Kinder Institute study finds flooding a major concern of Houstonians

Downstream from the sand mine on Caney Creek. This giant, new dune reaches into tree tops and constricts the cross section of the East Fork of the San Jacinto by at least 50% near Kingwood’s East End Park. 

According to the Houston Business Journal, a new study by Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, ranks flooding as a major concern of Houstonians.

Among the key findings of the Kinder Institute study:

  • Hurricane Harvey directly impacted a whopping 40 percent of the study’s participants.
  • 13 percent of respondents in Harris County, 14 percent in Fort Bend and 12 percent in Montgomery named Harvey’s devastation  as the biggest problem facing the area.
  •  66 percent felt tighter regulations would have reduced damages.
  • Roughly three-fourths of respondents believe a big storm will happen again.
  • 56 percent favored increasing taxes to enable buying out homes that repeatedly flood.
  • 90 percent agreed that property owners should be required to notify potential buyers or renters if the property they are considering has flooded in recent years.
  • More than 70 percent favor prohibiting any additional construction in areas that have repeatedly flooded.

The Kinder Institute has been researching the major concerns of Houstonians for more than 35 years.

Posted April 25, 239 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Congressional District 2 Candidates Discuss Flooding

Where the West Fork of the San Jacinto meets Lake Houston, a giant sand bar blocks the river. Areas beyond these dunes experienced far less flood damage from Harvey than the areas behind them.

The Lake Houston Area Grass Roots Flood Prevention Initiative has met with all three candidates for Texas Congressional District 2  to discuss our flood prevention concerns and objectives. Congressional District 2 is the seat being vacated by Ted Poe who is retiring.

The Lake Houston Area Grassroots Flood Prevention Initiative is committed to remaining neutral in all political matters and does not make political endorsements. That said, it is our duty to advocate our Group’s agenda to all current and potential office holders who can play a role in reducing future flooding.

Contenders include Dan Crenshaw and Kevin Roberts (in the May 22 runoff for the Republican nomination), and Todd Litton (Democratic Nominee in the November 6 General Election).

We provided each with a background briefing on flooding issues in this area and a list of our objectives. We also discussed ways that we hope our future Congressional Representative can help in the fight against future flooding.

We encourage you to visit the websites of all three candidates for Congressional District 2 and examine their positions (linked below) relating to flooding. Should you have any questions, we encourage you to  contact the candidates directly. In alphabetical order, by last name, we list their web sites and email addresses below.

Dan Crenshaw:  https://crenshawforcongress.com/flood-policy/
email:  dan@crenshawforcongress.com

Todd Litton:    https://toddlitton.com/infrastructure-and-flooding/
email:  todd@toddlitton.com

Kevin Roberts:  http://www.kevinrobertsforcongress.com/issue/recovering-from-hurricane-harvey/
email:   kevin@kevinrobertsforcongress.com

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

Posted April 24, 2018, Day 238 Since Hurricane Harvey

Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday April 28 – 30, 2018

Rescue operation during Hurricane Harvey

With hurricane season around the corner, the State of Texas Controller has announced a sales tax holiday for emergency preparation supplies. The sales tax holiday starts this coming weekend and will last three days – April 28 – 30. It’s a little extra encouragement to start preparing now.

The Controller’s web site states: You can purchase certain emergency preparation supplies tax free during the 2018 Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday. There is no limit on the number of qualifying items you can purchase, and you do not need to issue an exemption certificate to claim the exemption.

This year’s holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, April 28, and ends at midnight on Monday, April 30.

These emergency preparation supplies qualify for tax exemption if purchased for a sales price:

  • Less than $3000
    • Portable generators
  • Less than $300
    • Emergency ladders
    • Hurricane shutters
  • Less than $75
    • Axes
    • Batteries, single or multipack (AAA cell, AA cell, C cell, D cell, 6 volt or 9 volt)
    • Can openers – nonelectric
    • Carbon monoxide detectors
    • Coolers and ice chests for food storage – nonelectric
    • Fire extinguishers
    • First aid kits
    • Fuel containers
    • Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits
    • Hatchets
    • Ice products – reusable and artificial
    • Light sources – portable self-powered (including battery operated)
      • Examples of items include: candles, flashlights and lanterns
    • Mobile telephone batteries and mobile telephone chargers
    • Radios – portable self-powered (including battery operated) – includes two-way and weather band radios
    • Smoke detectors
    • Tarps and other plastic sheeting

These supplies do not qualify for tax exemption:

  • Batteries for automobiles, boats and other motorized vehicles
  • Camping stoves
  • Camping supplies
  • Chainsaws
  • Plywood
  • Extension ladders
  • Stepladders
  • Tents
  • Repair or replacement parts for emergency preparation supplies
  • Services performed on, or related to, emergency preparation supplies

Additional Charges Affect Purchase Price

Delivery, shipping, handling and transportation charges are part of the sales price. If the emergency preparation supply being purchased is taxable, the delivery charge is also taxable. Consider these charges when determining whether an emergency preparation supply can be purchased tax free during the holiday.

