Perry Homes Converting Woodridge Village to Scuba Center or Maybe a…

Woodridge Village after a one-inch rain.

From Lifestyles of the Rich and Infamous

Kathy Perry Britton, CEO of Perry Homes, a titan of business and devotee of Zig “See You at the Top” Ziglar, has reportedly given up on her dream of building swamp homes in Woodridge Village. She has new ideas to turn mud into money.

Her confidante and hairdresser hints Britton has toyed with several options. The leading one at the moment: Turning the land into a world-class scuba center called “That Sinking Feeling.” She plans to market it to people who are underwater on their homes.

If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Boil ‘Em

“Perry Homes stands for quality,” she supposedly said. “And always will. If the scuba center doesn’t work, there’s no shortage of mud bugs out there. We’ll turn this into the Crawfish Capital of the Gulf Coast.” And then in a comment that reportedly angered crustacean-rights activists, she added, “If you can’t beat ’em, boil ’em!”

The irrepressible, unstoppable Britton reportedly has other backup options, too. “If that doesn’t work, Vince McMahon has approached us about turning this into the WWE Female Mud Wrestling Capital of the World,” Britton’s chambermaid reported. “He has plenty of stars lined up to turn this into a fairy-tale success. Vince has already received letters of intent from Misty Raine, Muddie Waters, and Hurrie Spitball Caine.”

Ms. Britton, paraphrasing Mark Twain, reportedly told her bootlicker, “The rumors of our bankruptcy have been greatly exaggerated. We have plenty of options to make a buck out there if suing the flood victims doesn’t work.”

According to unnamed insiders, Christian Louboutin has also supposedly brainstormed with Britton about brand extensions. Britton is confident there’s a market for stiletto hip-waders in Houston. “It’s a natural in places like Elm Grove. How else would women get to their cars in the rain?”

MoCo Offers Tax Incentives

The rumor mill also says that Wham-O has approached Perry Homes about turning Woodridge Village into the world’s largest Slip ‘N Slide. The irrepressible Britton told her fingernail artist, “Montgomery County even offered us tax breaks, finder’s fees, and margaritas. They’re so accommodating up there.”

In a rare moment of candor, Britton reportedly complained to her lawyer extraordinaire, J. Carey “Promise Them Anything” Gray. “I’m tired of all the mud slinging by these so-called flood victims in Elm Grove. It’s their fault they flooded. They built downstream from us. Duh! What were they thinking?”

“If worse comes to bratwurst,” Britton supposedly bragged to her chauffeur, “Home Depot and Lowes have both expressed interest in building mega repair centers on the property. They have raved to us about the possibilities. Repeat flooding. Hundreds of homes each time. Think about the potential synergies. My God, we could go public on the rumors alone and make a killing.”

The Right to Make a Profit

“I don’t know what these Elm Grove people are complaining about,” Britton reportedly grumbled to her masseuse. “I have to fly to Paris for a good mud bath. They get it for free.”

“These Elm Grove people are so hurtful. Always slinging mud. I have feelings, too. I just wish they could be positive for a change and see the marketing potential in all of this. We have a right to make a profit. This IS Texas after all.”

With that, Britton reportedly hurried off to discuss a separate deal with Monster MudTruck Rodeo organizers.

In Loving Memory of Robin Leach, A Parody Roast Post by Bob Rehak on 1/28/2020

882 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 131 since Imelda

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance between characters in this post and executives of Perry Homes is strictly coincidental.

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.

Pipeline Bed Repairs Now Underway at Liberty Mine; At Triple PG Mine, No Progress

In December, I reported on how sand mining on both sides of pipelines contributed to erosion underneath them. Such erosion exposed five pipelines carrying highly volatile liquids (HVL) through one of the Liberty Materials mines in Conroe. The pipelines sagged across the gap like clotheslines. See below.

Erosion exposed five pipelines carrying highly volatile liquids through the Liberty Materials mine in Conroe. Photo from December 3, 2019.

Repairs Now Underway

Several local engineers who saw the problem leaped into action and immediately reported the issue to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas Railroad Commission. Four of the five pipelines were interstate and therefore regulated by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. TRRC forwarded the complaints to them.

