The National Weather Service has produced a 3-day excessive rainfall map that show all of SE Texas under a moderate risk for flash flooding this week. “Moderate” means we have a 20-50% chance of exceeding flash-flooding guidance. Flash flooding occurs when short-duration, high-intensity rains exceed the drainage capacity in areas.
Issued Monday at 3AM Houston time by the National Weather Service.
Jeff Lindner, Harris County’s meteorologist, sees heavy rainfall and flash flood threats increasing through the week. “A flash flood watch will likely be required for portions of the area later today,” he said.
Chance of Thunderstorms 70% and Increasing
The National Weather Service predicts a 70% chance of thunderstorms for the Lake Houston Area through Tuesday night. The chance increases to 80% for Wednesday and Thurday. The chances decrease to 70% for Friday, 60% for Saturday and 40% for Sunday.
It is difficult to predict exact amounts of rainfall for any specific location, such as Lake Houston, that far in advance. However, conditions are in place to produce heavy rainfall. The main threat for today is slow moving storms that could produce street flooding this afternoon. But chances increase tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday.
“This pattern will support heavy rainfall and flash flooding especially during the mid-week period. But really every day this week has potential,” says Lindner.
Space City Weather likens the conditions in place to those that produced the May 2019 floods in Kingwood.
Rainfall Amounts
Since yesterday, there has been no change. Models suggest a fairly high limit on potential totals. “As seen yesterday, this air mass is capable of excessive short term rainfall amounts. Widespread amounts of 4-8 inches will be likely over much of the area over the next 5 days with isolated totals of 10-12 inches or more. Short duration rainfall rates of 2-4 inches per hour will be possible leading to rapid urban flash flooding,” says Lindner.
Grounds in the Houston area are already wet and water supply lakes near full capacity. As of this morning, the City has started lowering Lake Houston by one foot. The SJRA is not releasing water from Lake Conroe.
From SJRA.net as of Monday 5/17/21 at 9am.
Lindner says that rises on area watersheds are likely given the widespread nature of this event. “It is certainly possible some watersheds will experience flooding at some point this week. Which watersheds potentially get hit the hardest remains uncertain…but the risk for flooding will be increasing,” he says.
Posted by Bob Rehak on Monday morning at 9 am, 5/17/21 based on information by HCFCD, NWS, and Space City Weather
1357 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image002.gif?fit=800%2C561&ssl=1561800adminadmin2021-05-17 09:16:192021-05-17 09:16:28Monday AM: All SE Texas Now Under Moderate Risk for Flash Flooding This Week
Rain is winding down for today, but areas southwest of Houston along US59 received massive amounts today. Ganado in Wharton County reported 13.47 inches at one gage and 10.87 inches at another. Radar totals indicated 10-14 inches…much of that falling in a 4-6 hour period. According to Atlas 14, that’s a 100- to 200-year rain.
Atlas 14 Rainfall Frequency Chart for this area.
A Portent of Rainfall to Come
“This shows the capability of the air mass we will be dealing with nearly all week,” said Jeff Lindner, Harris County’s meteorologist. “Expect additional “big totals” over parts of the area through the week.”
Ganado is on US 59 between Victoria and El Campo in Wharton County, southwest of Houston.
Heaviest Rains Spreading Toward Houston Later This Week
The threat of heavy to excessive rainfall will continue for the next several days and spread northeast into the Houston area. The threat of flooding and flash flooding will increase during that time, according to Lindner’s Sunday afternoon update.
Lindner predicts that we should get a break tonight, but another wave approaches on Monday late morning into the afternoon. Expect another flare up of showers and thunderstorms. “We will likely see another break on Monday night and then additional showers and storms on Tuesday,” he says.
