Five inches of rain helped create the third largest flood in 16 years and sand downstream made it worse

Note: We modified this post to reflect feedback from Harris County Flood Control District and the San Jacinto River Authority. HCFCD provided new information showing rainfall totals far upstream. Confusion over the main point of this article also led us to clarify that rain was a contributing factor to the flood, but not the sole cause. 

The flood on the East Fork of the San Jacinto last weekend (3/31/2018) crested at 66.1 ft. in New Caney.  This was the 10th highest historical crest in the last 35 years – after a relatively minor rainfall event – 4.33 inches as measured on Caney Creek at 2090. That’s the only rain gage operated by the San Jacinto River Authority on the East Fork. Last weekend’s flood was also the third highest in the last 16 years on the East Fork. In fairness, it rained more upstream than at the gauge. HCFCD provided this rainfall map  to show the distribution and said that rainfall averaged five inches across the watershed.

The East Fork: The Forgotten Flooding Problem

With the bulk of Kingwood’s and Humble’s population living on the West Fork of the San Jacinto River, it’s easy to forget that we have a flooding problem on the East Fork as well. The “East Fork” also includes Peach Creek and Caney Creek watersheds as well as Luce Bayou. And there is no shortage of sand coming down the East Fork from the sand mine on Caney Creek. This sand exacerbates flooding problems in the Kingwood and Huffman areas.

Where Did All The Sand Come From?

The sand mine on Caney Creek in Porter upstream of Kingwood comprises approximately 600 acres. The area where they stockpile sand for shipment comprises approximately 34 acres. The image below, taken on 9/14/17 shows how high the sand stockpile is relative to the height of surrounding trees.

Sand mine in Porter in Montgomery County next to Caney Creek. Water tower in background is at Kingwood Drive and High Valley. The mine is just upstream from East End Park in Kingwood where approximately 30 acres were covered with dunes up to ten feet tall after Harvey.

The next image shows what happened to this stockpile during Harvey. At the top right, you can see how torrential rains eroded the pile. They washed sand down to the bottom left where floodwaters carried it downstream. Note the erosion patterns in the flat area to the left (closest to Caney Creek).

Sand mine in Porter in Montgomery County next to Caney Creek shows signs of massive erosion after Hurricane Harvey. Picture taken on 9/14/18.

Just downstream from this sand mine, one can see sand in the tree tops. It appeared there suddenly after Harvey. The sand in the trees reaches an estimated 20 feet. The giant new sand dune in the river reaches an estimated 15 feet.

Confluence of the east fork of the San Jacinto (background) with Peach and Caney Creeks (foreground). Notice sand deposited by Hurricane Harvey stretching into the tree tops and blocking half the river.

Approximately 30 acres of East End Park, in the background to the right, also flooded with sand. At Eagle Point in the Park, sand dunes exceeded 10 feet and covered approximately a half mile of trails with sand that reached shoulder height at times.

Harvey washed sand downstream from mines in Porter in Montgomery County. After the storm, new dunes up to ten feet high covered 30 acres of Kingwood’s East End Park on the East fork of the San Jacinto River and obliterated trails like this one.

Historical Satellite Images Show Increase in Sand Volume

Some people ask, “Could the sand have come from the creek itself?” Fair question. These historical satellite images help answer it. The first satellite image of this area dates to 4/28/2014. At that point, the mine largely constrained the sand within its perimeter. You see only several small white dunes between it and East End Park, outlined in red.

In January of 2017 before Harvey, Caney Creek (see below) still contained relatively little sand. So far, so good.

After Harvey, in October, 2017, we see a radical change in the volume of sand downstream from the mine. Images taken from the helicopter and from the ground (far above) show the depth of these sand dunes. They appeared immediately after Harvey. In real life, the little white streaks in the creek stretch hundreds of feet and reach tree top height. Moreover, both ground level and helicopter photos show that much sand was hidden from satellite view by the tree canopy.

Effect of Siltation on Caney Creek and East Fork

One question remains – the most important one! How has all this sand affected the flow of Caney Creek and the East Fork? The answer: much like the sand on the West Fork has.

Smaller rains have produced bigger floods because the carrying capacity of the river has been reduced.

How You Can Help

Please contact all Harris County commissioners and the county judge. Their email addresses are on the Links page. Ask them to make sure they have enough money in the upcoming bond election to dredge BOTH the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto. Currently, they are only contemplating dredging the West Fork between US59 and West Lake Houston Parkway.

