Ever since Harvey, Cypress Creek residents near I-45 have been caterwauling that the southbound feeder road is cattywumpus. For those who may not speak fluent Texan, that first word means “screaming” and the second means “skewed” or “out of alignment.”
So on my latest helicopter flight, I flew over the bridge to see what was up. Or down. Actually, the road bed appears level. And nothing has yet fallen into the creek.
However, aerial photos indicate that the bridge panels are indeed cattywumpus. Note how the side guardrails seem to be out of alignment. Also note uneven gaps in the bridge panels (tight on one side, wide on the other). Finally note the vegetation growing or stuck in the cracks, and the un-level bridge support – at bottom of center oval in row of three.
This image taken on 5/26/2021 and cropped from image below.I-45 Southbound Feeder Road at Cypress Creek
For now, the bridge seems to be holding. But I’m not sure I would want to be the first one to drive over this after the next big flood.
During Harvey, residents say, this bridge went completely underwater. It appears that the force of the water lifted and twisted the bridge panels as much as 6 to 10 inches. However, TxDoT, the responsible authority in this case, has not yet fixed the issue.
Repairs Delayed
According to resident Frank Adamek, TxDoT originally said it would fix the bridge in 2020. Now, says Adamek, TxDoT says they hope to bid the job by the end of 2021 and start construction in March of 2022.
The bridge has other issues, too. Adamek says, the supports under the main lanes are 110 feet across. That allows trees swept downstream in floodwaters to pass through. However, the supports under the southbound feeder road are only 26 feet apart. Adamek says that they have caught trees and backed water up toward homes in the area.
Extreme events, such as Harvey, tend to reveal problems we didn’t even realize existed. Once you see them, though, they’re hard to forget. I, for one, intend to stay off that feeder road.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/2/2021
1373 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/20210526-RJR_7724-4-copy.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2021-06-02 11:55:212021-06-03 13:55:47I-45 Feeder Over Cypress Creek Is Cattywumpus
Humble ISD’s new North Transportation Center appears to be “dried in,” as they in construction. That means the main building has walls, windows and a roof. Photos taken on 5/26/21 show construction equipment still in front of the building indicating they have moved to the “interior buildout” phase of construction.
Humble ISD’s new north transportation center is nearly 100% concrete except for the large detention pond on the far left, much of which is out of frame.
When complete, the property will store buses for a large portion of the District’s 14,000 students who use them.
The property at 24755 Ford Road encompasses about 12 acres. The target opening date for the new transportation center: sometime in 2021. It certainly looks, at this point, as if the District will accomplish that goal.
Having an additional transportation center will save an estimated $2 million in operating costs due to shorter routes and improved response times, according to Humble ISD. It will also free up space at the district’s main transportation center to accommodate growth in the southern part of the District.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new North Transportation Center occurred just about 8 months ago on Friday, November 6, 2020.
New Agricultural Science Center Status
About a quarter mile south on Ford Road from the Transportation Center, DT Construction has erected steel to frame out most of Humble ISD’s new ag barn facility. The old one at Deer Ridge Park in Kingwood flooded several times in recent years placing the animals at risk.
The center, measuring 29,000 square feet, will have the capacity to hold 70 pigs, and 70 goats or lamb. Additionally, there are 20 poultry and rabbit pens, along with room for 24 cattle. The new center will also include a practice arena, teacher offices, restrooms, a designated turnout area, comprehensive security measures, and expanded parking. Cost to build the new center totals $4.5 million.
Status of construction at Humble ISD’s new ag barn in Porter as of 5/26/2021.
Target completion date for this facility is also later this year. Although it doesn’t look quite as far along, keep in mind that some of these buildings will be open-air barns that require far less work than the transportation center facilities.
The new 6.9-acre facility sits on higher ground. Although it’s near the headwaters of Mills Branch (wooded area at top of photo above), only a tiny portion of it sits in the 500-year flood plain, according to construction plans. Mills Branch drains through Kingwood’s Royal Brook and joins White Oak Creek downstream. (See map below.)
The ag facility, too, has a substantial detention pond. See the triangular area in the upper right portion of the photo above.
Google Earth shows the pond measures about .53 acres. Harris County Flood Control recommends a new minimum detention rate of .65 acre-feet per acre for properties smaller than 640 acres under new Atlas-14 rainfall rates.
That means this pond would have to be about 8.5 feet deep to comply. I haven’t surveyed it. But it appears to be that deep.
