For Earth Week: Sand Mine Reclamation Regulations Needed

Texas requires a reclamation plan to get a permit for sand mining. However, according to a spokesperson for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas has no requirement to execute the plan when mining is done – except for a small pilot project on the Brazos River. Unscrupulous miners can and do walk away from mines without reclaiming the land when they are finished mining.

Abandoned sand mine in Humble, TX. No fencing. No grading. No vegetation on slopes. Note proximity to buildings on adjoining property and road.

No Attempts at Reclamation for 15 Mines in a Mile Radius

Abandoned sand mines like the one above on North Houston Avenue and Townsend blight the Humble area.  Across the street sits another abandoned mine and a concrete recycling facility. 

Abandoned concrete crushing facility once part of sand mine in Humble, TX.

A quick check of Google Earth shows that fifteen other abandoned sand pits lay in about a one mile radius near these. TACA, the Texas Aggregate and Concrete Association brags about how mines can be reclaimed, but are they?

Theory Vs. Reclamation Practice

We have the appearance of sand mine regulation. In practice, since the TCEQ began monitoring sand mines in 2011, the commission has levied only a few hundred fines statewide averaging about $800 per fine. That’s a slap on the wrist. Meanwhile, blights like these keep promising areas from re-developing. In the name of helping some businesses, bad actors in the industry harm others…and entire communities. Yet TACA fights legislative fixes.

Potential Legislative Fixes Falter

Two bills introduced in the legislature this year could help address this problem. Both have stalled in committee.

  • HB 1671 extends protections to the West Fork of the San Jacinto currently enjoyed by the John Graves District on the Brazos. It would require local mines to file a bond that guarantees reclamation before they begin mining. HB1671 was referred to the Natural Resources committee on March 4. Nothing has happened with it since then.
  • HB 2871 would require sand mines and other aggregate production operations to acquire a reclamation permit and to file a performance bond ensuring reclamation. Significantly, they would have to do both of these things before they could acquire a production permit. It also attaches civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance. The House Energy Resources committee heard public testimony on HB2871 on April 8, but the bill was left pending in committee. Again, nothing has happened with it since then.

With 38 days left in the legislative session, hopes for both bills are fading fast.

If this makes you angry, register your opinion.

First in a New Series

In coming days, I’ll illustrate other best practices where Texas falls short (and sometimes flat) compared to other states. The series will culminate with a peek inside the multi-million lobbying efforts of TACA.

I’m all for being business friendly, but when that starts to hurt other businesses and residents, I draw the line. That’s not being business friendly; that’s playing favorites.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/22/19

601 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 38 days left in the legislative session

Act Now to Reduce Sediment Due to Sand Mining

Sand mines aren’t the only source of sediment on the West Fork, but humans can and must control them. Upstream from Kingwood, on the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto, we have approximately 20 square miles of mines.

Contributing to Erosion and Sedimentation

Several key facts about them:

  • Virtually all are at least partially in the floodway (meaning they’re in the main current of the river during floods).
A small portion of the sand mines upstream from Kingwood on the east and west forks of the San Jacinto. Red Cross-hatched areas represent the floodway. Sand mines are the bright areas in the bottom layer. Aqua represents 100-year flood plain, brown the 500-year.
  • Texas has no laws requiring a minimum setback from the river. As a consequence the river runs right through them during floods, often breaching dikes.
Memorial Day Flood in 2015 ruptured the dikes on these sand mines on both sides of the West Fork. Floods don’t have to be this major to rupture dikes. I’m aware of four ruptures last year during the July 4 and December 7 floods.
  • The process of “river” or “pit capture” creates erosion both upstream and down, as this video demonstrates.

HB 509 and HB 2871 Can Help

Two bills being heard tomorrow by the Texas House Energy Affairs committee could help address all of these issues.

HB509 allows Texas Railroad Commission to regulate aggregate production operations (APOs) with the TCEQ. Before mining can start, it requires: a hydrologic impact study, public notice, public hearings, and provides fines up to $10,000 and 1-year in jail for false statements.

The hydrologic impact study must take into account the cumulative impact of all mines in an area. This is critical for an area such as the West Fork, which is heavily over-mined.