Wednesday-Thursday
Lindner is most concerned about Wednesday into Thursday. Another tropical air mass from the Bay of Campeche will surge into our area. Upper level winds will help lift the surface moisture into thunderstorms. Training of storms from SSW to NNE looks increasingly likely. “Potential formation of a coastal trough or weak surface low near the lower Texas coast will only help to further promote rainfall.” Given the fact that we’re still talking about forecasts three or four days out, Lindner doesn’t want to get too aggressive with rainfall total predictions just yet. But he says that models show an overall pattern favoring heavy rainfall and flash flooding.
Rainfall Amounts
Additional rainfall amounts on top of what has already fallen will average 4-8 inches over the region with isolated totals of 10-15 inches certainly possible. The expected widespread nature of the rainfall along with potential high hourly rainfall rates of 2-4 inches support rapid onset flash flooding and rises on area watersheds especially our river system as rainfall totals pile up over time. Creeks and bayous in urban areas will tend to respond to the short duration higher rainfall rates and will need to be monitored closely.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/16/2021at 6PM based on information from NWS, HCFCD, and Space City Weather.
1356 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/NOAA-Atlas-14-Rainfall-Rates-for-Kingwood.png?fit=976%2C828&ssl=1828976adminadmin2021-05-16 18:16:302021-05-16 18:16:33Wharton County Receives 13.47 Inches So Far Today
Jeff Lindner, Harris County’s meteorologist is predicting a wet week ahead for southeast Texas with frequent rounds of thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. He also predicts flooding and flash flood threats that will increase throughout the week.
National Weather Service 5-Day forecasted rainfall amounts as of Sunday morning.
Says Lindner, “A short wave is approaching the area this morning. Numerous showers and thunderstorms will develop over the area and continue through the day. Storms have already anchored over portions of Matagorda into Jackson Counties this morning. Flash flood warnings are currently in effect for that area and this will be the story this week.”
An upper level storm system over the southwest will eject several disturbances across Texas this week, according to Lindner. These disturbances will interact with a near constant flow of tropical moisture off the Gulf of Mexico to produce rounds of storms and heavy rainfall with each disturbance. Humidity levels throughout the Houston region range from 70% to above 90%.
Given the feed of moisture, the potential for slow moving and training storms, and high moisture levels, heavy to excessive rainfall will be possible.
Jeff Lindner, Harris County Meteorologist
Expect Heavy Rain Through End of Week
Heavy rain is likely from today through the end of the week. While it will not rain the entire time, there will be several rounds. Grounds will saturate and run-off will increase during the wet week ahead.
Today’s concern: slow storm motions currently being seen southwest of the city. Such storm motions and rainfall rates over urban areas could quickly lead to street flooding.
Main concern: Wednesday and Thursday. The main upper-level storm will move into Texas. Southeast Texas will develop very favorable conditions for rainfall. A steady stream of moisture and strongly divergent winds aloft will support training of lines and clusters of thunderstorms. However…
…There could be flooding and heavy rainfall at nearly any time from today through Friday.
Jeff Lindner, Harris County Meteorologist
Rainfall Amounts
Lindner thinks rainfall totals over the next 5 days will likely average 4-6 inches over the region with isolated amounts of 8-10 inches. Hourly rainfall rates of 1-3 inches will be possible under stronger storms. Rises on area rivers will certainly be possible given the widespread nature of this event along with the multiple rounds of heavy rainfall. While totals will be spread out some over time, the concern of short term excessive rainfall rates resulting in flash flooding is possible in this pattern. Get out the galoshes. It’s going to be a wet week ahead.
Lake Report
At this hour, Lake Conroe is not releasing water and the lake is at its normal level of 201 feet above sea level.
This could get interesting. Lake Conroe is full and if you look closely at the rainfall map above, you will see that the NWS is predicting some of the heaviest rainfall for our area to be upstream from Lake Conroe.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/16/2021
1356 Days since Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image001.gif?fit=800%2C561&ssl=1561800adminadmin2021-05-16 09:56:152021-05-16 18:15:58Wet Week Coming: 4-6 Inches Likely for Region, 8-10 Possible
Even though sand can be found in nearly every single country on Earth, the world could soon face a shortage. Usage around the world has tripled in the last twenty years, according to the United Nations Environment Program. That’s far greater than the rate at which sand is being replenished.
