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Support Creation of Dredging District to Reduce Floods, Improve Lake Capacity

In the 2021 Legislation session, State Rep. Dan Huberty introduced HB2525, a bill to create a Dredging and Maintenance District for Lake Houston. Senator Brandon Creighton introduced an identical companion bill in the senate, SB1892. It deserves the support of everyone in the Houston region who depends on the lake for water as well as those whose homes and businesses flooded during Harvey.

Why We Need Perpetual Maintenance Dredging

For those who may not remember, during Harvey enough sand and silt came down the San Jacinto West Fork to block the river by 90% according to the US Army Corps of Engineers.

*South of the Kingwood Country Club’s Island Course, Hurricane Harvey deposited several feet of sand that reduced the carrying capacity of the West Fork by 90%, according to the Army Corps.*

Massive sediment and tree deposits dammed the river at the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge, south of the Kingwood County Club, West Lake Houston Parkway and Kings Point. The blockages contributed to the flooding of 16,000 homes and 3,300 businesses.

*Union Pacific Railroad Bridge over West Fork after Harvey had turned into a “beaver dam” because of deadfall washed downstream and caught in the supports.*

*After Harvey, sand deposits at the West Lake Houston Parkway bridge reached the tree tops.*

*West Fork Mouth Bar immediately after Harvey virtually blocked the river between Kings Point and Atascocita Point (top right).*

Two years later, Tropical Storm Imelda made similar deposits on the East Fork where thousands of additional homes flooded.

Wherever moving bodies of water meet standing bodies, the current decelerates and sediment tends to drop out of suspension. You can see the same phenomenon where smaller streams and channels enter the lake.
Brown & Root Report, 2000

History of Disputes with FEMA, Corps Over Deferred Maintenance

After Harvey, leaders in the Humble/Kingwood Area fought with the Corps to remove the biggest of the blockages – the West Fork Mouth Bar. The Corps fought back.

The Corps and FEMA believed the massive mouth bar had been growing for years and that it resulted from deferred maintenance.

There was some truth to that. That reach of the West Fork had never been dredged at least in the previous 40 years. The ensuing debate lasted more than a year.

That’s why, shortly after the Corps started its Emergency Dredging program in 2018, it emphasized the need for maintenance dredging to a) avoid such disputes and b) keep problems at a subacute level.

Two Years Later, FEMA/Corps Agreed to Partial Mouth Bar Dredging

Then, in 2019, the City of Houston commissioned Tetra Tech to harvest core samples from the bar. The samples showed that most sand and silt was recently deposited. FEMA later relented and agreed to have the Corps dredge 500,000 cubic yards from a six hundred acre area south of the mouth bar. The Corps finished that dredging in late 2019. The City continued the program with mechanical dredges in January of 2020. They’re still at it. And people are still at risk from the next big flood.

Lake Houston Has Lost 22,000 Acre Feet of Capacity

Meanwhile, Lake Houston, which supplies water to millions of people has been steadily losing capacity. In 2018, the Texas Water Development Board found the lake had lost more than 22,000 acre feet of capacity. The problems are most apparent around the edges of the lake and in its upstream reaches. Both natural streams and man-made channels have become silted in. Mouth bars on both the East and West Forks have reduced the depth of the San Jacinto to approximately 3 feet (from 25 to 30 feet), except where it has already been dredged.

*Atascocita resident walking across the river in 2019 without getting his shirt wet.*

This cannot continue indefinitely. Nor can we expect the federal government to pay for deferred maintenance in the future; we have been warned. If we expect help again in the future after disasters, we must be able to show what bottom depths were before the storms. And those kinds of surveys are regular parts of maintenance dredging programs.

Safety and Future at Stake

In the three and a half years since Harvey, according to boaters and residents, we have not yet been able to restore the area between Kings Point and Atascocita Point to its pre-storm depth. We haven’t even removed all of the mouth bar.

