59/West Fork.

Key Links

The new tab contains the following links all in one easy to remember place at the top of the Reports page.

Caution: Flood Maps May Not Yet Be Updated to Atlas 14

Please be aware of the date on maps that show the extent of floodplains. As of this writing, most pre-date NOAA’s Atlas 14 rainfall probability statistics. When FEMA officially updates maps, the floodplains will likely expand. For instance, Harris County Flood Control District advises people that 100-year floodplains could become 500-year floodplains when FEMA releases updated maps.

Additional weather related links can be found on the Links page under the Weather/Flood/Climate Tab.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/9/2025

2994 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Why We Need FEMA

11/8/25 – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has not just battled nature’s extremes this year. It has also battled political superstorms that have left both employees and citizens exposed and uncertain.

Disasters So Far in 2025

Despite a quieter than normal hurricane season so far this year, the U.S. has suffered:

Political Crosswinds Create Uncertainty

It’s not that FEMA was unresponsive in these events. It’s just that the agency has been hampered by political crosswinds and uncertainty. Early in the year, the Trump administration announced that it wanted to eliminate FEMA. But more recently, as disasters piled up, the administration has said it wants to restructure FEMA.

Still, during a government shutdown, attention to the FEMA Reform Act has been diverted, putting the agency and its people under strain. FEMA began the 2025 hurricane season with only about 12% of its incident-management workforce available for deployment, according to the Government Accountability Office.

According to Government Executive, the shortage is partly due to attrition, burnout from concurrent major disasters, and a backlog of missions. With the workforce so thin, FEMA’s ability to surge in response to large disasters is seriously compromised.

At the same time, FEMA has eliminated the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. The exact value of such grants is unknown. However estimates range from almost $900 million to $3.6 billion.

FEMA’s own budget could be cut, too. Though not yet fully enacted, the administration’s FY2026 budget proposal included a cut of about $646 million for FEMA from prior levels.

FEMA has also reportedly blocked or delayed nearly $10 billion in disaster-aid over concerns about undocumented migrant eligibility. 

And the administration has stopped automatically approving Hazard Mitigation Grant Funds for disasters that it declares.

Why Response at Federal Level Makes More Sense for Rare Disasters

The Administration has said it wants state and local governments to take on the cost for disaster recovery. State and local governments already provide much of the funding for minor disasters. But can they provide the funding needed for the type of major disasters mentioned above?

Shortly before the government shutdown started, the Wall Street Journal ran an illuminating article about the changing focus at FEMA.

“The city [St. Louis] doesn’t have the finances, institutional knowledge or equipment to rapidly respond to catastrophic disasters like the tornado that struck in May, which the city estimates caused $1.6 billion in damage,” it said.

Other observers responding to the WSJ article pointed out that “This is the exact reason why a robust FEMA is SO critical to our nation.”  

“Any one individual municipality, county or even state can go years to decades without a major disaster that they have to respond to,” continued the article in the Balanced Weather Blog.

“The idea that these levels of government are going to maintain the large, complex infrastructure needed to effectively and adequately respond to rare catastrophic events is not only nonsensical, it would be an incredibly poor use of taxpayer money,” it continued.

“Having a robust FEMA enables the ongoing maintenance of the needed disaster response infrastructure at a federal level which can then be deployed when and where it is needed.”

Economies of Scale

That makes sense to me. Would you ask each state to provide its own Army, Navy and Air Force? Of course not.

Certain tasks require economies of scale to match threats. That’s what FEMA provides. The ability to shift people and resources where they’re needed when they’re needed makes more economic sense than forcing each of 50 states to duplicate those resources for a disaster that may never strike in a lifetime.

That said, I believe it’s also incumbent on cities, counties and states to shoulder as much of the burden as they can.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/8/2025

2993 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Harris County Commissioners Court Agendas Reflect HCFCD Slowdown

11/7/2025 – Seven years into what was supposed to be a ten-year flood bond, less than 40% of the money has been spent. As a result of slower than expected project execution, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) is running out of time to complete projects associated with hundreds of millions of dollars in matching grants. It has also lost hundreds of millions of dollars in purchasing power due to inflation.