When I flew over the same mine on January 20, 2020, workers were busy shoring up the pipelines to protect the public.

Pictures from January 20, 2020, Flyover

From the materials stockpiled on the site, it appears that large drain pipes under the HVL pipelines will be part of the fix. These drain pipes appear to be as tall as the pickup truck parked next to them.

Looking south, you can see drain pipes and riprap stockpiled on the left.
Looking south again. Workers appear to be creating an even deeper trench under the pipelines and pumping out groundwater.
Reverse angle, looking north. Water drains down from the northern portion on the mine through wetlands, under the pipelines, and then into the main southern part of the mine. From there, it makes its way to the San Jacinto River, out of frame behind the camera position.
Looking southwest. You can see wetlands draining from the northern portion of the site to the problem area in the upper left.
Looking north, you can see the scale of the drain pipes relative to the vehicles parked next to them.
The pipelines look less bowed than in the first shot from last December. However, there is still a pronounced dip between the left and right sides of at least two pipelines in the photo.

Situation at Triple PG Mine in Porter

These same pipelines run through the Triple PG mine in Porter to the southwest. See the utility corridor under the electric lines in the photo below. I reported on them in December also. The pipelines have not yet been exposed at this point, but no effort has been made to stop the erosion before it creates another safety issue.

Looking NW. The same pipelines cut through the Triple PG mine in Porter. Erosion from Harvey and Imelda has eaten away the ground on either side of the pipelines. They could be exposed in the next large storm. Photo taken 1/20/2020.

During Harvey and Imelda, Caney Creek rerouted itself through this mine in a process called pit or river capture. Floodwater eroded a new path from the top of the photo above to the bottom. The pipelines have not yet been exposed, but easily could be by the next large storm. The inverted v-shaped cut you see in the photo above grew by almost 1000 feet since 2017.

This reverse angle shot shows the proximity of erosion from the north to the utility corridor with the 5 HVL pipelines. The pond at the right now actually touches the utility easement.
This satellite image in Google Earth also shows erosion at the edge the utility/pipeline corridor. The streaks of sand across the corridor show the direction of water flow during Imelda.

Because of the Triple PG Mine’s proximity to the source of drinking water for 2 million people, this erosion probably represents an even greater threat than erosion at the Liberty Mine in Conroe. Caney Creek flows through this mine during floods. And Caney Creek empties directly into the East Fork and Lake Houston.

This pipeline used to carry natural gas for Kinder Morgan. Triple PG mined too close to it also. Then erosion during Harvey and Imelda exposed it – twice. KM abandoned this line and filled it with inert gas. They then drilled a new line 75 feet under the mine. But this exposed pipeline stands as a mute reminder to the safety hazard.

It all comes down to sand vs. safety. It’s their sand. Your safety.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/27/2020

881 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 130 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.

Mouth Bar Dredging: First Pictures of Next Phase

Earlier this month, the State, Harris County and City of Houston announced the next phase of West Fork mouth bar dredging. Late last week, it got underway in earnest.

West Fork mouth bar on Monday 1.20.2020 before mechanical dredging started.

How Mechanical Dredging Works

Rachel Taylor took the ground-level pictures below earlier today from her back yard in Atascocita Point. They show mechanical excavators eating away at the mouth bar and loading the spoils on barges.

Sunday afternoon, 1.26.2020, two mechanical excavators worked the western end of the mouth bar. They loaded the spoils on waiting barges (right). Photo courtesy of Rachel Lavin Taylor.
Service boats then pushed the barges upriver. Photo courtesy of Rachel Lavin Taylor.
Barge loaded with spoils passes the Deerwood Country Club. Photo courtesy of Rachel Lavin Taylor.
Barges then anchor at Berry Madden’s property on the south side of the West Fork opposite River Grove Park. That black object jutting into the photo from the lower left is the skid of the helicopter. Photo taken 1.20.2020.
From there, other trucks move the spoils inland. For orientation, that water tower in the upper left is south of Kings Lake Estates. Photo taken 1.20.2020.