*Three mechanical dredges are still trying to reduce the West Fork Mouth bar more than 15 months after they started.* *Photo taken 3/19/21.*

We need to figure how much sediment comes downriver every year and remove at least that much with a maintenance dredging program to:

Stop or reduce the loss of reservoir capacity
Reduce the risk of flooding
Show good faith to FEMA, eliminate contentious arguments with regular river bottom surveys, and demonstrate how much build-up resulted from a particular disaster.

We also need to be able to quickly accelerate the program after major storms such as Harvey and Imelda.

Dredging needs to be a continuous activity because one major flood can deposit more sediment than humans can remove in years.

How You Can Help

I urge you to support HB2525. Write as many local leaders on the City, County and State levels as possible. Pay particular attention to the House Natural Resources Committee where the bill is pending hearings right now. State Senator Brandon Creighton has filed an identical companion bill, SB1892, which has been referred to the Local Government Committee.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/28/2021

1307 Days after Hurricane Harvey

Winter Storm’s Death Toll Rises Sharply Higher than Harvey’s

Shortly after the winter storm in February that caused statewide power outages, officials estimated the death toll near 60. In the last month, that figure has risen to 111 – nearly double the previous estimate and 43 higher than Hurricane Harvey which killed 68.

*The February 2021 Winter Storm claimed 43 more lives in Texas than Hurricane Harvey.*

Not Just Hypothermia

The New York Times reported Representative Joaquin Castro, an Austin Democrat, as saying, “It’s worse than anyone could have imagined.

“Douglas Loveday, a spokesman with the state health department, said that it had taken investigators weeks to link the additional deaths to the cold weather and the accompanying storm,” said the Times.

State officials said that while most winter storm victims died from hypothermia, other died from:

Vehicle accidents
Medical equipment failures
Chronic illnesses that were suddenly worsened
Lack of home oxygen
Falls
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Fire.

Search for Solutions

As the death toll has climbed from the winter storm, the search for causes of the grid failure continues. The Times article continued, “The storm disrupted the power infrastructure, which, officials said, was unprepared for such intense winter conditions.”

The big questions:

“Why were we unprepared?”
“Who’s at fault?”
“How can we prevent a recurrence?”

Officials have called for an overhaul of the state’s power system. But aside from some symbolic firings of ERCOT board members, no one to date has made hard decisions about becoming part of a larger grid or winterizing equipment that failed. Some may be difficult to winterize given current technology.

Texas Power Sources

According to ERCOT, Texas gets its power from five sources: solar (2%), nuclear (11%), coal (18%), wind (23%), and natural gas (46%).

*Percent of Texas Power supplied by Solar, Nuclear, Coal, Wind and Natural Gas*. Source: ERCOT.

Ice, for instance, can form on wind turbine blades, severely impairing efficiency. This article in ScienceDirect describes the problem. “Ice accretion on the blades of a wind turbine can lead to turbine shutdown, power loss and damage to turbine components. To prevent ice formation on wind turbine blades, an ice sensor integrated with an ice mitigation system is required. The ice sensor can be used with a de-icer on the blade surface. However, the current ice sensing and de-icing technologies are inefficient and integrated systems need appreciable improvement.”

It ain’t easy being green.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/26/2021

1305 Days after Hurricane Harvey

Construction Update: New Caney High School #3 Site Going Green and Gray

South of Kingwood’s HCA Medical Center, contractors have made slow but steady progress on the site for New Caney High School #3 between Sorters-McClellan Road and US59. I reported last November that they were pouring concrete. They still are. But there’s a lot more of it on the ground of the 80+ acre site. About half of the site is now covered with gray concrete. However, the most striking feature is the intensely green detention pond. The grass lining it looks more like a thick blanket of neon green faux fur.