After water, sand is the second most used commodity on earth. It’s used in concrete, glass, computer chips, computer screens, tile, and more. When you look at deserts and oceans, you may think we have an infinite supply. But we don’t. According to this ten-minute video produced by CNBC, we’re using it faster than Mother Nature is creating it.
Seems Infinite But Isn’t
And not all types of sand are suited for all uses. Desert sand, for instance, is windblown and round. That makes it unsuitable for concrete. For strength, concrete requires the more angular type found near and in rivers.
One small part of the massive Hallett sand mine on the San Jacinto West Fork
A Short Course on Sand
If you want to understand more, I highly recommend this video produced by CNBC. It’s short – only about 10 minutes. But it’s packed with information that puts production, consumption, and environmental tradeoffs in perspective.
For instance, do you know how the “tragedy of the commons” can ultimately lead to the collapse of environments?
The video is filled with facts and answers that you can use to amaze friends and family.
Did you know that China used more sand in the last three years than the US did in the last century?
How much sand does it take to produce concrete?
Where will it come from in the future?
What impact will the massive infrastructure bill now pending in Congress have on sand production and therefore the environment?
This video will answer all those questions and more. I highly recommend it.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/14/2021based on a tip from Chris Manthei
1354 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-14-at-10.02.51-PM.jpg?fit=1200%2C679&ssl=16791200adminadmin2021-05-14 23:15:032021-05-14 23:32:58Where Will Tomorrow’s Sand Come From?
Could you design a neighborhood center with the resources people need in floods and other emergencies? Could you develop a plan to implement a network of them throughout the City of Houston? If so, then maybe this is for you. The City seeks vendors to help it develop a network of “lily pads” that can act as refuges during emergencies.
Seniors at Kingwood Village Estates trying to evacuate to higher ground during Harvey when floodwaters rose in the middle of the night. Twelve people died: six from injuries sustained during evacuation and six from the heartbreak of seeing their condos destroyed.
Preparing for Emergencies
The City’s first resilience effort was somewhat of a utopian effort. It focused on helping people thrive after floods, not eliminating flooding. This one looks to gain more traction. It will take survival planning down to the neighborhood level and help people dislocated during adverse events such as Hurricane Harvey.
During Harvey, churches, schools, libraries, and businesses became gathering centers. However, many of these spaces were not equipped to serve as temporary shelters. The City seeks to identify and develop a network of unflooded spaces that can become locations for individuals to obtain basic needs, assistance, and recovery resources during floods, heat events, or air quality emergencies. They will become “lilly pads” that help the City distribute food and emergency supplies, telecommunications access, and federal assistance guidance. These spaces will also become gathering centers for the dissemination of relief and recovery for individuals.
Citizen Led, Government Supported
Instead of being led by local government, lily pads are intended to be supported by local government. Community members, community-based organizations, and/or faith-based groups will lead and manage them.
The City hopes such lily pads will help prepare for future disruptions and disasters. The request for proposals states, “For Houston to become more resilient, we must be able to adapt to future risks from chronic stresses such as addressing environmental justice issues and acute shocks including: extreme heat, poor air quality, flooding, hurricanes, and public health emergencies.”
Emphasis on Social Vulnerability
The selection of the strategic location and design elements of each Lily Pad will include social vulnerability and “equity.” The City intends to use these criteria to ensure locations benefit the most vulnerable and disproportionately affected populations. Social vulnerability and equity will also be taken into consideration when developing the lily pad master plan, toolkit and pilot project.
If you work for a company that does this sort of planning, consider responding to the RFP. It certainly sounds like a worthwhile effort as far as it goes. Personally, though, I think anyone rescued half naked from 20 mph floodwaters in the middle of the night deserves help.
NOAA has updated its climate statistics for the U.S. Every 10 years, the agency comes up with a “new normal” based on the last 30 years of data. The most recent 30 years, compared to previous averages, shows that our climate is getting hotter and wetter (at least in the Houston area).
