With Grant Deadlines Approaching, Bid Deadlines Are Slipping

9/16/2025 – Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) could soon be caught in a time squeeze.

Deadlines are fast approaching on hundreds of millions of dollars in grant money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) via the Texas General Land Office (GLO). Yet HCFCD is pushing projected start dates for those projects further into the future. So, there may not be enough time to complete the jobs.

“As a rule of thumb, it typically takes two years to build a detention basin. But HCFCD has left itself with only approximately a year to build many with urgent deadlines.”

Construction Expert

And further deadline extensions likely will not be granted. When HUD granted HCFCD an extension on 10 of the 29 projects, HUD’s letter said, in essence, not to bother asking for another extension. A GLO spokesperson said, “The GLO doesn’t have the statutory authority to override HUD.”

Status of Grants and Deadlines

Yesterday, the Texas General Land Office (GLO) released the status of the 29 grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. They currently total $862.6 million.

The 29 grants fall into two categories: Disaster Relief (DR) and Mitigation (MIT).

HCFCD has an immovable deadline of February 28, 2027 for all Disaster Relief grants. That’s just 17 months away. And 9 out of the 10 that have not yet started won’t even go out for bids until next year. And one of those will be bid in the third quarter of next year, likely leaving only a few months to complete the $9 million project.

Let’s discuss the DR projects first. See the first group below.

For a printable, high-res PDF, click here.

Of the 11 projects in the Disaster Relief group, ten have already been approved and amended into the County’s contract. But only one has started construction. All the others haven’t even been bid yet. And won’t be for months.

Seven of Ten Remaining DR Projects Show Slippage in Bid Schedules

HCFCD periodically publishes “bid outlooks.” They tell potential contractors when HCFCD intends to advertise projects for bidding.

Comparing the June and August project bidding schedules shows that…

Seven of the remaining 10 have slipped three to nine months … in two months.

See table below.
Dates compiled from HCFCD Bid Outlooks for June and August (published in September).

How do you get this far and not have projects ready to bid immediately after approval? An HCFCD spokesperson said, “It’s quite a layered process” with approvals from other authorities, too, i.e., for environmental studies.

Regardless, only 17 months remain before an already extended deadline.

According to a GLO spokesperson, when HUD granted the deadline extension, the letter granting the extension basically said, “Don’t ask for another.” The GLO spokesperson also confirmed that GLO did not have statutory authority to grant an extension against HUD’s ruling.

So is there time to complete the Disaster Relief projects?

Arbor Oaks Project Illustrates Difficulty of Deadline

Only 17 months remain to bid and build 10 DR projects. And it typically takes 3 to 6 months just to:

  • Advertise a project for bids
  • Secure and review the bids
  • Get commissioners court to approve the bids
  • Finalize the contract
  • Issue a “notice to proceed”
  • Mobilize crews

That leaves roughly a year to build the projects. But the ten listed above could have even less time because of slippage in the bidding schedules.

Only one CDBG-DR job has started construction already: the Arbor Oaks Stormwater Detention Basin in White Oak Bayou’s watershed.

  • Commissioners Court approved the job for bidding on 5/8/2025.
  • HCFCD awarded the contract on 6/26/2025.
  • As of yesterday afternoon, the contractor was still mulching trees – more than 4 months after the job was first advertised.

No dirt has been removed yet. The pictures below show how the project looked on 9/16/2025.

Former Arbor Oaks subdivision near White Oak Bayou
Extent of clearing on 9/16/2025. Concrete removal was supposed to start yesterday, but did not by 2PM.
The only activity on the site was tree clearing/mulching.

The diagram below shows what contractors still must build.

Two dry-bottom and two wet-bottom basins will provide 221 acre-feet of stormwater storage. That’s a lot of dirt to move!

If HCFCD misses that February 28, 2027 deadline, the county could be on the hook for up to $34.2 million in HUD funds. And because that project got the earliest start, it has the highest likelihood of beating the deadline. What about other projects that won’t even be bid until there’s less than a year to bid and build them?

Not far away, the Mercer Basin on Cypress Creek was supposed to take one year to build on an expedited basis. However, it’s now taken two years and could take another half year to complete.

Mitigation Projects Have Deadlines, Too

Because the DR projects have the most immediate deadlines, everyone has been focusing on those first. But the second group of 18 MIT projects also have deadlines.