Photos Taken on 3/19/2021

*Looking east across the southern part of the site at the large detention pond. Grass in such ponds reduces erosion. The erosion can clog ditches, streams and rivers; and contribute to flooding.* *US59 cuts through the top of the frame. For orientation, note the Lowes Store in the upper left.*

Looking south toward the San Jacinto River, which is out of sight above the top of the frame. Sorters-McClellan Road cuts through the upper right of the frame. Approximately half the site is now covered in concrete. Playing fields will eventually occupy the area to the left.

*Looking NE from the northernmost part of the site. US59 cuts diagonally through the upper right of the frame. Note HCA Medical Center and Insperity in the distance at Kingwood Drive.*

*Artists rendering of New Caney High School #3, looking east. The main entrance of the school will face Sorters-McClellan Road; the playing fields will face US59.*

*General plan for New Caney High School #3*. *North is to the left.*

School to Open in Fall 2022

The NCISD Board of Trustees approved an award of construction contract on May 18 for New Caney High School #3 to Gamma Construction. Gamma should finish construction in time for 2022-23 school year.

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.

Construction in the District has already caused a realignment of school zones. To see if your student will be affected, see this New Caney ISD web page.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/25/2021

1304 Days after Hurricane Harvey

Taylor Gully Excavation, Repairs Now Focusing on Area Downstream from Maple Bend Bridge

Harris County Flood Control District’s current excavation/repair project on Taylor Gully is nearing its downstream limit. The project began in January upstream from the Maple Bend Bridge. Drone photos below taken on 3/19/21 show the extent of work downstream from the bridge.

The project has two main objectives: 1) restore the conveyance of the ditch, and repair damaged or blocked storm-drain outfalls and backslope interceptor structures.

Pictures from 3/19/21

Taylor Gully in Woodstream. Direction of flow goes from lower left to upper right toward woods. Total project length is about 2250 feet: 750 upstream and 1500 downstream from the Maple Bend bridge between the two red lines.

Looking NE from Maple Bend in Woodstream Village. Upper banks have already been addressed on both sides of channel. Now, excavation seems to be focusing on the lower areas near the water and working back upstream (toward the camera position).

*Ground level shot in same direction taken with telephoto lens from Maple Bend bridge.*

*Note the height of these drain pipes – 6 feet! They will convey water from storm drains directly into the ditch.*

Smaller pipes stacked along the banks (see below) will be used to create backslope interceptors before the job is complete.

*Looking back upstream toward the Maple Bend Bridge in the middle ground. Areas beyond the bridge appear complete, but area in foreground does not yet have backslope interceptor pipes installed.* *(See more below.)*

Excavation and final dressing of slopes is almost complete upstream of the bridge. See below. When complete, the downstream slopes will look this way, too!

The two concrete structures on the sides of the the ditch are called backslope interceptors. Swales run parallel to the ditch and catch water before it can flow over the banks. The pipes carry the water beneath the bank to the bottom of the ditch. This is a “best management practice” that reduces erosion and extends maintenance intervals.

Next Steps

The project started in mid-January. At the current rate of progress and assuming cooperative weather, “substantial completion” could happen within a month. Substantial completion is a major milestone for contractors. When they think they are done, they schedule a walkthrough for HCFCD to inspect the work. If anything misses the mark, the Contractor has 30 days to clean-up the “punch list items”. Then HCFCD walks it again. Once the Contractor has addressed all outstanding items, the company demobilizes and the Flood Control District “accepts” the channel.

This project is separate from a Taylor Gully preliminary engineering study for capital improvements. The capital improvements could include more upstream detention on the Woodridge Village Property, which has now been purchased by the City and County from Perry Homes on March 4.

A previous study, the Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis, proposed improvements to Taylor Gully in October 2020.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/24/2021

1303 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 552 since Imelda

Hurricane Naming Changes

Hurricane naming is changing. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has retired the names of Hurricanes Laura, Eta, and Iota from 2020 and Dorian from 2019 because of the death and destruction they caused. WMO also eliminated use of the Greek alphabet when names based on the Latin alphabet are used up. Now, a second list of names, also keyed to the Latin alphabet will be available. In other words, we’ll go around twice with the Latin alphabet if necessary.

