With two weeks left in August and no active tropical systems in the Atlantic, Caribbean or Gulf, I started wondering how this hurricane season stacked up against the average. Through the end of July, we had two named storms in the Atlantic. We also had six in the eastern Pacific, none of which threatened land. That makes a total of eight. How does that compare to a normal year? Below is a chart from NOAA. It shows the averages for tropical storms and hurricanes by month.
167 Years of Hurricane History
The first thing I noticed when looking at this table is the clear jump between July and August. Through the end of July, the averages for both tropical storms and hurricanes are below 1. That means the chances of NOT seeing one are greater than seeing one. However, August is where things heat up (pardon the pun). Your chances of seeing one are far greater than NOT seeing one.
Through the end of July, we exceeded the averages for The Atlantic and Pacific combined. But if you look at just the Atlantic, we are about on average, as the chart below shows.
Cumulative Number of Storms Per 100 Years in The Atlantic Basin.Source: NOAA
The official hurricane season for the Atlantic Basin (the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico) is from 1 June to 30 November. As seen in the graph above, the peak of the season is from mid-August (now) to late October.
Current Outlook Clear
However, THIS August has been quiet so far. Season-to-date, we are still slightly above average, but the month of August is unusually quiet. We’re halfway through the month without any named storms in the Atlantic and NOAA expects no activity for the next five days.
Regardless, if you are the type to play the odds, so far this year Texans have to consider themselves lucky.
Lake Levels As of Mid-August
With that in mind, let’s look at what the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) and Coastal Water Authority are doing with Lake Conroe and Lake Houston to reduce the chance of flooding in the event of a major storm.
Both lakes are down about a foot. This creates an extra buffer against flooding by creating extra capacity within the lake.
The SJRA began lowering Lake Conroe on August 1. Normal level is 201 feet above sea level. As of this morning, Lake Conroe was at 200.03 feet and the SJRA continued to release water at a minuscule rate of 150 cubic feet per second. Evaporation is doing most of the work. The SJRA says the lake can lose up to an inch per day through evaporation in hot, dry weather, which we have had plenty of lately. You can always check the current lake level at SJRA.net.
The Coastal Water Authority is maintaining Lake Houston at 41.57 feet above sea level. Normal level is 42.38 feet. A recent lowering for dam maintenance combined with lack of recent rain and evaporation have all contributed to the current level.
The SJRA will continue releasing water at a rate that brings Lake Conroe down to 199 feet by September 1. The SJRA will maintain that level through the end of September, then allow the lake to gradually refill with rainwater until it reaches the normal level of 201 feet.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/peakofseason_sm.gif?fit=500%2C329&ssl=1329500adminadmin2019-08-14 11:52:152019-08-14 11:57:27How This Hurricane Season Compares to Others So Far
Jill Boullion, Executive Director of the Bayou Land Conservancy, sent me a link to a fascinating article called Fossil Rivers. It’s about the evolution of the Mississippi River. Even if you’re not a student of geology, the maps are worth looking at as pieces of abstract art. As the author of the article, Geoff Manaugh says, “Colors coil round other colors; abstract shapes knot, circle, and extend like Christmas gift ribbons. This is geology as a subset of Abstract Expressionism: rocky loops of the Earth’s surface in the hands of Jackson Pollock.”
Army Corps map showing the geomorphology of the Lower Mississippi over time.
Says Manaugh, “Indeed, what the Army Corps of Engineers discovered while producing these maps is that the Mississippi River has changed channel completely – and it has done this hundreds, even thousands, of times. In fact, the river’s endless self-alteration still occurs, even as you read these words: the Mississippi, like all rivers, is migratory, destined to wander across the landscape for as long as it continues to flow. It drifts back and forth – sometimes a few feet, sometimes a mile – walled in by its own silt and debris; until there is change: a natural levee fails, or a storm surge bursts into another watercourse nearby, and then the river finds itself on a quick new route to the sea.”
Powerful reminders to respect the rivers! Give them room. Those who build too close will lose in the long run. People can moan about property rights all they want. But in the end, Mother Nature always wins.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/13/2019
714 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/766866365_e2000a2d1c_o.jpg?fit=475%2C575&ssl=1575475adminadmin2019-08-13 23:32:112019-08-14 09:16:31Respect the Rivers
Bill King, Candidate for Mayor of Houston, will visit Kingwood tomorrow to answer residents’ questions about how he would address flooding and other issues. King will offer a sneak peak of his flood plan that will be released next Monday or Tuesday.