The pond for the transportation center measures about 1.7 acres out of a 12-acre site. Assuming that pond is also approximately 8 feet deep, that appears to offer more than enough detention capacity to comply with the .65 acre-feet per acre rule of thumb also.
The North Transportation Center is in Montgomery County and the Ag Science Center straddles the Harris/Montgomery County line. However, both lie within the City of Houston’s Extra Territorial Jurisdiction and the detention ponds would need to meet the City’s requirements which mirror Harris County’s.
It’s good to see the Humble ISD taking a responsible approach to floodwater detention. The Humble ISD 2018 school bond made both of these projects possible.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/31/2021
1371 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210526-RJR_8286.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2021-05-31 13:45:242021-05-31 13:49:42Humble ISD New North Transportation Center and Ag Barn Shaping Up Nicely
It’s that time of year again. Hurricane season officially starts Tuesday and runs through November 30. Here are checklists that can help you prepare for and recover from hurricanes.
Hurricanes can strike anywhere, anytime. The time to prepare is not when one is bearing down on you. It’s now. When you have time. Supplies are plentiful. Internet access is available. You’re calm. And can think things through.
For future reference, you can find these checklists on my Links Page under the Preparedness subhead.
Start reviewing these now. It’s never too early to plan!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/30/2021
1370 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Denise-Faulkner.jpeg?fit=1200%2C899&ssl=18991200adminadmin2021-05-30 12:48:052021-05-30 13:10:03Preparation Checklists for Hurricane Season
This week, ReduceFlooding.com passed up a million total page views. I launched the site on 3/3/2018, about six months after Hurricane Harvey. In the early days, it averaged 10-20 page views a day. This month, views ranged from 1,000-5,000 a day. That’s not bad for a one-issue website focused a small geographic area. Especially one that doesn’t promote itself. Over half of local business websites receive less than 500 visits a month.
Objectives Have Never Changed
Since the beginning, I have posted 1,596 news stories and taken 26,211 photos. After all that, my objectives have never changed. They remain to:
Raise awareness of how sedimentation and other man-made factors contribute to flooding along the San Jacinto River and Lake Houston
Mouth Bar of the West Fork of the San Jacinto after Harvey.The same area today is virtually unrecognizable. The above-water portion of the mouth bar is gone. (Turbidity caused by recent rains.)
Reporting as a Learning/Sharing Process
Several things have become clear to me while researching, writing and photographing hundreds of stories about flooding and flood mitigation.
Flooding is not very high on most political agendas unless we make it so. People pay attention to flooding after major floods. Then they hear about big dollars for flood mitigation funding and assume the money is being put to work immediately. It’s not.
Growth is a bigger incentive to most politicians in outlying areas than flood avoidance. Flooding is rare. Once it’s out of the news, priorities turn elsewhere.
Flood Mitigation Is a Dog Fight
Unless communities stay on top of flood mitigation and people work together to ensure they get their fair share of funding, they won’t. It’s a dog fight. We collectively have more needs than dollars. Never assume the machinery of government is working for you.
As State Senator Brandon Creighton once said, “If you don’t get involved in government, you’ll get run over.”
That’s why I want to thank each and every reader of ReduceFlooding.com. Your continued interest creates a collective voice that is louder than any of us could have as individuals.
So thank you again for the ideas, photos, tips, and suggestions that hundreds of you send in each month. You help shine a light on the problems. Thanks a million for your support.
Thanks also to our local representatives: Dave Martin, Mayor Pro Tem and District E City Council Member, City of Houston; Ted Poe, former US District 2 Representative; Dan Crenshaw, current US District 2 Representative; US Senator Ted Cruz; US Senator John Cornyn; State Representative Dan Huberty; State Senator Brandon Crenshaw; Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle; and Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/29/2021
1369 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210526-20210526-RJR_8220-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C588&ssl=15881200adminadmin2021-05-29 19:25:012021-05-29 21:21:08Thanks A Million
It was about a year ago that New Caney ISD cleared land for its third high school between Sorters-McClellan Road and US 59 south of Kingwood Drive. Today, the site is a beehive of activity. Construction crews have erected walls that will eventually define the shape of High School #3. I took the pictured below on 5/26/2021.
New Caney ISD Campus #3 on Sorters McClellan Road south of Kingwood Drive.
The New Caney ISD says that as of May 2021, “The site work at Comprehensive High School #3 includes storm drainage which is 95 percent complete. The sanitary sewer is 85 percent complete. The electrical is 98 percent complete and the water is 90 percent complete. The concrete slab on the building is 85 percent complete. The form and pour tilt-up panels are 95 percent complete. The erect panels are 80 percent complete and the structural steel is five percent complete.”