Screen capture showing new “normal” temperature and precipitation for Houston Intercontinental Airport. Blue line represents precipitation. Orange = ave. minimum temp. Red = average temp. And dark red = average max temp.
Same data in tabular format.
The “normals” help farmers, energy companies, water managers, transportation schedulers and others whose businesses depend on weather plan their activities. That includes your local TV weather casters who constantly compare what they predict for tomorrow with what has happened in the past.
What’s Normal – From 30 years Down to The Hour
The NOAA stats come in annual, seasonal, monthly, daily and even hourly tables. Because the normals have been produced since the 1930s, they also help put current weather in a historical context.
The New York Times produced a series of animated “heat” maps that show changes in temperature and precipitation for those 30-year windows from the 1930s to today. Heat maps in this sense do not refer to temperature but to colors that reflect temperature or precipition differences. Hotter colors like red and orange reflect increases. Cooler colors like green and blue reflect decreases.
Choose Your Start/Stop Points Carefully
Curiously, the animations show the U.S. getting both hotter and colder through the decades. Likewise with wetter and drier. You can clearly see alternating cycles of hot and cold, wet and dry. As cycles come and go, where you chose your start and stop points lets you support or disprove your favorite climate change hypothesis.
The change is especially drastic between the new normals and the previous ones, from 2010. “Almost every place in the U.S. has warmed,” Dr. Michael Palecki told the Times. He manages the project at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.
Palecki claims the world has warmed by more than 1 degree Celsius (about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) since 1900, and that the pace of warming has accelerated in recent decades.
However, if you compared 1921-50 with 1941-70, you might think the world was cooling. The same goes for large parts of the county with dry/wet cycles. Although the Houston region has experienced increasing wetness on a fairly consistent basis, you can see drought ebb and flow through other parts of the country.
If you use 1900 as your start point and today as your stopping point, Palecki says the world has warmed by more than 1 degree Celsius (about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) and that the pace of warming has accelerated in recent decades. The precipitation maps show the Southwest becoming increasingly drier, while the Central and Eastern parts of the country are getting wetter.
These two “heat” maps show the change in average annual precipitation and temperature during the previous 30-year reporting period and today’s.
Says NOAA, “Most of the U.S. was warmer, and the eastern two-thirds of the contiguous U.S. was wetter, from 1991–2020 than the previous normal period, 1981–2010. The Southwest was considerably drier on an annual basis, while the central northern U.S. has cooled somewhat.”
For More Information
Check out the fascinating NY Times article or go straight to NOAA for far more detailed information.
Like all NOAA statistics, they are publicly available. You can even customize your own data searches based on time and location.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/13/2021 based on information from The NY Times and NOAA
1353 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-1.24.08-PM.png?fit=2200%2C836&ssl=18362200adminadmin2021-05-13 13:44:502021-05-13 13:50:52NOAA Adopts New Normal: Hotter, Wetter
In its March 10th board meeting, the Coastal Water Authority (CWA) accepted the recommendation of a preliminary engineering report to add one thousand feet of crest gates to the uncontrolled spillway portion the Lake Houston Dam. The additional release capacity would let operators shed water faster before, during or after major storms to reduce the risk of flooding.
At the March meeting, directors also approved $4.4 million to begin Phase II of the project. Phase II calls for Black & Veatch to proceed to final engineering of the gates and a coffer dam to protect the work area during construction.
This morning, at its May board meeting, directors received an update on the progress of Phase II work to date and plans for the remainder of the project.
Start of Phase II Engineering Approved in March
In the March meeting, CWA approved funds to begin Phase 2 of the engineering which includes the final design of the selected alternative by Black & Veatch. The selected alternative was “crest gates” constructed on the uncontrolled spillway portion of the dam on its west side. (See below.)
Looking NE at the Spillway of the Lake Houston Dam is in foreground. One thousand feet (about a third) of this spillway will be replaced with crest gates. Gates will be placed at the end closest to the camera position in the image above.