The Greek alphabet will not be used in the future because it creates a distraction from the communication of hazard and storm warnings and is potentially confusing.
World Meteorological Organization

Changes Result of Record-Breaking 2020 Season

Changes to hurricane naming conventions resulted from the record-breaking 2020 Atlantic season, according to the WMO.

The 2020 season got off to an early start with a nine named storms from May through July. And for the first time on record, it ended with two MAJOR storms in November. The season was so active that the Greek alphabet was used for only the second time; the first was in 2005.

How Retirement of Names Works

WMO rotates Atlantic tropical cyclone name lists every six years. However, extra-deadly storms can have their names retired and replaced.

“In total, 93 names have now been retired from the Atlantic basin list since 1953, when storms began to be named,” says WMO.

Recap of Storms with Newly Retired Names

2019 – Dorian

Dorian was a Category 5 hurricane and the strongest to hit the Bahamas in modern times. “More than 75 percent of all homes on the island were damaged,” said WMO. The hurricane left 29,500 people homeless and/or jobless.

2020 – Laura

Category 4 Laura hit Louisiana with a 17 feet storm surge. It killed 47 people in the United States and Hispaniola, and caused more than $19 billion in damage.

2020 – Eta & Iota

Hurricanes Eta and Iota hit Nicaragua two weeks apart in November last year. They caused extensive flooding in Central America, killed 272, can caused more than $9 billion in damages.

Reasons for Retiring Greek Alphabet

According to WMO, “The annual name list has been exhausted on two occasions during the past 15 years, and it is likely that this will occur again in the future.”

Because of problems associated with the Greek alphabet, WMO will substitute Latin-based A-Z names (excluding Q, U, X, Y, Z).

Confusion when translating Greek names into some languages.
Too much focus on the novelty of Greek names detracts from safety messaging.
Similarity of Zeta, Eta, Theta, which occur in succession resulted in storms with very similar sounding names occurring simultaneously. This caused confusion.

WMO has already agreed on a supplemental list of Atlantic tropical cyclone names to replace the Greek names. It’s a little bizarre. I noted that they used “Pax.” Pax means stability and peace, not meanings I would normally associate with a Cat 5 hurricane!

Post by Bob Rehak on March 23, 2021, based on information from the World Meteorological Organization.

1302 Days since Hurricane Harvey

National Hurricane Center Starting Tropical Weather Outlooks Two Weeks Earlier

Even if you don’t believe in climate change, the way the National Hurricane Center (NHC) covers tropical weather will change this year. Until now, NHC began issuing regular tropical weather outlooks on June 1st. Now they will start two weeks earlier.

The National Hurricane Center will begin regular tropical weather outlooks starting on May 15 this year. This change has been made due to the increased number late May tropical and sub-tropical systems in the last several years.

The actual start date of the Atlantic basin hurricane season will remain June 1, but this is also being looked at for changes to an earlier start date in future years.

*Hurricane Harvey at its peak intensity in August of 2017 as it came ashore in Texas*. Photo courtesy of NOAA.

Text of NHC Press Release

“In order to provide more frequent information on the potential for tropical cyclone formation as the official June 1 start of the Atlantic hurricane season approaches, the National Hurricane Center will begin routine issuance of the Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook (TWO) and the Graphical TWO at 800 AM EDT (1200 UTC) May 15, 2021.”

“Given recent increased tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic basin in late May, routine issuance of the Atlantic TWO starting on May 15 offers a service improvement over unscheduled Special TWOs that are issued to discuss the possibility of tropical cyclone formation prior to the official start of hurricane season on June 1.”

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/23/21 based on information from the National Hurricane Center

1302 Days after Hurricane Harvey

Construction Update: Steel Going up for New Kingwood Middle School

In 2018, Humble ISD voters approved a $575 million bond referendum. One of the projects involves a complete rebuild of Kingwood Middle School with an open, airy feeling; much larger classrooms; and unlike the old school, a large detention pond. Three years later, it’s starting to look real. I took all photos below on March 21, 2021.