New Caney ISD’s enrollment grew 31 percent between 2011 and 2016. That ranked NCISD first in the greater Houston area and fourth in the state for percentage enrollment growth. Eventually, the high school will hold 2,250 students. However, the school will open with only 1,350 in August 2022.
FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer shows that the extent of the floodplain in this area roughly parallels Sorter’s McClellan Road. The high school property falls roughly within the red circle.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/29/2021
1369 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210526-RJR_8088.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2021-05-29 15:38:242021-05-29 15:43:16New Caney High School #3 Taking Shape
This week, the Railroad Commission of Texas finished plugging three abandoned oil wells in the Forest Cove townhome complex near Marina and Timberline Drives. The Commission cited the owner for leaks in the past. However, the owner, Noxxe Oil & Gas, went bankrupt in 2020. That put the responsibility for remediation on the Railroad Commission. The Commission began plugging earlier this month and finished in this location on Wednesday afternoon. See photos below.
About Plugging
The National Petroleum Council says that a well is plugged by setting mechanical or cement plugs in the wellbore at specific intervals to prevent fluid flow. The plugging process usually requires a workover rig and cement pumped into the wellbore. The plugging process can take two days to a week, depending on the number of plugs to be set in the well.
Oil and gas can not only seep up through the well’s pipe, but also through the annulus. The annulus is the area between the outside of the pipe and the surrounding earth. Therefore, plugging often involves perforating pipe and forcing cement into the annulus, too.
First of three wells being plugged. Photographed on Sunday May 9, 2021. The larger townhome complex in the background was torn down on Wednesday, May 26, 2021.Pump jack from second well ready to haul away. Photographed on May 26, 2021. Note West Fork bridge in background.Railroad Commission contractors plugging third of three wells near townhomes on Wednesday, 5/26/2021 at 8am.
Photo taken at noon on May 26, 2021. Contractors packing up. Note location of previously demolished townhomes to left of rig and top center. Water in foreground is the San Jacinto West Fork.
Plans For Rest of Wells Remain Unclear
The Railroad Commission has not returned multiple calls or emails regarding its plans for other Noxxe wells near the Forest Cove little league fields. Earlier this year, the Commission said that someone might buy those wells and try to produce oil from them, using the tanks already on the property.
Approximately 10 wells remain on the portion of the old Noxxe lease between the Forest Cove Little League fields and the San Jacinto West Fork at the top of the frame.Photo taken on 5/26/21 around noon.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/28/2021
1368 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210509-DJI_0778.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=19001200adminadmin2021-05-28 14:14:482021-05-28 14:23:24Railroad Commission Plugs Three Abandoned Wells Near Forest Cove Townhomes
5/26/21 – Tonight, Texas General Land Office (GLO) announced that it would support a direct allocation to Harris County from HUD Mitigation funds for $750 million.
On May 21, the GLO announced winners of US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants totaling more than a billion dollars for Hurricane Harvey flood mitigation. Only problem: little went to Harris County Flood Control or the City of Houston despite the fact that we experienced half of the statewide damage in Harvey. Only $90.4 million went to small cities in Harris County. (See below)
Harvey at Peak Intensity
Ever since GLO’s announcement, Harris County Commissioners have been scrambling, trying to figure out how to fill a funding shortfall. That’s because they were counting on attracting matching grants that didn’t materialize. Without the grants, some of the projects could be delayed – especially those in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods, which HUD targets – until alternative sources of funding can be identified.
Yesterday’s Harris County Commissioner’s Court Meeting spent more than four hours on the dilemma. Commissioners arranged for angry residents to call in and each testify for 3 minutes. At the end of their allotted time, they were thanked and asked to call the Texas General Land Office (GLO).
The phones must have rung off the hook at the GLO today, because by the end of the day, GLO Commissioner George P. Bush punted the decision for the next round of funding to HUD.
Below is the full text of a GLO press release sent out at 6:28 PM this evening.
GLO Press Release
“Today, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced his request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Harris County to receive a direct allocation of $750 million for mitigation efforts.”
“I have heard the overwhelming concerns of Harris County regarding the mitigation funding competition,” said Commissioner Bush. “The federal government’s red tape requirements and complex regulations are a hallmark of President Biden’s administration. I am no stranger to standing with the people of Texas as we fight against the federal government. As such, I have directed the GLO to work around the federal government’s regulations and allocate $750 million for mitigation efforts in Harris County.”