HB 2871 requires sand mines and other aggregate production operations to acquire a reclamation permit and to file a performance bond ensuring reclamation. Significantly, they would have to do both of these things before they could acquire a production permit. It also attaches civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance.

Both Bills Deserve Our Support

They can help make a difference and could help reduce sedimentation due to human sources.

Consider them together with other bills in the House Environmental Regulation Committee (House Bills 907, 908, 909 and 1671) that would create a series of best practices for sand mines, stiffen penalties for violations, and create a water quality control district between Lake Conroe and Lake Houston.

Your First Chance As an Individual to Make A Difference

HB 509 and HB 2871 will be the first bills actually considered since Harvey that could reduce the amount of sediment clogging the San Jacinto and Lake Houston.

Dredging that sediment could potentially cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Obviously, that’s not something the City, County, State and FEMA can fund regularly. So we must takes steps to stop dangerous sand mining practices now.

Ultimately we must require sand mines to move out of the floodway. And we must attach penalties if their dikes breach during floods. That will force miners to establish greater setbacks that reduce the likelihood of pit capture.

Please Help NOW! Here’s How

So please take fifteen minutes and email the members of the House Energy Affairs Committee before they convene tomorrow. Make your voice heard. Reduce the sediment coming downstream that backs up the river and ditches, contributing to flooding. Email address and a sample letter are below.

Chris Paddie, Chairman (Marshall/Northeast Texas)
chris.paddie@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0556

Abel Herrero, Vice Chairman (Corpus Christi area)
abel.herrero@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0462

Rafael Anchia (NW Dallas)
rafael.anchia@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0746

Ernest Bailes (Huntsville, Liberty)
ernest.bailes@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0570

Tom Craddick (Midland area)
tom.craddick@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0500

Drew Darby (San Angelo area)
drew.darby@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0331

Charlie Geren (NW Fort Worth)
charlie.geren@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0610

Roland Gutierrez (SE San Antonio, Live Oak, Universal City, Converse)
roland.gutierrez@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0452

Cody Harris (Hillsboro, Corsicana, Palestine)
cody.harris@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0730

Mary Ann Perez (Pasadena, Baytown)
maryann.perez@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0460

Jon Rosenthal (Far NW Houston)
jon.rosenthal@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0722

Here is a sample letter of support for HB 509 and HB 2871. Don’t forget to update it with your own contact information.

Spread the Word

If you have friends or relatives living in any districts below, reach out to them: their voices as constituents may be even more powerful. Please call or write and encourage friends and relatives to do the same.

Hill Country representatives authored both bills, and considerable support exists for them outside this area. Hill Country concerns differ slightly from ours because different types of APOs operate there – rock quarries. But the rules that help Hill Country people will help us.

Posted by Bob Rehak on April 7, 2019

586 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Deed Restrictions on Northern Parcels of Romerica Land

I previously discussed the deed restrictions on the southern portion of Romerica land, where they plan to build most of their high rises. The southern portion is deed restricted to single family residential. That usually means “one family in one house on one lot.”

The largest, northern portion of the land purchased by Romerica for its development between Kingwood Lakes and the Barrington has deed restrictions, too. The restrictions on Romerica’s northern parcels are not quite as limiting, but still conflict in some ways with the developer’s announced plans.

Discussion applies to Romerica parcels roughly outlined in red.

Retail Restrictions

The 29.094 acre parcel of property (green area) adjacent to Woodland Hills is limited to “…church, school, townhomes, triplexes, amenity retail, not to exceed a total of 8,000 square feet for community based retail services such as a restaurant, snack bar, cleaners, ice cream parlor, bar, coffee shop, bakery, gym or other retail…”

While Romerica primarily plans condos for this northern section, this may conflict with plans announced on one of the developer’s many web sites – for almost 900,000 square feet of retail.

Multi-Family Low- to Mid-Rise For-Sale Housing

That parcel may also be used for offices, or low- to mid-rise, for-sale, multi-housing residential and patio homes.

Other parcels east of the first one are limited to offices or low- to mid-rise, for-sale, multi-housing, townhomes or triplexes, residential, patio homes and a conference center. Romerica has said it plans to put its 50-story hotel and conference center south of the Barrington, where land is restricted to single-family residential.

In Harmony with Surrounding Architecture

All design and architecture must be in harmony with the surrounding areas’.