Dam operators can raise or lower crest gates from a bottom hinge, much like the lid on a piano. When in the up position, gates hold water back. When lowered, they release water.
Also in March, CWA and Black & Veatch completed negotiation of the scope and fee for the final design. The key deliverables during Phase II will include:
Plans to modify the spillway to support the 1,000 linear feet of crest gates (in five 200-foot long sections)
Design of the cofferdam system to protect the work areas during construction
Preparation of a new gate operations plan for CWA Lake Houston Dam operators.
Director Douglas Walker moved to authorize the Executive Director to issue a contract amendment with Black & Veatch Inc. in the amount of $4,465,727.00 for “Phase 2 – Final Design of the Lake Houston Dam Spillway Improvement Project.” Director Giti Zarinkelk seconded the motion. The Motion carried unanimously.
May Update
In the May board meeting this morning, directors received an update on Phase II work to date and plans.
In April, the design team held a number of workshops and coordination meetings.
Black & Veatch also completed three weeks of field surveying of the existing spillway; that’s why CWA temporarily lowered Lake Houston during that period.
In other news, for next steps CWA will:
Submit the permit application to the US Army Corps of Engineers by the end of May.
Support City of Houston in a public outreach meeting scheduled for June 17. The public outreach meeting will coincide with the public comment period for the permit application. CWA expects permitting to take nine months, i.e., through March of 2022.
Complete final design by the end of September 2022.
Screen capture from portion of CWA Board meeting today shows status of Phase II Design work on the dam.
Next Steps
Does all this mean construction is assured? No. The Army Corps could reject the permit or FEMA could find some fault with the plans. But at least it shows progress. If all plans and permits are approved, construction dollars have already been committed by FEMA. Originally, construction was supposed to have been completed within three years from April 8, 2020. That now looks unlikely unless the City can obtain a deadline extension from FEMA..
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/12/2021
1352 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210512-Screen-Shot-2021-05-12-at-10.23.26-AM.jpg?fit=1200%2C670&ssl=16701200adminadmin2021-05-12 12:28:352021-05-12 15:19:42May 2021 Gate Project Update for Lake Houston Dam
Several area conservation groups are working with the Houston Area Research Center (HARC) to protect land along riparian corridors and educate people about the importance of that. A stunningly beautiful new website called Headwaters to Baywaters explains how protecting riparian habitat helps protect people from flooding, improve water quality, and produce other benefits far in excess of the dollars invested.
The Headwaters to Baywaters website also uses a novel graphic technique to dramatize the connectedness of waterways and people. Scrolling down one long page takes you on a visually lush journey from Headwaters to Baywaters. It starts far upstream where trickles of water coalesce into small streams and then moves all the way down to Galveston Bay with intermediate stops along the way.
As you scroll, little dialog boxes pop up that present you with tidbits of information that pertain to things you are seeing at that stage in your journey.
The Headwaters to Baywaters Initiative works to connect regional bayous and Galveston Bay through planning to identify:
High quality, riparian habitats with the potential to contribute to water quality improvements
Restoration and enhancement of riparian lands adjacent to targeted priority areas
Acquisition of land and designation of conservation easements on priority areas for riparian corridor protection.
It is part of the 8-County Gulf-Houston Regional Conservation Plan (RCP), facilitated by Houston Wilderness.
Headwaters to Baywaters Partners
The Headwaters to Baywaters Initiative includes the following partners:
Bayou Land Conservancy has been at the forefront of land preservation in the Houston region for 25 years, with the mission of preserving land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife. For further information visit www.bayoulandconservancy.org and learn about its strategic conservation plan.
Buffalo Bayou Partnership is the non-profit organization revitalizing and transforming Buffalo Bayou, Houston’s most significant natural resource. For further information visit www.buffalobayou.org.
The Galveston Bay Foundation’s mission is to preserve, protect and enhance the natural resources of the Galveston Bay estuarine system and its tributaries for present users and for posterity. For further information visit www.galvbay.org.