*Framing of a new building with steel. This is when you can see plans on paper start to come to life for the first time.* *Looking west toward Woodland Hills Drive.*

*Looking north toward the middle part of the new site. Construction is moving in this direction. Those green boxes are where concrete piers will eventually support steel columns* that, in turn, support the weight of the building.

*At the southeast end of the site, a temporary detention pond holds runoff from the construction site. Eventually, contractors will replace it with a permanent detention pond farther to the west.*

This Google Earth photo taken months ago, shows the new middle school going in where the playing fields used to be north of the existing school. When the new building is complete, it will be torn down and the playing fields will be relocated where the existing building is now.

The new middle school’s design incorporates the concept of Kingwood’s “Livable Forest,” using ample amounts of natural light to combine interior and exterior spaces into a cohesive learning environment. There will be more space for collaboration, integrated physical activity and movement. Classrooms will be about 200 square feet larger. Car and bus drop-off and pick-up have also been optimized to relieve traffic on the neighboring streets.

Target opening: start of the 2022 school year. So we still have another year of construction. But I’m sure the result will be well worth any inconvenience.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/22/2021

1301 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Sunset Commission Recommends SJRA Improvements, But Tiptoes Around Key Issues

On January 21, 2021, the Texas Sunset Commission released its “Staff Report with Commission Decisions” on the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA). The 53-page report generally gave the SJRA a good review, but recommended that it:

Improve trust through better communications, public outreach, openness and transparency
Receive better value by improving contracting processes

The Commission also recommends that the Texas Legislative Council update and consolidate the SJRA’s governing law and processes.

The Sunset Act never subjected the SJRA to abolishment. However, it put its governance, management, operating structure, and compliance with legislative requirements under a microscope.

*This post was based on public information taken from the Sunset Commission website.*

Litigation Issues Deliberately Not Addressed

The report alluded to issues surrounding flooding and groundwater. However, Sunset Commission does not comment on issues in litigation as a matter of policy, so as not to influence the outcome. And although the Commission received extensive public input, it did not address comments directly for the same reason.

Those who take the time to read the entire report will be rewarded with a thorough, yet concise and illuminating summary of the SJRA’s business and the challenges it faces. The SJRA has adopted most, if not all, of the recommendations made by the Commission to some degree. Adopting the recommendations should not have any adverse fiscal impact on the SJRA or cause it financial strain.

Need for Better Communication and Engagement to Improve Trust

The Commission found that SJRA needs an effective communications strategy to advance projects. Especially if the projects could result in increased costs to the general public years before the public sees benefits.

Criticism: SJRA has not developed a formal strategy for engaging the general public in its activities, struggles to provide clear explanations of its wholesale water rates, and does not maintain important information on its website.

The Commission recommended a more proactive and strategic approach to communicating with and engaging the public. That, it felt, would help SJRA earn the trust of and get buy-in from the communities it ultimately serves.

Key recommendations included:

Require SJRA to adopt a public engagement policy that guides and encourages public involvement on key decisions.
Direct SJRA to develop a strategic communications plan.
Direct SJRA to provide clear, understandable information on its rates and fees prominently on its website.

Improve Contracting Function to Receive Best Value

The Commission also found that the SJRA guidance to staff fell short in important areas. Those areas included justifying the need to outsource services and maximizing open competition for contracts. In addition, the commission also felt SJRA lacks consistent documentation for monitoring the performance of its vendors.

Key recommendations included directing the SJRA to:

Establish additional guidance for contracting needs and procurement methods, and use open solicitations except in documented exceptions.
Consistently monitor, document, and evaluate vendor performance.
Improve the transparency, fairness, and effectiveness of its contracting process.