So much for homes on stilts! Romerica had planned to build its condos on stilts to reduce the amount of fill needed to elevate homes out of the flood plain.

Specifically EXCLUDED: For-rent apartments, traditional single family homes, and duplexes.

Drainage Liability

The developer must also consider the impact that any improvements have on off-site and on-site drainage patterns. If the developer adversely impacts the drainage of adjoining property, the developer must correct the condition to the satisfaction of the adjoining land owner(s).

Surface drainage must go to underground storm drain structures. This could conflict with Romerica’s canal network.

Retail, Open Space, Parking and Height Restrictions

The deed restrictions also prohibit certain types of retail establishments. They include gas stations, night clubs, “adult” establishments, or funeral homes.

A minimum 20% open space requirement applies. All parking and buildings must sit back a minimum of 50 feet from property lines.

Deed restrictions limit building height to five stories. The roof line may not extend more than 65 feet above the slab.

No Boats or Trailers

Significantly, NO BOATS OR TRAILERS may be stored on the property. that could be a disappointment for people who buy condos as part of a marina resort.

For Complete List of Restrictions

To read the exact text in its entirely, click here and scroll down to exhibit B.

Please note: Roman Arrow, listed in the deed is one of more than 35 companies owned by Romerica’s two managers. Also note: Romerica and its related companies own additional parcels that may have other deed restrictions.

The thoughts expressed in this post 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 4/6/2019

585 Days after Hurricane Harvey

Energy Resources Committee Hearing Testimony Monday on Bill To Regulate Quarry Reclamation

People in the Hill Country are up in arms about aggregate production operations (APOs). The Lake Houston Area is not alone. State Representative Kyle Biedermann of Fredericksburg has introduced yet another bill to regulate APOs. Biedermann’s bill, HB2871 focuses on mine reclamation. His bill targets APOs that quarry and crush rock, but the bill, if passed, would affect sand mines in our area, too.

Focus on Reclamation

HB2871 requires miners to acquire a reclamation permit BEFORE they can acquire a production permit. It would also require them to file a performance bond ensuring reclamation BEFORE acquiring that production permit.

Abandoned sand pit in Humble remains unfenced despite being next to areas where children play.

Gives Primary Enforcement Responsibility to Railroad Commission

HB2871 places the burden of enforcement on the Texas Railroad Commission. However, it allows the Railroad Commission to use the resources of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

I first learned about HB2871 from a Hill County group protesting the permitting of a quarry. They approached me asking for support. It certainly appears that our interests align. And the author wrote the bill in such a way that it would apply to this area, too. I have previously blogged about the problem of abandoned and unsafe sand pits. We have many in the Lake Houston area. Once the last truckload of profit goes out of a mine, owners have little incentive to reclaim it.

Currently, owners are required to file a reclamation plan before getting a reclamation permit, but there is no requirement to actually execute the plan when they are done mining.

This page on the Hill Country group’s web site explains their loss of faith in the TCEQ, and hence, their desire to have the Railroad Commission oversee regulation.

How to Act NOW

On Monday, the House Energy Resources Committee will consider HB 509 and HB 2871. Representatives Biedermann, Wilson, and their staff have worked hard to draft these bills. Now we need to back them and help get them passed into law! HB 509, you may remember, requires a permitting agency to consider the aggregate impact of multiple mining operations in a small area before permitting any more.

Below are the names, phone numbers and email addresses of all the members of the House Energy Resources Committee who are soliciting comments. If you have friends or relatives living in any districts below, reach out to them: their voices as constituents may be even more powerful. Please call or write and encourage friends and relatives to do the same.

Chris Paddie, Chairman (Marshall/Northeast Texas)
chris.paddie@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0556

Abel Herrero, Vice Chairman (Corpus Christi area)
abel.herrero@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0462

Rafael Anchia (NW Dallas)
rafael.anchia@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0746

Ernest Bailes (Huntsville, Liberty)
ernest.bailes@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0570

Tom Craddick (Midland area)
tom.craddick@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0500

Drew Darby (San Angelo area)
drew.darby@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0331

Charlie Geren (NW Fort Worth)
charlie.geren@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0610

Roland Gutierrez (SE San Antonio, Live Oak, Universal City, Converse)
roland.gutierrez@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0452

Cody Harris (Hillsboro, Corsicana, Palestine)
cody.harris@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0730

