It’s not quite gone yet. But the West Fork Mouth Bar, which forms a dam behind the dam, is getting smaller every day. Every time I fly over it, I can see how mechanical dredging has shaved more off of it . Excavators take one row after another. At this point, it appears that about half of the above-water portion of the bar has been removed.
Mouth Bar Photos from Flyover on 4/21/2020
I took this series of photos taken on 4/21/2020.
Looking northwest, towards Foster’s Mill across the slowing diminishing West Fork Mouth Bar.Excavators load up a waiting barge.Looking west, upstream, you can see how the excavators remove one row of sand after another.After excavators load up pontoons, tugs shuttle them upstream to Berry Madden’s property.Once at Berry Madden’s property (opposite River Grove Park), more workers offload the sediment and carry it out of the floodway.
Goal of Project Still Not Made Public
When contractors remove the last of the island sticking up above water, it’s not clear what the plan will be for the rest of the sand bar below water. Like icebergs, that’s where most of the mass is.
Conveyance improved somewhat last year when the Corps removed 500,000 cubic yards of sediment from the broad area between the mouth bar and Atascocita Point. This project should improve conveyance even more.
But the Corps did not dredge a channel that connected the upstream portion of the West Fork with Lake Houston. And it appears that this effort will not re-establish a channel either.
The end result will be a plateau or mesa 3-5 feet below the surface. The channel immediately upstream where the Corps finished dredging is approximately 25 feet deep. That means water coming downstream in a flood will still hit a wall.
Top Geologist’s Perspective
Tim Garfield was the top geologist for one of the world’s largest oil companies. He lives behind the mouth bar and had this to say about it.
“Although it likely represents some progress, shaving off the subaerial (above water) portion of the mouth bar seems more cosmetic than useful for flood mitigation. The reason: the Corp’s dredging two years ago trenched a channel roughly 400-500’ wide and 20-25’ deep that extends downstream of West Lake Houston bridge. It ends a few hundred yards upstream of the Mouth Bar. This greatly increases flow conveyance in the channel. But that ends abruptly at a sand pile where water depths are less than 5’ deep,” said Garfield.
“That’s a 15’ – 20’ high, underwater sediment dam during floods,” he continued. “That will result in a significant hydraulic backwater effect causing overbank flow and upstream flooding. These points are illustrated in diagram below.”
Top and side views of West Fork show how the current will still run into an underwater dam even if the part above water is removed. Graph by Tim Garfield and RD Kissling.
Conclusion: Hydraulic Model Needed
Garfield concluded, “We really need an extension of the Corps’ dredged channel profile through the 1960 bridge opening to where Lake Houston water depth equals the channel depth of 22’-25’. That work requires an up to date bathymetric map of the area and a hydraulic model to confirm optimal channel configuration and location.”
“That plan should be made public so that we can verify that the vast sums of public funds being spent are effectively reducing the flood risk we are still exposed to,” said Garfield.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/27/2020with thanks to Tim Garfield and RD Kissling
972 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20200421-RJR_1162.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-04-27 10:07:502020-04-27 15:24:46West Fork Mouth Bar: Going, Going…
On Tuesday, Harris County Commissioners will vote on an asset-swap proposal that could improve drain and ditch maintenance county wide. It’s item 2A1 on the Commissioners Court Agenda. But it may take a while to implement. Here’s the background.
Untangling Overlapping Responsibilities
During recent storms, many blamed local flooding on lack of drain and ditch maintenance. The 80,000 cubic yards of silt clogging the lower portion of Ben’s Branch is just one example. Hundreds of others exist throughout the City of Houston and Harris County.
As the City and County Flood Control District tried to determine who was responsible for what, they became mired in legal tangles. Often, they discovered, both entities had responsibility for different portions of the same ditch.
But determining where one’s responsibilities stopped and the other’s started delayed mitigation and ran up legal fees. And even where responsibilities were clear cut, they wound up mobilizing two different crews, when one would have sufficed. This duplication of efforts ran up mitigation costs needlessly. It also often resulted in a patchwork quilt of repairs where one part of a ditch was maintained and another was not. And that reduced effectiveness.