Update Governing Law and Processes

Over the years, Sunset reviews have included a number of standard elements designed to ensure open, responsive, and effective government. SJRA’s governing law does not contain several standard provisions, including those related to the governor’s appointment of the board president, grounds for removal of a board member, board member training, separation of duties of board members from those of staff, public testimony at board meetings, and maintaining a system for receiving and acting on complaints.

SJRA’s governing law is also uncodified and difficult for the public to find and understand. Finally, SJRA lacks goals and a plan to increase its workforce diversity.

Key recommendations:

Apply the standard across-the-board requirements regarding governor appointment of the board’s presiding officer, grounds for removal of a board member, board member training, separation of duties of board members from those of staff, public testimony at board meetings, and maintaining a system for receiving and acting on complaints.
Direct the Texas Legislative Council to update SJRA’s governing law.
Direct SJRA to plan and monitor its efforts to increase workforce diversity.

Other Findings

Strained Relationships with Stakeholders

Sunset Commission staff observed how protracted legal disputes and other controversies have strained SJRA’s relationship with some stakeholders and communities. That eroded trust in its decision making and jeopardized its ability to conduct the long-term planning and construction for which the Legislature created it.

The general public was highly critical of SJRA’s efforts, in contrast to SJRA’s direct customers who were generally satisfied with the authority’s performance.

No Formal Strategy for Public Engagement

SJRA’s own recent public opinion poll revealed most respondents had a negative opinion of the authority, no opinion of it, or had not heard of it, highlighting the need for direct outreach to the public rather than relying on others to speak on its behalf.

Lack of Clear Communication about Rates and Fees

A frequent complaint during the Sunset review was that consumers often see an “SJRA fee” or “surface water conversion fee” listed on their monthly bill with little to no explanation. SJRA’s public opinion poll confirms many consumers do not know what the fee is for. Only about half of respondents correctly identified the fee is used for maintaining a water treatment plant and pipeline.

Several other wholesale water providers in the region explain their rates and fees, which are higher than SJRA’s, on the front page of their website and clearly describe how some retail utility providers modify the fees when passing them on to consumers to cover other costs.

Governing Law Outdated, Difficult for Public to Find and Understand

While some water districts and river authorities are governed by laws that are fully compiled in a specific Texas code or statute, SJRA’s governing law exists solely in “session law.” That means changes are scattered in various statutes and amendments dating back to 1937. In the absence of ONE codified statute, members of the public and even the river authority itself struggle to correctly compile all of the changes to its laws and understand their cumulative impact.

For example, SJRA’s governing law stipulates the board has six members, even though the Texas Constitution now requires all boards and commissions to have an odd number of members. Even Rep. Will Metcalf’s recently introduced bill, HB3116 – recommending changes in how the governor makes SJRA board appointments – still refers to six positions.

Although general law adds a seventh member to preserve the board’s constitutionality, this outdated provision in SJRA’s governing law misrepresents the board’s actual makeup.

SJRA’s governing law contains many more out-of-date references to defunct state agencies and code sections that have been amended, renamed, or no longer exist, further complicating full understanding of the authority’s powers and duties.

Revenues and Expenses

The SJRA had approximately $112 million in revenues in Fiscal Year 2019 with $115 in expenses. The difference had to do with some reserve-fund expenditures for specific projects.

Litigation Summary

For an excellent summary of SJRA litigation over groundwater issues and Harvey flooding, see Appendix B on Page 37. Even as someone who follows these cases closely, there were several aspects that I simply did not know about.

For More Information

Read the entire Sunset Commission report and visit their website. One thing I discovered: the SJRA was apparently the only agency/authority reviewed last year for which the Sunset Commission did not request legislative changes.

For the Sunset Commission Report to the Legislature on all agencies, click here.

For the State Auditors Report on recommendations that were self-implemented, click here.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/21/2021

1300 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Rep. Metcalf Introduces Bills to Deny Downstream Representation on SJRA Board

Texas State Representative Will Metcalf from Conroe has introduced two bills in the 87th Legislature that would affect the composition of the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) Board. The two bills have major differences. One calls for the election of Board members. In case that fails, the other recommends how the Governor should appoint directors. Both bills, however, introduce an upstream bias in the selection of board members at the expense of downstream residents.

