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Report on September Meeting of Lake Houston Area Grassroots Flood Prevention Initiative

Matt Zeve, Bill Fowler and I each made presentations at the Lake Houston Area Grassroots Flood Prevention initiative this evening.

Zeve Addresses Flood Bond and Flood Map Updates

Zeve, Director of Operations for Harris County Flood Control District spoke about the recently approved $2.5 billion Harris County Flood Bond and updates to flood maps. He indicated that timetables for projects should be completed within the next several weeks. He also indicated that the county has already approved drainage work in Huffman and fielded numerous questions from the audience about Taylor Gully, Ben’s Branch, upstream detention and more. Zeve expects flood maps to be updated in 2021 and stated that mitigation efforts could affect those, but that homeowners will have a chance to appeal them.

Rehak Presents Updates on Dredging, The Mouth Bar and Sand Mining

Bob Rehak updated residents on .Dredging, The Mouth Bar and Sand Mining. Dredging, he says, officially started today though not in the way that some expected. The first of two dredges launched today, a 270-ton diesel powered dredge. The launch had been delayed by a key part that had to be remanufactured and reshipped, then inclement weather. The tall construction cranes had to shut down every time lightning was heard in the area because they act like lightning rods. When the dredge finally started making it’s way downriver today, a mechanical dredge had to clear the way. The river was 18 inches deep in places but the dredge draws 3.5 feet of water. That’s how bad the sedimentation was; we needed a dredge for the dredge.

Dredging will take place to the left of the white line, but not to the right. Chimichurri’s in Kings Harbor is the dividing line. Those thousands of numbers on the image represent survey points by the Army Corps Average depth around the mouth bar is 1-3 feet. Max depth is 5 feet in some cross sections. Water will actually have to flow uphill about 40 feet to get past the mouth bar.

Dredging will start near Chimichurri’s just east of West Lake Houston Parkway. The Corps and Great Lakes will then work their way back toward River Grove Park. They expect to finish dredging by April 1, next year. Demobilization could take until early May.

Rehak also addressed the issue of the mouth bar and updated residents on political efforts by City, County, State and Federal officials to jumpstart the next phase of dredging before this one ends so that $18 million in mobilization and demobilization fees do not have to be duplicated for a second job. No plans have gelled yet, but Houston City Council Member Dave Martin may have an announcement to make at his Town Hall Meeting on October 9.

The final part of Rehak’s presentation addressed efforts to reduce sedimentation at its source to reduce the cost of dredging over the long run. Potential solutions include upstream detention, sand traps, and legislation or regulation that changes the way sand mines operate. Rehak specifically mentioned that moving sand mines out of the floodway would solve a host of problems.

Grassroots Co-Chair Clarifies Lake-Lowering Policies, Floodgate Possibilities, and Need for Flood Insurance

Bill Fowler, co-chair of the Lake Houston Area Grassroots Flood Prevention Initiative, opened the meeting by updating the community on policies to coordinate the lowering of Lake Conroe and Lake Houston to provide residents with extra protection from flooding when severe weather is expected. Fowler also gave an update on additional flood gates for Lake Houston. Then he discussed flood insurance and the related issue of redrawing flood plain maps which Harvey made obsolete. Copies of Fowler’s presentations can be found here.

Zeve did not work from a presentation. His remarks were supported by material from the Harris County Flood Control District website. He did, however, specifically urge residents to review the ever expanding Kingwood section of the site.

Diverse Audience of Approximately 200

Approximately 200 residents attended the meeting. Surprisingly, about a third of those did not flood during Harvey. The large turnout by non-flooded residents may have had to do with the flood insurance theme. Fowler emphasized that everyone needs flood insurance;

45 percent of the people who flooded in Harvey were outside of the 500-year flood plain and 64% of those did not have flood insurance.

Thanks to Volunteers

Many thanks to Dianne Lansden, also a co-chair for the Lake Houston Area Grassroots Flood Prevention Initiative for coordinating the meeting; Fran Barrack for refreshments and Bill McCabe for sign ins.

Posted by Bob Rehak on September 18, 2018

385 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Reminder: Monday Night Meeting of Grassroots Flood Prevention Initiative

The next meeting of the Lake Houston Area Grassroots Flood Prevention initiative will be Monday night, 6:30pm, at the Kingwood Community Center.