All MIT funding allocated to the State of Texas after Hurricane must be turned into HUD by January 1, 2033. But the GLO needs 18 months to complete paperwork and package documentation for thousands of projects for HUD’s audit. So, the deadline for sub-recipients, such as HCFCD is July 1, 2031.

But there’s another wrinkle that puts even more pressure on sub-recipients to start projects soon. HUD wants the State to spend half the funds by January 1, 2027 – two months BEFORE the DR deadline.

How Real are the Deadlines?

There seem to be two different views of deadlines.

HCFCD’s current management, like a former Mayor of Houston, appears to believe that deadlines can be indefinitely extended.

The GLO views them as a contractual obligation, which if violated, could result in the taxpayers of Texas footing the bill for unnecessary delays.

According to the GLO, HUD changed its way of doing business after previous disasters such as Hurricane Ike, when some funds sat unused for years. So, after Harvey, HUD adopted, in essence, a “use it or lose it” policy with strict deadlines. Not everyone has gotten that message yet.

The potential loss of hundreds of millions of dollars for flood mitigation could make voters very unhappy.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/18/2025

2941 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.

Final Kingwood Diversion Ditch Study Up for Approval Thursday

9/15/25 – Harris County Commissioners Court is being asked to approve a contract for final engineering of new Kingwood Diversion Ditch conveyance improvements this Thursday, 2/18/25. See Item 272 on the Agenda.

The Kingwood Area Drainage analysis ranked Diversion Ditch improvements as the most important project in Kingwood. That’s in large part because improving flow through the Diversion Ditch will take floodwater out of Bens Branch which runs through Kingwood Town Center. So, it’s like a Texas twofer.

Diversion Ditch shown in white, proposed new outfall in green, and Bens Branch in red.

County Purchasing Dept. Recommending Halff

The Harris County Purchasing Department recommends Halff Associates, Inc. based on “highest overall evaluation” for their proposal. The County reserves the right to negotiate with the next highest ranking proposal if it can’t reach a suitable agreement with Halff.

Halff did the engineering work for Taylor Gully and Woodridge Village. The company also recently updated Montgomery County’s Drainage Criteria Manual and Subdivision Rules and Regulations. So, it is familiar with drainage issues in the area.

Another company, Neel-Schaffer developed the preliminary Kingwood Diversion Ditch report. However, it took almost five times longer than expected and overlooked some obvious opportunities.

Since Neel-Schaffer released its preliminary report, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority announced plans to build 100 acre-feet of detention in the area where the Diversion Ditch splits off from Bens Branch just north of Northpark. That’s a quarter of the needed 405 acre-feet of detention right there.

Included in the Project

This is a request to authorize negotiation for an agreement that will provide final design, bidding and construction phase services for Kingwood Diversion Ditch channel conveyance improvements.

The project begins upstream of the confluence of Bens Branch and the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and ends downstream at the West Fork San Jacinto River. The total project length is approximately 4.2 miles along the Kingwood Diversion Ditch. 

Looking upstream/north at the Diversion Ditch toward Kingwood Drive from over the Walnut Lane Bridge. The “Kingwood Rapids” are just out of frame at the bottom of the frame.

Conveyance improvements will include:

  • Construction of a diversion structure to divert flow off Bens Branch into the Kingwood Diversion Ditch
  • Erosion protection against a naturally steep portion of the existing channel near Walnut Lane
  • A new outfall at Woodland Hills into the West Fork San Jacinto River
  • 405 acre-feet of stormwater detention to mitigate for impacts from the channel improvements
  • Improvements to five existing bridges.

The project area along Kingwood Diversion Ditch consists of approximately 3.86 miles inside Harris County limits and an additional 0.32 miles extends into Montgomery County.  The project falls into the second quartile of the County’s Equity Prioritization Framework.

Kingwood Diversion Ditch
Looking S at Kingwood Diversion Ditch from near the Montgomery County Line and Kings Mill.

Earlier this year, Commissioners voted to redeploy all remaining funding in Quartiles 2, 3, and 4 to complete projects in Quartile 1. However, they later reconsidered that motion. The fact that the Diversion Ditch already has federal partnership funds allocated to it thanks to the work of Congressman Dan Crenshaw, whose earmark for the Walnut Lane Bridge saved it from the chopping block.