Bill Fowler, co-chair of the Kingwood Grass-Roots Flood Initiative found these statistics. Our thanks to Bill.

Posted on 4/3/18, 217 days since Hurricane Harvey.

Revised 4/10/18, 224 days since Hurricane Harvey.

Impact of March 28/29 Rain and Lower Lake Level on Kingwood

Beginning March 27, 2018, the City of Houston lowered the level of Lake Houston in anticipation of flash flooding. The storm hit Kingwood in the afternoon of the 28th and was over by the morning of the 29th According to Harris County Flood Control rain gages, we received 2.64 inches of rain at the Kingwood Country Club and 3.36 inches at the US59 bridge. Areas upstream received as much as 5.5 inches. An average across the watershed was close to 4.

Thank you, Dave Martin and Sylvester Turner!

Mayor Sylvester Turner and Council Member Dave Martin should be congratulated on their decision to lower Lake Houston. Some low-lying areas like River Grove Park flooded. However, as of this writing, I’m not aware of any homes that flooded. Surely there would have been major property damage, given all the siltation from Hurricane Harvey, had the lake been at its normal level.

How the rain affected different parts of Kingwood

The underpass at the 59 bridge was closed due to high water early in the morning on the 29th.  This is a perennial choke point. It has gotten worse since Harvey.

At Scenic Shores in Kings Point, the river was well within its banks thanks to the decision to lower the lake.

How much was it lowered? 2.5 feet according to the Coastal Water Authority.

Below is a photo taken last night in Kingwood Greens. It shows vast expanses of sand before the rain started. There were no reports of flooding in Kingwood Greens today, again, thanks in large part to the decision to lower the lake before the storm.

In Kings Lake Estates on the south side of the San Jacinto River, across from Kingwood Greens, the water got close. A resident sent this pic.

The homeowner above stated, “I am literally stunned how high the water is at my property right now even though the lake level was extremely low only 24 hours ago….and only after a modest rain storm last night.” To underscore the need to begin dredging immediately, he added, “This has NEVER happened before with such a minor rain event!”

Worst Flooding At River Grove Park

River Grove still has that massive sand bar blocking the drainage ditch. Water backed up behind that and flooded the park – for the second time within a month! See four images below.

As of 2:30 PM on March 29th, the disc golf course, playing fields, boat dock area and boardwalk at River Grove were totally under water. Additionally, about a third of the parking lot was under water and the flood level was continuing to rise.

All in all though, we lucked out with this storm largely because of the decision to lower the lake. Without that, flooding would have been much worse.

Anxiously Awaiting Dredging

Yesterday, the county approved money to begin dredging this area. Hopefully that will help cure the flooding woes at River Grove and give us a great margin of safety elsewhere.

As bad as these pictures look, about three weeks ago, on one-fifth the amount of rain that we received last night, the flooding was far worse. Before Harvey and the giant sand blockage at the base of the drainage ditch, River Grove could take twice as much rain without this much flooding.

As the resident who owned the gazebo above said, “With no major dredging, Kingwood residents better start praying every single day that we don’t get a tropical storm or even minor hurricane. We need dredging SOON!”

Posted by Bob Rehak on March 29, 2018

212 days since Hurricane Harvey

Clarification from District E on Lake Level Adjustment

On March 27, 2018, Houston City Council Member Dave Martin’s office issued a press release about an adjustment to the level of Lake Houston that would reduce the likelihood of flooding. Today, March 28, 2018, this office released this clarification on how much the level would be lowered and for how long.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2018
Contact: Jessica Beemer (832) 393-3008
Clarification: Temporary Reduction to the Level of Lake Houston
Houston, TX – To clarify a press release that went out yesterday regarding the reduction of Lake Houston, the level of the Lake is temporarily being reduced for seasonal rain events until the river, lake, and interior channels can be dredged. Harris County has approved the request for qualifications for engineering and environmental permitting to support the dredging of the West Fork of the San Jacinto River.
Once the lake is lowered to 40 feet it is the City of Houston’s plan to adjust the spillway gates to maintain a level of 40 feet temporarily moving forward this rainy and hurricane season. The lake is currently releasing 7,600 cubic feet per second, and the elevation is 40.52 feet. No major changes in policy have been made. This temporary reduction addresses the immediate concerns of the Lake Houston Community, including Kingwood, Humble, Atascocita, and Huffman.
This lower lake level will continue to be observed while the City works with area partners to address siltation and other coordination efforts with Lake Conroe. The City of Houston will continue to monitor and evaluate water demand, weather patterns and other mitigation activities.
In the event, the City of Houston has a need for additional water, the City has the ability through existing water rights to call water from Lake Conroe and Lake Livingston to meet high demand. For more information, please contact the District E office at (832) 393-3008 or via email at districte@houstontx.gov.
-End-
One day after the City started lowering the level of Lake Houston, this is what the West Fork looked like. Below is a photo taken in Kingwood Greens courtesy of Dianne Lansden looking toward the south shore of the river. The two foot reduction in lake level revealed just how much the capacity of the West Fork has been reduced by sand deposits.
Posted 211 days after Hurricane Harvey