Mary Ann Perez (Pasadena, Baytown)
maryann.perez@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0460

Jon Rosenthal (Far NW Houston)
jon.rosenthal@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0722

Here is a SAMPLE EMAIL developed by the Hill Country group. Remember to tweak the copy so that it applies to this area, not just the Hill Country.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/5/2019

584 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Romerica Spokespeople Address High-Rise Project Phasing at Lake-Houston-Area-Chamber BizCom Event

Leah Manlove Howard of John Manlove Marketing and Communications and Michelle Hundley of Stratus Consulting gave a 14-minute presentation on the Romerica high-rise project today to members of the Lake Houston Chamber. For those who attended Romerica’s 2-hour public meeting at the Kingwood Community Center in March, there wasn’t much new. However, the spokespeople did discuss project phasing this time.

The three areas labeled “project area” would be developed from top to bottom. See below.

Phases of Development: North to South

Ms. Howard indicated that there would be three phases of development – in this order.

  1. Northern section containing condos
  2. Middle section containing retail
  3. Southern section containing high-rise commercial development, condos, hotel, and marina.

Responding to Public Comments is Next Step

Developing all three areas could take years. Regarding immediate next steps, Ms. Howard said the developer’s team expects to receive public comments by Friday, April 5. They must be answered and returned by April 27. She predicted the Corps will hold a public hearing approximately four months after that. Ms. Hundley said that it could be two years before a permit could be issued. She also said it might be ten years before development started.

Emphasizing Importance of “Fixing River”

Throughout the meeting, Ms. Howard reiterated Gabriel Haddad’s main themes from the community center meeting in March:

  • Conceptual thinking on the project began years before Harvey
  • Concerns raised by community members and planning for an event like Harvey would ultimately improve the project
  • Any development remains contingent on making the river and lake navigable again, because the centerpiece of the project is a resort marina/hotel.
  • The tax revenue generated by the project could help fund long-term maintenance dredging of the river that keeps it navigable.

Meeting in Austin Next Week

The Romerica team will meet legislators in Austin next week to discuss funding for “fixing” the lake and river. They will be meeting with “leaders that can make something happen.” Later when asked to clarify who they would meet, Ms Howard elaborated. According to Bill Fowler, one of the leaders of the Lake Houston Area Grass Roots Flood Prevention Initiative, she said “Huberty, Creighton, and committee heads in charge of appropriations.”

Core Questions Not Really Addressed

Ms. Howard began her presentation by saying Romerica’s condos would be “different.” By that, she meant “built on stilts”. After the presentation, I asked her where all the fill was going if everything would be built on stilts. Like the CivilTech engineer at the earlier meeting, she did not provide an answer. Neither did she answer Bill Fowler’s question about the previous experience of the developers.

Both Fowler and I then requested a small meeting with the developers and their team of experts to discuss answers to such questions. They include:

  • How developers intend to get around deed restrictions
  • How they hope to evacuate thousands of people living in the floodway during floods.

To her credit, Ms. Howard at least acknowledged that Romerica needed to answer the last question. However, she didn’t have a firm plan yet. She said they still hope Hamblen Road can be connected with Woodland Hills and implied that could help with evacuation efforts. However, she did not address raising Hamblen or how that could affect flooding of nearby properties. No meeting has been set at this point to discuss any of these issues.

Posted by Bob Rehak on April 4, 2019

583 Days after Hurricane Harvey

Statewide Flood Plan: Another Reason to Support Creighton’s SB7

For several weeks, I have been posting about why Senate Bill 7 (SB7) deserves our support. I focused mainly on the flood mitigation dollars it would provide and how it could accelerate projects that actually reduce flood risk.

Senator Creighton’s office provided this link to an interview that Austin television station KXAN did with him. It focuses heavily on another aspect of the bill: the development of a statewide flood plan.

Follow this link to see the three-minute segment.

SB7 passed the Senate unanimously and was referred to the House Natural Resources Committee on March 28.

The House is currently considering a bill that would do some of the same things: HB13. The Natural Resources Committee reported favorably on it, but the Calendars Committee has not yet scheduled it for debate in the House.

The low numbers on both of these bills indicate that they are high priorities within their respective chambers. I suspect at some point in the near future a conference committee will try to reconcile the best aspects of both bills.