Matt Zeve, Deputy Executive Director for the Harris County Flood Control District, will discuss Lake Houston area projects approved in the recent County Flood Bond. Zeve will also address planned updates to Flood Plain Maps. The new maps could lead to increases in flood insurance rates and affect your home’s market value.

Meeting Specifics

Date: September 17, 2018
Time: 6:30 – 8:30
Place: Kingwood Community Center
Address: 4102 Rustic Woods, Kingwood

Matt Zeve. Director of Operations for Harris County Flood Control District

About Matt Zeve

Zeve is the Deputy Executive Director for the Harris County Flood Control District. He will be one of the people primarily responsible for planning and implementing the projects covered by the recently approved $2.5 billion Flood Bond program..

His work will affect 4.5 million people in Harris County, including the City of Houston. The District has jurisdiction over the primary stormwater facilities in the county, which consist of about 1,500 channels, totaling 2,500 miles in length, as well as more than 60 regional stormwater detention basins and a 2.5-square mile wetlands mitigation bank.

After graduating from Texas A&M University with Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering, Zeve successfully practiced engineering as a consultant in the private sector before joining the Harris County Flood Control District in November, 2015. He has spent his entire professional career working on drainage projects primarily in the Houston Metropolitan area.

Updates on Other Flood Issues

Additionally, Grass Roots leaders will update the community on other issues affecting the potential for flooding in the Lake Houston Area, such as additional flood gates for Lake Houston, dredging, sand mines, lowering of Lakes Conroe and Houston, and more.

If you have specific questions or concerns, please email them ahead of time so the group can prepare to address them. Send suggestions to: Bill Fowler, co-chair of the Grass Roots Initiative at txwil43@yahoo.com.

Spread the Word

Please forward this page t0 everyone you know in our area. Flood prevention impacts the peace of mind and economic well-being of everyone.

Posted September 16, 2018 by Bob Rehak

383 Days since Hurricane Harvey

First Dredge Moving Into Starting Position Sunday

All of the equipment for dredging the West Fork is now reportedly in the river and the first dredge should move to it’s starting position on Sunday.

Keith Jordan, a Kingwood geologist, flood-mitigation activist, and avid boater, sent me pictures today taken from the West Fork. They show dredging prep work by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Great Lakes Dredge and Dock. It appears, according to Keith, that they have now loaded all of their dredging equipment into the San Jacinto River and are ready to start actual dredging Sunday or Monday.

I know this must be a sweet moment for Keith. He was one of the first in Kingwood to raise the alarm about sediment in the river. He authored one of the early Post-Harvey presentations on sedimentation issues called “Dig It.” And he testified before the Texas House of Representatives committee looking into the causes of flooding during Harvey.

Keith generously agreed to share his images with the Lake Houston community. I’m not sure what each of these shows, but together they show a lot of hustle and heavy equipment.

Tender boat pushing pontoon with mechanical debris removal equipment

One of two dredges being made ready.

One of two dredges making ready

Dredge pipe on West Fork, part of USACE Emergency Dredging Project. The Corps and its vendor, Great Lakes Dredge and Dock, have welded hundreds of 40-foot sections into 1000 foot strings that will convey dredged material back to the placement sites.

Stay tuned. More news to follow. The first dredge will be moved into position Sunday, weather permitting, with actual dredging operations beginning on Monday. The starting point: West Lake Houston Parkway, near Chimichurri’s,

They will then move west, upstream, to River Grove Park, which is the westerly limit of dredging.

The Corps’ objective is to restore the West Fork’s carrying capacity to pre-Harvey conditions by opening up the channel. The project should last through next April.

They intend to remove 1.8 million cubic yards of sand and sediment, more than enough to fill up the Astrodome.

Posted by Bob Rehak (and Keith Jordan) on September 15, 2018

282 Days Since Hurricane Harvey

Another Storm Brewing: The Groundwater Debate and How It Relates to Flood Risk

Groundwater relates to flooding? Yes. Here’s how. And here’s why you should care, especially now.

In November, Montgomery County voters will elect board members to the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District who may advocate using more groundwater, a move that some believe could give residents cheaper water in the short run, but which could also cause subsidence, contribute to flooding, create shortages, raise costs and limit growth in the long run.