Mechanical dredging is slower and more labor intensive than hydraulic dredging, but can mobilize faster. In hydraulic dredging, dredgers pump the spoils to a placement area via pipelines. That is faster, but has higher overhead. It also creates more noise.

Hydraulic Dredging Options

The hydraulic pipelines can stretch miles. In the case of the first phase of West Fork mouth bar dredging, they stretched 10 miles upstream. It took five booster pumps to get the material all that way to a sand mine on Sorters just south of Kingwood Drive.

Luckily for us, the pipe from the first phase of mouth bar dredging is still at the Army Corps dock opposite Forest Cove.

Pipe from the first phase of mouth bar dredging still sits at the former Army Corps command post and could be rewelded into longer sections if needed.
The Great Lakes Dredge also remains at the dock. Here you see the pieces below and behind the crane.

At some point in this project, dredging may switch from mechanical to hydraulic. The fact that the Great Lakes dredge remained here bodes well. It chewed through 500,000 cubic yards of debris at the West Fork mouth bar in less than three months. Officials expect mechanical dredging of 400,000 cubic yards to take 8 -12 months.

Additional Dredging Targets and Financing

Other targets reportedly include the East Fork Mouth Bar and several mouth bars that have formed at the mouths of ditches or streams leading into the lake.

State Representative Dan Huberty helped bring $30 million to this phase of dredging via an amendment to SB500 in the last legislature. That money will funnel through Harris County via the Texas Water Development Board. The County also included $10 million in the 2018 flood bond. And the City is applying $6 million left over from a FEMA/TDEM grant for debris removal from Harvey.

For more details on this next phase of dredging, see the previous post on this project.

Two Phase Project Outlined In Grant

Harris County’s proposal for the grant from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) calls for splitting the project into two phases. 

  • Phase One will focus on the West Fork Mouth Bar using the City’s $6 million and $10 million from the TWDB grant.
  • Phase Two will focus on the East Fork Mouth Bar using the remaining $20 million from the grant.
  • The $10 million from the County flood bond will fund surveys, formulation of specs, bidding, project management and more.

Progress Result of Pulling Together

All this is great news for the Lake Houston Area. The entire community worked since Harvey to make this happen through all levels of government.

As we look at other flooding problems in the area, it’s important not to get discouraged and to remember that we can make progress if we all pull together.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/26/2020 with photos from Rachel Lavin Taylor

880 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Perry Homes Still Not Finished with Detention Pond After 90 Days

On October 17th, a lawyer for Perry Homes’ subsidiaries and contractors promised the City of Houston that it would complete the Woodridge Village S2 detention pond in 30-45 days. Ninety days later, they still had not finished.

Perry Homes Far from Complete

Despite the fact that Perry had substantially completed S2 before Imelda, it has now taken the company 2X-3X more time than they said it would – with no end in sight.

I took all the ground-level photos below on January 25, 2020.

Looking north toward the southern edge of S2. Perry is elevating the lip of the pond which is now as high as this truck.
Looking NW. The elevated lip tapers down as you move west of Village Springs. This should effectively shift the locus of the next flood.
View looking west at construction work on southern lip of pond. Backslope swales were destroyed. Grass is gone.
Because of lack of grass, increased slope, and lack of compaction, knee-high mud is piling up against silt fence.
Edythe Cogdill, owner of the home in the background, is near tears over the lack of progress in Woodridge Village, out of frame to the right.
Every home on Cogdill’s block flooded twice. This was the scene today. Six of eight homes on the block have been sold or are up for sale.
S2 Pond still under construction. Photo taken 1.20.2020.

Perry Drives Families from Their Homes

I visited three Elm Grove families today. All have “snapped.” They have that 1000-yard stare.

  • One man kept shouting over and over again, “What are we to do?”
  • One woman broke down crying.
  • Another family is getting ready to walk away from their home.

They are not alone.

  • On one block I saw 25 homes for sale.
  • At the end of Village Springs, six of eight owners had put their homes up for sale.
  • On Shady Gardens Drive, a resident told me 22 neighbors had moved out.

This neighborhood has already been destroyed by Perry Homes’ broken promises. Fear paralyzes the few families remaining. Fear every time it rains. Fear for their safety. Fear of financial ruin. Fear of renovating their homes only to be flooded a third time.

