With barely a spoken word, this video makes an eloquent case for lowering Lake Conroe again this year. It also makes a powerful argument for denying the permit to build 5000 condos and high rises in the surrounding wetlands.
Evacuation from the Barrington during Harvey. Video courtesy of Kenneth and Colleen Ulrich. They moved to Kingwood from New Orleans after Katrina.
Surprise Evacuation
Kenneth Ulrich Jr. shot this video as he and his wife Colleen were forced to evacuate without warning from the Barrington during Harvey.
They share this video on the eve of a key San Jacinto River Authority board meeting. Tomorrow, the board will take up the question of whether to seasonally lower Lake Conroe again this year. The lowering would help provide a margin of safety against flooding like this until other flood mitigation measures can be put in place.
Lake Conroe boaters have complained about the inconvenience of the lower lake levels. The video shows what boating in Kingwood looked like 18 months ago as Harvey’s floodwaters rose.
Many residents escaped with little more than the clothes they wore.
Imagine Evacuating 15,000 People Like This
The video makes another powerful argument. Against the high-rise development proposed for Kingwood. Developers hope to build it around the Barrington which you see here. They want to build 5,000 condos immediately to the north and a string of high rises, including a 50 story hotel, immediately to the south. Kingwood has an average household population density of 2.71. That means this development could add 15,000 people to the area.
Every one of the 283 homes in the Barrington flooded. Imagine trying to evacuate another 15,000 people by boat during the next Harvey.
The developers have planned only one way in and out of this project – Woodland Hills Drive – which will be under water when the next big flood hits.
Clearly, they did not consider evacuation when they planned this development.
How to Register Your Concerns
If you have concerns about the high-rise project, email the US Army Corps of Engineers at: swg_public_notice@usace.army.mil . Make sure you put the project number in the title of the email: SWG-2016-00384 .
To voice your concerns to the SJRA board, attend the board meeting Thursday, Feb. 28 at:
1577 Dam Site Road Conroe, Texas 77304 936.588.3111
Speakers are limited to three minutes each. Business attire is recommended. To reserve time to speak you must sign in by 7:45. The meeting will be in the tall building.
Allow an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half to get there in rush hour traffic from the Humble/Kingwood area.
As always, these are my opinions on matters of public policy. They are protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP statute of the Great State of Texas.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/27/2019
547 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Barrington-Video-Keyframe.jpg?fit=1500%2C733&ssl=17331500adminadmin2019-02-27 11:49:282020-01-17 10:02:26Video of Barrington Evacuation During Harvey Makes Case for Lowering Lake Conroe, Nixing High-Rise Development
At its Thursday board meeting, the SJRA will reconsider whether to seasonally lower Lake Conroe again this year. Last year, the board lowered the lake as a way to provide an additional buffer against flooding until flood mitigation projects could be put in place. As part of the motion it approved last year, the board said it would revisit the decision each year. That time is now.
Even though Lake Houston area dredging continues and additional gates for the Lake Houston Dam have not yet been funded, re-approval of the lowering this year is far from automatic. Rumor has it that the Lake Conroe Association may present a petition urging the board to keep the lake at its usual height.
Details of Original Plan
What exactly was the temporary, seasonal lake lowering proposal? SJRA General Manager Jace Houston spelled out the details for the public in Dockline Magazine last year. I pulled these figures from there.As a point of reference, the normal pool level of Lake Conroe is 201’ msl (mean feet above sea level).
During the Spring season – April 1 through May 31 – the SJRA voted to start lowering the lake gradually on April 1 until it reached a level of 200 msl, i.e., one foot below normal. This is the rainiest part of Spring.
Then starting on June 1, the SJRA would begin to capture flows to restore normal lake elevation for June and July.
For the Fall season – August 1 through September 30 – which includes the peak of hurricane season, the SJRA would again reduce the lake gradually. Their target: 200 msl by August 15. That’s when most local schools resume and the summer vacation season starts to tape off.
After August 15, SJRA would continue gradually lowering the level of Lake Conroe until it reached 199 feet msl or two feet below normal pool by August 31.
Starting October 1, SJRA would again begin to capture flows to restore normal lake elevation.
If the lake level has already dropped to the target elevation just due to evaporation, no additional releases would be made.
If a storm enters the forecast while seasonal releases are being made to lower the lake level, such releases would be stopped and the river allowed to drain out until rainfall is out of the forecast.
