Andy Li and Kelly Schafler reported in Community Impact that Harris County Precinct 4 should begin construction on Phase 1 of Edgewater Park by mid-2021. Phase 1 includes a 19-acre park, parking lot, boat launch, fish-cleaning station, restroom, concession building, and detention pond. Cost: $2.3 million. Location: Between Hamblen Road and the San Jacinto West Fork, immediately east of US59. See below.
Looking north at the future site of Edgewater Park from over the San Jacinto West Fork and the new UP Railroad Bridge. US59 on left.Looking South at Phase 1 of the future Edgewater Park. US59 on right. Hamblen Road in foreground. Humble in background.
Related Projects
Phase 2 will include the cypress ponds north of Hamblen and east of Phase 1. It also includes a potential reroute of Hamblen Road to unsnarl traffic and avoid
The park will provide a second boat launch in the Humble/Kingwood Area that will be open to the public. KSA’s boat launch at River Grove Park is open only to Kingwood residents with K-Stickers.
Two hike and bike trails are also planned as part of improvements. The first trail will connect the Spring Creek Greenway on the south side of the West Fork with the Townsen Park ‘n Ride. The second will connect Edgewater Park with River Grove Park and the Kingwood Trail Network. The Houston Parks Board also hopes to begin work on the second trail in early 2021.
The old Bevil Jarrell Memorial Bridge will connect trails on both sides of the river.
Reasons for Delays
“Getting approvals for both the right of way and the design to continue the Spring Creek Greenway under the existing railroad bridge took much longer than anticipated,” said Dennis Johnston, Precinct 4 Parks Director.
The Harris County Precinct 4 Parks website already shows the park under construction, but I haven’t seen activity there since the County put up a fence two years ago. Here’s what the plans looked like in 2018 when the County announced the project.
Tentative plans for a new Edgewater Park at Hamblen Road and Loop 494
Posted by Bob Rehak on December 27, 2020
2016 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20201227-DJI_0012.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=19001200adminadmin2020-12-27 14:47:232020-12-27 14:49:18Construction of Long-Awaited Edgewater Park to Begin in 2021
On December 17, 2020, Jason Webster and Kimberley Spurlock, lawyers for the plaintiffs in the 2019 Elm Grove lawsuits, added a ninth defendant in their eighth amended petition. The defendant is Storm Water Solutions, LLC at 16110 Hollister Street in Houston.
Complete List of Defendants
Defendants now include:
Developers:
Perry Homes, LLC
Figure Four Partners, LTD
PSWA, Inc.
Concourse Development, LLC
Contractors:
Rebel Contractors, Inc.
Double Oak Construction, Inc.
Texasite LLC
LJA Engineering, Inc.
Storm Water Solutions, LLC
Who Was Responsible for What and When
The eighth amended petition provides an overview of who allegedly did what and when, before Elm Grove flooded on May 7th and September 19th last year when water from Woodridge Village invaded Elm Grove and flooded up to 600 homes.
The developer defendants hired LJA, which had prepared the drainage plans for Woodridge Village, to prepare bid documents, plans and specifications, all of which required a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) for all potential contractors. The developer defendants and LJA, through the municipal utility district, hired Rebel, Double Oak, and Texasite. Rebel and Double Oak then obtained the necessary permits for the SWPPP.
Bombshell Allegations
Here’s where it gets interesting. Sometime after that, the developers hired Storm Water Solutions to implement the SWPPP. However, they allegedly told Rebel and Double Oak that they did not have to comply with the specifications in the SWPPP.
The southern part of Woodridge Village on May 9 from a drone.Elm Grove is on left. Note lack of any perimeter sediment controls.Screen capture from Jim Zura video.
One day after the May 7th flood, the developers hired Concourse to inspect the detention ponds on the development. Plaintiffs allege that Concourse did not advise the developer defendants to makes any changes. The plaintiffs also contend that ALL defendants failed to comply with the SWPPP. The TCEQ cited both Rebel and Double Oak for violations of their permits after the May 7th flood for failure to install sediment controls.
The suit alleges that the developer defendants failed to supervise and ensure Storm Water Solutions complied with the SWPPP.
Twin culverts at the county line were severely constricted by sediment after the May 7th flood.Note lack of sediment controls such as gabions (wire baskets filled with rock).