For example, you purchase a rescue ladder for $299 with a $10 delivery charge, for a total sales price of $309. Because the total sales price of the ladder is more than $300, tax is due on the $309 sales price.

For more information, contact Tax Help, or call 1-800-252-5555.

Posted April 23, 2018, 237 days since Hurricane Harvey

National Weather Service Hosting FloodWarn Workshop in Kingwood

On May 1st at 6:30-8:30 p.m., The National Weather Service (NWS), Harris County Flood Control, and FEMA, and the San Jacinto River Authority are hosting a FloodWarn Workshop. They will talk about the types of flooding we see in the Kingwood/Humble area, the watersheds, forecasts, warnings, flood risks, and flood insurance.

Organizers hope the event will help people in the Lake Houston Area better understand what goes into forecasts. They will also address their limitations, the risks associated with severe events, and actions to take in response to various types of warnings.

The NWS has posted the event on its Facebook page: The event is free and open to the public at Lone Star College – Kingwood at 20,000 Kingwood Dr., Kingwood, TX.

The National Weather Service provides forecasts and river flood warnings for the river gage at the San Jacinto River at Humble. Based on the readings there and elsewhere, the Weather Service forecasts “flood impacts.”

Flood impacts identify what structures, roads, bridges, etc. will flood when the river reaches a specific level. These impacts drive the establishment of the flood categories of Minor, Moderate and Major.

This FloodWarn workshop will be our opportunity to share our flooding concerns with the National Weather Service. If impacts need to be modified or updated, this is the community’s opportunity to provide that feedback.

So mark your calendar
Event: FloodWarn Workshop
Sponsors: National Weather Service, Harris County Flood Control, FEMA
For: Lake Houston Area Residents
When: 6:30-8:30 P.M., Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Where: Kingwood College, 20,000 Kingwood Drive, Kingwood, TX

Plan to attend. Make sure the NWS knows how important accurate and advanced warning forecasts are to you. With accurate forecasts we can be prepared for the next flood.

Posted April 22, 2018, 236 days since Hurricane Harvey

Montgomery County, Harris County Flood Control and SJRA Working on Funding Agreement for Flood Control

(April 17, 2018) Montgomery County, Harris County Flood Control District and the San Jacinto River Authority are finalizing an agreement for a $2.5 million study that will improve the region’s flood notification capabilities and identify specific flood control projects.

The Harris County Flood Control District submitted the grant application to the Texas Division of Emergency Management on April 16th.

Thanks to Gov. Greg Abbott, up to $1.875 million in federal funds could be allocated for the study if the grant is awarded through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. It requires a 25 percent match; if the full $2.5 million is received, the local match would be $625,000. Montgomery county, SJRA and Harris County Flood Control would share that matching cost.

“With this study we will gain a better knowledge of our Montgomery County streams and watersheds, a more complete flood warning system, and the ability to identify specific projects that could reduce the risk of flooding in the future,” Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal said.

San Jacinto River Watershed Flow Rates

Where Water Came From During Harvey

The goals of the study are to:

  • Prepare a plan to integrate flood warning information from HCFCD, SJRA, MCO, and COH into a shared system that can be utilized by all parties to make informed decisions; it includes expanding the flood warning system network.
  • Coordinate with flood responders including Harris County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Montgomery County OEM, SJRA, City of Houston, and potentially others, such as the Harris County Flood Control District’s Hydrologic Operations Department, to develop a consistent communications protocol and action plan.
  • Recommend strategies to reduce flood risk and prepare a plan to implement the recommendations. Flood damage reduction options will likely include large regional detention ponds, channel improvements, vegetation and sedimentation removal, and property buy-outs.
  • Develop programs and/or materials that educate the decision makers and the public on the extent of the San Jacinto River Basin, general drainage patterns, maintenance programs for the San Jacinto River and its tributaries, potential flood reduction projects, and information relating to major flooding in the San Jacinto River watershed.

The proposed study would examine the entire San Jacinto River watershed, including Cypress Creek, Spring Creek, Peach Creek, Caney Creek, Lake Creek, the east and west forks of the San Jacinto and others. Review the scope of the project here.

If this cooperative project gets underway soon, it will mean that survey work on the East Fork of the San Jacinto can begin while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredges the West Fork between I-69 and Lake Houston. Concurrent work will speed up flood mitigation.