Unequal Groundwater Withdrawals, Unequal Subsidence

Subsidence is scientifically well documented and understood. Removing groundwater from clay causes the clay to compress. When that happens, you sink. And once clay is compressed, it stays compressed forever – even when rehydrated.

Yet some Montgomery County voters are advocating removing more groundwater because, at this moment, it’s cheaper than surface water. They are betting their future and their neighbors’ futures on it.

Subsidence can contribute to flooding because not everybody subsides equally. While Kingwood only subsided two feet in the last century, one part of Baytown subsided so much that it became uninhabitable in about half that time.

In 1944, the area that would become Brownwood in Baytown was starting to show signs of development.

By 1978, Brownwood was well developed…and sinking fast.

Today, the area floods so much that it is uninhabitable. All the homes are gone. Brownwood has been turned into a park.

The “Pump-Now, Let-Somebody-Else-Pay-Later” Mentality

Subsidence generally happens so slowly that some people claim it’s not a problem. Especially those on higher ground. They want to continue to pump water from their wells because they perceive it to be cheaper than surface water. It can be…at least in the short run..until wells run low or dry. Then pumping costs increase…often along with salinity…and the people who depend on the well are out of water and out of luck.

Gulf Coast Aquifers: Source Harris-Galveston Subsidence District. Much of the water in Montgomery County used for human consumption is pumped from the Jasper aquifer.

Depleting at More Than 500X the Recharge Rate

Still, some people say, “I’ll worry about that when it happens.” Problem is:

We’re depleting aquifers much faster than they’re recharging.
For instance, at the current rate of pumping and population growth, modeling shows that the Jasper aquifer will drop 224 feet by 2070.
USGS estimates that the Jasper recharges, on average, at only one-tenth of an inch per year.
That means it could take 26,880 years (10 x 12 x 224) to recharge the Jasper groundwater that residents will use in just 50 years.

The rate of depletion will exceed the rate of recharge by more than 500X.

More Expensive in Long Run

Now consider this. As pressure in an aquifer decreases, the cost of bringing water to the surface increases dramatically, sometimes to the point where recovery is no longer economical, i.e., competitive with surface water. It’s much like the oil industry. As a rule of thumb, half the oil in reservoirs is left in the ground because it’s too expensive to recover.

For all these reasons, most counties in the region are trying to switch people to surface water. Their groundwater withdrawals have either declined or stayed the same.

Counties surrounding Montgomery have either decreased groundwater pumping or kept it constant.

Meanwhile, Montgomery County’s groundwater withdrawals have soared.

Montgomery County groundwater pumping, however, has generally increased in the last three decades.

A report by LBG Guyton Associates to the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District showed that the largest increase in pumping since 2000 has occurred in Montgomery County. Pumping in surrounding counties has generally decreased since 2000.

Montgomery County Growth

The surge in Montgomery County groundwater usage is largely because Montgomery County has grown so quickly. With the exception of Fort Bend County, Montgomery County is growing faster than any county in the region on a percentage basis.

Houston Region growth last year by county. In percentage terms, Montgomery County trailed only Fort Bend County.

So Why Worry NOW?

Water resources take so long to develop that they need to be planned 50 years into the future. The Houston region’s population tripled in the last 50 years.

If Montgomery County expects to grow that fast in the next 50, where will the water come from to support that growth? Especially if voters undermine the financial viability of the half-billion dollar surface-water treatment plant – that they just built – by shifting to groundwater!

Proponents of unlimited groundwater pumping in Montgomery County will ELECT directors of the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District for the first time in November.

If people vote for candidates who advocate use of “cheaper” groundwater in the short term, they will also be voting for subsidence and policies that limit long-term growth. Without question, they will be betting their future on a rapidly depleting water source.

If that’s the will of the people, so be it. I just hope they don’t set a precedent that residents in neighboring counties follow. If so, we could all be sunk.

Red contours show subsidence in the last century. Blue contours show how much subsidence has increased in the first sixteen years of this century. Note the widening gap between red and blue at the top of the frame. It shows that subsidence in Montgomery and northern Harris Counties is increasing at an increasing rate. Parts of Harris County have subsided 10 feet! Source: Harris-Galveston Subsidence District.