Separately, the County expects to hear a new proposal from HCFCD Executive Director Dr. Tina Petersen this Thursday. Petersen reportedly hopes to explain less Draconian ways to address a shortfall in bond funding that could affect the fate of a large number of other projects.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/15/25

2939 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Harris County Commissioners to Discuss Future of Flood Bond on Thursday

9/14/25 – On Thursday, 9/18/25, Harris County Commissioners Court is scheduled to discuss the future of the 2018 Flood Bond. Again.

Item 117 on the agenda says, “Request for discussion and possible action regarding a report from the Flood Control District related to the 2018 Bond Program.” Unfortunately, no report is attached to the agenda. Reportedly, it is not yet ready.

What’s the Problem?

Rumors of potential shortfalls in bond funding started in 2021. Compound inflation since the start of the flood bond has reduced the purchasing power of flood-bond dollars approximately 25-30%.

That raises many questions: Do we have enough money to finish all the bond projects? If not, whose projects will be cut? What happens if you start construction, but don’t have money to finish it? Should we kill projects in some areas to construct projects in others?

No easy answers exist. Harris County Flood Control District, Engineering, the County Administrator and County Budget Director have tried all year to answer commissioners’ questions and have been meeting weekly for months to work out a plan that everyone can agree on.

Multiple Delays since February

On February 6, 2025, fireworks erupted in Commissioners Court over the inability to get data that could inform decisions about Subdivision-Drainage and Flood-Bond projects. Commissioners called it a “major crisis” and “an abysmal failure.”

They asked Dr. Tina Petersen, executive director of Harris County Flood Control, to come back in March with answers. But March turned into May, May into June, then July and August. And now, here we are in September.

What Commissioners Asked For

In February, Commissioners asked HCFCD to work with the County Engineer, Administrator and Budget Director to return to court on March 27 with “proposed options and recommendations using any and all county resources for closing the shortfall.” The analysis was to have included:

  • The entire program including all projects completed
  • Projects under construction with any potential changes in contract
  • Active projects awaiting funding
  • Remaining available funds for all projects now that the project budgets have been increased.

However, the departments could not produce the data by March 27. So, Commissioners gave them until May 8. This time, commissioners asked for:

  • Status of each project in the bond
  • Expected time to completion
  • How cost has changed over time
  • Whether there was a change in scope
  • Sources of funding

The May presentation slipped to June. Petersen still didn’t have a clear plan, but she hinted at a potential $1.3 billion shortfall. That’s a quarter of all funds raised to date – either through the bond or partner contributions.

No mention of shortfall in bond updates
In June, Petersen alluded to $1.3 billion shortfall in testimony to Commissioners.

Flood Control and the head engineers of each precinct have met weekly since then in an effort to identify a plan that everyone can agree to. The fact that the plan wasn’t attached to the agenda suggests they may not have agreed on it yet.

Uncertainty, Delays Could Jeopardize Additional Funding

Meanwhile, the uncertainty and delays could jeopardize even more funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) via the Texas General Land Office (GLO).

In 2021, GLO Commissioner George P. Bush announced a $1.1 billion allocation of HUD funds for flood mitigation and disaster relief in Harris County.

But that money is available on a reimbursement basis only…after the County completes approved projects.

Out of that that money, the deadline expires on $327 million in February 2027. That leaves little time to actually build the 11 associated disaster-relief projects before the deadline.

The Mercer Basin now under construction is similar to those. It was supposed to take a year to build on an expedited basis. We are now at two years and counting. Construction is far from complete.

And the last of the 11 projects isn’t even scheduled to go out for BID until the SECOND quarter of next year.

No Good Options

Since February, Commissioners floated one possible option to deal with a shortfall. They voted to focus remaining funding only on the top quartile of projects in the bond when ranking them using the County’s 2022 Equity Prioritization Framework.

However, they later amended that vote because it would have potentially defunded projects that already had partnership dollars allocated to them.