Specific Allegations against Storm Water Solutions in Lawsuit
Storm Water Solutions website claims the company provides “complete storm water regulatory compliance to land developers, commercial and residential builders, general contractors, and utility districts.”
But in Count 10, Paragraph 76, the suit charges Storm Water Solutions with Negligence, Negligence Per Se and Gross Negligence for both the May and September floods. Specifically, the alleged negligence includes failing to:
Create an adequate storm water pollution prevention plan;
Implement a storm water pollution prevention plan;
Comply or follow the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan;
Install reinforced filter fabric fences around the Development;
Install adequate reinforced filter fabric fences around the Development;
Comply with Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Construction General Permit No. TXR150000;
Supervise the Contractor Defendants’ compliance with the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan;
Enforce the provisions of the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan;
Enforce and/or implement the best management practices under the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan for the Development;
Implement the proper control measures on the Development;
Ensure a sedimentation basin was constructed at the Development;
Inspect the Development for failure to comply with the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan;
Modify the best management practices after the May 7, 2019 occurrence;
Comply with the plans and specifications for the Development;
Pay proper attention;
Provide notice or warning; and,
Coordinate activities and/or conduct.
It also alleges they allowed:
Storm water runoff into Plaintiffs’ properties;
Discharge of storm water from the Development.
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan Requirements, Objectives
Will supervise and implement good housekeeping programs, such as site cleanup and disposal of trash and debris, hazardous material management and disposal, vehicle and equipment maintenance, and so on?
Will conduct routine inspections of the site to ensure all BMPs are being implemented and maintained?
Will maintain the BMPs?
Is responsible for documenting changes to the SWPPP?
Is responsible for communicating changes in the SWPPP to people working on the site?
State of the S2 detention pond on May 9, 2019.
Plan objectives typically include:
Site stabilization ASAP
Protecting slopes and channels
Promoting infiltration of stormwater
Controlling the perimeter of the site
Protecting receiving waters adjacent to the site (Taylor Gully)
Following pollution prevention measures.
Minimizing the area and duration of exposed soils.
The southern part of Woodridge Village on May 9from the ground.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/25/2020with thanks to Jim Zura
1214 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 461 since Imelda
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/2019/05/NotWetlands.jpg?fit=1500%2C835&ssl=18351500adminadmin2020-12-25 16:47:582020-12-25 16:48:02Webster, Spurlock Add Storm Water Solutions to Lawsuit for Elm Grove Plaintiffs
Drainage reports for the controversial Colony Ridge development in Liberty County misrepresent soil types in a way that underestimate runoff by as much as 6X to 9X. As a consequence, the massive development’s ditches and detention ponds are undersized. That contributes to downstream flooding.
In addition, virtually all of the drainage reports supplied by the county in response to my FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request were marked “preliminary” and many were missing. The Assistant County Attorney did not explain why. She said only that she had supplied all documents “responsive to” my request that the county had.
Let’s review soil types first.
USDA Findings Contradict LandPlan Engineering’s
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies soil into four groups (A, B, C, D) that represent rates of rainwater infiltration. GroupA has the highest rate of infiltration and D has the lowest. Think gravelly sand vs. clays.
When USDA analyzed soils in the Colony Ridge area, it found less than 2% in Group A. However, virtually all of LandPlan Engineering, PA reports used model inputs associated with soils in Group A. Hmmmm. Quite a contradiction. LandPlan is the engineering company for Colony Ridge that produced the drainage studies.
USDA says almost no Colony Ridge soils have the lowest rate of infiltration and LandPlan says almost all do.
Comparison of USDA Soil Survey and Landplan Engineering documents
Colony Ridge also has small percentages of soils in intermediate categories:
B = 2.3%
C = 1.2%
Finally, USDA shows some mixed soil types within Colony Ridge. For instance B/D or C/D. But a flood expert and professional engineer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that with mixed soil types, LandPlan should have classified them as Group D. “For all of the areas with B/D and C/D, you should assume that they are D because the soil is disturbed and probably compacted in some way.” So almost 95% of the soils should should be represented with a rate of infiltration equivalent to Group D.
Compacted soil on residential Colony Ridge lot. Note ponding water and damp soil at right. Note also the erosion under back fence next to ditch.Insufficient capacity of ditch contributed to erosion.