Purpose for Season Lowering
Jace Houston cited three reasons for seasonal lowering as opposed to pre-releasing water immediately before storms.
Release of water from Lake Conroe prior to a storm would put flows into the San Jacinto River and Lake Houston potentially exacerbating flooding.
Staff from the City of Houston, the Coastal Water Authority, and the Harris County Flood Control District have expressed their desire to not pre-fill the river and Lake Houston prior to a storm with water released from Lake Conroe.
Lake Conroe is located in the upper basin where it makes sense to retain flood waters to the extent possible.
Until dredging is complete, we still need the buffer that lowering Lake Conroe provides.
Speak at Board Meeting
Residents have an opportunity to speak out for and against the seasonal lowering this Thursday morning, Feb. 28, 2019. Speakers are limited to three minutes each. Business attire is recommended. To reserve time to speak you must sign in by 7:45. The meeting will be in the tall building at:
1577 Dam Site Road Conroe, Texas 77304 936.588.3111
Allow an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half to get there in rush hour traffic.
Hope to see lots of Humble and Kingwood people there. This is very important until we get mitigation measures in place.
If You Can’t Come, But Still Want to Help
Consider sending ReduceFlooding.com some of your most dramatic shots from the flood. See the Submissions page. We need to show the SJRA board how dramatic the flooding really was here. There are new faces on the board this year.
Posted by Bob Rehak on February 26, 2019
546 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SJRA-Logo-2016-250x250.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1250250adminadmin2019-02-26 19:30:022020-01-17 10:02:54SJRA to Reconsider Lowering of Lake Conroe This Thursday Morning
Odum previously served as the President of Shell Oil Company. He volunteered to work for the City as the Mayor’s “Flood Czar” for 15 months on a pro bono basis.
Stephen Costello, the City of Houston’s Chief Recovery Officer in charge of Harvey efforts and the Mayor’s Flood Czar.
So I emailed Costello and heard back this morning. He replied, “I am the Chief Recovery Officer focused on Harvey recovery. Still doing the flood czar stuff as well.”
Evidently, the title of one of Costello’s jobs changed and he’s still picking up where Odum left off. Hopefully, Aho’s appointment will allow Costello more time to focus on flood mitigation.
Posted by Bob Rehak on February 26, 2019
546 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Costelloo-e1551210507211.jpg?fit=907%2C1203&ssl=11203907adminadmin2019-02-26 13:38:022019-02-26 13:55:57Despite new Chief Resiliency Officer, Costello Still Heading Up Flood Recovery Efforts
The Houston Chronicle reported at noon today that Mayor Sylvester Turner appointed a new Chief Resilience Officer, a job formerly held by Stephen Costello. The story makes only a brief reference to Costello in the last paragraph. It says, “Stephen Costello, Houston’s former chief resilience officer, began overseeing the city’s Harvey recovery efforts in November 2018. He took over as “recovery czar” from Marvin Odum, the former president of Shell.”
Definition of Resilience Broadened to Include Economic Equity
The press release issued by City Hall mentions nothing of Costello and mentions flooding only once. It appears to broaden the scope of resilience and places major emphasis on “social and economic equity” in resilience planning.
Marissa Aho, City of Houston’s new Chief Resilience Officer. Photo Courtesy of Mayor’s office.
It says, “Mayor Sylvester Turner has appointed Marissa Aho, AICP, as chief resilience officer for the City of Houston… The position will play an essential role in leading city-wide resilience-building efforts to help Houston prepare for, withstand, and bounce back from the ‘’shocks’’ – catastrophic events like hurricanes, floods, and cyberattacks – and “stresses” – slow-moving disasters like aging infrastructure, homelessness, and economic inequality, which are increasingly part of 21st century life.”
As chief resilience officer, Aho will report directly to Mayor Turner. She will oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive Resilience Strategy for the city. Aho comes to Houston from the City of Los Angeles. There she served as Chief Resilience Officer (CRO) for the past four years.
“The CRO,” says the press release, “…will address the resilience vulnerabilities of all city residents, with a particular focus on low-income and vulnerable populations.”
Bringing LA Experience to Houston
“While serving as CRO in Los Angeles, Aho paved the way for Los Angeles to embed resilience as a value that guides municipal planning, culminating in the appointment of more than 30 departmental chief resilience officers (DCROs) who form an in-city network in each branch of city government.