Perry Homes’ Actions Mock City of Houston Leaders

Perry Homes’s inexplicable and inexcusable delays mock the City of Houston, the Mayor, the Mayor Pro Tem and City Attorney. Their actions say with impunity, “We have nothing to fear from you. We are more powerful.”

The BBB has found that Perry Homes treats its customers with the same disdain.

Perhaps the City should start slow-walking Perry Homes’ permit applications until they live up to their promises.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/25/2020

879 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 128 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.

Harvey Remembered

“For a couple of weeks, I wasn’t able to work due to Hurricane Harvey,” said Kingwood resident Mike Combat Willcox. “So I documented the storm the best I could. I was thinking years into the future that we would need to remember how it happened and have something to show to our kids.”

He was right. We need this NOW as Lake Conroe residents fight to keep their lake full to the brim during rainy seasons.

A former TV producer-editor-photographer at ConocoPhillips, Willcox now runs his own real-estate photography business. Mike is also a world champion aeromodelling pilot, a skill he puts to good use in this video of Harvey.

8-Minute YouTube video courtesy of Mike Combat Willcox

I still have yet to see any comparable pictures of the damage to Lake Conroe homes and businesses caused by lowering the lake an average six inches beyond the normal amount lost due to evaporation.

Suggestion for Next SJRA Board Meeting

I wish the SJRA would play THIS before its next board meeting so that Lake Conroe residents could see why Kingwood residents are so eager to continue the temporary, seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe. Then maybe we could see a video from the Lake Conroe Association about all the damage caused by the lake lowering. That might help the two sides understand each other better.

Just sayin’.

Posted by Bob Rehak with thanks to Mike Combat Willcox for sharing his video

878 Days since Hurricane Harvey

By Itself, Lake Conroe Discharge During Harvey Among Top Ten West Fork Floods of All Time

The roughly 80,000 cubic feet per second (CFS) Lake Conroe discharged at the peak of Harvey would have created the ninth largest flood in West Fork History – all by itself. Only eight floods ever had higher “discharge” rates AND those all included floodwaters from other tributaries, such as Lake Creek, Spring Creek, Cypress Creek and numerous drainage ditches.

Discharge is the volume of water flowing past a point on a stream. Discharge from a dam would be the volume flowing past the gates.

The discharge during Harvey is important because residents fighting the seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe claim the impact of the release on Humble and Kingwood was insignificant.

Question I Asked Flood Control

So I asked Jeff Lindner, Harris County Flood Control meteorologist, this simple question. “Assuming not a drop of rain fell in any other of the West Fork tributaries, where would that 80,000 CFS have ranked among the history of West Fork floods?” I then asked him to base his analysis on the West Fork gage at US59. It combines water from ALL upstream West Fork tributaries. It’s also the closest gage in continuous operation to the highly populated Humble/Kingwood corridor. That’s where the vast majority of Lake Houston Area damage occurred during Harvey.

Only eight floods have ever exceeded 80,000 CFS at US59.

They occurred on:

  • 8/28/17 (Harvey)
  • 10/18/94 (Previous Record Flood)
  • 11/26/40
  • 5/31/29
  • 5/29/16 (Memorial Day)
  • 11/15/98
  • 5/7/35
  • 4/21/16 (Tax Day)

Note: three of these events happened before the construction of Lake Conroe in 1973. All since the advent of Lake Conroe flooded West Fork structures.

One Statistic Addresses Host of Issues

This observation (ninth largest flood by itself) addresses a host of issues raised by Lake Conroe people about lowering the lake seasonally to create a buffer against downstream flooding. They contend that:

  • In the grand scheme of things, the Lake Conroe release during Harvey had an insignificant impact on flooding in the Humble/Kingwood area.
  • Kingwood always floods.
  • Imelda proves that Kingwood will flood even when Conroe is not releasing water.
  • There’s no need to create extra storage capacity to offset future floods.

What Records Really Show

On the contrary:

Will Two Feet Matter?