Posted 9/14/2018 by Bob Rehak

382 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Note: Because this is such an important issue, I have created a new tab titled Subsidence on the Reports page.

Dredging, Tropic, Lake, Ditch, and Retail Updates: Sometimes Progress is Measured in Inches

Updates on several subjects.

This afternoon, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a two-sentence press release about the start of their emergency West Fork dredging project.

Two-Sentence Dredging Update

It simply said, “USACE contractors are prepared to begin moving the first dredge on Sunday afternoon with operations possibly beginning Monday. If weather conditions pose threats to operational safety, dredging along West Lake Houston Parkway will begin when conditions improve.”

Tropical Development Complicates Dredging

Safety issues related to a potential tropical rain event now have the Corps concerned about safety. Note that orange X in the oval below that’s aimed toward the Texas coast..

Low Pressure System in Gulf has 50% Chance of Formation for up to 5 days.

Latest Tropical Updates for Gulf

As of 3PM Thursday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said about it, “A weak low pressure center has formed a couple of hundred miles east-southeast of Brownsville, Texas. In addition, showers and thunderstorms in association with this system have become more numerous today. While upper-level winds are generally conducive for development of a tropical depression, the system only has about a day before it reaches the western Gulf coast. An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is currently en route to investigate the low.”

Regardless of development, heavy rainfall and gusty winds are expected across portions of northeastern Mexico and Texas on Friday and Saturday.

Monitor the progress of this system, and refer to local weather forecasts.

Lakes Already Lowered in Advance of Rainmaker

In preparation for the storm, Lake Conroe has already been lowered to its seasonally adjusted target of 199 mean feet above sea level.

Level of Lake Houston has also been lowered.

Lowering the two lakes gives us an additional buffer against flooding, but still, a rain-swollen river is no place for a 270 ton dredge tethered to hundreds of thousands of pounds of dredging pipe.

Updates on Ben’s Branch

Let’s just pray we don’t get so much rain that the ditches back up. When last we talked about ditches, the City had mistakenly sent the wrong easements to the county, so that the county could maintain Kingwood ditches. The City finally regrouped on the 11th. On the 12th, the City contacted Kingwood Association Management’s Ethel McCormick. McCormick is working to put the City together with the Bear Branch Trail Association and the Kings Crossing Association re: easements. More news on that when there’s news to share.

County Begins Surveying Ben’s Branch

In the meantime, Harris County is wasting no time. In expectation of the easements, they were already out surveying the ditches to determine how much silt and debris needed to be removed.

Harris County Surveying Truck near Ben’s Branch

Just east of West Lake Houston Parkway, a Harris County Flood Control Surveying Crew was seen this week trying to calculate the debris that needs to be removed from Ben’s Branch.=

Harris County Surveying Crew in Ben’s Branch just west of West Lake Houston Parkway. Crews are trying to estimate how much silt needs to be removed to restore the carrying capacity of the ditch. Note the surveyor in the far background on the island.

Blockages like those above created during Harvey contributed to flooding in Town Center and Kings Crossing. Note the proximity of Ben’s Branch to the back of the old HEB shopping center on the northwest corner of Kingwood Drive and West Lake Houston Parkway.

I asked Matt Zeve, Director of Operations for Harris County Flood Control whether they planned to use the silt from Ben’s Branch to increase the height of the levies or whether they planned to remove it. The answer: remove it.

Work on Ben’s Branch cannot begin too soon. Uncertainty concerning this important waterway restrains the retail recovery throughout the central part of Kingwood.

The old HEB store still has not been leased to a new tenant.

Without a lead tenant in the old HEB space, leasing the smaller stores in this center is a long shot, especially when the flood risk has not yet been reduced.

Many prospective tenants are waiting on signs from the City and County that flood remediation is about to begin. The 20,000 sf Kelsey Seybold Clinic has also been vacant since Harvey and has a For Lease sign in the window.

Other high visibility retail and rental spaces also remain vacant, i.e., the Chase Bank on Kingwood Drive and West Lake Houston Parkway, the new Memorial Hermann Health Care Facility, several apartment communities, and much of King’s Harbor.

Plea for Progress to Government

It will take more than deals to lure retailers and residents back to these locations; it will also take genuine progress in flood remediation – much faster progress than we have seen in the year since Harvey. People need confidence that their investments in buildout, inventory, and equipment will not be taken in the next flood. We spent a year talking about remediation; let’s get started.