Dividing Responsibilities by Core Competency
Luckily, common sense prevailed. The City and County reached an agreement in principle after Harvey to exchange responsibilities. Now each will focus on its core competency to maximize efficiency.
The goal: to get to a point where the City takes over responsibility for underground drainage and the County takes responsibility for above ground inside City limits.
One of the Flood Control District’s core competencies resides in ditch maintenance and improvements. Likewise, the City Public Works Department specializes in storm drains and sewers.
Any business school grad can tell you that companies maximize efficiency when focusing on their core competencies. The key: outsourcing parts of businesses where others offer greater efficiency.
Gradual Changeover In Series of Asset Swaps
However, the changeover won’t be like flipping a universal switch. It will happen gradually over several years with a series of asset swaps. Why? To ensure that neither side becomes saddled with deferred maintenance costs of the other.
Accordingly, each asset must be brought up to standards before swapping responsibilities.
Along with the agreement, the parties have identified the first batch of properties for exchange. However, they have not yet publicized those.
Only One Potential Problem
I only see one problem with this program. Some ditches that desperately need maintenance may not qualify for exchange before people flood.
Kings Forest, for example, has a ditch that parallels Valley Manor, west of Kingwood High School. Like Ben’s Branch, the City never maintained it. Now, water backs up dangerously close to homes on Kingsway Court and Twin Grove during heavy rains.
Rick Beaubien, a resident who lives near the ditch, took the pictures below.
Downed trees in ditch between Valley Manor and Twin Grove.
Clogged drain in same ditch.
North side of Kingwood Drive looking south. Trees and silt block channel and culverts.You can tell by the size of the trees that no one has maintained this ditch in a long time.Same culverts, but in center of Kingwood Drive.
Exit of same culvert south of Kingwood Drive
Dustin Hodges, District E North Sector Manager for Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin indicates that Public Works is working on a plan to maintain this and other ditches. However, he also admits that “Currently, there are no available funds to address this ditch and there is no timeline on when any funds would be available for this ditch.”
Theory Good, Time Will Tell
I wholeheartedly support the asset-exchange program outlined in agenda item 2A1. Voting against it will not immediately accelerate the maintenance of ditches such as the one above. However, in principle and in the long run, it should help if the City and County treat neighborhoods equitably and partisan politics don’t intervene.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/26/2020with thanks to Rick Beaubien
971 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/image-3.png?fit=796%2C596&ssl=1596796adminadmin2020-04-26 15:40:362020-04-27 09:12:25Commissioners Will Vote Tuesday On Measure That Could Improve Drain/Ditch Maintenance
Construction activity Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at Perry Homes’ Woodridge Village north of Elm Grove Village.
At the last meeting, Commissioners deferred action while staff investigated: A) whether the City of Houston would donate land to the Harris County Flood Control District to help defray the cost of several flood mitigation projects, and B) whether Montgomery County would adopt Atlas-14 rainfall statistics and close a loophole in its drainage regulations that allowed developers to avoid building detention ponds. Commissioners also discussed harmonizing City of Houston and Harris County flood plain regulations.
Perry’s original deadline for a County purchase was April 1, 2020. The company subsequently extended the deadline to May 15 to give the County time to explore the requests. Meanwhile Perry resumed and accelerated construction activity on the site. I counted 32 pieces of earthmoving equipment on my April 21st flyover. Since then, spotters have reported the arrival of additional equipment.
The offer to sell while construction activity accelerates has many observers scratching their heads.
Precinct Four Commissioner Jack Cagle says he is “cautiously optimistic” that the sale will go through.
Romerica is Baaaa-aaaack
Last year, after the Army Corps withdrew Romerica’s application to develop 5,000 condos and 50-story high-rises in the floodplain of the San Jacinto, the company swore it would retool its application. Shortly after that, they fell off the radar. Romerica took down its many websites and its spokespeople did not return phone calls, but the company never sold the land.
Looking northwest across Romerica land. River Grove soccer fields are in upper left and Barrington is in upper right. San Jacinto West Fork in foreground. Harvey deposited the sand in the foreground which killed many trees.