“Other innovative initiatives in Resilient Los Angeles,” says the press release, “include developing an urban heat vulnerability index and mitigation plan, placing an equity lens over the city’s response to increasing extreme heat.”
According to the City, Houston remains vulnerable to less-familiar shocks and stresses, such as environmental degradation and access to economic opportunity.
It’s not clear from either the news release or the Chronicle story what role Costello will play vis-a-vis Aho, if any.
About New Houston CRO Marissa Aho, AICP
Prior to serving as the Los Angeles CRO, she held senior staff positions at two Los Angeles planning and land use consulting firms. Aho has 15 years of policy, planning, and project management experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors where she has worked with interdisciplinary teams to find creative solutions to complex problems. She has a BA in political science from American University and a master of planning from the University of Southern California Price School of Public Policy. She is the Region VI commissioner for the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), section director of the Los Angeles Section of the American Planning Association (APA LA), and is a member of the USC Price Alumni Association board of directors.
Posted by Bob Rehak on February 26, 2019
546 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Aho.jpg?fit=600%2C907&ssl=1907600adminadmin2019-02-25 19:38:542019-02-25 20:10:29Mayor Turner Appoints Aho as new Chief Resilience Officer for City of Houston
“Tanglewood properties may only be used for single-family residential purposes.”
“Business or commercial use of any Tanglewood property is prohibited.”
There is nothing inherently wrong with a business owning residential property.
The issue in this case is that one of Mr. Covarrubias Piffer’s 30+ companies headquarters in the house; deed restrictions prohibit that.
Legal filings in an investor-fraud case against Mr. Covarrubias Piffer in Houston establish the Doliver Drive property as his Houston address. However, depositions also reveal that he and his partner claim they visit Houston only one day per week on business. (See MARIA DEL CARMEN BORBOLLA AND MARIA DEL CARMEN GOMEZ, CAUSE NO. 2018 – 07276, 157th Judicial Court, Harris County, Tx.)
Expensive Office
Harris County Appraisal District records show that the property actually belongs to another company controlled by Mr. Covarrubias Piffer, FAMA Properties LTD Ptnrshp.
One of Covarrubias’ companies owns a home being used by another of his companies as an office. The $3.2 million Tanglewood home is deed restricted to residential use only.
The Kingwood Connection
Regular readers of this blog may recognize FAMA Properties LTD Partnership as the Alberta, Canada partnership that bought the proposed Kingwood high-rise land in 2012. FAMA bought it from HS Tejas LTD, a Texas Limited Partnership, settled the transaction in Walton County, Florida and Chicago Title recorded it.
Mr. Covarrubias Piffer then sold the same land yet again to two other companies he controls, Romerica RMR 4 LLC and Romerica M 5 LLC. Both are Texas Limited Liability Companies.
Yet another company controlled by Mr. Covarrubias Piffer, Romerica Investments, applied for the Army Corps permit to develop the Kingwood property.
Seems like there’s a lot of business going on in that residence!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/15/2019
545 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SOS-Doliver-Cova-HQ.jpg?fit=1500%2C688&ssl=16881500adminadmin2019-02-25 16:45:162019-02-25 16:54:53High-Rise Developer May Violate Tanglewood Deed Restrictions, Too
Only five more days remain to protest the proposed high-rise development near River Grove Park. The deadline for public comments? Friday, March 1.
About the High-Rise Development
Two developers from Mexico have bought up land east of Woodland Hills between Kingwood Lakes and the San Jacinto River. They hope to build 5000 condos, a retail mail, parking for 8,800 vehicles (some below ground), commercial high-rises, residential high-rises, a 50-story hotel, and a marina for 640 boats and 200 jet-skis.
Altogether, they plan to build more than 3 million square feet of residential, commercial and retail space around the Barrington. To put that in perspective, it’s roughly three times the size of Deerbrook Mall … at the end of a dead end street … four miles from the nearest highway. On the edge of the floodway. In an old meander of the San Jacinto. Without any consideration for the traffic it would add to Kingwood Drive. Or dedicating any land for additional school facilities.
What Corps and TCEQ are Considering
The Army Corps of Engineers and TCEQ are currently reviewing the developer’s proposal. The Corps is evaluating the impact of adding up to 12 feet of fill to wetlands and streams in the area against the need for the project. They also review more than a dozen other “public interest” factors, such as safety, environmental impact, navigation on the San Jacinto, sedimentation, and potential to worsen flooding. The TCEQ is evaluating water-quality issues only.