Posted 9/13/2018 by Bob Rehak

380 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Flooding and Floodplains in the Houston Area: Past, Present, and Future

On August 24th, Dr. William R. Dupré , Professor Emeritus of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Houston, gave a presentation at the Kingwood Community Center sponsored by the Houston Geological Society. The presentation is titled Flooding and Floodplains in the Houston Area: Past, Present, and Future. Professor Dupre’ has given ReduceFlooding.com permission to post his presentation. It consists of two parts. Together, they will help you understand how and why floodplains change over time.

Urbanization is just one of many factors cited by Dr. Dupré that increase flooding.

The Basics of Flooding, Floodplains and Measurement

In Part 1, Dupré focuses on the basics of flooding, flood plains and measurement. He begins by explaining:

The difference between drainage basins, networks and watersheds
How stream gages work
How and where to find flood data (USGS, SJRA, Harris County Flood Warning System)
How to compare hydrographs from different locations and assess your risk of flooding
The difference between annual recurrence intervals and annual exceedance probabilities
How to understand flood maps
Assumptions behind flood plain calculations
Different types of flooding (overbook, ponding, sheet flow, etc.)

At the end of Part 1, Dupré shows how some of these concepts apply to different watersheds within Harris County and discusses how flooding dangers differ in various parts of the County.

How and Why Floodplains Change Over Time

In Part 2, Dupré goes into greater detail about how floodplains change over time. The four main reasons include:

More data and a longer record
Changing land use, (i.e., urbanization, prairie restoration, etc.)
Structural changes (dams, levees, channelization and detention/retention basins)
Changing climate

Part 2 concludes with a discussion of changing approaches to flood control and a brief discussion of the recently approved Harris County flood bond.

Do Sand Mines Play a Role?

Part 2 includes a discussion of sand mining under “Causes of Changes in Sediment and Sedimentation. Dupré talks about different types of sand mines and their impacts. While the professor and I disagree about the interpretation of several satellite images, we agree wholeheartedly about the need to locate pits outside of a ‘channel migration’ zone, as regulations in Washington state and Arizona require.

The danger, he says, is that rivers can migrate to and through sand mine dikes. If this happens after abandonment of the mine, no one will me there to repair the dikes and the river will reroute itself through the pit, carrying stored sediment downstream.

Who Will Benefit from This Presentation

If you enjoy earth sciences, as I do, these presentations will feel like going back to college. If you’re simply a homeowner trying to figure out why you flooded, you’ll find lots of food for thought in these two presentations. If you’re debating whether to buy flood insurance, these presentations will make you a believer.

Key Messages

One of the key takeaways from Part 1 is that you should not think of the 100-year (1%) floodplain as a bright line where you’re safe on one of it and not safe on the other. Dupré calls that choice a “false binary.” He urges people to think of flood plains as ever shifting and flood plain boundaries as very fuzzy lines, much like the cone of uncertainty used for hurricane path prediction. The width of the line represents the margin of error behind the calculation of probabilities.

After reviewing Part 2, you should come away with a better appreciation for how gradual, almost unnoticeable changes in your environment can increase your flood risk.

Remember Flood Control Presentation At Community Center on 9/17

Matt Zeve, Director of Operations for Harris County Flood Control, will also discuss flood map revisions in his upcoming talk at the Kingwood Community Center on September 17 at 6:30. Don’t forget to mark your calendar.

Posted by Bob Rehak on September 11, 2018

378 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 17 years since 9/11

Houston Council Member Dave Martin To Host Kingwood Town Hall Meeting on October 9

Mark your calendar. Houston City Council Member Dave Martin will host a town hall meeting on Tuesday, October 9 at 6:30 p.m., at the Kingwood Community Center, 4102 Rustic Woods, Kingwood, TX 77345. The community is invited to attend and hear from city and community representatives about ongoing projects, issues and community news related to the Kingwood and Lake Houston areas of District E.

Mayor Turner on Rebuild Houston and Fire Dept. Salaries

This fall’s town hall meeting will include a presentation from Mayor Sylvester Turner who will speak on the Rebuild Houston and fire salary referendums that will appear on the November 6 ballot. All registered voters within the boundaries of the City are urged to attend.