Faced with that potential loss, you would think HCFCD would be scurrying to launch projects. But the last two commissioners court agendas offer a glimpse into an institution hampered by malaise.

October 30 Agenda

The October 30th agenda showed just four items under Flood Control District.

  • One had to do with recognizing a vendor name change
  • Another had to do with buying out a single property to prevent future flood damage to it
  • Two had to do with purchasing four tracts of land for stormwater conveyance improvements.

In fairness, the agenda included several additional Flood-Control items under the Purchasing department. They included:

  • Five vendor name changes
  • Two maintenance contract extensions
  • Feasibility study for a detention basin in the Greens Bayou watershed
  • A bid calendar
  • A professional services procurement policy

Under Transmittals, Commissioners received a Preliminary engineering report for mainstream improvements to Halls Bayou that was completed 4.5 months earlier. They also received notice that two mowing contracts would be advertised for bidding.

The agenda included no capital-improvement or construction contracts that would actually reduce flood risk.

November 13 Agenda

The 11/13/25 Commissioners Court Agenda lists five items under Flood Control District.

  • A $350,000 request to have the Houston Advanced Research Center provide support services for the resilience program managed by AECOM. Amount: $350,000.
  • One million dollars for engineering services for sediment removal in Addicks Reservoir channels
  • $100,000 staff-augmentation contract for engineering and inspection services related to sediment removal
  • A $1.09 million engineering contract to support channel erosion repairs along Cypress Creek
  • $190,476 for archeological and environmental consulting along White Oak Bayou.

However, the Engineering Department did ask permission to buy or condemn several pieces of property related to HCFCD channel improvements.

Also, under Purchasing, Flood Control listed:

  • A contract extension
  • First-aid supplies
  • A $424,450 contract for hazardous tree removal
  • A new maintenance-portfolio-management program

HCFCD also transmitted several documents to Commissioners:

  • The fourth annual report of the Community Flood Resilience Task Force prepared by a vendor
  • Notices of four Flood-Control projects/contracts being advertised for bids by Purchasing:
    • Storm-sewer-outfall repairs
    • Channel rehab within the Barker Reservoir
    • A stormwater detention basin at FM1960 and FM2100
    • Nuisance-animal control

So, out of those two meetings…

HCFCD is only bringing one new capital-improvement construction project to the table that would reduce flooding in the last month.

That’s the Forest Green Regional Detention Basin at FM2100 and FM1960.

See HCFCD presentation for more details on Forest Green Stormwater Detention Basin

Comparison to Previous Management

Flood-mitigation spending at HCFCD has fallen to less than half of what it was under previous management.

HCFCD spending through Q3 2025
HCFCD management changed in mid-2021.

Commissioners Court agenda’s in recent years reflect that. I opened a random selection of agendas both before and after the peak shown above.

The number of HCFCD items on agendas has also fallen by approximately half.

Most agendas sampled after the peak contained half the number of HCFCD items compared to agendas before the peak.

I asked a half dozen sources why. They pointed to a combination of factors. Most frequently mentioned:

Ironically, all that could harm disadvantaged constituents that the majority on commissioners court says need help the most – minorities with low-to-moderate incomes. Reportedly, more than 70% of the $322 million in projects endangered by a looming February 28, 2026 deadline would benefit that group.

At the current rate of one new construction project a month, it could take HCFCD another 11 to 12 years to complete the 137 projects remaining in the Flood Bond.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/7/25

2992 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Save the Date: Median Madness Round 4 Scheduled for November 15

11/6/25 – Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger has scheduled another round of Median Madness for November 15. The focus this time will be a stretch of Northpark near the Kroger at the intersection with West Lake Houston Parkway.

Median Madness events not only beautify Kingwood medians, they improve traffic safety by improving visibility and removing roadway incursions.

Carrying On a Tradition of Community Involvement

The Median Madness initiatives bring together volunteers of all ages, city departments, and community partners for clean-up and beautification efforts. The first three events have been resounding successes.

The November 15 event will make up for one last May that had to be rescheduled because of rain.

How to Sign Up

Flickinger invites residents to join in continuing these efforts to keep District E beautiful. Those interested in volunteering can contact the District E office at districte@houstontx.gov to get involved. 