Please send this post to all your friends, neighbors, relatives, kids, etc. Have them write letters, too. If you have already submitted a letter and have thought of new concerns, you may submit an additional letter.
Email Preferred to Snail Mail
Make sure you include the project number in the subject line of your email. It’s the same for either group: SWG-2016-00384.
As always, the thoughts in these posts represent my opinions on matters of public policy. They are protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP statute of the great State of Texas.
Posted by Bob Rehak on February 25, 2019
545 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Slide2-e1551063488977.jpeg?fit=305%2C540&ssl=1540305adminadmin2019-02-24 20:51:262019-02-24 21:03:27Now or Never: Friday is Last Day to Protest High-Rise Development in Floodplain Near River Grove Park
Two top geologists, now retired from one of the world’s leading oil companies, have developed a reliable and repeatable way to estimate the volume of sediment deposited in the West Fork mouth bar by Hurricane Harvey. They calculate that Harvey deposited at least 268,000 cubic yards of sediment in that area alone.
Stream mouth bar where the West Fork of the San Jacinto meets Lake Houston creates a sediment dam. It backs water up throughout the entire Hunble/Kingwood area during floods. Water must flow uphill approximately 40 feet to get over this hump.
No Pre-Harvey Measurements Hampered Dredging Program Approval
According to the Army Corps of Engineers and Stephen Costello, the City of Houston’s Chief Resiliency Officer, the lack of a reliable way to estimate the volume due to Harvey was a major stumbling block in funding the dredging effort. The City, FEMA and the Corps have reportedly been arguing about this for at least nine months. The issue has to do with the Stafford Act, FEMA’s enabling legislation. The Stafford Act prohibits FEMA from spending disaster relief funds on cleanup not related to the disaster in question.
Because the City of Houston had no reliable sedimentation survey taken immediately before Harvey, calculating the volume due to Harvey became problematic.
How a Mouth Bar Forms
A mouth bar forms at the mouth of a river where it meets still water (in our case, Lake Houston). As moving water encounters the still water, coarser sediment like sand is deposited. It begins building up and up until sand bars emerge above the surface.
The Insight that Led to a Reliable Way to Estimate Volume
Mainly sand comprises the mouth bar; sand moves only during major floods. The sand above water can only be deposited when floodwater is much higher than the top of the bar. That insight became the key to unlocking the mystery of how much sand Harvey deposited.
RD Kissling and Tim Garfield reasoned that if they could calculate the percentage of above-water growth during Harvey from satellite images, they could then apply that same percentage to the total volume of sand deposited below water between 2011 and 2018.
Calculation for visible “above water” growth of the mouth bar during Harvey.
But to determine the total volume added between 2011 and 2018, they first had to:
Digitize the difference map
Create polygons around the different colors
Calculate the area of the polygons
Multiply area times thickness for each
Add up the results.
Digitized difference map shows boundaries between areas of different thickness.Multiplying the area of the polygons times the thickness from the difference map yielded volumes for each area.
Tetra Tech Delays May Push Project Past Deadline
According to Costello, the City hired a company called Tetra Tech in early January to calculate the Harvey volume. He said they would do that by harvesting and analyzing core samples. The City expected the results of their study by the end of January. But when I talked to Costello in mid-February, he said Tetra Tech still had not finished harvesting core samples and that he wasn’t expecting results of their analysis until the end of February or early March.
Pro Bono Effort Might Save Taxpayers $18 Million
Kissling and Garfield developed their methodology and donated their time to help save money and to get the mouth bar removed before the start of the next hurricane season. If the current dredging program can be extended before the end of April, taxpayers could save the cost of recommissioning all the equipment. That could total $18 million.
The two geologists reasoned that their methodology would give all parties a basis for allowing the dredging to continue. Then, if Tetra Tech came back later with a different figure, the contract could be adjusted up or down.
I am presenting it here to start a dialog that leads to additional dredging without incurring the cost of remobilizing the massive amount of equipment now on the river.
Estimate is Only a Fraction of What Needs to Be Removed
Kissling and Garfield emphasize that this is just a start. Even if all 268,000 cubic yards were removed, the river would still be up to 20 feet shallower than at the time of impoundment. They hope this leads to a broader discussion of additional dredging which could be financed through other sources, such as the county flood bond and Proposition A. Finally, they point out the need for maintenance dredging after major floods to keep the sediment buildup at sub-critical levels.