In the meantime, Senator Creighton’s bill is out of the gate faster and farther down the road. It deserves all the support we can give it.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/4/2019

583 Days since Hurricane Harvey

A Dirty Job, But Someone Has To Do It: Life of a Dredger on the West Fork

Since last September, the Army Corps of Engineers has had two contractors, each with approximately 30 people, working 24/7 on the the West Fork of the San Jacinto.

Moving 1.9 Million Cubic Yards of Earth

Together, they’re removing approximately 1.9 million cubic yards of sediment left behind by Hurricane Harvey that is blocking the conveyance of the river. It’s hard to move that much sand and silt without getting your hands dirty, as these pictures by the Army Corps clearly demonstrate.

One crew started at River Grove and is working downstream toward the mid-point of a 2.1 mile stretch of the West Fork. The other started at the mid-point and is working downstream toward where Ben’s Branch enters the river, just past Kings Harbor.

The Corps uses approximately 10 miles of 22- and 24-inch pipeline weighing more than 5 million pounds to pump sediment from the river back upstream to two placement areas. One is south of Kingwood College off Sorters Road, shown below. The other is off Townsend in Humble.
The pipe floating in the foreground is rubber and designed to float. This gives the dredge room to maneuver. The pipe in the background with the orange flotation collars is rubber and bends a little. The steel pipe above does not bend.
Farm Boy is helping to anchor the dredge while a service boat transfers crew.
Looking toward the rear of the dredge. The blue part is the pump. The red containers in the background house electric motors. Cables tie the dredge to a CenterPoint substation in Forest Cove.
Before dredging, this giant dune almost completely blocked the West Fork about a half mile downstream from River Grove Park. The Great Lakes Dredge and Dock crew is still working to remove it. While it looks like all sand from the air, beneath the surface, crews are encountering dead trees and roots that get caught in cutter baskets on the dredge. (Photo by Bob Rehak)
When that happens, productivity slows and crews must manually pick the material from the chisels on the dredge.
Note the pile of roots and sticks growing the men.
Here you get a better idea of how the roots and vines can clog the intakes on the cutter head. Dredging needs to stop many times each day to remove this material.
The “chisels” on the cutter head break up sand which the “cutter basket” then sweeps up. Pumps inside the steel cage suck the sand into the pipe and pump it back upstream to placement areas.
Once the dredge starts pumping again, the flow must be calibrated with three booster pumps attached to each line. At least one crew member mans each booster pump to coordinate with the others. They must avoid over- or under-pressure situations.
This shows a close up of one of the three booster pumps used by Great Lakes, the Army Corps’ lead contractor on the job. Callan Marine is a subcontractor to Great Lakes and also has three booster pumps.
This shot gives you an idea of how massive these pipelines are…
…and how much sediment they can pump per minute. There’s enough sediment moving here to fill up a dump truck in less than a minute.
The Eagle Sorters Mine is dredging this pit even as Army Corp contractors fill it up. Sand and silt recovered from the river may wind up in roadbeds or be used for mortar in the construction trades.

1.4 Million Cubic Yards Recovered to Date

Corps Engineers said that since Sept. 20, 2018, approximately 1.4 million cubic yards of Hurricane Harvey silt and debris have been pumped into the two placement areas. Ultimately, they expect to pump approximately 1.8 -1.9 million cubic yards to meet FEMA requirements, restore the river to pre-Harvey conditions, and to reduce flood risks.

Safety Warning

These images illustrate why boaters should stay away from the West Fork for now. It’s not safe. The FEMA funded emergency flood action should complete in early May, 2019.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/3/2019 with images courtesy of the Army Corps of Engineers

582 Days since Hurricane Harvey


Next Countdown Clock Starts Ticking for Romerica’s High-Rise Development in Kingwood

The Galveston District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Branch announced today public comments were forwarded to Romerica Investments, LLC, regarding permit application SWG-2016-00384 for a project in Kingwood, Texas.

Poster of Commercial District displayed by Romerica at Kingwood Public Meeting on 3/18/2019

Thirty Days from March 28

“We appreciate the time and effort of those concerned to meet the extended deadline,” said Elizabeth Shelton, a USACE Galveston District Regulatory project manager. “We have forwarded the public notice comments received to the applicant for response by letter dated 28 March 2019.  The applicant has 30 days from the date of the letter to respond to the comments received.”