Soil Classification Consistently Off in One Direction
Liberty County supplied 39 drainage and construction documents in response to ReduceFlooding.com’s FOIA request. The soil classifications, as shown by the Curve Numbers in the reports all erred in one direction – the direction that favored the developer’s profits.
Almost 95% of the soils should be classified in the least porous group. But virtually allof the “curve numbers” reported by LandPlan Engineering are associated with the most porous group.
By classifying the soils as more porous than they actually are, the engineers could claim there was less runoff and therefore reduce the size of ditches. Likewise, they could reduce or eliminate detention ponds.
What Curve Numbers Mean
Curve Numbers (abbreviated as CN in drainage reports and construction docs) numerically represent the rate of rainwater infiltration. They correlate primarily to soil groups, but also land use and surface conditions. For instance, after soil is paved with concrete, the curve number goes up (indicating less infiltration).
Excerpt from Bella Vista Drainage Report. Note Curve Number for pre-existing conditionsassociated with Group A soils, i.e., those having the highest rate of infiltration.
USDA’s soil report for Bella Vista Section 1 shows that the soils are Group C (69%) and Group D (31%). According to USDA and the flood expert/engineer above, the Curve Number used to calculate detention requirements for the “developed condition” should have been closer to 85. But the Curve Number on which the detention is based is 56 (see below) – a number associated with Group A soils. Note: this is a subset of the larger report for Colony Ridge discussed above.
Bella Vista Section 1 shows post-development Curve Number of only 56, associated with the highest rate of infiltration.
Importance of Accurate Curve Numbers
While Group A can absorb .3 to .45 inches of rainfall per hour, Group D absorbs only 0.00 to 0.05 inches per hour. Had LandPlan used the correct values, they would have had to accommodate 6X to 9X more rainfall.
Texdot
That would have required building larger ditches and detention ponds. But by using the Group A numbers, they could claim:
Floodwaters were soaking in.
Their roadside ditches could hold runoff.
No, fewer, or smaller detention ponds were necessary.
This suggests that LandPlan altered model inputs to achieve the desired output. The flood expert above called LandPlan’s Curve Numbers, “just plain wrong.” “Soils like that just don’t exist in this area,” he said.
The Berg-Oliver report was NOT one of the documents supplied by Liberty County. I found it attached to an affidavit by the former Liberty County Engineer in a lawsuit between the ex-Mayor of Plum Grove and the developer of Colony Ridge.
Role in Downstream Flooding, FM1010 Washout, Erosion
Plum Grove residents report increases in the severity and frequency of flooding since Colony Ridge started clearing land. Water accumulates faster and peaks higher, they say, because of the loss of trees and wetlands. But the extra runoff that engineers have not accounted for in their calculations makes those problems even worse. That’s because Colony Ridge ditches and detention ponds can’t retain the extra runoff.
Mischaracterization of soil types likely also played a role in the washout of FM1010.
During Harvey, Colony Ridge drainage ditches discharged so much water into Rocky Branch that the stream then overtopped and destroyed FM1010. The blowout worsened during Imelda. No one has repaired it yet.
Finally, the “tractive” force (power) of rapidly moving water through undersized ditches accelerated erosion. Downstream, the eroded sediment built up and forms sediment dams that back water up, flooding additional homes in Plum Grove, or near the San Jacinto East Fork and Luce Bayou.
“Preliminary” Plans
My Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Liberty County asked for ALL drainage analyses/surveys and construction plans for Colony Ridge subdivisions. However…
Virtually all of the plans that Liberty County supplied were marked “preliminary.”
None was marked final or approved.
Many were missing altogether.
NOT ONE bore the signature, stamp, or comments of the Liberty County engineer or his agent, LJA Engineering.
The 39 reports/surveys and plans are too large to post here; they comprise 1.5 gigabytes.
Liberty County has yet to clarify why so many of the plans are named “preliminary” or were missing. However, the Assistant County Attorney did verify that she supplied all Colony Ridge documents that pertained to my request.
Missing Documents
Here is a list of NINETEEN missing documents:
Missing Drainage Plans/Analyses (16)
Bella Vista – Section 2
Camino Real – All Four Sections
Grand San Jacinto – All Five Sections
Montebello – All Four Sections
Sante Fe – Sections 1 and 2
Missing Construction Plans (3)
Camino Real – Sections 1 and 2
Grand San Jacinto – Section 2
The problems in the 39 documents that Liberty County DID supply make one wonder what’s in the 19 they DID NOT supply.