Said Flickinger, “Your teamwork and commitment continue to make a tremendous impact on our community medians and the overall appearance of our city.”

Thank You to All Supporters

Flickinger also thanked the Houston Police Department, Houston Parks and Recreation Department, the Houston Toolbank, Council Member Julian Ramirez and generous sponsors for helping to make this upcoming event a success in the spirit of past events.

Sponsors for this event include Chick-Fil-A, Trees for Kingwood and Houston Parks and Recreation.

Read more about the community’s efforts and see photos from the last event here:

Median Madness Volunteers Made a Huge Difference Again.

And Don’t Forget…

Please bring water, gloves, and shears. And wear closed-toed shoes. All ages are welcome, but those under 16 should be accompanied by an adult.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/6/25

2991 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark Update: Building Blocks Falling into Place

11/5/25 – From ground level, a driver may not see all the progress being made on the first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood. But from the air, it’s unmistakable. One can clearly see the pieces of the final Northpark project coming together.

In the last week, contractors have:

  • Prepped and/or paved a mile of new inbound lanes on Northpark
  • Framed out most of the first junction box that will convey stormwater from one side of the UPRR tracks to another
  • Began prepping the second junction box.
  • Extended sidewalks on the south side of Northpark between Loop 494 and 59.

Below are pictures taken on Monday, 11/3/25 that show the state of the massive project.

Prep and Paving of Inbound Lanes

Looking east from the entry ponds at US59, note the sidewalks going in on the right. Contractors are bending the path to save a giant live oak tree by the Exxon station.

Looking east from the entry ponds at US59 on 11/3/25. Note sidewalk swerving to save tree. Closeup below.
Closer shot of men routing the sidewalk around the live oak in front of the Exxon Station.

Also note below that contractors have removed all the old concrete from the southernmost lanes (right of center) and have begun paving new lanes from Whataburger to US59.

Reverse angle. Looking SW at the same area.

On the other side of Loop 494, there’s even more progress. Note the new lanes stretching east from Loop 494 most of the way to Russell Palmer Road.

Looking east from over Loop 494. Note new paving (right) in front of a new subdivision which will be called the Northpark Enclave.

A little farther east, contractors have laid an asphalt base that stretches for several more blocks. Concrete will soon follow.

Note the base for new paving on the right.

Also note above the gentle outward curve of the road on both sides. This is where surface roads will split to make room for the bridge over the tracks and Loop 494.

Junction Boxes by Loop 494

Contractors are in the process of forming two cast-in-place junction boxes on either side of the UPRR tracks that parallel Loop 494.

They finished two bores under the tracks in October. Now, they are creating the junction boxes, one on either side of the tracks. Together, will help convey stormwater to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

All this work is taking place under ground and is invisible from the road.

Looking down at the rebar that will reinforce the walls of the western pit between Loop 494 and the tracks.
Work is just starting on the eastern junction box in front of Self-U-Storage.

Sidewalks between US59 and Loop 494

Looking west and people working on sidewalk near Exxon Station.
Wider shot shows the south sidewalk will soon stretch all the way to US59.

Next Steps

Ralph De Leon, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority project manager for the Northpark expansion project, says the next steps will be:

  • Opening up all the westbound lanes between Loop 494 and US59
  • Opening up all the eastbound lanes on both sides of Loop 494
  • Finishing the driveways on the outbound side of Northpark east from the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

In the meantime, pack your patience. And focus on how nicely this will all work when complete.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/5/25

2090 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Floodplain Maps for 5,316 Acres West of Kingwood Contradict Developer’s Claim

11/4/2025 – FEMA floodplain maps contradict a claim made by Scarborough Development/San Jacinto Preserve in a presentation made to the City of Houston and Harris County officials on 10/29/25.

The developer recently bought 5,316 acres, mostly in the floodplains and floodways of Spring and Cypress Creeks, and the San Jacinto West Fork. The land lies in both Montgomery County and the City of Houston’s extra territorial jurisdiction. The developer also wants to build a bridge into Harris County.

In documents obtained from the City of Houston, the developer claimed it would only be “developing land at or above the Atlas 14 100-year floodplain.” See copy in red box below.

Presented by developer to City of Houston and Harris County on 10/29/25.