That means Romerica has until April 27 to respond to the hundreds of letters written by concerned residents and environmental groups. At this point, that means they have 24 days left to respond.

Discharge of Fill into Wetlands and Streams

Shelton said the Corps Regulatory Division’s role, in this permit application, is to evaluate, under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the proposed activity, the discharge of fill material into waters of the U.S., and the compliance of this proposed activity with other Federal laws, as applicable.

“The Division is evaluating the discharge of 68,323 cubic yards of fill material into 42.35 acres of wetlands and an estimated 285 cubic yards of fill material into 771 linear feet of streams adjacent to the West Fork of the San Jacinto River,” said Shelton.

The initial close of comment period was January 29. Corps Regulatory Division officials made the decision to allow for 30 additional days which extended the comment period to March 1. 

The notice can be viewed at: https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Media/Public-Notices/Article/1722068/swg-2016-00384-romerica-investments-llc-west-fork-of-the-san-jacinto-river-harr/

Romerica At BizCom

Romerica will be giving a brief presentation at the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce BizCom meeting, on Thursday, April 4th, , 11 a.m., at Kingwood Park High School. Ms. Leah Manlove Howard, CMC, Chief Strategy Officer, VP and Program Chair of the American Advertisers Federation – Houston; and Michelle Hundley, President & CEO, Stratus Consulting will deliver the Heron Project Update, according to the Chamber.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/3/2019

582 Days since Hurricane Harvey

How Harvey Affected Houstonians Physically and Mentally

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, more than 10,000 rescue missions were conducted, $125 billion worth of damage was reported, and more 700,000 residents registered for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance. The storm caused so much property damage, that the damage to people’s health has largely been overlooked. Documenting that damage has been the goal of the Hurricane Harvey Registry and Rice University in collaboration with many local government, environmental and health care leaders.

Key Findings of Hurricane Harvey Registry

Their first report issued in February, 2019, reflects the input of almost 10,000 respondents. Among this self-selected sample:

  • 44% experienced flooded homes
  • 55% had damaged homes
  • 34% had vehicle damage
  • 43% lost electricity
  • 41% lost income

Almost half lost the use of their homes for 20 weeks. Sixty-five percent had to live among piles of trash for seven weeks; that’s the average time it took to clear piles.

People who experienced flooding were at risk for exposure to sewage, toxic chemicals, and other hazardous substances. Lack of knowledge, proper cleaning materials, and protective gear increased health risk. Exposure to mold, bacteria and toxins have been linked to new and worsening respiratory conditions.

Most Common Physical Maladies

Among the physical symptoms people showed:

  • 50% complained of runny noses
  • 26% experienced headaches or migraines
  • 23% had problems concentrating
  • 20% had shortness of breath
  • 10% experienced skin rash.

People who lived in homes during cleanup reported much higher incidences of these problems than those who lived with relatives or somewhere else.

From page 9 of the Hurricane Harvey Registry Report. Share your Harvey experience at HarveyRegistry.rice.edu.

Psychological Aspects Revealed by Hurricane Harvey Registry

Property loss and damage correlate highly with poor mental health among hurricane survivors. Unemployment, physical illness or injury, and housing insecurity related to hurricanes have also been linked to mental health problems.

  • 37% of respondents reported difficulty sleeping “sometimes or always”
  • 33% reported feeling “numb” sometimes or always
  • 30% reported dreaming about the flood sometimes or always

The report explores many other psychological dimensions of the aftermath.

Interestingly, psychological reactions to natural disasters occur in waves of emotional highs and lows. They take place well beyond the event’s anniversary and reveal an inability to put the storm behind them.

Difficulty of Putting Past Behind

Compared to those who didn’t flood, people who DID flood were almost THREE times more likely to say they OFTEN:

  • “..tried not to think about it.”
  • …”had waves of strong feelings about it.”
  • “…thought about it when I didn’t mean to.” Or…
  • “Other things kept making me think about it.”

They were FIVE times more likely to say that they were aware that “I still had a lot of feelings about it, but I didn’t deal with them.”

Unmet Needs Revealed by Study

Researchers hope their work will help the region better understand and identify gaps in air quality regulations and help devise better intervention efforts aimed at addressing asthma within the state.