Level of Lake Houston Being Lowered and Other Flooding Updates

Today, District E Houston City Council Member Dave Martin, who has been working tirelessly on flood issues since Hurricane Harvey, issued the following press release. It announces the lowering of Lake Houston on a long-term basis which should help reduce the danger of flooding by giving the watershed more capacity to absorb heavy rains. This is welcome news, especially as hurricane season approaches.

The full text of the press release follows. It contains updates on other related issues including a vote on dredging today in Harris County commissioner’s court. Note the comment about the extent of dredging. The program they are considering stops at West Lake Houston Parkway. That will probably not be welcome news for people in Kingwood Greens, Town Center, Kings Harbor, Fosters Mill and Kings Point. Hopefully, this is just the start of a more extensive dredging program. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 27, 2018
Contact: Jessica Beemer (832) 393-3008
Effective Immediately the Level of Lake Houston is Being Reduced
Houston, TX – Houston City Council Member Dave Martin would like to announce that after a meeting held yesterday with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, the daily pooling level of Lake Houston will be reduced from 42.5 feet to 40 feet, effective immediately. Last night, Houston Public Works Director, Carol Haddock, directed the Coastal Water Authority to start lowering the level of Lake Houston in advance of Wednesday’s predicted storms. Council Member Martin has confirmed that all gates at Lake Houston are open and the level of Lake Houston is anticipated to reach the desired 40 foot mark by Wednesday evening.
Once the lake is lowered to 40 feet it is the City of Houston’s plan to adjust the spillway gates to maintain a level of 40 feet moving forward on a long-term basis. This will address the immediate concerns of the Lake Houston Community, including Kingwood, Humble, Atascocita, and Huffman. This lower lake level will continue to be observed while the City works with area partners to address siltation and other coordination efforts with Lake Conroe. The City of Houston will continue to monitor and evaluate water demand, weather patterns and other mitigation activities.
This morning, Harris County Commissioner’s Court will vote to authorize requests for qualifications (RFQ) for engineering and other services to identify watershed-wide flood risks, evaluate food mitigation strategies that address those risks and develop recommendations to enhance the flood warning system and action plans used by the emergency managers in the San Jacinto River Basin from its headwaters in Lake Houston across Harris County Precincts 1, 2, and 4. Harris County will be working with the San Jacinto River Authority as well as other municipalities to accomplish this task which was a part of Governor Greg Abbott’s charges for the region.
Additionally, Harris County will also be requesting authorization for RFQs for engineering, environmental permitting, and other services in support of dredging the West Fork of the San Jacinto River from IH-59 to Lake Houston Parkway. This was another of Governor Abbott’s charges during his visit to the Kingwood Area. All parties are committed to working together to swiftly move the dredging project forward in preparation for this year’s hurricane season.
Council Member Martin has been working diligently over the last few weeks to make sure the efforts of dredging are not short lived. The visit of Texas Land Commissioner, George P. Bush, and continued communication with the Governor’s office have allowed us to partner with the Aggregate Production Operators (APO) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The continued interest and participation of statewide leaders helps local efforts by assisting us in identifying red tape and providing solutions to these obstacles. Next Tuesday, April 3, we anticipate a visit from Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick who has expressed an interest in touring the San Jacinto Watershed by air and water.
These state partnerships allow us the opportunity to closely evaluate existing regulations for sand mining as well as the ability to increase the strength of these existing policies. The regional APOs have stepped up to the table and want to be a part of the solution. Texas Senator Brandon Creighton and Texas State Representative Dan Huberty continue to be champions for stricter sand mining regulations to protect our watershed.
The problem of flooding within the San Jacinto Watershed is a difficult one to tackle due to the size of the watershed and many jurisdictions involved but Council Member Martin is creating relationships where none have existed before and knows that working together will get us further along the path to a long term solution.
For more information, please contact the District E office at (832) 393-3008 or via email at districte@houstontx.gov.
Posted 210 days after Hurricane Harvey.