Now, under the cover of Corona Virus, “they’re baaaa-aaaack.” But with a different name. Instead of The Heron’s Kingwood, they now call the development Orchard Seeded Ranches. I was reviewing the City of Houston’s PlatTracker website and noticed this item pop up on 4/20/2020.
The location, Council district, acreage, street intersections, and applicant name all fit the previous application. Instead of Gregory Haddad, however, this time, it’s Emil Haddad.
The development name is a bit odd. But then, development names rarely have anything to do with reality. Look at Houston’s Heights. And what, after all, did the Heron’s have to do with 50-story high rises?
“Orchard Seeded Ranches” is in the very preliminary phases. Until we see a plat and construction drawings, we can’t know exactly what they plan. It could be 1200-square-foot gerbil ranches. Or it could be Times Square in the Floodway again.
The company does not yet have a web site up. Nor has the Army Corps/Galveston issued a Public Notice associated with a permit application. Kingwood residents should follow this one closely.
Anyone civic-minded groups want to make them an offer on the land? It really should remain wetlands and be dedicated to park land or forest that protects Kingwood from future flooding.
Forest Cove Golf Course and Ron Holley
Earlier this month, Lake Houston Area developer Ron Holley appeared on KPRC to discuss the re-development of the Kingwood Cove Golf Course in Forest Cove. Holley was in the process of revising his engineering plans to address neighbors concerns about flooding when I interviewed him. A Freedom of Information Act request to the City of Houston revealed that he had not yet filed any plans for the subdivision. PlatTracker confirms that. Holley’s name does not appear anywhere in the current six pages of new developments at various stages.
Regardless, Holley has a formidable record as a developer. You may remember that he successfully challenged the City over building in the floodway of the West Fork, before he sold his land east of River Grove Park to Romerica.
Ryko Between Spring Creek and West Fork
One of the largest undeveloped tracts of land remaining in the Lake Houston area lies northwest of the confluence of Spring Creek and the West Fork near US59. Wetlands cover much of the area. But it’s in Montgomery County. And you know what that means. No detention ponds may be required.
Looking southeast across Ryko land toward the US59 Bridge in background (center).
Pacific Indio Properties, Inc., a sister company of Ryko Development, owns more than 7,400 acres in the triangle below. To put that in perspective, that’s exactly half the size of Kingwood.
National Wetlands Inventory shows the site to be pockmarked with wetlands.
A Community Impact article from 2016 (before Harvey) says Ryko planned to build 7,000 homes in this area. Community Impact said at the time that the project had no timeline. Things may have changed since then, especially after Hurricane Harvey inundated the area.
A drainage analysis, soil survey, and environmental study usually come before plan submittal. And the Montgomery County Engineers office says no plans, studies, or surveys have yet been submitted for the property, though one source in Montgomery County believes the developer has had preliminary discussions with the county.
Ryko property lies in the floodways of both the West Fork and Spring Creek. Cross-hatched equals floodway, Aqua = 100 year floodplain, and Brown = 500 year floodplain.
Note that the floodplain map above is pre-Harvey. New floodplain maps using Atlas-14 data are likely to show an even grimmer picture when they become available in a year or two.
If the developer puts high-density homes on this property with no detention, people downstream can break out their scuba gear. All the more reason for The City of Houston, Harris County and Montgomery County to synchronize their flood plain regs.
That’s the roundup for my first weekly watch list. I hope this becomes a regular weekly feature. More news to follow the commissioner’s court meeting on Tuesday.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/25/2020
970 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.
Harris County Flood Control District’s (HCFCD) work on Ben’s Branch has been one of the bright spots in flood mitigation since Hurricane Harvey. The channel is now wide open, bulldozers are neatening up the banks, and crews are hydromulching this morning.
What Is Hydromulch?
Hydromulch (or hydraulic mulch seeding, hydro-mulching, hydraseeding) is a planting process that uses a slurry of seed, mulch, and fertilizer. It is often used as an erosion control technique on construction sites, as an alternative to dry seed. The “gel” accelerates the growth of grass by providing enough moisture and nutrients for the seeds to germinate even in dry weather.