Lowering Lake Conroe two feet in advance of another Harvey will probably not make much of a difference. Likewise, lowering it two feet in advance of 1-inch rain would be unnecessary. The real value happens somewhere between those extremes in a 10-, 25-, 50- or perhaps even a 100-year storm. Somewhere along that spectrum, we will get enough rain to perhaps flood homes, but we’ll also have enough extra lake capacity to avoid actually flooding them.

We just don’t know where that point is right now. Jing Chen, the engineer with Harris County Flood Control managing the San Jacinto River Basin Study says that project will not be far enough along to model those scenarios until August of this year.

However, the SJRA feels the lower lake levels did help avoid flooding between Humble and Kingwood in May of last year. I concur. It’s also possible that the two foot lowering might create enough of a buffer to have avoided flooding many homes along the West Fork during the Tax and Memorial Day floods in 2016. Perhaps it wouldn’t have saved them all. But it might have avoided flooding many at the periphery of a flood.

Increasing Upstream Detention Capacity: A Proven Flood Mitigation Strategy

According to Matt Zeve, Deputy Executive Director of Harris County Flood Control, holding water upstream is a proven flood mitigation strategy. Engineers in the Houston area created upstream detention more than 80 years ago with the Barker and Addicks reservoirs. Braes Bayou now has five different detention areas; White Oak Bayou has five with another under construction.

Such detention areas collect water during a storm and then release it slowly after a flood passes.

The extra storage capacity created by lowering Lake Conroe 1-2 feet works the same way. The idea: to reduce the amount and/or rate of water released during a flood to help avoid downstream property damage.

SJRA Mission and Lake Conroe History Includes Flood Prevention

The enabling legislation of the SJRA mentions flood prevention three times. Moreover, the area now occupied by Lake Conroe was considered for floodwater detention as early as 1957, as this Master Plan for the SJRA that year shows – i.e., on the map below. Many of these proposed lakes/reservoirs serve a dual purpose according to Zeve. They help prevent floods AND supply water.

Page 29 of SJRA Master Plan from 1957

This map puts to rest another rumor spread by the Lake Conroe Association. They claim Lake Conroe was never conceived as a flood control reservoir; it is strictly a water supply reservoir. See the discussion of flood control starting on page 16 of the 1957 Master Plan. Then on page 27, see Exhibit A.

It shows the SJRA considered building 20 dams that year.

So far it has built only one: Lake Conroe.

Therefore, Lake Conroe is currently the only way we have to mitigate flooding until we put other mitigation measures in place.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/23/2020

877 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Note: A reader’s question on Facebook prompted this post. But I can’t find his name now. My apologies. No offense intended.

Flooded 15-Year-Old With Autism Fights for Lowering Lake Conroe

Tuesday, the SJRA Board met to reconsider lowering Lake Conroe seasonally. Many Lake Houston Area residents there to testify felt bullied by the large and boisterous crowd of Lake Conroe residents. This is another story of bullying. It’s about how a young man with autism who was traumatized by flooding during Hurricane Harvey fought his way back. He’s now taking up the fight to continue lowering Lake Conroe seasonally. Below: the text of a letter he wrote to the SJRA Board. It took courage for Ryan to share this letter with the world. Spoiler alert: Keep a Kleenex handy as you read this. It’s inspirational.

Ryan Long’s Letter to the SJRA Board

From: Ryan Long, Kingwood, TX 77345

To: SJRA Board, P. O. Box 329, Conroe, Texas 77305

Dear SJRA,

My name is Ryan Long and I am a 15-year-old from Kingwood. In August of 2017, when I was 12, my home flooded after the release of water from Lake Conroe.  We do NOT live on a flood plain, and we NEVER had flooding in our neighborhood until the middle of the night of August 27th during Harvey.  

Foster’s Mill, where I live, had no warning to evacuate. When flood water came, the current was so great that regular boats could not get down my street to rescue people. Helicopters flew in all day and rescued people from roofs.

Rescued by USAF Special Forces

We were finally rescued in the evening on a boat by a Special Forces team from the U.S. Air Force, hours after flood waters came into our home. I, my family, and my community will feel the impact for years to come.