King (left) with Elm Grove resident Abel Vera after the May 7th flood.
Flood mitigation solutions by their very nature are political. I will be posting similar announcements for other candidates as events arise. My hope is that everyone in Houston can meet the candidates personally, get to know them, and learn about their ideas to reduce flooding. A massive turnout in November will help secure our future.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/13/2019
713 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/ElmGroveFlood_01_15.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500adminadmin2019-08-12 18:08:362019-08-12 18:10:23Meet Bill King, Candidate for Mayor of Houston, At Los Cucos Tuesday at 6PM
Good news! Jason Krahn with the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) has announced that the District will start restoring conveyance capacity to Bens Branch beginning August 19, 2019. The contractor’s official start date is that Monday, but it will take several days to move equipment to the site. “So the citizens of Kingwood should see the contractor on site by midweek,” said Krahn.
Project Scope
The project will include removing and disposing of approximately 76,285 cubic yards of sediment accumulations. This will be a multi-step process. First, HCFCD’s contractor, Solid Bridge Construction, LLC, must remove the soil from the creek. Then the soil must drain and dry. Finally, dump trucks will remove the excavated material.
Scope of Ben’s Branch project outlined in red.
The project will extend from Kingwood Drive south to the library, then east under West Lake Houston Parkway to the YMCA, then south again to an area adjacent to Deerwood Country Club. It will stop 1800 feet from the river where the the ditch flattens out into a natural stream, near the Y canoe launch.
Sedimentation restricting the conveyance of Ben’s Branch between the library and West Lake Houston Parkway. Looking west from bridge.
The east/west portion of this project above became severely silted during Harvey, contributing to flooding in Kingwood Greens, Town Center, the Enclave, Kingwood Village Estates. A dozen seniors died in Kingwood Village Estates from injuries sustained during the evacuation or from the stress of seeing their homes destroyed when they returned.
City Portion of Ditch South of Y Not Included
The City of Houston reports that it has not yet secured maintenance easements from adjoining property owners south of the Y.
Most of the ditch adjoins property owned by the Clubs of Kingwood. Here’s what it looks like from a drone. My thanks to Jim Zura of Zura Productions for his time and expertise in securing this footage.
Ben’s Branch out of the YMCA looking toward Lake Houston. HCFCD project does NOT include this portion which is controlled by the City of Houston. Note the dredge operation in the distance at the end of this video. Drone footage courtesy of Jim Zura, Zura Productions.
For more information about the project, consult the Kingwood pages of the HCFCD website. The project ID is # G103-33-00-X004 – Bens Branch Conveyance Restoration.
Krahn expects the lower portion of Ben’s Branch to take 9 months. Construction equipment will access the work area via the established access points from Kingwood Drive, Bens View, West Lake Houston Parkway, and Denmere. The contractor will use heavy construction equipment such as dump trucks, excavators and bulldozers. Motorists should stay on high alert for truck traffic when passing near construction access points.
Expect Extra Traffic
The average commercial dump truck holds ten to fourteen cubic yards. So this project could result in 5,500 to more than 7,000 round-trips before its over.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/12/2019 with video from Jim Zura of Zura Productions
713 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/g103-33-00-map_web.jpg?fit=600%2C413&ssl=1413600adminadmin2019-08-12 16:44:492019-08-12 16:59:52Ben’s Branch Clean Out to Begin August 19
Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) is nearing completion of its project to clean out Taylor Gully. The project will restore the ditch’s conveyance through Elm Grove. The ditch had become clogged due, in large part, to erosion from months of clear-cutting and construction activities immediately upstream in the new Woodridge Village development.
After the Flood, but Before the Clean-Out
Below, several shots taken shortly after the May 7th flood.
Erosion on Woodridge Village property. Concrete culvert in background is entrance to Taylor Gully on Harris County side of Montgomery County Line. Another shot of erosion leading to culvert, visible in upper right.Looking north at same culvert from Harris County side of county line.Flood debris carried downstream into Elm Grove portion of Taylor GullyShot taken at end of May looking south along Taylor Gully. Three weeks after the May 7 flood.