Fallacy of Government Oversight
Not only are many documents missing, the ones Liberty County does have appear to be based on false assumptions about soil types.
I’m told by reputable engineers and floodplain administrators that this problem is common. Developers can always find engineers willing to sell favorable opinions – much like junkies know how to find doctors willing to write prescriptions for oxycodone.
Most people don’t have the expertise to evaluate reports like LandPlan’s. The hired guns know it and count on it. Cities and counties could hire engineers to thoroughly check these plans, but they don’t … for several reasons:
Awareness of this problem is low.
There’s no public pressure for counties to hire plan-checking engineers.
Developers make huge political contributions.
Floods often happen years after buildout of subdivisions.
By the time people flood, it’s too late. The damage has already been done. And the people responsible are often long gone.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/26/2020
1215 days since Hurricane Harvey and 464 since Imelda
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.
During my life, I’ve explored 49 states. But the state I choose to call home is Texas, and there’s no place I’d rather live in Texas than the Lake Houston Area. That’s in large part due to our proximity to nature and our fierce commitment to preservation.
This country has a lot to love. But if you love being close to nature, jobs, the arts, education, transportation, and medical care, no place I’ve found offers a better balance than the Lake Houston Area.
Our Unique Selling Proposition
You can find everything in that list above in every major metropolitan area in the country…with one exception – nature.
Sure, when you’re in other cities, you can get in your car and drive several hours to enjoy nature. Here, it’s outside your back door and down the block. Along hundreds of miles of greenbelts that wind through your neighborhood and along waterways. In the country’s largest urban nature park – the 5,000-acre Lake Houston Wilderness Park. And in the national forests and wildlife refuges that surround us.
Looking north toward Lake Houston Wilderness Park. It’s six times larger than New York’s Central Park.Looking south along the East Fork toward Lake Houston in background over Kingwood’s East End Park, home to more than 140 species of birds, many of them threatened or endangered.
The Value of Nature
Nature is more than a place to explore. It’s a natural sedative. It’s restful. It quiets the soul and the mind. It sustains sanity. It’s an evolutionary anchor in a fast-changing society. The womb of the world. A protective refuge from conference reports, tax forms, sales quotas, deadlines, and performance reviews. It’s a place to just breathe, bask, and be.
Property Rights and Profit
To developers and sand miners who shout “property rights” in their quest for profits, I would say, “Go ahead, develop your land as you wish. Just realize what you’re selling. Don’t destroy the uniqueness that makes your property worth more than it otherwise would be if you cut down the forest, filled in the wetlands, and turned natural streams into concrete ditches.
“Hey, Dear. Let’s take the kids for a walk along the ditch. I hear the sand mine’s water turned neon green! It’ll be fun. What do you say? We can bring the dog. He’ll find plenty of dead frogs to eat.”
Yeah, people will commute an extra hour, and pay a premium to live ten feet from noisy neighbors and that!
Colony Ridge development east of Plum Grove, TX.Not long ago, this was all forests and wetlands.It’s less than three miles from Lake Houston Wilderness Park.Water at Hallett Mine on West Fork. Photographed 12/7/2020.Looking west up the West Fork of San Jacinto toward 20 square miles of sand mines. Photo taken in September. Water flows toward camera and then left out of frame into Lake Houston,
Plea for Preservation
So, developers and miners, please think carefully before exercising your property rights. Once the forest is gone, it’s gone forever. You will alter the watershed inalterably. Preserve the wetlands that keep surrounding areas from flooding. Preserve the “brand” you’re selling. You’re not just selling sticks and bricks. You’re selling safety.
Preserving nature preserves profit potential for generations to come.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/23/2020
1212 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.
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In 2016, one of the owners of the Colony Ridge Development in Liberty County tried to sue the former Mayor of Plum Grove for defamation. The developer alleged that the mayor bad-mouthed his development while making false statements. The judge ultimately dismissed the suit.
But as part of the lawsuit, Louis W. Bergman, III, PE, provided a glowing affidavit, lauding the development. Bergman served as the County Engineer and Flood Plain Administrator at the time. He also issued licenses and permits for Liberty County. In that regard, he reviewed all plat submittals for compliance with Texas statutes and Liberty County’s subdivision rules.