SJRA now includes flood control in its mission

The GOLDEN HAMMER, a Montgomery county web-based news source, reports that the San Jacimto River Authority (SJRA) has officially added flood control to its mission.  The move comes in response to a directive by Governor Abbott to consider ways to protect downstream residents from flooding. This is good news for flood-wary Kingwood residents. It comes just weeks after the governor appointed two Kingwood residents, Kaaren Cambio and Mark Micheletti to the SJRA board.

These are two good first steps in response to the public outcry after Harvey. We now need to turn attention and awareness into action.

Posted 207 days after Hurricane Harvey.

How Deep was the Sand Deposited by Harvey at River Grove Park?

These two shots tell the story. Over the road between the boardwalk and playground, the sand was 3-4 feet. The picnic tables had 2 feet of sand over their tops! Workers estimate the average depth at the south end of the park was 4 to 5 feet!

The photo immediately below shows the One Way Sign near the boat area. The boat ramp is to the left and the road to the right. If you look at the sign you can see the sand is undisturbed under it and beyond it to the Boardwalk.
The cost to remove all this sand? $140,000 according to KSA president Dee Price.

The water in the foreground in the next shot is NOT the river; it is the outflow from the drainage ditch. A giant sand bar now entirely closes off the boat ramp. This shot was taken from the parking lot. The dune is an estimated 15 feet tall. Notice how you cannot see the river which is on the other side. You can only see the tree tops!

We need an investigation of the TCEQ investigation

By Bob Rehak

In February 2018, I wrote the TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) to request an investigation of all the sand blocking Kingwood’s drainage ditches, bayous and the San Jacinto River itself.  Yesterday, I received their “final report.” Unfortunately for Kingwood residents, the final report had nothing to do with the request I made.  This leads me to believe that we need an investigation of the investigation.

Here is the text of my request:

I urge you to investigate the discharge of sand from mining operations along the San Jacinto River (east AND west forks) in Montgomery County, just upstream from Kingwood in Harris County.

Dunes up to 15 feet high now block our drainage ditches and the river itself. The attached PowerPoint presentation shows significant blockages at:
1) River Grove Park where a dune now blocks a drainage ditch that empties the western third of Kingwood.
2) About a half mile downstream from River Grove Park, another dune has formed blocking navigation on the river itself for boats that draw 18 or more inches of water.
3) At West Lake Houston Parkway, sand now virtually reaches the height of the bridge itself, blocking approximately half of the river.
4) Where the East and West Forks join, new dunes now separate the river from Lake Houston.

In addition to these major blockages, I have 450 photos showing partial blockages at other locations near Kingwood, Porter, Huiffman, Atascocita and Humble. Combined with satellite and ground photos, they clearly show that floodwater:
• Broke the dikes surrounding the mines
• Scooped up sand
• Deposited the sand downstream in locations that…
• Reduced the drainage capacity of ditches, bayous and the river
• Contributed to flooding

The photos also show that:
• No attempt has been made to restore ground cover after miners work over an area
• The location of dikes (close to the river) leaves no room for the river’s expansion during floods, virtually guaranteeing disaster

During Hurricane Harvey, discharged sand contributed to the flooding of more than 17,000 homes and 3,300 businesses. Houston City Council Member Dave Martin estimates the flood eroded the area’s tax base by an estimated 20-30%.

Hydrologists and engineers tell me that as a result of all this man-made sedimentation, we can expect bigger floods in the future based on smaller rains. Please help us.

Feel free to call with questions. And let me know if you would like me to send you all 450 aerial photos.

I included this presentation, Harvey Flood Condensed 7, with the request.

Within a few days, I received a call from  one of the TCEQ investigators.  Strangely, she did not want to see the photographs (which you can now see in the gallery section of this site). However, she did grill me intensely about who else I had sent the presentation to.

Then yesterday, I received a large envelope from the TCEQ. It contained 44 pages of material labeled as their final report. Read the TCEQ Response here.  They found a broken discharge pipe at the Hallett mine in Porter in February, however there is no mention made of any sand discharged during Harvey. In other words, the answer has nothing to do with the question.

When I contacted the State Attorney General’s office to request an investigation of the investigation, I was informed that the AG had no staff to conduct such an investigation.

Texas has a reputation as a business-friendly state. At some point, it’s going to get a reputation as a resident-hostile state.