Harvey photo courtesy of Ryan Long

I have autism and am classified as “high-functioning.” Before Harvey, I loved school. But due to the Lake Conroe release during Harvey, I lost years of therapy and a year of schooling.

As I woke up on the third day of the storm, power had gone out. When I opened my curtain, I saw a river rushing right outside my home; the water so deep it was about to seep into my downstairs. I panicked and ran to my parents! As the day wore on, I watched as water crept in our home like a slowly rising tide until the Special Forces evacuated us. 

Harvey photo courtesy of Ryan Long

Descent into Darkness

Our journey out was rough. The destruction I saw traumatized me. I felt broken. Every day, I felt anxious. The first time it rained, I hid under a desk, certain it would happen all over again. I slept with the lights on at night. Darkness felt like a Halloween horror movie. School became traumatic. Walking down a crowded hall felt as if I were caught in a cage. Kids began to pick on me about my panic attacks. I isolated myself, even from friends. 

I could not figure out how to ask for help. I felt frantic when taking tests. I could not concentrate. My grades, a source of pride, began to suffer. Even with the help of teachers who recognized the problem, I still failed. 

The Long Road Back

My parents found a counselor who helped me find a way back. She talked to me about things I loved. Eventually, I started listening to her. Slowly, she taught me strategies to cope. She helped me overcome fears and taught me how not to feel so lost. My grades improved, and I learned to sleep in the dark again. 

Harvey photo courtesy of Ryan Long

However, I was still struggling with kids who frequently bullied me. After a particularly brutal, physical incident, I found the courage to stand up for myself and reported the incident – despite fear of retribution. 

At first, I wondered what changed that day. I finally found the courage to believe in myself. I started doing things with my friends again. And I finished the year with straight A’s.

It took more than a year before I learned to believe in myself again. Today, I am still anxious at times. I still do not like thunderstorms. And I still struggle occasionally on tests. But I no longer think I am too stupid to do the work. But I believe in myself. Harvey did not break me. I came out better in the end. But that doesn’t mean I want to go through it again.

Still Dealing with Anxiety

People not living with the repercussions of Harvey tend to forget what happened. They expect the trauma and damage to go away as soon as homes are repaired. However, two and a half years later I still have anxiety. 

My home is fixed but others on my street and many in my community are not. People still live on second floors with their downstairs in disarray. Other homes are abandoned. Many people are frightened when it rains. My mom has panic attacks when she hears helicopters. Damage – both physical and emotional – lingers on.

Harvey photo courtesy of Ryan Long

So, what does this have to do with the SJRA and the people of Lake Conroe? I beg you to remember that there are people and lives that have been devastated by flooding downstream. We ask that you continue the seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe until the flood mitigation can be completed on Lake Houston. 

Thank you for listening.

Sincerely,

Ryan Long

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/23/2020 with grateful thanks and best wishes to Ryan Long

877 Days after Hurricane Harvey

Lake Conroe Swamps Lake Houston Again

The SJRA held its second of three board meetings last night to consider public input on its temporary policy of lowering Lake Conroe seasonally. Once again, red-shirted protesters from Lake Conroe showed up in busloads. About 50 people from the Lake Houston Area made it to the meeting. Lake Conroe people outnumbered them by an estimated 25:1. See below.

Lake Conroe people in red shirts vastly outnumbered Lake Houston people in the white, clustered in a corner.

Lake Houston People Forced to Wait up to Four Hours to Speak

With the exception of several Lake Houston Area officials who spoke early, the vast majority of Lake Houston Area residents had to wait three to four hours for their 3 minutes at the microphone. Many had to leave before they got their chance to speak. Sadly, I knew what they planned to talk about. The SJRA needed to hear it; Lake Conroe residents needed to hear it, too. But neither group did.

Lake Conroe Residents Still Laboring Under Misinformation

During those three to four hours, scores of Lake Conroe residents took the mic to spout misinformation. The Lake Conroe Association fed them exaggerations, lies, and half-truths designed to whip them into a hysterical frenzy. To be fair, several told poignant personal stories about businesses that suffered at the shallow north end of the lake. A realtor mentioned that homes there were on the market longer and some were not getting their asking price.