Progress Photos
Paul Campbell of Towncenter Apartments caught this shot outside his apartment this morning.
Hydromulching the banks of Ben’s Branch on 4/25/2020. Photo courtesy of Paul Campbell.Looking northwest over Ben’s Branch toward YMCA soccer fields (upper left). This and photos below taken 4/21/2020.Looking west up Ben’s Branch toward Kingwood Greens and Kingwood Country Club Forest Course across West Lake Houston Parkway.YMCA soccer fields in upper left.Reverse shot of the wide-open Ben’s Branch Channel looking east toward YMCA across West Lake Houston Parkway.
Hydromulching is usually the last step in channel repairs. Planting grass reduces erosion. Without it, rain would simply carry silt back into the channel.
Like New Again
Many thanks to the hard-working folks of the Harris County Flood Control district and their contractors.
In the last year, they have removed approximately 80,000 cubic yards of silt from the area between Kingwood Drive and the YMCA. Despite setbacks during Tropical Storm Imelda. Conveyance should now be restored to what it was in the mid-1990s.
Ben’s Branch hasn’t looked this good in decades. And residents will be much safer from flooding in future storms.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/25/2020 with thanks to Paul Campbelland HCFCD
Yesterday, I posted pictures taken from a helicopter of a 7.5-acre sand bar in the San Jacinto West Fork that had been mined without a permit. Then last night, Josh Alberson sent me some video from a boat of the same area. Gabe Gosney, a passenger in Alberson’s jet boat, shot the video on GoPro and wants to share it with the community.
Giant Sand Bar Now Looks Like Example of Pit Capture
The area in question lies on the west side of the river, just south of SH99. When Alberson first saw it, he excitedly texted me, saying he found an example of “pit capture” on the West Fork. The only problem: there was no pit to capture. And no recent flood.
As Alberson sped down the West Fork, he spotted the area and slowed. Gosney shot hand held from the boat. Here’s what the carnage looked like from the river.
3 minute 15 second video by Gabe Gosney of 7.5 acre area in San Jacinto West Fork being mined for sand.
Changes to Riverine Environment
Several things become apparent immediately upon viewing the video.
Humans caused extensive damage to the river ecosystem (property of the state).
What looked like the edge of a sand bar from 300 feet up in a helicopter is actually small piles of sand left by the miners.
River current now flows through the mined area, but at a slower rate than the river itself.
Trees that used to form a small part of the edge of the bar in one area have toppled.
The sand bar outlined above in this Google Earth satellite image from 12/1/2019 no longer exists.It has been mined out of existence.
Alberson says the river was up about a foot to a foot and a half compared to normal because of the SJRA’s seasonal release of 529 cubic feet per second from Lake Conroe. He said the current was quite fast – difficult to stand in. He did not get out of the boat to see how deep the water was in the mined area, but his impression was that it was shallow.
During floods, the dying trees you see in the video will dislodge and float downstream where they will cause property damage or get lodged in bridge supports, form dams, and cause flooding.
When floodwaters spread out in this area, they will slow and deposit their sediment load. However, where the river channel becomes narrower downstream, the river will speed up again and likely accelerate erosion of river banks and other people’s property.
Texas Parks and Wildlife is investigating. More news to follow.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/24/2020with thanks to Josh Alberson and Gabe Gosney
969 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/2020/04/Video-Key-Frame.jpg?fit=1200%2C636&ssl=16361200adminadmin2020-04-24 17:10:362020-04-24 17:29:30Video From Boat of 7.5-Acre Area in San Jacinto West Fork Mined for Sand
A 7.5-acre point bar outside a San Jacinto West Fork sand mine has disappeared, the apparent victim of river mining. River mining is prohibited in many countries because of its dangers. Texas does not prohibit it, but taxes it at a higher rate than floodplain mining to discourage the practice. The dangers include:
Upstream and downstream erosion
Destruction of riverbanks and river properties
Undermining infrastructure (such as bridges and pipelines)
Location of River Mining on West Fork Just South of Highway 99
No Permits on File With Key Regulatory Bodies
A check with the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and Texas Parks and Wildlife Division (TPWD) showed the following:
TPWD says they know of “no permits for stream bed excavation along the San Jacinto River.”