Said Garfield, “We are confident this estimate of Harvey-specific sedimentation on the mouth bar is reasonable and should be used to support FEMA funded continuation of dredging. However, removing that volume alone still won’t solve the problem, because the mouth bar is much bigger than that and it remains the largest restriction of flow conveyance to the lake.”
Garfield continued:
“At a minimum, to restore flow and reduce flood risk, a 300-400’ wide channel 20’-25’ deep needs to be dredged to connect the river from the upstream dredging now nearing completion, through the mouth bar, to the FM1960 bridge. That is at least 5 or 6 times as much sediment as our estimate of what FEMA can fund, but without that the recent dredging alone has not solved the flood risk problem in our area.”
Posted by Bob Rehak on February 24, 2019 with help from R.D. Kissling and Tim Garfield
544 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Harvey-SanJac_437-cropped-e1775595968700.jpg?fit=1100%2C456&ssl=14561100adminadmin2019-02-23 22:18:462019-02-24 18:58:59Local Geologists Develop Way to Estimate Volume of Sediment in Mouth Bar Due to Harvey
Houston City Council Member Dave Martin issued an alert on Feb. 22, 2019, stating that the Coastal Water Authority will soon lower the level of Lake Houston for dam repairs. The City is warning all property and boat owners to take appropriate action.
Lake Houston has an extensive overflow spillway system.
First Step in 18 Month Process
The Coastal Water Authority plans to lower Lake Houston by 12 inches starting Monday, February 25, for scheduled maintenance on the dam. This is the first step in an 18-month project to improve the dam’s stability.
The Lake Houston Dam during Hurricane Harvey Flooding. According to Harris County Flood Control’s final report on Harvey, An estimated discharge of 425,000 cfs or 5.0 times the average flow of Niagara Falls occurred at the peak flow over the Lake Houston spillway. This amount of flow would fill NRG Stadium in 3.5 minutes.
Scope of Dam Repairs
Property owners should secure property along the shoreline before the lowering begins. The planned maintenance includes rehabilitation of two weir structures on the downstream portion of the dam.
This preliminary work includes performing inspections and measurements which is the purpose for lowering the level of the lake on Monday. Once preliminary work is completed, the lake will be allowed to refill naturally. The lower lake level is expected to last approximately one week.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/23/2019
543 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/LakeHoustonDamDuringHarvey.jpg?fit=1500%2C968&ssl=19681500adminadmin2019-02-23 15:35:372019-02-23 15:35:43City to Lower Lake Houston for Dam Repairs
As we approach the 18 month anniversary of Harvey next week, I am struck by how little we have actually accomplished in terms of flood mitigation. And as the election season heats up, I am also forced to wonder whether changes at City Hall could accelerate the effort.
Looking Back at the Effort to Date
After Harvey, it took several months to analyze the causes of flooding, identify possible solutions, and build political consensus around them. We did that. As a community, we identified four major improvements that we needed: additional flood gates for Lake Houston, additional dredging (through the mouth bar), additional upstream detention, and ditch repairs.
We actually got Phase 1 of the dredging started. And then…nothing. We’ve had six months of virtually nothing. That leads me to wonder whether people were simply telling us what we wanted to hear. Worse, some of the hard won gains seem to be drifting away. For instance…
Change in Direction at County Level
Instead of attacking projects on a worst-first basis, the new county judge has asked the flood control district to reorder priorities for project implementation. Next week, the judge and commissioners will review a protocol that favors neighborhoods with low to moderate income and gives no weight whatsoever to massive infrastructure damage, such as Kingwood sustained. The loss of:
An interstate highway bridge for ten months.
A high school and three other school district facilities totaling $100,000,000
Two-thirds of the buildings at Kingwood College costing $60 million and taking 18 months to repair.
100% of the businesses in two major commercial centers (Kings Harbor and Town Center)
Most of a third commercial district (US 59) destroyed up to FM1960
Damage to 3,300 businesses that employed a large percentage of the local population – 44% of all the business in the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce
Memorial Hermann’s new hospital facility that was days away from opening
Disruption of northbound rail traffic out of the City of Houston for months
Nursing homes and senior assisted living devastated
…all that suddenly counts for nothing now…unless the prevailing political winds change.