However, superimposing their development plan on FEMA’s current floodplain maps developed before Atlas 14 contradicts that claim. Why?

The extent of proposed development matches the limits of pre-, not post-, Atlas 14 100-year floodplains.

Net: developing in this area is more dangerous than it may look. 500-year floodplains could soon become 100-year floodplains.

For more detail, see the discussion of Atlas-14’s history and the sequence of maps below.

A Brief History of Atlas 14

FEMA’s current floodplain maps for this area date to 2014, four years BEFORE the start of Atlas 14 in Texas. And to my knowledge, FEMA has not yet released new flood maps based on Atlas 14 for this region.

From FEMA floodplain map of Scarborough/SJP property. Effective date: 8/18/2014. Screen captured today.

NOAA began updating rainfall precipitation frequency estimates in 2004; they called the effort “Atlas 14.” But NOAA didn’t update Texas statistics until 2018. Such rainfall estimates form the basis for flood maps.

In Montgomery County (MoCo), pre/post estimates for the standard 100-year/24-hour rainfall varied by more than a third. MoCo adopted Atlas 14 values of ~16.1 inches for the 24-hr, 1% storm (at Conroe), up from the previous standard of ~12 inches. That’s an increase of 4.1 inches or 34%.

Just as important, until earlier this year, MoCo drainage regulations often let developers avoid building stormwater detention basins that would offset that additional rainfall.

Also consider that Montgomery County has been one of the fastest growing counties in the region and in America. Its population has grown by almost a third (31%) since 2018. That population growth comes with a growth of impervious cover (roofs, driveways, streets, parking lots, etc.) that doesn’t soak up rainfall.

I’m not aware of any recent studies that show the cumulative impact of additional rainfall and impervious cover together with a deficit of detention.

Given those issues, common sense says flood elevations would increase. And in fact, preliminary guidance from Harris County indicates that floodplains will expand by 50% to 100% when FEMA releases updated flood maps based on Atlas 14.

New Plans Show Development Extending to Old 100-Year Floodplain

When I first saw the developer’s new plans, the plans didn’t seem to match the claim that they would only develop land “at or above the Atlas 14 100-year floodplain.” That made me suspicious. So, I performed an experiment.

I superimposed the developer’s plans over FEMA’s current (pre-Atlas 14) map dated 2014. I then varied the opacity of the layers in Adobe Photoshop so I could see how the two matched up. Long story short, they matched perfectly. See the sequence of images below.

Layer 1: From FEMA’s Flood Hazard Layer Viewer. Scarborough property is in center between Spring Creek (diagonal) and West Fork (right). Brown areas = 500-year floodplain. Aqua = 100-year. Striped = floodway.

Next, I superimposed the development plan that Scarborough presented to City of Houston and Harris County.

Layer 2: Gray areas with waffle pattern represent claimed “net developable area.” Red = property boundary.

Then, I varied the opacity of the development plan until you could see the floodplains behind it.

Composite with partial transparency of overlay

Enlargement clearly shows that development stops at the old, pre-Atlas-14, 100-year floodplain.

White lines from 2014 FEMA map form boundary between 100- and 500-year floodplains. And waffle patterns from developer’s plans stop at white lines.

New maps reflecting higher rainfall rates and more impervious cover will likely show those white lines cutting well into the brown so-called developable areas, if not eliminating some altogether.

Where Did Developer’s Claim Come From?

So, where did the developer’s Atlas 14 claim come from? I have talked to three people who were in the meeting. Not one could tell me with certainty. They all expressed reservations and doubts about it.

I have also reached out to Scarborough several times to understand their position, but they have yet to return phone calls or emails.

So, I’m going to remain skeptical until I see proof of their claim and FEMA’s new Atlas 14 maps. FEMA may release them in 2026. But the proposed maps will then go through public comment and revision cycles. That could mean they won’t become official for at least another three years.

Make This An Election Issue

In my opinion, the best use for this property would be to turn it into a state park. That would help protect areas both up and downstream. With an election coming up next year, our representatives will have their ears to the ground. The time to start a letter-writing campaign is now. Contact all candidates.

Turn this into an election issue.

Make sure we elect someone who is more interested in protecting public safety than private profits.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/4/25

2989 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.