Costello, Odum and Zeve on Post-Harvey Mitigation

Residents will also hear from Stephen Costello, City of Houston Chief Resiliency Officer and Marvin Odum, Chief Recovery Officer, on the progress made to rebuild the City post-Harvey. Harris County Flood Control Chief Operations Officer, Matt Zeve, will provide a post-Harris County Flood Control Bond update.

Townhomes on Marina Drive in Forest Cove more than one year after Hurricane Harvey.

Sarman on TIRZ Projects, Huberty on Upcoming Legislation

Stan Sarman, the Chair of the TIRZ 10 board will provide information on a variety of projects including the Northpark Drive Mobility Improvement Project, and the status of area intersection improvements. There will be an update on the Lake Houston Debris Removal Project provided by a member of the City of Houston Solid Waste Department Team. State Representative Dan Huberty is confirmed to provide insight on the upcoming legislative session.

Loop 494 Expansion, San Jacinto Greenway Project and More

For those that arrive to the Kingwood town hall early, there will be information tables available starting at 5:30 p.m. from Harris County Precinct 4 to discuss their upcoming projects in Forest Cove, from the Texas Department of Transportation to educate residents on the expansion of TX Loop 494, and from the Houston Parks Board to provide information on the upcoming San Jacinto Greenway Project. The Houston Department of Neighborhoods and the Houston Police Department’s Kingwood Division will also be on site with information available to residents before and after the town hall meeting.

For more information, please contact Council Member Martin’s office at (832) 393-3008 or via email at districte@houstontx.gov.

Posted on September 9, 2018, by Bob Rehak

376 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Dredging Almost Ready to Begin

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should begin dredging the West Fork of the San Jacinto River next week. The Corps expected to begin dredging this week, but a part failure for one of the dredges caused a slight delay. A replacement part is being remanufactured and shipped to the command site. The replacement part will help hold the dredge in place during operations and should arrive within days.

First dredge has been moved into river and is awaiting one final part.

With the exception of the replacement part, the first dredge is now virtually completed. It is 27 feet wide, 90 feet long and weighs 270 tons.

Second Dredge Also Now In the Water

A second dredge is also nearing completion. It is electrically powered and has also entered the river for final assembly. No pictures of it are available at this time. In the meantime, the rest of the operation is proceeding as scheduled.

4.5 Miles of Pipe

Workers have welded and weighted 4.5 miles – or almost 24,000 feet – of 24-inch dredge pipe made from 40-foot sections. The pipe will pump sand and sediment back to storage pits (placement sites) on both the north and south sides of the San Jacinto river. Each string of pipe is 1000 feet long. Booster pumps will connect the strings to keep sediment moving up-river and uphill.

Dredge pipe being moved into the West Fork of the San Jacinto in preparation for the start of dredging. Each of these strings is 1000 feet long. They weigh hundreds of thousands of pounds. These 24-inch-diameter pipes will eventually move more than 1.8 million cubic yards of sediment to two placement areas.

A tender boat moves dredging pipeline into place along the banks of the San Jacinto river. Approximately 4.5 miles of 1,000 – foot sections of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Pipe is being positioned for use next week when dredging should begin.

Even though the start date has been delayed, the date for completion has not.

Dredging Safety Warning

Jet skiers and recreational boaters have been sighted in the vicinity of the dredge command site. Dredging safety officers are asking West Fork San Jacinto recreational boaters to stay clear of submerged pipes and dredge platforms.

Stay away from this section of the river for your own safety. Even though you may be able to see operators, they may not be looking out for you as they struggle to move equipment weighing hundreds of tons. Operators are focused on their job, not you.

As the operational tempo of this project increases, so will the risk of accidents. So please keep your distance.

Posted September 8, 2018 by Bob Rehak

375 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Mark Your Calendar: Flood Control Director to Address Kingwood Issues on September 17

Matt Zeve, Deputy Executive Director for the Harris County Flood Control District, will discuss Lake Houston area projects approved in the recent County Flood Bond at a meeting of the Lake Houston Area Grassroots Flood Prevention Initiative on September 17. Zeve will also address updates to Flood Plain Maps. The new maps could lead to increases in flood insurance rates and affect your home’s market value.