Flooding is a public safety issue. We wouldn’t allow the county to say, “affluent neighborhoods don’t deserve police protection for the next 10-15 years.” When it comes to safety, neither rich, nor poor, should be disadvantaged. But that’s our next battle. I digress.
What have we gotten? Approval of a $2+ million study of the entire river basin that will take at least a year to complete. Astoundingly, approving the grant took almost a year in itself.
At what point do you say, “The system is no longer working for me. It’s time for officials to deliver. We need to hold them accountable”? When do you say, “It’s time to bet on someone new to get results”?
It’s Time to Deliver or Else
We may not be there yet. But inevitably, election season raises these questions. One thing is certain. If incumbents don’t show results between now and November, I’m voting for change. I’m not going to cut people slack for four more years. The risk is too high.
Kingwood Has the Power to Change the Outcome
In that regard, someone reminded me today about how close the last mayoral campaign actually was. And how Kingwood could have easily changed the outcome.
Only 4,000 votes City-wide determined the winner of the last election. 28,000 registered Kingwood voters did not vote.
I’m not saying Turner has ignored Kingwood. The cleanup was impressive. But we’ve had several opportunities to jumpstart mitigation projects such as additional gates and dredging that have sputtered since then. And the City is trying to turn over ditch maintenance to the County, whose marching orders suddenly favor low-to-moderate income.
Turner has several months to turn things around. If he can’t, I suspect a much higher percentage of Kingwood voters will turn out in November. And we clearly have the capacity to change the outcome if we choose.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/23/2019
543 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/I-votecd.jpg?fit=6016%2C4016&ssl=140166016adminadmin2019-02-22 21:57:172019-02-22 21:57:23Sometimes the Difference Between Winning and Losing is Showing Up
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has just released a video that shows dredging equipment at work. Shot from the river, it gives viewers a rare glimpse into a world few will ever see first hand.
Where All the Sand is Going
As equipment moves downriver, the Corps is piping sand back upstream to two placement areas. Sand from Dredge #1 currently operating near Kings Harbor is piping sand back to an old sand pit on Townsend south of the river and east of US59. The second dredge, currently operating south of the Kingwood Country Club is piping sand to another old pit on Sorters Road just south of Kingwood College.
Make Sure Your Kids and Grandkids See This
If you have a child or grandchild who likes to play with earth-moving equipment, make sure you show them this video. Then take them down to Kings Harbor to see it in person. It really is very impressive. Who knows? It might encourage them to take up a career in engineering!
Some Mind-Boggling Statistics
The equipment currently deployed on the West Fork of the San Jacinto is moving enough sand and sediment to fill the Astrodome. And it’s moving it six miles upstream! The Corps originally estimated the volume of sediment at 1.8 million cubic yards. The video now estimates the volume at 1.9 million cubic yards.
Sand moves through the pipeline at 11 feet/second. That means it takes about 45 minutes to get to its destination. That’s much faster than a truck could be loaded and make the round trip.
These sections of pipe are welded into strings of pipe about a quarter of a mile long and FLOATED into place.
Each section has a steel-collar to help keep it submerged once it’s in the river and filled with slurry.
The strings are then welded together to form continuous pipelines more than 30,000 feet long that lead back to the placement areas. Those 30,000 feet of pipeline weigh about 3 million pounds when empty.
There are two pipelines working simultaneously. Total weight: about 6 million pounds.All of this, including the dredges themselves, had to be trucked in and assembled on site.
Mouth Bar Status Still a Question
These statistics help explain why mobilization was such a huge part of the cost of this job – about 25% or $18 million. It also helps explain why everyone is so eager to resolve the mouth bar issue before this job is finished. If we could keep the equipment working, taxpayers could save the cost of a second mobilization.
Alas, still no news on that front. At last report, the City was still trying to determine how much sand was deposited DURING Harvey. FEMA refuses to pay to remove sand that was there BEFORE Harvey. They say that was deferred maintenance and the City’s responsibility.
I hope we resolve that quickly. $18 million might actually pay for all the sand that needs to be removed. Said another way, if that’s true, we might be able to get the sand removed at no additional cost! More to follow on that point.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/22/2019
542 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Dredging-e1753753680332.jpg?fit=1100%2C608&ssl=16081100adminadmin2019-02-21 19:21:322019-02-21 19:35:42New Army Corps Video Shows Dredging Equipment At Work