After the Clean-Out
What a difference some backhoes and bulldozers can make!
Looking south from same area today, but from opposite side of Gully. Photo courtesy of Jeff Miller.
Re-contoured backslope swale with new culvert. Photo courtesy of Jeff Miller.
Newly cleared Taylor Gulley Backslope Swale near the homes that flooded in North Kingwood Forest. Photo courtesy of Jeff Miller.
Brand new backslope interceptor structure and improved swale by HCFCD located just north of Creek Manor where it dead ends into Taylor Gulley.Photo courtesy of Jeff Miller.
These backslope interceptor swales reduce erosion, provide additional floodwater storage, and help prevent floodwaters from impacting structures.
One Month From Statistical Peak of Hurricane Season
Today is one month from the peak of hurricane season – September 11. Hundreds of people in Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest will have an additional margin of safety thanks to HCFCD’s Taylor Gully project. Despite three months of near-perfect construction weather, Perry Homes’ contractors have only completed two of five planned detention ponds upstream. More on the construction status of Woodridge Village in my next post.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/11/2019 with photography from Jeff Miller
712 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 3 months + 4 days since the May 7th flood
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/IMG_2731.jpeg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1480640adminadmin2019-08-11 07:44:082019-08-11 07:44:20Before-After Shots of Clean-Out: HCFCD Restoring Conveyance of Taylor Gully In Elm Grove
Stormwater detention basins store potentially damaging floodwaters temporarily until channels can safely carry water away. Here’s how they work.
Lack of Detention Ponds Contributes to Flooding
The lack of functioning detention ponds in the new Woodridge Village development contributed to the flooding of at least 196 homes across the southern county line on May 7th earlier this year. Since publishing a series of stories about flooding in Elm Grove, dozens of Montgomery County residents have contacted me about similar complaints.
Woodridge Village had only one of five detention ponds fully functioning when this shot was taken after the May 7th flood. Lack of retention for this clear cut area contributed to damaging 196 homes in Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest, plus an unknown number of additional homes in Porter.Drone Footage courtesy of Jim Zura, ZuraProductions.com
All the stories follow a similar pattern. “We never flooded. Then a new development came in and we did.” Residents complain that frequently the new developments alter drainage without adding enough detention to mitigate flooding.
As population growth extends northward in Montgomery County, this will become an oft repeated story. It will affect everyone in Montgomery County, not just those in the southern part and Harris County…unless the loophole is closed.
Case Studies Dramatize Value of Detention Ponds
Doubt the value of detention ponds? Consider these three case studies by FEMA. Each deals with severe rain events and explains how a pond helped reduce or eliminate flooding altogether – for homes that previously flood repetitively. Together, they make a pretty powerful case for closing the loophole.
The second discusses a municipal pond in Pine Forest, a small town in Orange County, TX, north of Beaumont. After construction of the pond, “The community of roughly 500 residents and those living downstream from the ponds reported none of the flooding they had seen in the past.”
Victoria Project Protected Homes and Tax Base During Harvey
Closer to Houston, the third talks about a project in Victoria, TX. When Harvey hit the city of 68,000 in August 2017, 440 homes avoided flood damage. The City had completed the Lone Tree Creek Channel Improvement and Detention Facility Project there more than a decade earlier.
In 2005, the city recognized that its rapid residential growth created an overwhelmed drainage basin. Leaders began the planning stages of the Lone Tree Creek Project. “This project forced the creek to store water in the detention pond and not in the residential area,” said John Johnson, floodplain manager for Victoria.
Bottom line: “We are not moving the problem and recreating it elsewhere,” said Johnson.
“The quality of life is improved, and property resale is up as a result of this project,” said Johnson. “The tax base remained intact and property ownership stabilized in neighborhoods surrounding the Lone Tree Creek Channel. The quality of life is improved, and property resale is up as a result of this project.”
If you, or anyone you know, intend to speak at the Montgomery County Commissioners Court meeting on the 27th, use these real-world examples to reinforce the message to close the loophole.
Help Close the Loophole
Closing the loophole is a no brainer, or at least, it should be. However, if the court on August 27 is packed by developers and not citizens, expect the status quo – more flooding.