What a Difference Four Years Makes
Below are some quotes from Bergman’s affidavit. I took all the pictures from a helicopter on 12/7/2020 while flying over Colony Ridge. They show how quickly conditions have deteriorated there.
“In my experience, Colony Ridge has been one of the best land developers in Liberty County.”
“I respect Colony Ridge Development … and their business because they have earned my respect by representing themselves with integrity and working to build quality developments.”
Louis W. Bergman, III, PE in Paragraph 15
“In my opinion, Colony Ridge Development has built some of the best infrastructure for residential neighborhoods in Liberty County and Colony Ridge Development’s lots do not create a health, safety, or welfare threat to Liberty County.”
Louis W. Bergman, III, PE in Paragraph 11
“I have heard [the former mayor of Plum Grove] make statements that Colony Ridge Development has violated environmental laws, such as regulations by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and I disagree with these statements and believe they are false statements.”
Liberty County’s own Strategic Plan cites the need to improve drainage infrastructure and building codes. But it doesn’t mention Colony Ridge by name.
Likewise for Liberty County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan. It discusses the need to improve a variety of safety issues such as drainage; street lighting; electrical service; communications infrastructure; high percentages of mobil and self-built homes; emergency access; and flooding … in every city in the county … all without mentioning Colony Ridge by name.
So maybe Bergman was right after all. Maybe this IS the best that Liberty County has to offer.
But I suspect the judge who dismissed the lawsuit, might take exception.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/21/2020
1211 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 459 since Imelda
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/2020/12/20200616-RJR_4084.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-12-22 21:16:002020-12-22 21:39:36“One of the Best Land Developers in Liberty County”
On December 7, 2020 I flew up and down the East and West Forks of the river and took these photographs over sand mines. The neon water is “naturally” occurring. By that, I mean I did not “Photoshop” the color to create the intense neon hues. What you see is what I saw through the camera lens. Candy-colored, neon water. Just in time for Christmas.
Why the Neon Colors?
Various theories have been advanced to account for the neon water:
The cause in one location may differ that in another. A retired water-quality manger for the City of Houston tells me that the more subtle gradations seen in photos #3 and #4 above are usually the result of cyanobacteria. The intense solid blues are likely result from concentrated chemicals found in the sand.
Concentrated Color
Sand mines “wash” their sand to remove silt and salts from the finished product. They then dump the silt and salts into settling ponds which you see above. The entire Houston area was a sea bed at one time. The salt mixed in the sand, if left there, can rust steel rebar and girders embedded in concrete. That shortens the life of roadways and buildings.
And, of course, there’s plain old sediment: white, gray, red, brown. The shot below was taken after a sand mine’s dike breached releasing 56 million gallons of whitish silt into the West Fork.
Confluence of Spring Creek and West Fork. TCEQ alleged that Liberty Mines discharged 56 million gallons of white waste water into the West Fork.
While these pictures may be pretty to look at, be cautious. Some forms of contamination can sicken humans and kill pets.
So be careful when out and about on the rivers over the holidays.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/20/2020
1209 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/2020/12/20201207-Aerial-Dec-2020_92.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-12-20 16:14:052020-12-20 16:23:40Neon Water: Just in Time for Christmas
Many floodplain regulations focus on not restricting the conveyance of rivers. But the high dikes of many sand mines literally wall off half their floodplains. This can increase the frequency, duration, and severity of flooding opposite the mines as well as erosion of river banks.
According to the computer models of engineers, that raises the height of floods on Shelbelbon’s property 3-4 feet above what they would otherwise be – especially in less than 100-year floods – when water can’t spread out on both sides of the river.
All that extra water concentrated in a smaller space also increases the velocity of flood waters and erosion. Shebelbon says he has lost 7 acres since the mines built their walls.
Schematic Diagrams Illustrate Principle
In principle, it looks like the series of diagrams below.
#1.Floodplains naturally spread out on both sides of river.#2. In a minor flood, water spreads out in both directions.#3. But after a mine walls off the floodplain, water can spread out in only one direction, raising the height of floods on the other side.#4. The extra volume of floodwater now forced into a smaller space increases the velocity of floodwater. That, in turn, increases erosion, too.