Houston Audubon Society’s mission is to advance the conservation of birds and positively impact their supporting environments. For further information visit www.houstonaudubon.org.
Katy Prairie Conservancy is a nationally accredited 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working to protect coastal prairie, wetlands, and agriculture in southeast Texas for people and wildlife. For further information visit www.katyprairie.org.
About HARC
Founded in 1982 by George P. Mitchell, HARC is a nonprofit research hub providing independent analysis on energy, air, and water issues to people seeking scientific answers. For further information visit www.HARCresearch.org.
Please Help Support This Initiative
These are all great organizations worthy of the support of everyone in the region. The Bayou Land Conservancy has a special focus on the north Houston region. If you want to learn more in person, join the BLC on one of its educational nature walks.
I often focus on the problems of flood mitigation. Supporting this initiative is an easy way to get involved in preventing those problems.
lDr. Stephanie Glenn, HARC’s Program Director for Water and Hydrology is leading this partnership effort.
Posted by Bob Rehak on May 11, 2021
1351 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SJR_704_048-e1612057029212.jpg?fit=1200%2C811&ssl=18111200adminadmin2021-05-11 12:09:342021-05-11 12:13:36Headwaters to Baywaters: A Story of Urban Resilience
The Valley Ranch area in Porter near US 59 and SH 99 is developing rapidly these days. Signorelli Company calls Montgomery County the 18th fastest growing county in the US.
Medical Plaza Site Cleared
The developer has just cleared a 200+ acre site for a medical plaza in this area. Signorelli’s website says, “Envisioned as the ‘place of wellness’ for the region, the Medical District is a visionary mixed-use concept blending healthcare with restaurants, specialty services, hotels, and high-density residential, providing a broad range of health care services, from primary physicians to acute care and every specialist in between.”
Looking SW across US 59 in foreground. Photo taken on 5/3/21 after three inches of rain on April 30 and May 1. This area drains into the White Oak Creek Watershed.
Detention ponds, both in this picture and the developer’s website seem to be planned for the area back from the freeway.Photo taken 5/3/2021.
The Montgomery County Engineer’s office says it does not yet have construction, drainage plans, or an H&H analysis specifically for the medical plaza property. In response to my FOIA Request, the engineer’s office said, “This is all we have on file at this time.” Their drainage mitigation study they sent me was produced in 2014, long before Atlas 14. That means its runoff calculations are likely 40% short of the current standard. The study also does not isolate this portion of the overall development.
It’s unclear at this time whether Signorelli is planning to update its drainage mitigation study and incorporate Atlas-14 standards into its medical plaza drainage.
Amazon Distribution Complex Across Freeway
Right across the freeway from the Valley Ranch medical plaza, Amazon is building a distribution complex.
That green area that snakes its way across 99 and then 59 from the top left to upper right is White Oak Creek. White Oak runs southeast through Porter then joins Taylor Gully and Mills Branch south of the Triple PG Sand Mine near Woodstream Forest. Ultimately, it joins Caney Creek near Dunnam Place and then the East Fork of the San Jacinto. See below.
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/2021/05/20210503-DJI_0680.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=19001200adminadmin2021-05-10 21:48:222021-05-10 21:55:08Valley Ranch Med Plaza and Shipping Complexes Planned
Today marks the 1349th day since Hurricane Harvey. That’s also how long it took the United States to win World War II. To date, we’ve studied problems, made bold plans and, in a few cases, actually started constructing flood mitigation projects. But none of the $2.1 billion allocated for Texas flood mitigation by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has yet to work its way down to the local level.
The Townsen Overpass at US59 south of the San Jacinto West Fork during Harvey on 8/30/2017. Photo courtesy of Harris County Flood Control.
In the time it took us to win World War II, we’re still trying to line up flood mitigation financing.