A TCEQ investigator has spoken to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) Wetlands Conservation Program. “If the facility is digging in or very near the water’s edge,” said the TCEQ’s Jonathan Walling, “the facility would most likely need a permit from TPWD.”
Tom Heger of TPWD said Montgomery County Parks & Wildlife officials are investigating.
Compare the satellite image above to the shots below. Google Earth measurements show the sand bar that no longer exists was bigger than most of the pits in the mine itself.
Looking downriver, you can still see outlines of point bar and marks from excavator.Close up of marks left by teeth of excavator.Looking toward West Fork where point bar used be. Vehicle tracks lead back to mine behind camera position.Pits created in the river.Relationship of river mining to flood plain mine in background.Well-used road between excavation and mine.The disappearance of sand is not because of the seasonal release of water from Lake Conroe.Hundreds of bars both up and downstream appeared normal.Google Earth shows the river to be approximately 350 feet wide at this point.
If the stream is perennial (flows most of the time), or is more than 30 feet wide between the banks (even if it is dry most of the time), the State claims the bed and the sand and gravel in it as State-owned.
A permit from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is required to “disturb or take” streambed materials from a streambed claimed by the State.
According to TPWD, the operator did not have a permit. In fact, no one on the entire San Jacinto river has a permit, according to TPWD.
How River Mining Degrades River Beds/Channels: Academic Insights
…bed degradation occurs when mineral extraction increases the flow capacity of the channel. A pit excavation locally increases flow depth and a barskimming operation increases flow width. Both conditions produce slower streamflow velocities and lower flow energies, causing sediments arriving from upstream to deposit at the mining site. As streamflow moves beyond the site and flow energies increase in response to the “normal” channel form downstream, the amount of transported sediment leaving the site is now less than the sediment carrying capacity of the flow. This sediment-deficient flow or “hungry” water picks up more sediment from the stream reach below the mining site, furthering the bed degradation process.
The mine owners could not be reached for comment. Their phones went unanswered, perhaps because of the COVID crisis.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/23/2020
968 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/2020/04/20200421-RJR_0918.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-04-23 18:23:222020-04-23 19:54:37TPWD Investigates River Mining Without Permit on San Jacinto West Fork
The River Grove Park boat launch has finally reopened. Hurricane Harvey sanded it in two and half years ago.
These were among the first boaters at River Grove after the opening.Further downstream, the river was crowded with personal watercraft.Jet skis near Romerica property downstream from River Grove.South of Kingwood Country Club, I spotted four more boats.
Remember, River Grove is restricted to people with KSA stickers. River Grove is a private, not a public park. It’s restricted to Kingwood residents whose villages belong to KSA.
Hope you enjoy the great outdoors. The reopening of the boat launch has been a long time coming.
Just remember to be careful. There’s plenty of room for you and your boat out there on Lake Houston to practice social distancing…as you see in these photos.
Also remember that barges and dredges are still moving up and down the river. They can’t maneuver like you. So keep your distance.
Barges offloading spoils from mouth bar directly across river from River Grove Park.
Safety first, last and always.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/22/2020
967 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20200421-RJR_1090.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-04-22 21:06:302020-04-22 21:06:58River Grove Boat Launch Reopens
J. Carey Gray, lawyer for Figure Four Partners, a Perry Homes subsidiary, sent a letter to Harris County, City of Houston and State officials on April 15th. The letter extends to May 15th the County’s deadline for pulling a deal together to purchase Woodridge Village.
A flyover of the site Tuesday, 4/21/2020, revealed that Perry contractors now have at least 30 pieces of earth-moving equipment at Woodridge Village. That’s compared to about 20 a week ago. Contractors are:
Expanding the N2 Detention pond and taking dirt to fill in low areas elsewhere around the site.