Excluding Harris County Voters

HB4575 would create a Board of seven directors who must be legal voters in the State of Texas. It does not specify who gets to vote in the election. It simply says voters in the District will elect Board members at large. But the boundaries of “the District” are not defined in HB4575. They are, however, defined in Section 5 of the SJRA enabling legislation to EXCLUDE Harris County. So far, no other sponsors have signed onto the bill.

Stacking Deck in Favor of MoCo

HB3116 relates to recommendations for the appointment of SJRA directors. It calls for the Governor to appoint six directors, all of whom must be Texas voters and property owners. Four of the six must reside in Montgomery County, the only county wholly encompassed by the District defined in the SJRA boundaries.

The Commissioners Court of Montgomery County would get to recommend two directors to the governor. Other counties in the watershed could each recommend one. But, again, four – a two-thirds majority – would have to reside in Montgomery County.

The SJRA board currently has seven members, so this bill would reduce that number by one and also increase the possibility of tie votes. That could help stymie approval of policies, such as lowering Lake Conroe seasonally or fighting subsidence. As of this date, no other sponsors have signed onto this bill either. It was referred to the Natural Resources committee yesterday.

Could Impact Lake-Lowering Policy

Metcalf’s filing of these bills comes hot on the heels of a contentious debate last year about seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe to provide a buffer against flooding in downstream communities. The hotly contested issue drew hundreds of Lake Conroe residents to a board meeting that had to be held in the Montgomery County Convention Center to accommodate the crowd. Protestors complained that it would ruin recreation and the tax base of Montgomery County.

In the end, the appointed board voted to continue its lake lowering policy. The policy calls for lowering the lake from 201 feet to 200 during April and May, then again in August. During September, the peak of hurricane season, the SJRA would lower Lake Conroe an additional half foot to 199.5. The City of Houston owns two-thirds of the water in the lake, and all releases come from the City’s share, and only at the City’s request. SJRA staff coordinate with City staff on the details and timing of all releases. And if the level of Lake Conroe has already dropped to the target elevation due to natural evaporation, no additional releases are called for.

The SJRA board first adopted this policy after Governor Gregg Abbott visited the flood-ravaged Lake Houston Area in 2018. That year, he also appointed two downstream residents who flooded during Harvey, Kaaren Cambio and Mark Micheletti, to the SJRA board.

Kingwood Greens Evacuation During Harvey by Jay Muscat — *Photo by Jay Muscat* *of the Kingwood Greens Evacuation during Harvey after the SJRA release from Lake Conroe.*

If Metcalf’s bills gain traction, the bills could potentially undermine the lake-lowering policy. The SJRA Board extended it for three years starting last year. That would give the City of Houston time to add more gates to the Lake Houston dam. FEMA gave the City three years to complete the gates when the project clock started ticking on April 8th of last year. The City is still in the preliminary engineering phase of that project, and trying to prove up the benefit/cost ratio for FEMA.

Could Also Impact Groundwater and Subsidence Debates

Metcalf’s bills could also affect the subsidence debate between upstream and downstream interests.

Shortly after the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District (LSGCD) first elected its board in 2018, the LSGCD board began advocating for higher groundwater pumping. It has also stonewalled any mention of subsidence in the desired future conditions for Montgomery County in Groundwater Management Area 14.

Private groundwater providers, such as Quadvest, heavily backed a slate of candidates for the LSGCD Board in 2018. Their candidates won based on the promise to “restore affordable water,” but residents report that water rates have not gone down.

The SJRA has opposed the unlimited pumping of groundwater. Electing the SJRA board, too, opens it up to the same kind of shadowy influence exerted by Quadvest prior to the 2018 election. If Quadvest is successful again, Quadvest could eliminate its primary opposition on the subsidence issue. The residents of northern Harris and southern Montgomery Counties would then potentially face increased subsidence. And subsidence can damage foundations, walls, ceilings, cabinets, doors, driveways, streets, pipelines, and more.