But virtually all of the rest seemed unrestrained by facts or issues.

For instance, SJRA staff told the crowd upfront that one third of the water coming down the West Fork came from the Lake Conroe release. At least twenty Lake Conroe residents then got up and claimed that 14% of the water coming into Lake Houston was from the release. Statistical subterfuge!

While technically true, that distorts the picture. The SJRA has no control over East Fork water. The lake-lowering policy is designed to reduce West Fork damage.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not

Here are some more:

  • “Lake Conroe had nothing to do with flooding Kingwood.” (Why were most areas dry then until Lake Conroe water hit town?)
  • “If Kingwood people don’t want to flood, they shouldn’t buy homes in a flood plain.” (As if everyone who flooded was in a flood plain.)
  • “There’s no proof that lowering Lake Conroe will help prevent flooding in Kingwood.” (The SJRA’s flood mitigation manager had just given a presentation explaining when it did.)

Six Inches Killing A 79′ Deep Lake

And then there were outright exaggerations. Staff explained that evaporation normally lowered Lake Conroe to within six inches of target levels in spring and hurricane season. That means, they’re really only lowering the lake intentionally another six inches! That’s as deep as a glass of ice tea. But still, scores of Lake Conroe residents steadfastly claimed that intentionally lowering the lake another six inches was “destroying”:

  • The environment
  • Montgomery County’s tax base
  • Recreation
  • The lake
  • The county’s school system
  • Home values
  • Safety on the lake
  • Bass fishing

Lake Conroe is normally 79 feet deep at its deepest point.

Adding Insult to Injury

Lake Conroe residents repeatedly blamed Kingwood residents for not whipping the City of Houston into shape and getting it to act faster. They blamed Harris County Flood Control for dragging its feet and not spending its flood bond money fast enough. Incredibly, they denied that people died after the Lake Conroe release hit Kingwood. They even heckled State Rep. Dan Huberty and interrupted other Kingwood speakers.

All in all, it was more fun than a firing squad.

Sadly, I don’t think many, or even any, of those who talked had any idea of the real devastation that happened in Kingwood.

There has to be a better way to discuss these issues.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/22/2020

876 Days after Hurricane Harvey

Woodridge Village Swamped by 1/4 Inch of Rain in 7 Days

.28 inches of rain in the last week swamped Woodridge Village. Woodridge contributed to the flooding of Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest twice last year after contractors clearcut 268 acres.

Gage at West Lake Houston Parkway

Standing Water Over Half of Development

Looking southwest across Woodridge Village. Virtually half of subdivision is holding ponding water. This and all photos below taken on 1/20/2020.
A closer shot. Looking southwest across Woodridge Village at land once classified as wetlands by USGS

Extremely Low Infiltration Rate

Now we know why the runoff rate was so high after Perry Homes clearcut the land. The soils may be sandy clays with very low infiltration rates. Alternatively, there may be clay close to the surface that prevents water from infiltrating. 

If approximately 1/4 inch of rain in seven days does this, you can imagine how much would run off when you get 6 to 12 inches in a day.

LJA designed this development to hold 12 inches of rain that falls in 24 hours. But contractors still have only installed 23% of the detention. And the runoff rate may have been based on non-representative samples.

Mysteries Abound

Also Perry Homes’ clearcut the entire northern section when LJA promised that contractors would only cut 30 acres in Phase One. That could be a Career Limiting Move (CLM) for Perry Homes CEO Kathy Perry Britton.

Mysteriously, the core sampling done as part of the geotechnical report managed to miss all areas classified as wetlands in the USGS National Wetlands Inventory.

Mysteriously, Perry Homes hired a private consultant to review the wetlands rather than seeking a jurisdictional delineation from the US Army Corps of Engineers. Perry claims the consultant found no wetland issues though Perry has not released the consultant’s report.

Those wetland areas largely coincided with the areas now holding the ponding water.

USGS Wetlands Map. Background shows Woodridge Village BEFORE clearcutting.

So many questions and so little time.

Movement in Court Case and on Ground

The Harris County District Clerk’s office shows absolutely no movement in the court case between Perry subsidiaries, their contractors and flood victims. The last motion on file: December 27.