I expect a lot of wailing and wringing of hands on Thursday. Unless they postpone the discussion again.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/14/25

2938 Days since Hurricane Harvey

TCEQ Cites Hallett Mine for Five Violations But Issues No Fines

9/17/25 – Update – In response to a request from ReduceFlooding.com, TCEQ has now supplied its FULL report, WITH attachments. Accordingly, I have modified the copy below to delete references to the missing attachments. I have also hyperlinked the full report where the partial report was previously. Caution though: it’s almost 20 megs. I also added some comments about the previously missing water reports.

9/13/25 – During late February, 2025, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) investigated the Hallett Sand Mine on the West Fork San Jacinto and cited it for five violations. The violations included failure to:

  • Prevent the unauthorized discharge of process water
  • Maintain structural controls
  • Submit a required “notice of change” (NOC) to the TCEQ when a designated contact person left the mining company
  • Inspect structural controls every seven calendar days
  • Submit a “non-compliance notification” when it learned of the unauthorized discharge.

However, the TCEQ report mentions no fines or financial penalties. The Commission simply closed the case after the violations were resolved, even though the mine’s neighbors observed the unauthorized discharge for a full year.

In my opinion, this appeared to be the equivalent of being stopped for repeated, excessive speeding in a school zone and let off with a verbal warning.

Who’s in Charge?

According to the TCEQ report, RGI Materials Inc. operates the Hallett mine, though Hallett’s website claims Hallett is hiring for positions at the mine. Confused?

It turns out that “Hallett” is an “assumed name” of RGI. RGI was incorporated by Kurt, Jim and Jeff Rasmussen of Des Moines, Iowa, in 2001. One month later, RGI filed an Assumed Name Certificate for Hallett Materials.

RGI Materials, Inc. is the company’s legal name. But Hallett Materials is the trade name (also known as “doing business as,” DBA, or brand name) by which the public knows RGI in Texas.

The Rasmussen Group in Des Moines lists 10 other companies it operates with different publicly facing brand names. But there are likely even more companies owned by the Rasmussen family.

For instance, the Montgomery County Appraisal District shows the mine property is owned by J.R. Development, Inc. Secretary of State records show that J.R. Development also leads back to Des Moines with the local address at the Hallett mine in Porter.

So, all roads lead to the Rasmussen family. The TCEQ report even lists Karl Rasmussen 17 times!

TCEQ Does Not Make Full Report Public

The TCEQ report alleges the existence of eleven attachments, none of which were attached – even though one of the investigators told a resident adjacent to the mine that this was the largest investigation he’d ever been a part of.

The attachments allegedly included maps, correspondence, a missing report, photographs and, most importantly, water sample results.

The mine is monitored for Nitrate + Nitrite N, total suspended solids, pH, and hazardous metals including Arsenic, Barium, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Lead, Manganese, Mercury, Nickel, Selenium, Silver, and Zinc.

TCEQ Report

However, water samples tested only for suspended and dissolved solids. Compared to control samples taken outside the mine in a nearby drainage ditch, they showed high concentrations of both. One table in the water sample report indicated that sample sizes were not sufficiently large to render valid results.

Investigators Have Trouble Accessing Site

Citizens complained about process wastewater spilling from the mine onto adjacent property and then into the West Fork San Jacinto River for more than a year. The West Fork feeds Lake Houston, the source of drinking water for more than 2 million people.

Hallett Mine
Hallett Mine leakage photographed on February 23, 2025. Route to river highlighted in red.

After meeting with the mine’s operators, the investigators tried to walk to the leak, but could not reach it because the path was inundated with process wastewater.

They then tried an alternate route. But they could not reach the leak from that direction either because the berms had not been maintained.

The investigators then tried a third approach. They left the mine and doubled back to the breach from outside of the mine. At the time of the investigation, the process wastewater discharge covered more than 5 acres.

Other Troubling Discoveries

In addition to the unauthorized discharge, when the investigators asked to speak to the person responsible for discharges from the mine, they were informed that the person whose name was on the discharge permit was no longer employed there.

Moreover, the mine could not produce its “2024 annual comprehensive site compliance evaluation report.”

Neither did the mine notify the TCEQ of the discharge which had the potential to endanger human health, safety and the environment.

The mine did not maintain its structural controls.

Nor could it produce required weekly inspection reports of those controls.

Eventual Compliance Resolves Complaints to TCEQ Satisfaction

One day after the initial site visit, an investigator noted that the unauthorized discharge had stopped and that the berm breach had been repaired. See below.