The last point may be the hardest to understand. Here’s an imperfect analogy that helps to illustrate it. Most of us have put our thumbs over nozzles of garden hoses to spray dirt off driveways. Decreasing the width of the opening forces water to go faster after it leaves the hose. That peels dirt off the driveway faster. While a hose is a closed system and a river is open, the increased velocity increases erosion regardless.
Photos Vividly Illustrate Danger
This first photo shows the height of the sand mine dike north of Shelbelbon’s property.
Looking NE from over West Fork San Jacinto. That white line in the background is I-45. Note how dikes are half the height of mature trees.Looking NW over part of Shebelbon’s motorsports complex towards mine. Note how Shebelbon’s property is at river level, but dikes around mines wall-off floodway.Looking West from over Shebelbon’s property at river level. Compare height of dikes on right.Looking ENE toward I-45 from over Shebelbon’s property, which is at river level. Note height of dikes on opposite shore.Shebelbon has lost 7 acres since the mines built their dikes.
The same problem exists on the San Jacinto East Fork.
Texas Concrete’s dike on left towers above homes on right. San Jacinto East Fork runs between them.
Perpetual Unintended Consequences
The dikes of these mines are intended to control stormwater within the mine and prevent the escape of sediment. Unfortunately for the people near them, they can have unintended side effects. And those side effects can impact neighbors long after miners abandon mines.
Texas regulations do not require restoring the natural contours of a floodplain when mines are done mining. So miners typically leave dikes in place…along with debris they’d rather not clean up.
Looking SW toward Shebelbon property from over I-45 across abandoned mine (bottom left). Google Earth shows activity on this site before Harvey but not after.
The Montgomery County Appraisal District (MCAD) values the 31-acre abandoned mine at $15,570 despite the fact that it’s right next to I-45 in the fast growing corridor between The Woodlands and Conroe.
A company named 45 SRL INC owns this property. The Texas Secretary of State shows that Williams Brothers Construction Company Inc. owns 100% of 45 SRL INC.
Reclamation of this site would cost far more than the value of the land which likely explains why:
The property has been abandoned without reclamation for more than 3 years
Why we need performance bonds to ensure the reclamation of mines
Why Shebelbon will continue to flood in minor events.
If it can happen to a man with a thriving business, it can happen to you, too.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/19/2020
1208 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.
Last year, New York State produced a series of model local laws to increase resilience. The 468-page document is a catalog of ideas for cities and counties to choose from. It covers everything from building in flood-prone areas to maximum lot coverage, land-clearing practices for new developments, stormwater controls, zoning, building elevation and more.
For those who can get past the not-invented-here syndrome, it could provide a valuable resource. As I read it, I found dozens of ideas that could reduce flooding in Houston.
Will New York Approaches Fly in Houston?
While some of the concepts, such as zoning, may seem radical to Houstonians, others have actually already been adopted by Houston. For instance, one of the suggestions was to record the extent of flood-plains on plats, a project the Houston Planning Commission recently adopted. Another is to require elevation of homes that flood repetitively to avoid substantial damage in the future. Houston adopted that one, too, after Harvey.
Another recommendation: prohibit land clearing by developers until AFTER plats are approved. This could likely have helped prevent a lot of flooding on the San Jacinto East Fork where Colony Ridge cleared thousands of acres before even getting plats approved.
The real target for this document is local government officials interested in addressing resiliency issues in their municipal codes. However, the discussions around each proposal also provide interesting background for flood advocates who are lobbying their elected officials.
Best Practices Codified into Local Regulations
The ideas provide of menu of what has worked elsewhere and why.
For greater resiliency, it is a wise best management practice, claim the authors, to ensure that developers design subdivision layouts in a manner that:
Minimizes land disturbance (tree clearing, land grading, soil compaction);
Avoids steep slopes, flood-prone areas and wetlands;
Protects important natural areas and habitats; Limits impervious surfaces;
Does not negatively impact public infrastructure;
Does not overload the roadway system, and
Provides effective stormwater control.
Other Major Areas of Focus
Other major sections deal with protection alternatives for:
The ideas presented here do not represent a complete program that must be adopted from start to finish. They are more like an à la carte menu. Take a little of this. A little of that. Whatever you need. Wherever you need it.
Once local officials identify ideas they could use, the document even provides templates for the wording of resolutions.
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.