They also note that mental health services remain a significant need for the entire region. “Oftentimes, in the aftermath of traumatic stress,” they say, “it can take months for mental health conditions to manifest.”

Long-term displacement, financial challenges, and adverse health effects all contribute to anxiety, stress, persistent headaches, and other mental health related symptoms.

The researchers request that if you have not registered already, please make sure to visit HarveyRegistry.rice.edu. If you have friends, family, or neighbors in the region who have not registered, please make sure to share the link with them.

To view the full list of more than 50 researchers and sponsors who contributed to the Hurricane Harvey Registry project, download the full report.

Posted by Bob Rehak on April 2, 2019

581 Days since Hurricane Harvey

SRJA Begins Seasonal Lowering of Lake Conroe to Provide Buffer Against Flooding

On April 1, The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) began releasing water from Lake Conroe at a slow, controlled rate to help guard against flooding this spring. This is the first of two seasonal lowering periods scheduled this year.

Details of Lowering Policy

  • From April 1 to May 31, SJRA will lower Lake Conroe one foot from 201 to 200 msl (mean feet above sea level).
  • During the peak of hurricane season, from August 1 to September 30th, SJRA will lower the lake two feet to 199 msl.

If the lake level has already dropped to the target elevation due to evaporation, no additional releases would be made.

If a storm enters the forecast while seasonal releases are being made, releases would be stopped until rainfall is out of the forecast to avoid overloading the downstream watershed.

For the complete text of the SJRA’s seasonal lowering policy, click here.

Rationale for Seasonal Lowering

Yesterday, SJRA began releasing water at the rate of about 375 cubic feet per second (cfs). This rate is slow enough that it will not flood downstream communities, yet fast enough that, over time, it will give Lake Conroe extra capacity to absorb heavy, spring rains.

On April 1, the SJRA began lowering the level of Lake Conroe by 345 cubic feet per second.

“We should not forget that the Tax Day and Memorial Day floods both happened in the spring,” said Chuck Gilman, SJR’s Director of Water Resources and Flood Management.

Gilman emphasized that the seasonal lowering strategy is temporary while downstream communities address their own flood mitigation strategies such as dredging and additional gates for Lake Houston. Dredging will help restore conveyance of the San Jacinto river. Gates will increase the release rate of Lake Houston. Increasing the release rate is important for two main reasons:

  • The gates on Lake Houston have one fifteenth the release rate of Lake Conroe’s, creating a bottleneck – 150,000 cfs for Lake Conroe; 10,000 cfs for Lake Houston.
  • Pre-releasing water from Lake Houston in advance of a storm can take days. A storm can easily veer away during that time, resulting in wasted water. The long lead time significantly raises the level of that risk. More gates will enable the Coastal Water Authority to release water faster and reduce that risk.
Gates on the Lake Conroe Dam can release water 15X faster than the small gates on Lake Houston’s Dam.

Pressure Mounting on Board as Board Changes

During last February’s SJRA board meeting, the board voted to continue the lowering policy, which it began in 2018. However, lowering Lake Conroe has encountered pushback from boat owners who complain about the inconvenience. Board member Brenda Cooper voted against the lowering. All other board members who were present voted to continue it.

However, the board has seven directors and the terms of three will expire this year. As pressure mounts on the board and board members change, the seasonal lowering policy could be in jeopardy.

Mitigation Projects Also Pressured

All the more reason to dredge the mouth bar on the West Fork NOW! By the time Phase 1 is completed, it will have taken 15 months. But six months of that was surveying, bidding, and mobilizing the job. If FEMA and the Corps authorized dredging the mouth bar today, it could be completed before next spring. That would reduce the need to lower Lake Conroe again next year.

Stephen Costello, the City of Houston’s Chief Recovery Officer, speaking at a Kingwood Town Hall Meeting on March 21, said it could take 3 years to add 10 additional gates to Lake Houston. That was the best case. Others have previously estimated it could take 10 years.

It’s unlikely that residents of Lake Conroe would tolerate seasonal lowering of their lake for 3 more years, let alone ten. The longer flood mitigation takes, the more pushback we can expect. That’s yet another reason why we need to accelerate mitigation projects.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/2/2019

581 Days since Hurricane Harvey