Hallet leak plugged
Hallet leak plugged. Photo by neighbor.

On 4/3/25, RGI submitted documentation that it was inspecting its structural controls every seven days.

The written notice of non-compliance (required within five days of becoming aware of the non-compliance) was submitted more than a year after the unauthorized discharge started.

On March 13, 2025, RGI updated its contact information for the TCEQ.

TCEQ dropped the complaint regarding the annual compliance report after Mr. Rasmussen indicated that the evaluation was conducted in November 2024.

The TCEQ website now shows all violations resolved and the case closed as of 9/9/2025.

Screen capture from TCEQ website.

Outrage from Neighbor

One neighbor told me, “Unbelievable what they allow them to get away with. That’s why they just keep doing what they do.” 

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/13/25

2937 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.

Small Success in the Fight Against Flooding Sets Good Example

9/11/25 – In the fight against flooding, success is not always defined by grand infrastructure projects costing tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. Sometimes flood risk can be reduced by simple maintenance. The ditch west of Kingwood High School that parallels Valley Manor Drive is an example.

Culverts under Kingwood Drive had become badly blocked with sediment and underbrush, reducing their conveyance.

To make residents safer, two Republican City Council members working with a Democratic Mayor mobilized the Houston Public Works Department and a private contractor.

Result: They reduced the flood risk of approximately 100 families living upstream from the blockages that flooded badly during Hurricane Harvey. People and homes are safer now. Because everyone worked together.

Before Photos

The photos below show what the ditch looked like before the project started.

blocked ditch under Kingwood Drive
Downstream exit
Valley Manor Drainage Ditch Scouting Session
Lower angle showing scale of downstream blockage
Valley Manor Drainage Ditch Scouting Session
Ditch had become totally overgrown in median.
Valley Manor Drainage Ditch Scouting Session
Aerial view of blocked ditch in median (below car)
Valley Manor Drainage Ditch Scouting Session
Public Works personnel survey the magnitude of the job from the upstream side of Kingwood Drive.

After Photos

Downstream exit now cleared.
Median now cleared
Median from opposite direction
Aerial shot of cleared median
Upstream entrance now all clear

Results, Not Rhetoric

This won’t make national headlines. It won’t inspire millions of clicks or likes. But it is a great example of working together across the political divide to make people safer. As City Council Member Fred Flickinger, no stranger to the political arena, said, “We have a lot more that unites us than divides us.”

The job isn’t quite done yet. Flickinger said that the City intends to hydro-mulch this area to reduce erosion. However, Council will have to approve additional budget for that.

Credit goes to:

  • Houston City Council Members Flickinger and Twila Carter
  • Dustin Hodges, Flickinger’s Chief of Staff
  • Houston Mayor John Whitmire
  • Houston Public Works
  • Kingwood Flood Fighter and Activist Chris Bloch

Bloch, a member of the Bear Branch Trail Association board, helped document conditions before the job and arranged rights of entry for contractors.

Thanks to all involved!

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/11/25

2935 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Major Causes of Northpark Project Slowdown Being Removed

9/10/25 – Ralph DeLeon, Northpark project manager, had good news to share this afternoon. Two out-of-place water lines that have slowed the Northpark expansion project for months are finally being moved out of the way.

Construction crews discovered the out-of-place pipelines during the boring operation under the UnionPacific Railroad tracks back in July. Contractors were trying to insert two 60″ steel pipelines under the tracks, in order to convey stormwater from the west side to the east and then onward to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

Abandoned Water Lines Had Cascading Effects

But the utility conflicts had cascading effects. Without the twin bores, surface lanes on top of them could not be built. And without the surface lanes traffic could not be rerouted to make way for other improvements.

The pictures below show removal of the first of the two lines.

Workers begin cutting into the first pipe.
Pipe section being removed from pit and…
…lifted out of hole…
…and carried away.
State of pit as of 3PM on 9/10/25. Note gap in pipe on right.

It’s unclear whether that small black line on a diagonal is the second water line or a brace for the pit walls. DeLeon was not available to clarify.

However, De Leon’s email did say, “The contractor removed the 18” abandoned water line underneath the rail tracks and expects to complete extraction of the second conflict by today. … They expect to resume boring and installing the 5′ steel pipes by Friday this week. 