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The Liberty County Hazard Mitigation Plan contains no mention of Colony Ridge, the largest and most vulnerable community in the entire county. Like Liberty County’s Strategic Plan, this is another example of shoot-yourself-in-the-foot planning. It, too, has Grand-Canyon-sized disconnects between intention and execution that could jeopardize thousands of lives.
Overlooked or Ignored?
Liberty County last updated its Hazard Mitigation Plan in 2017. Yet it contains no specific mention of Colony Ridge, a 12-13,000 acre development. At buildout, Colony Ridge projects it will cover 22,000 acres. By comparison, Kingwood occupies 14,000 acres.
The former Mayor of Plum Grove estimates more than 20,000 people currently call Colony Ridge home. Exact counts are difficult since many people are undocumented. But if the Mayor was correct, it would make Colony Ridge two timeslarger than the largest cities in the county. Plus…
Colony Ridge has extreme vulnerabilities caused by sub-standard drainage; poverty; language barriers; lack of street lighting and fire hydrants; poor electrical and communications infrastructure; a high percentage of mobil and self-built homes; poor access through flood-prone roads; and leaky sewage systems.
Such risk factors make residents especially vulnerable to floods, hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, and extreme temperatures. Moreover, poverty makes it harder for people to recover from such disasters.
Yet the plan does not contain one recommendation to address this high concentration of vulnerabilities in Colony Ridge. Even though the plan addresses vulnerabilities in much smaller areas, “the largest vulnerable population in the county” receives only one mention. That was as an unnamed area near Plum Grove. Plum Grove has a population of approximately 400-500 people compared to Colony Ridge’s 20,000.
It’s as though the people who live in Colony Ridge are invisible. For instance, the plan addresses two mobile homes in Dayton Lakes, but not the thousands in Colony Ridge.
Purpose of Plan
The purpose of Liberty County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan is to “reduce the loss of life and property within the county and lessen the negative impacts of natural disasters.” The plan addresses specific vulnerabilities in a dozen communities, but never the largest.
Educational Programs Targeted to Government Officials
This section starts with the need to develop and implement educational programs for residents and government officials, that address, among other things, the need to improve existing local ordinances. That was a familiar theme from the Liberty County Strategic Plan (which also failed to mention Colony Ridge). The idea: better building codes can enhance survivability of structures during threats such as tornadoes, fires, hurricanes and floods.
But that idea hasn’t yet filtered down to Colony Ridge where the developer caters to a do-your-own-thing, follow-your-American-dream, build-it-yourself-on-weekends crowd. The results are predictably creative and eclectic. See below.
Colony Ridge D-I-Y housing. Photo taken 12/7/2020.Typical neighborhood in Colony Ridge. Photo taken 12/7/2020.Note how cream-colored home (bottom left) has apparently fallen off its base.
Public/Private Collaboration to Minimize Hazards
A similar objective to the one above: Foster collaboration between public and private partners throughout the county to create and implement local ordinances and county-level programs that minimize hazards. Here are several common problems:
No evacuation routes marked.
No traffic-control signals along what would be evacuation routes.
Unlit streets at night
People walk on streets because there are no sidewalks.
Only a handful of fire hydrants in 13,000 acres where residents commonly start brush fires and overwhelm the volunteer Plum Grove fire department.
No school-zone warning lights or signs
No grocery stores for emergency supplies.
Missing street signs make emergency response difficult in many areas.
On a special note, as of 9PM tonight, the temperature has dropped into the 30s and reports of widespread power outages are pouring in from Colony Ridge due to poor electrical infrastructure that has not kept pace with the area’s growth.
Improve Drainage to Reduce Flooding and Erosion
Another goal: improve drainage throughout the county to reduce the impact of flooding and erosion on residents and structures.
FM1010 at Rocky Branchhas gone un-repaired for the 3.5 years since Harvey. This road would be the major evacuation route for 20,000.
The Mitigation Plan was developed after Harvey and adopted by Liberty County Commissioner’s Court on October 9, 2018. But the Plan makes no mention of the repairing the washout above.
Create Drainage Ponds Throughout County
The plan calls for widening existing culverts and creating drainage ponds throughout the county. Yet for the entire 13,000 acres, Colony Ridge apparently has one functioning detention pond. A second pond seems to have largely silted in.