“An amendment to the state action plan regarding the administration of Community Development Block Grants for Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) in the State of Texas will be submitted to HUD by the General Land Office to implement these changes. A final mitigation competition will be held for the other 48 eligible counties at a later date.”
“Although Hurricane Harvey made landfall in August 2017 and Congress appropriated these mitigation funds several months thereafter, the GLO’s hands were tied waiting for HUD to publish the rules regulating the use of these funds until they were published in a Federal Register notice, which did not happen until August 30, 2019 – two years after the storm and 19 months after the appropriation. The scoring criterion required by HUD to be included in the state action plan for distribution of the funds was approved by HUD on March 27, 2020.”
Flood Mitigation Should be Non-Partisan
I don’t want to get in the middle of the cross-fire on this. One of my biggest concerns is that flood mitigation remain non-partisan.
So rather than speculate about people’s motives and try to decipher where things went awry, I will simply post the following documents:
Regarding the last item, the copy is from a draft circulated before the meeting. However, reportedly, Commissioners made no changes. They approved it (or something very close to it) unanimously.
Before the end of the meeting, Commissioners had also resolved to meet with the Governor, HUD, President Biden, Congressmen, Senators and the tooth fairy. One thing is certain. Harris County is not taking this lying down.
One strange thing that several people have commented on: approximately a quarter of all the grants awarded went to improve water and sewage treatment plants – not flood mitigation projects. As one Congressional aid said today, “Separate grants are available for those. That took a lot of money out of circulation.”
Projects Awarded within Harris County but Not to HCFCD
In fact, three of the four projects awarded to cities in Harris County fell into that category.
City of Pasadena: Flood Mitigation Project – $47,278,951.21 LMI Percentage: 65.37%
City of Baytown: East District Wastewater Treatment Plant Phase II – $32,394,113.86 LMI Percentage: 52.29%
City of Galena Park: Water Plant Improvements Project – $5,482,123 LMI Percentage: 60.22%
Almost as much is going to water and wastewater plant improvements as flood mitigation.
Posted by Bob Rehak on May 26, 2021
1366 days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Harvey-Peak-Intensity.jpg?fit=1500%2C843&ssl=18431500adminadmin2021-05-26 21:18:192025-08-03 16:08:10GLO’s Bush Requests Direct Funding from HUD for Harris County Flood Mitigation
Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) started tearing down the townhomes at 960 Marina Drive in Forest Cove this morning at 7:45 a.m. What took years to build will only take hours to destroy. Of course, nature began destroying these townhomes years before today. In Hurricane Harvey, 240,000 cubic feet per second of floodwater rampaged through them. That’s because these townhomes were built in the floodway and floodplain of the San Jacinto West Fork.
As I reviewed the photos I shot this morning, I saw massive piles of dried dirt tumbling from third floor apartments and even attics. That’s a testament to how high the water reached. And how foolish it is to build structures this close to the river. See below.
Demolition began at 7:45.A few minutes later, note the dirt tumbling down from the attic space above the claw.More dirt coming from another third-floor living space.And if you thought the dirt might have been coming from the machine’s claw, see this shower of dirt tumbling to the left.
There’s only one way the dirt could get that high. Harvey deposited it.
But Mother Nature always gets the last word. And in this case, she reclaimed her territory.
Harris County Flood Control is buying out these townhomes and taking down each building as soon as every unit within them has been purchased.
Several more units remain. In the meantime, other builders are building more condos even closer to the river in Kings Harbor.
Hope springs eternal. New condos in Kings Harbor, a little more than a mile downstream from those being torn down in Forest Cove, and even closer to the West Fork.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/26/2021
1366 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210526-RJR_7543.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2021-05-26 09:14:332021-05-26 15:04:53Dust to Dust: Another Forest Cove Townhome Complex Coming Down
NWS predicts minor flooding for East Fork San Jacinto near New Caney affecting Harris, Liberty and Montgomery Counties.
Precautions:
Persons with interests along these streams should keep alert to rising water and take all precautions to protect their property. Do not drive or walk into flooded areas the depth and water velocity could be too great for you to cross safely. Avoid any water covered roads and find an alternate route. Livestock and equipment should be removed from the flood plain immediately. Stay tuned to NOAA Weather radio or other news sources for further updates. Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov.
Today’s Forecast: More Heavy Rain Probable
According to Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner, “…deep tropical moisture to the west will help create a series of upper level disturbances once again today. The result: scattered showers and thunderstorms that should begin with daytime heating. As a disturbance approaches the area this afternoon from the west, showers and thunderstorms will likely become slightly more organized.”