Posted by Bob Rehak on August 10, 2019 with drone footage from Jim Zura
711 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Thoughts expressed in this post represent my opinions on matters of public policy and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP statute of the great state of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Muck.jpg?fit=1500%2C828&ssl=18281500adminadmin2019-08-10 19:27:042019-08-10 19:31:31FEMA Case Studies Dramatize Value of Detention Ponds in Flood Reduction
The Army Corps has refused to release documents that explain key decisions, delays and plans related to West Fork mouth bar dredging, and a potential placement area for the spoils. At issue are the Corps’ decisions to dredge only 500,000 cubic yards from the area of the mouth bar and to delay approval of the City’s proposed placement area for long-term dredging.
As a result of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request related to these decisions, I also learned that the Corps:
Is dredging near the mouth bar without a plan
Is almost done with the mouth bar project and hopes to have a plan before it finishes
Has repeatedly delayed a decision on a new placement area that could have saved millions of tax dollars.
Meanwhile, the Corps continues sending sediment to a mine that leaks it back into the river. That mine – in the floodway – has a dubious environmental record at best. This seems to be a case of Government Gone Wild.
Dueling Studies Offer Different Opinions of Harvey-related Mouth Bar Volume
The City of Houston and Army Corps have reportedly argued for a year or more about how much sediment Harvey deposited in the mouth bar. Late last year, FEMA required the City to perform a core-sample study using something called the Stockton Protocol. The City hired Tetra Tech to do it. And Tetra Tech concluded Harvey deposited 1.4 million cubic yards. Here is their study.
The Corps, however, evidently did not buy the results. The Corps conducted another study for FEMA using a different protocol. It concluded Harvey deposited 500,000 cubic yards.
The Corps, however, refused to release the results of that study for public review.
FEMA and the Corps went ahead and hired Great Lakes to dredge that volume from the mouth bar. That job is now more than half complete.
While inventorying the documents that the Corps DID send me, I also discovered that they are now dredging the mouth bar area – without a plan. I know this because I requested the plan and they did not supply it. A Corps representative then explained that they are still working on the plan. They hope to have it done before they complete the $17 million job.
At the current price of diesel (about $3/gallon), that’s about $15,000 per day for fuel alone. More than $100,000 per week. And more than $400,000 per month. Waaaaay more than the limit on my gas cards. So what does the Corps get for all that?
A year ago, this same mine was caught on camera deliberately sending its process water straight into the West Fork.
Video provided to ReduceFlooding.Com. Source wishes to remain anonymous.
Yet, while approving this site, the Corps reportedly has environmental concerns over a much closer disposal site that would require less fuel and fewer boosters. It’s also on higher ground and out of the floodway. It’s Berry Madden’s property in Humble immediately west of Kings Lake Estates between the West Fork and 1960.
Five different proposed placement areas on Madden property avoid wetlands (the cross-hatched areas).
The Corps may or may not have good reasons for disliking the property, but they won’t reveal them whatever they are.
After more than a year of environmental and archeological studies costing Madden more than $100,000, the Corps still has not approved or rejected his property. Nor have they explained delays in approving or rejecting it. The documents that the Corps DID supply show that they are throwing one obstacle after another in Madden’s path. Despite the fact that he’s on higher ground and farther from the river than the current placement area.
Meanwhile, the Corps subsidizes the sub-optimal sand mine/placement area above. Go figure!
Potential Setback for Future Dredging
One of the consequences of NOT having an approved site to store additional spoils is that it could delay future phases of dredging. Those potentially include:
Additional mouth bar dredging
59 to River Grove Park
Maintenance dredging
Mouths of ditches such as Ben’s Branch
FOIA Scorecard
I filed my Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Army Corps 50 days ago. I requested:
Their plans for mouth-bar dredging
Conference reports of meetings where the mouth bar was discussed
Documents relating to the approval of Berry Madden’s property in Humble as a potential storage site.
About a month ago, they requested a clarification. “What do you mean by ‘plans’?” Seriously! The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers needed to have the concept of plans explained????!!!
After more delays and excuses, five days ago, I received a compact disk in the mail with approximately 800 total pages of material. The Corps:
OMITTED any mouth-bar plans.
OMITTED the Corps study that contradicted the Tetra Tech study.
WITHHELD 118 pages of material that could have explained their decision.
REDACTED key correspondence relating to Madden’s property.