Traffic Switch Delayed

In other news, the traffic switch initially scheduled for today and tomorrow has been delayed by a week. De Leon said, “The contractor did not get enough concrete sections built to move forward with the traffic as initially scheduled.”

The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website now says, “Beginning September 17th at 9pm and thru September 18th, the Northpark Drive Project Contractor, Harper Brothers Construction, will shift westbound traffic, between NorthPark Christian Church and Loop 494 to the newly constructed westbound lanes. The existing east bound traffic lanes will also shift onto the previous westbound traffic lanes from Loop 494 to RecNation RV & Boat Storage.”

These traffic shifts are planned to last approximately four months.

Northpark Drive expansion project
Greatly reduced. For a full-size, high-res PDF with better readability, click here.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/10/2025

2934 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Development of Edgewater Park Restarting

According to Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, PE, “Exciting plans are in motion for Edgewater Park in Kingwood!” Ramsey’s most recent newsletter says that starting in 2026, visitors can look forward to:

  • New trail connections
  • Improved access
  • Additional parking
  • A brand-new restroom facility

“And that’s just the beginning,” says Ramsey. “This is only Phase One of a three-phase project!” Future improvements will bring:

  • Even more trails
  • A playground
  • A public boat/canoe launch

Plans to redevelop the park were first announced in 2018 back when Kingwood was still in Precinct 4. Redistricting, permitting, budget, and wetlands issues delayed construction and forced the Precinct 3 Parks Department to rethink its plans.

Edgewater Park is located on the northeast corner of the San Jacinto West Fork and US59/Loop 494, just south of Hamblen Road.

Fourth Largest Urban Trail Network in North America

All of these upgrades are part of the Spring Creek Greenway connectivity plan. It will expand recreational opportunities across the region and create one of the largest urban trail networks in North America.

According to ChatGPT, the 40 miles of trails along Spring Creek and another 100+ miles in Kingwood would create the fourth largest urban trail network in North America. Only Calgary (600 miles), Philadelphia (400 miles) and Dallas (200 miles) have longer connected hike and bike trail networks.

Three Phases of Development Starting in Q4 2025

Edgewater Park will be developed in three phases:

  • Phase 1 – Regional Trail connecting under-crossing and Ross Road, parking lots and nature trail access, and a restroom. Ross Road is the westernmost road between Hamblen and the river.
  • Phase 2 – Additional Trail, Parking Lot, and Playground.
  • Phase 3 – Parking Lot and Public Boat Launch.

Heppen anticipates that Phase 1 will be bid in the 4th Quarter of this year with construction starting in the 1st Quarter of 2026.

Heppen provided this PDF showing the current plans.

For a much larger, 34×22 inch, hi-res PDF, click here.

Natural Feel

Note that the plan contains four detention basins, two on each side of the utility corridor that bisects the park.

Heppen says that the ponds be shallow and have dry bottoms.  The goal: let nature and the coastal grasses start to take over the bottoms to provide more of a natural feel.

Trails will wind around and over the basins and through the woods.

Heppen says that Phase 1 will form the backbone that enables future phases. It will create the final connection between the West Fork and Spring Creek Greenways. Once complete, residents will be able to use the Spring Creek Greenway from any point in Kingwood without going onto busy Hamblen Road. 

Northern Parcel Will Remain Wetlands

The County owns some land north of Hamblen, too. However, at this time, Eric Heppen, PE, PMP, Precinct 3’s Director of Engineering, says the County has no plans for it at present.

Specifically, Heppen is referring to the area between Loop 494, the Laurel Springs RV Resort, Laurel Springs Lane, and Hamblen, which is dotted with cypress ponds.

Evidently, wetland considerations restrict development of that area.

Dog Park No Longer Part of Edgewater Plans

The county also originally had plans for a dog park in Edgewater. However, that has changed, too. Heppen says the county is now working with the City of Houston to find an alternate location in Kingwood.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/9/2025

2933 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark Drive Lane Switches Scheduled for This Week

Update 9/10/25 – The traffic switch has been delayed a week. See this update.

9/8/25 – In the quest to build an all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood, contractors for the Northpark Drive expansion project will switch traffic to accommodate new phases of construction.