One of the few, if not the only functioning detention ponds in Colony Ridge. This is in Sante Fe Section 3 in the extreme southwestern corner of the development.Colony Ridge engineers claim such ponds would make flooding worse. See below.
Beat-The-Peak Analysis Applied to 22,000 Acres
LandPlan Engineering’s Hydraulic Analysis from March 2020 concludes on page 8 that “…detention would increase the overall peak release from [Sante Fe] Section 6 as well as those portions of upcoming Sections 7 and 8 discharging to the Luce Bayou.”
It’s hard to understand how detention ponds would increase the peak flow. The conclusion refers readers to two graphs in Appendix D. But neither mentions anything about detention assumptions such as volume or rate of release. This is yet another “beat the peak” claim which Liberty County Drainage Regulations don’t explicitly bar.
So the Hazard Mitigation Plan encourages detention ponds and the drainage regulations give developers financial incentives NOT to build them. Again, the Grand-Canyon-sized gap between intentions and execution.
As we have seen in Montgomery County, beat-the-peak claims don’t consider changes to upstream or downstream conditions. They rely on infrequently updated data that becomes increasingly out of date with the development of each new subdivision. And they encourage all developers to get their water to rivers ASAP in heavy rains, which is exactly the opposite of what you want people to do in floods.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/16/2020
1205 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 454 since Imelda
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/2020/10/20201025-DJI_0919.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=19001200adminadmin2020-12-16 21:09:122020-12-16 21:46:46Liberty County Hazard Mitigation Plan Contains No Mention of Largest, Most Vulnerable Community in County
Today, Harris County Commissioners Court unanimously approved an interlocal agreement with the City of Houston concerning the purchase of Woodridge Village from Perry Homes. On December 9, the City of Houston approved the same interlocal agreement. Today’s approval by the County brings both sides closer to a deal. But several details still remain to be worked out before closing the sale.
Remaining Details to Work Out Before Closing
Approval by both the City and County does NOT mean the purchase is automatically a done deal. Multiple surveys and appraisals must still be completed.
Any real-estate purchase is complicated, but this one is especially so because it involves three parties. Two of them want to split up the property and use it in different ways. They also want to pay for it in different ways.
As part of the deal, the City wants to purchase 77 acres out of the total 268 acres for itself to use as a wastewater treatment facility. The City wants to pay cash for that.
The remainder of the property, 191 acres, will be jointly owned, developed, operated and maintained by the City and Flood Control.
Flood Control’s agreement with the City says that the City will pay for its half of jointly owned acreage by donating other property that Flood Control can use to reduce the cost of other mitigation projects.
The City and County must now get surveys and appraisals of all assets involved and agree on how to transfer them before closing. The clock is ticking.
The County’s separate purchase agreement with Figure Four gives the County until approximately March 1 to close the deal.
At Stake: Future of Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest
Car submerged during Imelda at the end of Village Springs adjacent to Woodridge. Note the sediment laden water from the development. Photo courtesy of Allyssa Harris.
County Judge Lina Hidalgo kicked off the discussion by stating she favored the proposal. Among her reasons:
Flood reduction in the Kingwood Area
Land that the County would get for other flood mitigation projects, especially along Halls and Greens Bayous.
Updating of the City’s drainage regulations to meet Atlas 14 requirements, even in the City’s ETJ
Russ Poppe, executive director of HCFCD noted that Perry had sunk $24 million into buying and clearing the property, and excavating detention ponds on it. He also said the property appraised at $19 million and that the County’s share of acquisition would be $5 million.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said that he initially had “grave concerns” about the acquisition but that Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s work had allayed them.
Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis raised concerns about the County getting stuck with the land if the City backed out of the deal.
But Robert Soard of the County Attorney’s office reassured him that if the City did not deliver, the deal was off BEFORE the County had to write a check.
Russ Poppe reassured everyone that when all conditions of the interlocal agreement were met, the commissioners would get a chance to approve the money before the deal was final.
In the end, the four commissioners and Judge Hidalgo all voted FOR the interlocal agreement. Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle thanked them all on behalf of 600 flood victims.
Video of the debate has not yet been posted.
Posted by Bob Rehak on December 15, 2020
1204 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 453 since Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/VillageSprings1.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=11200900adminadmin2020-12-15 15:28:302020-12-15 15:49:55Harris County Approves Interlocal Agreement with City Concerning Woodridge Village