Posted April 20, 2018, 234 Days Since Hurricane Harvey

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Announces Pre-Bid Meeting for Emergency Dredging of San Jacinto River

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has posted a notice of what appears to be a pre-bid meeting on April 26, 2018, for Emergency Dredging of the San Jacinto River. They are inviting potential vendors to an “Industry Day” in which vendors will learn about project and government requirements. The government, in turn, will learn about industry capabilities.
“Excessive debris from Hurricane Harvey is exacerbating and impeding the free flow of water down this portion of the West Fork of the San Jacinto River.”
The project calls for dredging eight miles of the river from Interstate 69 all the way to Lake Houston. That will come as a relief to many Lake Houston Area residents. Some early announcements had the project stopping at the West Lake Houston Parkway bridge. The meeting between USACE and interested industry participants will be held online on April 26, 2018, at 10 a.m. Central Time. The Army Corps notice states in part:

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Galveston District, is requesting input from industry and others parties for an upcoming Emergency Dredging project. The Government has a requirement to dredge and remove shoal material within the West Fork of the San Jacinto River from Interstate 69 to the confluence of Lake Houston. Dredging limits, production rates, completion time and liquidated damages will be determined by the H&H modeling. Excessive debris from Hurricane Harvey is exacerbating and impeding the free flow of water down this portion of the West Fork of the San Jacinto River.”

“The purpose of this Industry Day is for planning purposes and improve the understanding of the Government requirements and industry capabilities, thereby allowing potential offerors to judge whether or how they can satisfy the Government’s requirements, and enhancing the Government’s ability to obtain construction services, at reasonable prices, and increase efficiency.”

Interested vendors can sign up to attend the meeting at the link above. ReduceFlooding.com will follow this project closely. Next steps include formulation of specifications, bidding, award of bid, and mobilization before actual dredging begins. However, the entire process is being expedited under the governor’s emergency proclamation.

Posted April 20, 2018, 234 Days Since Hurricane Harvey

Update on Multiple Flood Mitigation Projects Affecting Lake Houston Area

Giant sandbar virtually blocks the west fork of the San Jacinto River just downstream from River Grove Park.

(Kingwood, Texas, April 17, 2017) At a meeting of the Lake Houston Area Grass Roots Flood Prevention Initiative tonight, Kaaren Cambio and Dave Martin updated more than 150 people about the status of numerous post-Hurricane Harvey flood mitigation projects. Bill Fowler, co-chair of the Grass Roots Initiative, led off the event by discussing tax rebates and re-assessments for homeowners who flooded and who nearly flooded.

San Jacinto River Authority Flood Mitigation Projects

Cambio, one of Kingwood’s two new members on the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) board,  spoke about projects being spearheaded by the SJRA and its partners. They included the SJRA’s response to new flood mitigation orders issued by Governor Abbott, a watershed-wide flood study, potentially lowering the level of Lake Conroe, tougher regulations on upstream sand miners, buyouts, creation of additional reservoirs, and more.

City of Houston Flood Mitigation Projects

Martin, Houston District E City Council Member, spoke about additional projects being spearheaded by the City. They included a sedimentation survey of the Lake Houston and its tributaries, the addition of tainter gates to the Lake Houston Dam, dredging and more.

Martin also spoke at length about the City’s recent decision to lower the level of Lake Houston in anticipation of a storm at the end of March. The storm dumped an average of 5 inches of rain across the San Jacinto watershed. In a show of hands, virtually all attendees agreed that the  decision to lower Lake Houston prevented widespread flooding and that the policy should be continued.

For details, view Cambio’s and Martin’s presentations via the hyperlinks above or on the Reports page.

Give Texas GLO Feedback on Its Flood Mitigation Action Plan

Cambio urged area residents to contact the Texas General Land Office prior to April 26 re: the  state’s action plan. The state is seeking feedback on its action plan and how it will spend more than $5 billion.  The nature and volume of feedback could affect the amount of funding that Lake Houston area projects receive from the state.

Posted April 17,2018, 231 days after Hurricane Harvey

 

Video Shows Highlights from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Survey

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers posted a video on YouTube that contains highlights of the sedimentation survey that they conducted last week between the U.S. 59 bridge and the West Lake Houston Parkway bridge on the San Jacinto River.

This short video references some trouble spots they found and gives a good description of how “shoaling” can slow down water and back it up. Check the video out. The full results of the U.S. Army Corps survey should be available sometime this week.

The Army Corps has taken over the lead role for this project. Harris County Flood Control will play a supporting role.

Posted April 16, 2018, 230 days since Hurricane Harvey

Humble ISD School Board authorizes 2017 reappraisals for taxpayers whose property flooded

On April 10, 2018, Humble ISD adopted a resolution that supports 2017 Tax Year reappraisals for taxpayers whose homes flooded during Harvey. Any rebate coming to taxpayers will only cover from August 23, 2017, the date the Governor declared Harris County a disaster area, through December 31, 2017.