Blocking out new roads
Pouring concrete
Installing culverts.
Construction Pictures from Tuesday, 4/21/2020
The pictures below show the activity.
Looking south across Woodridge Village from northern boundary along western boundary at Webb Street Entrance in Porter.Looking SE. Closer shot of work on N2 detention pond. Dirt from pond is filling former wetlands on left.Grassy area in bottom right is portion of N2 pond built by MoCo in 2005 for another project.Some excavated dirt from N2 is being used to fill the bog along Woodland Hills Drive near Kingwood Park High SchoolNew section of concrete poured this morningnorth of Sherwood TrailsMore concrete poured this morning north of Fair Grove in Elm Grove Village. Note: still no berm between S1 pond (center bottom) and S2 pond (upper right).Culverts being installed along Taylor Gullywhere it cuts through Woodridge VillageOutlines of roads taking shape.Dirt from pond is filling in wetlands, left.Culverts about to be set in concrete.Workers appear to be building a concrete pilot channel in the middle of the expanded N2 pond.An assembly line of trucks carried more dirt away from N2, which is relentlessly expanding.
Text of Letter from Perry Lawyer
Despite all this activity, Lawyer Gray promises that if Harris County can pull together a deal, the additional costs will not affect Perry’s purchase price.
Gray also says that Perry continues to seek a private buyer. And that it hopes to have detention ponds completed by summer of 2020 (presumably if the purchase does not go through). See the full text of Gray’s letter below or download this printable PDF.
Page 1Page 2
Draw your own conclusions from the letter and the construction, and keep your fingers crossed.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/22/2020
967 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 216 since Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20200421-RJR_1507.jpg?fit=1200%2C699&ssl=16991200adminadmin2020-04-21 23:30:262020-04-22 07:53:43Perry Homes Extends Deadline for Woodridge Purchase as Construction Ratchets Up
Last week, a friend sent me some links to NOAA’s coastal flood exposure mapper and several related sites. The NOAA tools have inland applications, too. Full functionality extends to the northern part of Harris County. The NOAA site combines so many different tools in the flood exposure mapper (and related sites), that they could become the “go to” sites to determine flood risk for many in the Houston region.
Their main value: the ability to overlay many different kinds of information on one map to precisely render the geospatial relationships, and easily share what you see.
The flood-exposure mapper site:
Incorporates FEMA’s flood risk zones
Identifies many more levels and types of risk, and their extent (see below)
Lets you change base layers, so you can view risk zones over maps or satellite images
Lets you toggle layers on and off, and vary their opacity, to help explore risks in your area
Allows you to share the map on your screen by simply copying the web address (as I did in the embedded links below).
17 Different Layers Available
You can render seventeen different types of information and overlay them in different layers.
HAZARD LAYERS
Coastal Flood Hazard Composite
High Tide Flooding
FEMA Flood Zones
Tsunami
Storm Surge
Sea Level Rise
SOCIETAL EXPOSURE
Population Density
Poverty
Elderly
Employees
INFRASTRUCTURE EXPOSURE
Development
Critical Facilities
Development Patterns
ECOSYSTEM EXPOSURE
Natural Areas and Open Space
Potential Pollution Sources
Natural Protection
Wetland Potential
EXAMPLES
Flood Zones vs. Critical Infrastructure
Say you wanted to see where critical infrastructure facilities, such as schools, hospitals, and police and fire stations, are in your neighborhood relative to mapped flood zones. Turn on the FEMA layers. Turn on Critical Infrastructure. Vary the opacity to suit your taste. And voila. You can see where everything is. Location could affect first responder response time in a flood, your ability to get to a hospital, or your ability to get kids at school. Also see it below.
Flood zones versus critical infrastructure in the Lake Houston Area.
Flood Zones Vs. Population Density
Want to map population density against flood zones?
Development Density and Time Frame
Curious about when certain areas were developed, and the intensity of that development
Green Infrastructure
Want to see how much green space developers left in your community?
289 Possible Searches
Only two layers at a time can be active. But with 17 different layers, you have 289 possible searches for any given area.