Two Four-Month-Long Traffic Switches This Week

According the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website:

  • Beginning September 9th at 9pm, Harper Brothers Construction will shift westbound traffic between NorthPark Christian Church and Loop 494 to the newly constructed westbound lanes.
  • The existing eastbound traffic lanes will also shift onto the previous westbound traffic lanes from Loop 494 to RecNation RV & Boat Storage.

Both switches are east of the railroad tracks. See below.

Greatly reduced. For a full-size, high-res PDF with better readability, click here.

During this phase of work the contractor will install additional drainage and reconstruct the existing roadway.  These traffic shifts should last approximately four months.

Boring Under Tracks to Resume Soon

In other news, boring will soon resume under the UnionPacific Railroad tracks. Boring crews are being remobilized this week. Twin 60″ bores will convey stormwater from west of the tracks toward the Kingwood Diversion Ditch east of them. Utility conflicts had stalled boring since early July.

Two utility pipelines on diagonals still remained at noon today but should be removed this week…with luck.

Photos from 9/8/25

I took the following photos today. They show the state of construction along Northpark from east to west. And they should help put the map above into perspective.

Looking W at Eastern end of Phase 1 (Project T-1013) toward US59. Phase II will start behind camera position and go slightly past Woodland Hills Drive (far enough for turn lanes).
Contractors have demolished and removed all the concrete from the old westbound lanes (right).
They continue to install drain pipes under the cleared lanes, heading east (behind the camera position).
Working from the bottom up. Drain pipes being installed before surface work.

Storm-sewer crews are installing drainpipe on westbound Northpark east of 494. 

After they install drainage, other crews prepare the sub-grade before pouring concrete.
The sidewalk and driveway crews come next. This is near the entrance to Kings Mill. Bottom left.

The road splits at the start of the bridge (not yet built) that will eventually carry traffic over the railroad tracks and Loop 494.

On the left, note streets going in for a new development called the Enclave. It will have 100 homes on 10 acres.

Also note preparation of the sub-grade (above and below) for new surface lanes on the left that will be built between the bridge and the Enclave.

Rebar has been placed for another concrete pour as you approach the railroad tracks and Loop 494 (top of frame).
Stockpiled 60″ steel drain pipes for boring under tracks.
Contractors are mobilizing this week to resume boring under the tracks (from right pit to one in center).

After the two utility conflicts are removed, all bore activities should finish within two weeks.

West of Loop 494

Looking W from Loop 494 toward US59.
Contractors will soon start preparing the sub-grade and paving the dirt area in the center where old lanes were removed.
The Exxon Station at 59 will reportedly lose an island of pumps and part of its canopy.
Grading of the north detention pond should start the week of 9/15 and continue for at least two weeks.
Ditto for the south detention pond.

It’s not clear yet whether those detention ponds will be ready or this Christmas. After grading, several steps remain. They include:

  • Placement of a liner to retain water in the ponds
  • Drilling a well
  • Filling the ponds
  • Landscaping

Wouldn’t that be a wonderful gift for the community if the ponds could be ready by Christmas!

For More Information

See the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website project page and a 3-week lookahead schedule posted on 9/4/25.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/8/25

2932 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Flood Insurance Rate Maps Slip for Fourth Straight Year

9/6/2025 – On August 26, 2025, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) transmitted an update to Commissioners Court on the release of new flood insurance rate maps. The update showed the release date slipping yet again. This makes at least the seventh postponement in four years.

The amount of time it’s taking FEMA to vet the maps may now exceed the time it took HCFCD to create the maps.

Visual Chronology of Updates

Below are seven screen captures that I took from MAAPnext’s website, presentations and transmittals through the years.

On 11/30/2021, the maps were going to be available to the public by Spring, 2022.
But by Jan 26, 2022, the release had slipped to summer or fall that year.

By November 2022, the release was an unspecified date sometime in 2023, a much larger window.

On June 8, 2023, the release date window widened to two full years.
Three months later, on Sept. 6, 2023, the release had been firmly pushed to 2024.
The update presented at the 8/26/25 Commissioners Court meeting shows release of maps in early 2026, but…
…copy on the MAAPnext project-schedule page says “end of 2026.“

Keep in mind that it can take another 2-3 years for the preliminary maps to go through public review, public comment, appeals and become the final “effective” maps.

Here’s the full update presented to Commissioners Court on 8/26/25.

Why the Delays?