SUBSTITUTED dredging status reports from contractor meetings for conference reports of meetings among City, State and Federal officials where decisions about the mouth bar were considered.
Government Gone Wild
After several phone calls in which I tried to cajole them into supplying the Corps’ study, I received another email from the Corps. It said that they considered my original FOIA request closed. They then asked me to submit another one for the same material that I requested in June. They seem to be treating this as a national-security issue, not a public-safety issue. Why?
Unfortunately, that does not allow informed discussion among the public, whose safety is at stake. Nor does it recognize the fact that they have already made a decision, i.e, to dredge 500,000 cubic yards and have half-completed the project. So how does this qualify as “pre-decisional”?
That leaves the State, County, City and the public in the lurch. Maybe a Congressional investigation could sort this out. That’s what it will take.
At this point, it’s not clear how, when or if the mouth-bar job will be finished. Five hundred thousand cubic yards is a small fraction of what needs to be removed to restore conveyance to the river.
It’s also not clear how many more hurdles the Corps will put in the way of a placement area farther from the river on higher ground. Or why.
A curtain of secrecy has descended upon this job. I will continue to follow the story. The public has a right to know.
Open Offer to Corps to Rebut Criticisms
If the Corps feels I have criticized it unjustly, I invite a spokesperson to explain the Corps point of view. I promise to reprint the rebuttal verbatim.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/9/2019
710 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts in this post represent my opinions on matters of public interest and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/ACEO.jpg?fit=1500%2C1069&ssl=110691500adminadmin2019-08-08 23:19:482019-08-09 16:25:54Government Gone Wild: Army Corp Refuses to Release Dredging Documents that Explain Decisions, Delays
Callan has already begun demobilizing. So far, the company has unhooked its dredge from its pipeline and is removing its booster pumps and other equipment from the river. Callan should have all of its equipment back at the command site dock by this weekend.
Yesterday, Keith Jordan, a resident of Kings Lake Estates, greeted the news joyfully. “Hallelujah! It’s simply amazing how quiet it is tonight. It’s been a long 8 months!” Jordan had a booster pump anchored behind his home the entire time and complained several times to the Corps about noise.
Callan operated the blue dredge that worked the area downstream from the West Lake Houston Parkway bridge since approximately January.
Callan dredge near King’s Harbor on Jan. 31, 2019. West Lake Houston Parkway Bridge in background. Callan booster pump on far side of bridge.
Mouth Bar Contract Extension Ahead of Schedule
In other news, Great Lakes is far ahead of schedule on a contract extension. The extension is a separate mission assignment from FEMA to the Corps for slightly more than $17 million. It involves dredging 500,000 cubic yards of sediment from the mouth bar. The Corps originally thought the extension would take until January, 2020. However, at the current rate, Great Lakes could finish next month – in less than half the time predicted.
Five-hundred thousand cubic yards will barely scratch the surface of what needs to be removed and may not even be sufficient to cut a channel through the mouth bar area, thus leaving most of the mouth bar intact. It is unclear at this time what the plans are to restore conveyance through this area of the West Fork.
Current Dredging Photos from Carolyn Daniel
A reader, Carolyn Daniel, sent me several pictures taken earlier this week from the window of an airplane as it descended into Bush Intercontinental Airport. They show the Great Lakes Dredge south of the mouth bar. The company also removed vegetation from leading edge of the mouth bar itself. Perhaps they hoped that river currents could help erode the bar which contains far more than 500,000 cubic yards.
Great Lakes Dredge near Mouth Bar with Kingwood in background. Looking north. Town Center is on left and Kings Point on the right. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Daniel. Taken 8/5/2019.Seconds later, as her plane descended, Carolyn Daniel grabbed this shot of mouth bar dredging. Also looking north, it shows Atascocita Point in the foreground and Fosters Mill and Kings Point in the background.
These images illustrate the enormity of the task ahead and the need to be ruthlessly efficient with resources and time.
Challenges Ahead
Tomorrow, I will look at some of the challenges ahead, and some of the obstacles to restoring conveyance.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/8/2019with photos from Carolyn Daniel
709 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/IMG_3555.jpeg?fit=1500%2C1125&ssl=111251500adminadmin2019-08-08 17:40:342019-08-08 17:40:44First Phase of West Fork Dredging Completed
This month, you have three opportunities to attend meetings that could help reduce flooding in the Lake Houston area.