Note: some, but not all layers contain information for Montgomery County, Liberty County and other counties that have no coastal exposure. You just have to experiment.
Helpful Background Information
Puzzled about what some of the terms mean and how they relate to flooding?
Click on the info button for “Employees” and you will see this explanation. “This map shows the range in the number of employees for U.S. Census block groups (or geographies) that work in or near coastal flood-prone areas. Some of the most devastating disaster impacts to a community include the loss of income due to business interruption and the loss of jobs as a result of business closures. It is also important to know where people are located should a hazard event occur during work hours.”
Wondering what “natural protection” has to do with flooding. Click the info button. The following explanation pops up. “Natural areas and open space adjacent to development can buffer and protect against flooding. Wetlands hold floodwaters, reduce wave heights, capture sediments, and reduce erosion. Beaches and dunes absorb wave energy, and other natural areas such as forests and grasslands provide porous surfaces that can absorb, store, and slow water. Protecting these natural areas will ensure that communities continue to receive these benefits; however, with sea level rise, these habitats will need to move landward, so in addition, communities will want to assess and protect surrounding land to help facilitate this process.”
These are very powerful, well-laid out tools within an easy-to-use, intuitive interface. It’s actually fun to explore.
Sea-Level-Rise Visualizer
Speaking of sea level rise, without taking a political stance on global warming, NOAA provides an interesting inundation map/viewer. It lets you vary the amount of sea-level rise by 1 to 10 feet and shows how much coastline will be lost for any given amount of rise. You’ll be pleased to know that Lake Houston is not in danger, even with 10 feet of rise.
The sea-level-rise viewer also contains a high-tide flooding map, a vulnerability map, a marsh migration map and more.
Most of these sites are geared toward professionals, such as flood plain managers, developers, planners, government employees, and real estate people. However, that should not deter residents and home buyers. Each of these related sites offers excellent tutorials.
I would also say that during COVID-school shutdowns, science teachers and parents of teenagers have an excellent learning opportunity with these tools. There’s enough here to keep bored students interested for days. It can be something you explore together as a family.
More Information About Nature Based Solutions
For flood engineers, planners, developers, regulators and serious flood geeks, NOAA also offers the following:
An Associated Press article published this afternoon and already being picked up by many news outlets cites a Texas A&M study of air quality monitors in the most heavily industrialized parts of Houston. The A&M study reportedly shows that air pollution has surged 62% in the three weeks since the EPA announced that it would relax enforcement of pollution regulations due to the corona virus.
The EPA claims its new stance represents a reasonable response to the virus crisis. Many plants, they say, have been crippled by worker absences.
I have no problem with that. I’m sure the virus has affected law enforcement agencies around the country.
I do have one problem, however: the publicannouncement that you will stop enforcing the law.
Can you imagine, for instance, what would happen if:
Houston Police Department announced it would pull all officers out of Kingwood?
The SEC announced it would no longer prosecute insider trading during the virus crisis?
The Defense Department signaled that it would not retaliate against foreign aggression?
While I do believe that the vast majority of people and companies would continue obeying the law, I also believe that some will take advantage of the lack of enforcement. The public announcement gave a green light to people in the latter category.
A 62% increase in three weeks sounds like a big jump.
Had the EPA used its enforcement discretion to quietly relax prosecution of businesses hampered by the virus, it could have shown compassion and reasonableness without harming the regulated community. However, the public announcement of the relaxed policy may have harmed residents living near pollution sources. The AP article cites many examples.
I wonder how the announcement impacted San Jacinto River sand mines and water quality. EPA enforcement in this area has never been aggressive in my opinion.
Confluence of Spring Creek and West Fork showing pollution coming off West Fork at Montgomery County Line. 20 square miles of sand mines lie upstream on the West Fork.Photo taken March 6.
When someone writes the history of this EPA enforcement controversy, the key question will be “Why the public announcement?”
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/19/2020
964 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/20200306-RJR_9506.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-04-19 15:00:552020-04-19 15:20:33AP Article Cites Texas A&M Study Showing Pollution Surged 62% Since EPA Enforcement Rollback