Other key points:

  • The reappraisals and potential refunds will only impact Humble ISD taxes, not Harris County, City of Houston or any other taxing jurisdiction’s taxes.
  • If Hurricane Harvey damaged your property, the Harris County Appraisal District will reappraise your property based on the physical damage your property received. You will receive a Disaster Reappraisal Notification letter in the mail from HCAD with your new market value.
  • If you have not personally contacted HCAD to provide notification your property was damaged, contact HCAD immediately at www.hcad.org or (713) 812-5800 to ensure reappraisal of your property.
  • Taxpayers will have the right to file appeals with HCAD if they disagree with the revised assessment.
  • Most other taxable improved properties within the taxing jurisdiction’s borders will receive a Secondary Reappraisal Notification letter. This letter lets the property owner know that a jurisdiction in which he/she resides has requested reappraisal and HCAD does not have information to indicate that they were physically damaged during the disaster. If Harvey damaged your property and you receive one of these letters, contact HCAD immediately at www.hcad.org or  (713) 812-5800 to ensure your property is reappraised.
  • Humble ISD will prorate your taxes based on the new value from the date of the disaster, August 23, 2017, until December 31, 2017.
  • Refund checks will come automatically; you don’t need to take any action.
  • Refunds could arrive as early as December, 2018.
  • Property owners should visit www.hcad.org or contact the Harris County Appraisal District at  (713) 812-5800 if they have questions.

To read the full text of the Humble ISD’s policy, visit its web site.

By Bill Fowler, Co-Chair of the Lake Houston Area Grass Roots Flood Prevention Initiative

Posted 4/15/18, 229 Days Since Harvey

How to Prepare for a Hurricane

By Diane Cooper, Kingwood resident with 20+ years’ experience in weather and river forecasting for the National Weather Service

It only takes one storm to cause serious damage to a region, which can occur in any year, even a below normal season. So, whether the forecast is for an above, below or normal hurricane season, you should prepare. Remember! Hurricane season is only six weeks away.

Prepare to Be Hurricane Strong

Now is a good time to prepare or update your Disaster Readiness Kits. Remember: “Shelter from wind; Flee from water.” Therefore, you need to create two kits. First, prepare a disaster readiness kit for sheltering in place. Second, prepare a “grab kit” in case you need to evacuate.

For what to include in a readiness kit, see my blog post.

For your grab kit, consider these suggestions:

  • FIRST, you need an evacuation plan.
  • Know your evacuation zone and your evacuation routes.
  • Identify what you can quickly grab that will support you on the road for several days.
  • Determine a route to a destination far enough inland that you will be safe from wind and flooding.
  • If you evacuate, take copies of insurance policies and other important documents or have them stored online, so that you can access them remotely.
  • Share your evacuation plans with friends and family.
  • Consider that your drive time will likely be longer than normal because of heavy traffic.
  • Prepare to be gone for several days.
Check Insurance Policies

NOW is a good time to review your insurance policy to ensure you have adequate coverage for you home, business and personal property. Make sure that your insurance policy covers rebuild costs and not simply your “tax-assessed value.”

Consider flood insurance. Our community leaders are working hard on flood mitigation. However, it will take time to fund and implement all mitigation measures. Until then, flood insurance can minimize your personal risk as well as risk to your business. Sadly, Harvey reminded us that inland/freshwater flooding can cause significant damages.

A standard home or renter’s insurance policy does NOT cover flood-related damages. If you already have flood insurance, make sure it covers personal property as well as your structure. (Note: if you had to purchase flood insurance to obtain a loan, your policy may not include the separate contents coverage. You can add coverage by contacting your insurance agent.) If you rent, you can take out a flood insurance policy for your personal property.

If you own a business, also consider business interruption insurance. It’s fairly inexpensive and can be a lifesaver. It’s not part of most business policies but can easily be added – inquire with your insurance agent. Specify that it covers disruptions due to extended loss of power. During Hurricane Ike, Kingwood lost power for approximately two weeks. Losing income for that long can severely harm any business.

Strengthen your Home

You can also do some simple things around your home, such as trim dead or weakened tree limbs, replace loose shingles, clean out gutters, and ensure they are securely attached. You can add hurricane clips to reinforce your roof. Also add braces to your garage door railings and cross braces to your garage door. Flash.org has more tips on how to strengthen your home and be HurricaneStrong.

Don’t Wait to Prepare

While I pray we will not experience another tropical system this year, the reality is that each year we have a risk of at least one. Thus, we need to be prepared. Take appropriate actions depending on the risk of each storm. Start to prepare now.

Posted April 12, 2018, 226 Days Since Hurricane Harvey