TWDB Visits Tomball to Solicit Input on State’s First Flood Plan
On Friday, August 9, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) will hold a meeting in Tomball. Purpose: to solicit public opinion on rules and guidelines for Texas’ first statewide flood plan. Here’s more information about the event and the TWDB. The TWDB is the state’s water agency. It’s primary mission is developing and maintaining lakes and reservoirs that support economic growth. This year, the legislature put them into the flood mitigation business, too. They’re looking for the best ways to spend $800 million on flood mitigation from the state’s Rainy Day Fund. TWDB will hold the event at:
Beckendorf Conference Center at Lone Star College–Tomball
30555 Tomball Pkwy.
Tomball, TX 77375
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Friday, August 9
Sign up for more information about these meetings and other flood information at the TWDB’s website. You can also contact the TWDB at (512) 463-8725 or flood@twdb.texas.gov.
TWDB Makes Repeat Appearance at Houston City Hall
If you can’t make the event in Tomball, you have another chance. TWDB will repeat the event at:
Houston City Hall
Council Chamber, 2nd Floor
901 Bagby Street
Houston, TX 77002
9:30 to 11:30
Friday, August 23
Montgomery County Will Hear Testimony on Closing Detention Loophole
You don’t have to be a Montgomery County resident to testify. As downstream residents of the Lake Houston Area, you may be affected by this more than Montgomery County residents are.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/7/2019
708 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/SchoolBus.jpg?fit=1500%2C1689&ssl=116891500adminadmin2019-08-06 21:55:552019-08-06 21:56:05Mark Your Calendar: Important Meetings Related to Flooding
An article in the New York Times about a looming water crisis caught my eye today. Datelined Bangalore, India, the article describes how “Countries that are home to one-fourth of Earth’s population face an increasingly urgent risk: The prospect of running out of water.” So what does that have to do with flooding? Many of those countries also experience cyclic flooding. Sound familiar?
Uncanny Parallels to Houston
In yet another uncanny parallel to our situation – i.e., with the Water Wars in Montgomery County – “…some are squandering what water they have. Several are relying too heavily on groundwater, which instead they should be replenishing and saving for times of drought.”
In Chennai, India’s fourth largest city, residents accustomed to relying on groundwater for years now find none left. So the city is forced to transport water from farther and farther away (like our Luce Bayou Project). They lose significant amounts in the process due to evaporation and leakage.
The World Resources Institute expects the number of people worldwide living in “extremely high water stress” to nearly double in the next decade.
Cape Town, a city roughly the size of Houston, had to ration water last year.
Drought and Flooding Solutions Often Overlap
In Bangalore, lakes that once dotted the city have been filled in, much the way we fill in wetlands, so they can no longer collect rainwater and serve as the city’s water storage tanks.
That parallel reminded me of the dwindling water capacity in Lake Houston due to sedimentation. With backup supplies in Lake Livingston and Lake Conroe, Houston certainly doesn’t have to worry about running out of water any time soon. But as recent sedimentation surveys near the mouth bar showed, we do have to worry about loss of lake capacity.
Difference map developed by Tetra Tech for City of Houston in Feb/March, 2019, showing areas of deposition and scour near the West Fork Mouth Bar. Overall, Tetra Tech estimates that this small 350-acre area of Lake Houston gained 504-acre feet of sedimentsince the previous survey in 2011. Brown areas represent more than 5 FEET of deposition.
Drought and floods represent two sides of the same coin. This article reminded me that solutions to one problem can also help solve the other. For instance…
Developing adequate surface water supplies and saving ground water as the backup. This can reduce subsidence which can lead to flooding.
Improving lake/river capacity by dredging can eliminate blockages that also cause flooding.
As we move forward with West Fork and maintenance dredging, we should remember this. We aren’t just looking at costs that benefit Lake Houston residents. We’re looking at costs that benefit millions of residents in the larger metropolitan area. It’s not just about flooding. It’s also about water capacity for a rapidly growing population.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/6/2019
707 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DifferenceMap.jpg?fit=2004%2C1340&ssl=113402004adminadmin2019-08-06 20:53:322019-08-06 21:01:50NY Times Article Says Quarter of Humanity Facing Looming Water Crisis