As the map below shows, subsidence could also tilt Lake Houston toward the Harris/Montgomery County line by two feet relative to the amount of subsidence at the Lake Houston Dam. That could increase flood risk for people living in the upstream reaches of the lake.

Drawing down aquifers in MoCo by 30% (leaving 70%) was supposed to have produced no more than 1 foot of subsidence, but models showed it could produce 3 feet in the Kingwood and Huffman areas of Harris County.

*The same amount of pumping produced 3.25 feet of subsidence in southern MoCo.*

Neither Elections, Nor Appointments, Should Exclude Affected Residents

I normally don’t oppose elected boards. But I also don’t want to return to the days just before Harvey when the SJRA board represented only upstream interests and downstream areas flooded disastrously.

If the SJRA board is elected, downstream residents in Harris County should be able to vote on the board members. Metcalf’s bills have the appearance of populism, but they strive to stack the deck against downstream residents. Both are wrong.

Everyone who lives and works along the San Jacinto should get to vote on the composition of the SJRA Board if board members will be elected.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/20/2021

1299 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 Bayou Greenway Now Connects Kingwood, Forest Cove

The Houston Parks Board’s newest leg of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway is nearing completion. Construction started near River Grove Park in Kingwood and is working its way west toward Harris County Precinct 4’s new Edgewater Park at US59.

First Leg Now Concreted, Others Under Construction

The first leg of the concrete trail connects River Grove Park and the Kingwood Trail Network to Hamblen Road in Forest Cove. From there, the trail snakes through streets in the Northshore neighborhood, such as Northshore Drive and Sunrise Trail. It currently stops just north of the Forest Cove little league fields on Forest Cove Drive. However, the trail will continue west; that’s just the extent of current construction. At the ends of streets that don’t connect, the Parks Board is building connector trails for hikers and bikers.

The only portion of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway completely concreted to date links Woodland Hills Drive and Hamblen. Other portions of the trail are partially concreted, and some are still being cleared. Construction fences are still up, even in the areas with concrete, as crews have not yet finished installing benches and planting grass.

Not Yet Quite Bike Ready

Net: Don’t take your bike through there yet. These pictures taken this afternoon show the current state of construction.

*Looking west from the entrance to River Grove Park in Kingwood toward Hamblen Road in Forest Cove at the new San Jacinto Bayou Greenway trail.*

*Closer view of same trail in same direction. Note the limited landscaping to date.*

*Reverse angle looking east toward River Grove from the end of Hamblen Road in Forest Cove.*

*Another leg of trail, not yet complete, connecting Northshore Drive and Sunrise Trail.* *Looking SW from Northshore.*

*Where second leg of trail exits onto Sunrise Trail.*

*Current end of construction activity at Forest Cove Drive just north of Little League Fields.*

Trail is actively being cleared farther to the east, but it’s not yet passable. The cleared portion currently terminates at Marina Drive near the Forest Cove Pool, behind the townhomes destroyed by Harvey.

While th San Jacinto Bayou Greenway project will help to revitalize the area, some residents who survived the storm and rebuilt their homes lament the loss of seclusion. However, avid hikers and bikers will no doubt will love the trail which will connect to the Spring Creek Greenway and take people up to the Woodlands. It represents a vast expansion of connected trails in the area and will rival the largest urban trail networks in the country – if it won’t be the largest.

That will put Kingwood and Forest Cove back in the news again in an immensely positive way. It will also create a magnet that improves home values again and attracts younger couples with children trying take advantage of Humble ISD schools.

This project has been in the planning stages since shortly after Harvey. It was just last month that the first leg of the trail connecting River Grove and Hamblen was cleared. Crews have made considerable progress since then.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/19/2021

1298 Days since Hurricane Harvey