Many different groups depend on having the best information available. They include, but are not limited to:

  • Developers
  • Home builders
  • Home buyers
  • Home sellers
  • Lenders
  • Realtors
  • Politicians
  • The National Flood Insurance Program

In some cases, their interests may be diametrically opposed.

Delays may help some in the short term. However, in the long term, sound public policy must rest on data, not delusions.

HCFCD does not have to wait for FEMA to release MAAPnext data. The District could make it publicly available with the flip of a software switch today.

If FEMA wants to change something, HCFCD can modify its maps later. But at least in the meantime, all those interests above could make decisions based on the best available data.

Harris County Appraisal District and HAR.com report that 85,163 single-family homes sold in Harris County in 2024. The same HAR report gives a total dollar volume of $41.1 billion in 2024 for single-family home sales in the Houston region. And those numbers do not even include townhomes, condos, or commercial real estate.

I would urge anyone who suspects they may have purchased a home in a floodplain that isn’t currently shown in a floodplain – or anyone considering purchasing a home – to complain to the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.

If they start yanking licenses, we may quickly see maps more current than those developed 24 years ago after Tropical Storm Allison.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/6/25

2930 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.

TCEQ Investigates Exposed Pipelines at Porter Sand Mine, Finds More Alleged Violations

9/5/25 – The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has completed investigating exposed pipelines carrying highly volatile liquids at a sand mine in Porter operated by Texas Frac Sand Materials Inc.

exposed HVL pipelines
Exposed HVL pipelines in utility easement near Caney Creek photographed on July 24 and August 14, 2025

TCEQ documented the pipeline issue and referred it to the Railroad Commission of Texas, which regulates pipelines in the state. As of this writing, it is unclear whether the pipelines remain exposed.

Other Alleged Violations Found

While at the mine, the TCEQ investigator noted other alleged violations that are now part of an active enforcement action. Specifically, the report notes that the operator had not stabilized the entrance. Nor had the operator installed structural controls along the bridge that crossed White Oak Creek.

In addition, the investigator noted breaches in the dikes of the mine’s southernmost pit. One came in from White Oak Creek and the other flows out to Caney Creek.

Previous Alleged Violations

The report also notes that a 2023 investigation found three previous issues at the mine. They included failure to:

A 2024 investigation noted that the vegetative control issue had been resolved. However, the other two issues remained and were referred to the TCEQ’s enforcement division.

A followup investigation in 2024 noted failure to prevent the unauthorized discharge of process wastewater into waters of the state.

Other Problems Dating Back Before Harvey

Prior to Texas Fracsand operating the mine, Triple PG Sand Development (the property owner) operated it.

Triple PG also had multiple run ins with the TCEQ. One resulted in a million dollar lawsuit.

The lawsuit, which the state attorney general lodged on behalf of the TCEQ, has been delayed for six years by legal maneuverings. It began in October 2019 and is still waiting to come to trial in Travis County. See Case D-1-GN-19-007086.

The lawsuit alleged uncontrolled and unauthorized release of process wastewater from the mine’s dredging pond into the headwaters of Lake Houston. And it sought $1.1 million in damages plus $25,000 per day that the releases continued. The text of the lawsuit details other alleged violations dating back to 2015. However, Montgomery County Appraisal District records show that Triple PG acquired the property in early 2017.

In November 2019, Triple PG began a flimsy repair of its dikes. The repair later washed out and had to be redone. Then that repair washed out, too.

Pollution from the mine even became an issue in Tony Buzbee’s campaign for Houston Mayor.

In December 2019, I documented a natural gas pipeline exposed through mining activity at the Triple PG mine.

In May of 2020, TCEQ alleged the fourth unauthorized discharge of process wastewater in 10 months!

That’s critical because TCEQ requires the mine to monitor its waste for:

  • Nitrate + Nitrite N
  • Total suspended solids (TSS)
  • Arsenic
  • Barium
  • Cadmium
  • Chromium
  • Copper
  • Lead
  • Manganese
  • Mercury
  • Nickel
  • Selenium
  • Silver
  • Zinc.

For More Information

So far, no large fines. But the miners have gotten some hefty tax breaks from Montgomery County.

For the full text of the TCEQ investigation, see this TCEQ report dated 8/28/25.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/5/25

2929 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.