The air mass over the Lake Houston Area remains capable of heavy to excessive short term rainfall rates. Yesterday, 5-7 inches of rain fell over northeast Harris County in 4-5 hours. 8-12 inches fell over Austin County near Bellville.
Hourly rainfall rates of 2-3 inches per hour were common on Monday and the same air mass is in place today.
Rainfall today will likely average between 1-2 inches over the region, but isolated totals of 5-6 inches will be possible. Short range models indicate areas along and northwest of US 59 could be the prime location today for heavy rainfall. However, much of this will depend on:
Where storms develop
If and where any training develops
If any storms anchor in place.
Grounds are saturated from the recent rainfall. During the last 7 days, that rainfall has averaged 5-7 inches over much of the region with isolated totals of 10-14 inches.
Watersheds are already elevated this morning due to the recent rainfall and ongoing run-off over the area. Additional heavy rainfall will quickly run-off creating new rises.
Bens Branch at Kingwood Drive around 6PM on 5/24/21 after a 4-inch rain. Additional rains today, if heavy, could force creeks like this even higher.
Rapid onset flash flooding of streets and poor drainage areas will be the primary concern today, but should heavy rainfall impact already elevated and swollen watersheds some flooding would be possible.
We should get a break from the rain Thursday and Friday, but more rainfall could enter the picture by this weekend, driving up rain chances yet again.
In the upper right at the highest red icon, Peach Creek at FM2090 is three feet out of its banks. This area has flooded three times this month.
The yellow icon below it and to the right is the East Fork at FM2090. It is still two feet within its banks, but additional rainfall today could cause flooding.
The red icon at the northeastern tip of Harris County is the East Fork at FM1485. It is out of its banks again for the third time this month.
At least if you go by the gage at my house. With six days left in the month, the Lake Houston Area has already broken the record for the all time wettest May. The official gage, of course, is at Bush Intercontinental Airport, but the NWS doesn’t release monthly data until the month is over.
This afternoon, my back yard rain gage recorded 17.24 inches for May. The previous record was 14.39 inches set in 1970. (See chart below.) That’s a 20% increase! With more rain on the way tonight and later this week.
We also recorded 4.11 inches this afternoon in a four-hour period. That’s pushing the limits of storm drains. And predictably, people reported street flooding all over the area.
Ford Road in Porter on 5/24/2021 after 4 inches of rain in 4 hours. Photo courtesy of Nicole Black-Rudolph.Ford Road is one of the main evacuation routes from Kingwood when Northpark and Kingwood Drives are cut off by high water. Now upstream development is flooding it too.
Photo of street flooding in Atascocita, courtesy of Jennifer Zorn.Atascocita received more than 7 inches of rain in a 3-4 hour period.according to television news reports tonight. That qualifies as approximately a 50-year rain.
The City’s long-running sewer repair project in Kingwood Lakes has created a dam across the main lake, artificially raising the water level.Photo courtesy of Anna Mitchell.
Flash Flood Watch Till 9PM
A flash flood watch remains in effect for the Houston area until 9pm tonight. The four inches that fells this afternoon in about 4 hours rates as about a 5-year rain. Last weeks 5.5 inches in a little more than 3 hours was a 10-year rain. No wonder we’ve had the wettest May!
It’s important to remember that these statistics are averages. Just because you get a ten-year rain one week does NOT mean you are immune to another for 9.99 more years.
Effect of Five-Year Rain on Bens Branch
Before the recent rehabilitation project on Ben’s Branch, parts of this channel were down to a two-year level of service. Below, you can see how it handled a 5-year rain today. Room to spare. Quite an improvement for a maintenance project!
Looking downstream over Ben‘s Branch toward Kingwood Town Center. Photo taken 5.24.21.Looking downstream toward Lake Houston along Ben’s Branch.Where Ben’s Branch crosses under Kingwood Drive, the City has yet to work out some kinks. Harris County Flood Control District does not maintain under City bridges. In fairness to the City, the Bens Branch rehab project was completed just last month.
Overall, ditches and streams in Kingwood seem to be within their banks.
Wider-Area Stream and Lake Report
However, warning signs are popping up all around the Lake Houston Area.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/24/21 with thanks to Nicole Black-Rudolphand Jennifer Zorn.
1364 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210524-Nicole-Black-Rudolph-Porter-Shot.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=19001200adminadmin2021-05-24 19:42:062021-05-24 21:08:08Today, We Passed the Record for All-Time Wettest May By a Wide Margin