Posted 198 Days after Hurricane Harvey

Report on Townhall with Mayor on March 6, 2018

March 6 Town Hall Addresses Flood Concerns

By Bill Fowler, Co-Chair, Lake Houston Area Grassroots Flood Prevention Initiative

City of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner recently provided Kingwood and other Lake Houston Area residents encouragement future flooding concerns triggered by buildup of sand and sediment on the West and East Forks of the San Jacinto River as well as adding 10 gates to allow for more rapid releases at the Lake Houston Dam were to be addressed in the near term, rather than over a period of several years.

Turner’s comments were delivered at a Town Hall meeting hosted by Councilman Dave Martin and attended by several hundred local residents on March 6 at the Kingwood Community Center.

Turner offered he had on that same day spoken to Governor Greg Abbott about the urgent need to remove sediment from the San Jacinto River.

He cited the recent low-level rains that brought the San Jacinto out of its banks and re-flooded parts of River Grove Park were examples of the urgent need for river dredging as well as additional gates at the Lake Houston Dam.

Turner also observed the sand mining along both Forks of the San Jacinto was a huge problem in need of regulation and pointed out dredging would be pointless in the long-term if the source of the sedimentation was not addressed.

The Mayor stated potential sources of the funds included the recently approved $90 billion flood relief associated with Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria as well as the $1billion from the Hazard Development Fund recently announced by the Governor. Additionally, he suggested the City could borrow the funds from the Texas Water Development Fund in order to expedite remediation efforts.

Additional local officials addressing the gathering were Mark Micheletti, Kingwood resident and SJRA Board Member; Stephen Costello, City of Houston Chief Resiliency Officer; Carol Haddock, City of Houston Director Public Works; Matt Zeve, Harris County Flood Control; and Stan Sarman, Chairman, TIRZ 10.

Micheletti gave an update regarding his initial impressions of the SJRA following his recent appointment to the Board. He stressed he is committed to obtaining a full understanding of SJRA procedures and protocols and working to obtain any modifications that will lessen the potential of future flooding in the Lake Houston Area.

Costello offered comments related to the City’s efforts to address the Lake Houston Area’s flooding issues—including ongoing and proposed studies focusing on flood avoidance and mitigation.

Zeve introduced HCFCD’s flood website and pointed out the portion of the site dedicated to Kingwood. He also mentioned HCFCD is focusing determining the ownership and maintenance responsibilities for all 29 miles of open channels in the Kingwood area including determining immediate projects needed to provide positive drainage as soon as possible.

Haddock spoke on the City’s proposed changes to flood regulation regarding expanding regulation beyond the 100-year flood plain to include the 500-year flood plain. She stressed these changes would only effect new construction—not existing homes and businesses.

Sarman gave an update on the Northpark Drive expansion project.

Martin closed with a warning that without investment in major flood-protection measures, “Kingwood as it exists today is gone forever, and with it that tax base is gone forever.”

Posted 189 days after hurricane Harvey

How This Site Started

By Bob Rehak

After Harvey, I explored the damage caused by the storm. I was astounded to see sand dunes more than ten feet tall blocking the boat ramp at River Grove Park, covering trials in East End Park, and stretching into treetops near the West Lake Houston Parkway bridge. If the sand was that high onshore, I wondered what happened to the river itself, where did the sand come from, and did it play a role in the flooding?

To find answers, I started by exploring Google Earth satellite photos and noted the presence of several sand mines on the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto river. Then I rented a helicopter to tour the mines and the river. I went from the 59 bridge up to the Riverwalk community off FM1314 in Porter on the West Fork. Then I circled the sand mines, headed back toward Costco, and followed the West Fork all the way to Kings Point where it joins the East Fork at the head of Lake Houston. From there, I went up the East Fork and circled the sand mine on Caney Creek and returned to Hobby Airport.

What I saw horrified me. Trails of sand leading from the mines to blockages of bayous, drainage ditches and the river itself.

I believe this is a matter of public interest. According to the SBA, 17,000 homes and 3,300 businesses in Lake Houston communities suffered flood damage. According to our city council member Dave Martin, damage could stretch into the billions and the areas tax base could be affected by 20-30%.

Although Harvey was a record storm, record rainfall was not the sole cause of all the damage. Much coverage in the media pointed to the release of water from the Lake Conroe Dam as a complicating factor. But I believe that siltation played a role also. If I am correct and if we ignore the reduced carrying capacity of the river, we are inviting future disaster.

‘This web site is a record of my exploration. I do not claim to be an expert, though I have consulted with many.