Imagine What That HUD Money Could Have Done By Now
The Texas General Land Office (GLO) administers HUD flood mitigation funds for Texas. However, it has yet to announce the results of a statewide grant application competition for the first half of that $2.1 billion. Hopefully, those announcements will come this month. The GLO intends to hold a second competition for the second half of the money at a later date.
Below are thoughts contributed by others. To encourage their candor, I promised them anonymity.
I. Consolidation Under One Agency
One federal official suggested that all flood mitigation funds should flow from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), not HUD.
Rationale: Disaster relief is FEMA’s core competency. FEMA’s good at it. FEMA responds quickly. They are on location after disasters. They collect immense amounts of data, manage the National Flood Insurance Program, and have resources to get the job done quickly.
Right now, HUD, the slowest agency with the most rules and regulations, is responsible for helping the poorest neighborhoods, i.e., those that often need it most. Many think that’s unfair.
Dividing responsibilities among agencies creates needless bureaucracy, complexity, overlap and “stove piping.”
Stove-piping is where people in one bureaucracy are blind to activities in another. Eliminating the stove-piping requires cross checking data between agencies and programs, for instance to eliminate duplication of benefits. But that can also slow projects down.
Rationale: Not all earmarks are meritless. In cases of exceptional need, they can send money directly to cities or counties trying to build important flood mitigation projects. With proper safeguards against bogus earmarks, this idea could shave years off construction projects designed to protect people.
III. Partner with Army Corps More
Another expert suggested directing more money to the Army Corps for “project partnership agreements.” The Corps work directly with a local entity such as a city or county to help construct projects faster.
Rationale: The Corps was originally set up more than 200 years ago as a quick-reaction force for wartime. It now has the responsibility for managing the nation’s water infrastructure. The Corps has the turnkey expertise to gauge the merit of projects and the muscle to make things happen quickly.
Previously, the Corps built the Antoine Stormwater Detention Basin in the Greens Bayou Watershed. HCFCD bought out the properties that comprised that basin and currently maintains the property.
IV. Establish a “Quick Reaction Fund”
A financial expert suggested establishing a “Quick Reaction Fund.” It would be activated by a Presidential Disaster Declaration and provide loans to get projects started quickly. The money could be used to jumpstart upfront activities, such as buyouts, environmental surveys and preliminary engineering reports. It could also be used to build entire projects that are needed quickly.
Rationale: Local entities often don’t have the money or staff to conduct these upfront activities. Buyouts can be especially problematic. They must often be completed before other flood mitigation activities, such as ditch improvements or detention ponds, can start.
“But we often have to wait 18 months or more for approval of buyouts,” said one engineer. “The vast majority of people can’t wait that long.”
So they fix up their homes and become more committed to them. Or they may just leave the area. Either way, this slows flood mitigation down even more.
A Forest Cove townhome just beyond the new Houston Parks Board San Jacinto Greenway. Harvey made the entire 80-townhome complex uninhabitable. Many residents left the area because they got tired of waiting for buyouts that are still not complete. That makes buyouts even more time consuming. Photo taken May 3, 2021.
The Quick Reaction Fund could help complete buyouts in months – instead of years – after a flood.
Loans could be paid back later by grant awards from the Feds.
V. Pass a Hazard Tax
To bypass the delays and uncertainties of competitive grant funding through state and federal levels, one local entity suggested passing a “hazard tax.”
Rationale: This would put local entities in charge of their own destinies rather than making them dependent on Washington and Austin for handouts. It would let cities and counties build up a war chest from their own tax revenues. Think of it as a savings account with a dedicated purpose – disaster mitigation. The money could be used to fund projects directly and quickly, or as the basis for matching funds when projects are less time critical.
In my opinion, we desperately need a way to resolve such issues faster. I hope this series of articles will start a public dialogue among political leaders at all levels.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/9/2021
1349 Days after Hurricane Harvey, the number of days in WWII
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/TS-Harvey-8-30-17-209.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=17681024adminadmin2021-05-09 14:24:502021-05-09 19:15:39How to Speed Up Flood Mitigation Funding: Part II