Meanwhile, Perry is still working on the S2 detention pond that they virtually completed last August. On October 17, lawyer extraordinaire and local savant J. Carey Gray promised they would finish that pond in 45 days. So far, it’s been 95. And they continue to UNDO work previously completed.

January 20, 2020. Contractors continue to elevate the southern and eastern edges of Woodridge Village’s S2 detention pond.
The same berm from ground level. Elevated several feet above Elm Grove. Backslope interceptor swale mysteriously eliminated. Ground now sloped to funnel runoff from slope directly into Elm Grove (left). Photo courtesy of Jeff Miller.
Where this pipe sticks up, there used to be a swale designed to keep water from flowing into Elm Grove and funnel it into the pond. See swale in background next to fence that contractors have not yet filled in. Photo courtesy of Jeff Miller.

This whole sad, sorry development reminds me of one of those Hollywood horror flicks in which the teenagers do everything wrong, oblivious to the danger that lurks beneath them. I expect to see Dracula’s hand poking up out of the clay any second.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/20/2020 with photos from Jeff Miller

874 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 123 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.

Janet Wilson’s Losses and Long Road Back from Hurricane Harvey Make Case for Lowering Lake Conroe

Janet Wilson lives in Kingwood Greens. Her home, like those of all 225 in the subdivision, flooded during Harvey AFTER Lake Conroe opened its gates and started releasing almost 80,000 cubic feet per second. That amounted to ONE THIRD of all the water coming down the highly populated Humble/Kingwood corridor on the West Fork where most flood damage occurred. Her photos tell a tragic story about the toll that flooding places on a family. But her words told an even more tragic story.

Below are photos of our home in Kingwood Greens. They show just a fraction of the overnight loss of 48 years’ accumulation of household effects, family heirlooms, clothing, medicines, pictures, letters, books, keepsakes, both our cars, including a vintage Porsche, and more.  

Kingwood Greens after the Lake Conroe release

Beyond the Tangible Items

But, these are just the tangible items. Some of our greatest losses could not be photographed.

It has taken us more than two years to try to restore our life.

That’s time we could have spent with aging and now deceased parents plus our children, grandchildren and friends.

Then consider the loss of wages; my husband is a consultant. Also consider the physical and continuing mental toll that stress from this has put on us.

AND finally, consider the permanent loss of friends and neighbors. Seven out of 21 families on our street alone were so traumatized, they have sold their homes and left our neighborhood forever.

Those “Stop the Drop” homeowners on Lake Conroe have no idea of what “loss of recreation” is, and their insensitive selfishness is incomprehensible. 

Tell YOUR Story In Person to the SJRA Board

If you feel like Janet, make sure you email the SJRA board and urge members to continue the policy of lowering Lake Conroe seasonally until other flood mitigation measures can be put in place. Until more gates can be added to Lake Houston and dredging is completed, it’s the only buffer against flooding that the Lake Houston Area has. You can email them or deliver your message in person at the next SJRA Board meeting.

  • Tuesday, January 21, 2020
  • 6pm at Lone Star Convention and Expo Center
  • 9055 Airport Road, Conroe, Texas 77303.
  • Doors open at 5pm.

Those wishing to address the board or register a comment at a special meeting must fill out a Comment Registration Form https://www.sjra.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Comment-Registration-Form_01062020.pdf. Comment Registration Forms may be submitted at the special meeting. The form may not be mailed, emailed, or dropped off prior to the meeting date.

If You Can’t Attend, Email Your Comments

Please write an email showing your support for continuing the temporary seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe. The SJRA Board of Directors also welcomes input via mail or email. To contact the Board please visit: https://www.sjra.net/about/board/. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the email form. Or email floodmanagementdivision@sjra.net.

Generally, original letters carry more weight than form letters. However, many people do not feel comfortable writing or speaking. So…

The Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce has automated email that makes the process easy.

For More Information About the Lake Lowering Strategy

A new page on this web site called Lake Lowering contains background information, sample letters, and previous posts. Please write or testify.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/19/2020

873 Days after Hurricane Harvey