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HCFCD SAFER Study will Cover Half of Harris County

8/6/25 – Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) has initiated a large-scale study called SAFER that will involve 11 of the county’s 23 watersheds and benefit two others – Addicks and Barker.

SAFER stands for “Solutions for Advancing Floodplain Evaluation and Resilience.” The map below shows the study area. The study does not include the northern and eastern portions of the county.

Link to Flood Tunnels

The highlighted area comprises many of the watersheds previously discussed as candidates for flood tunnels.

This six-minute video explains the scope, goals and timetable of the study. (And it prominently mentions flood tunnels.) However, it also mentions integrating those with other flood-mitigation solutions.

Target: Federal Funding

A study of this scope is much broader than normal. One of the major goals is to achieve federal funding. Toward that end, the study is targeting Congresses annual Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) in 2028 as the deadline.

HCFCD is following a rigorous process outlined in Section 203 of WRDA that allows local agencies to follow Army Corps procedures and qualify for federal funding at the end of the road, as if the Corps had developed the study.

The goal: to make the county more resilient to future flood events.

Disciplined Process

The process will help ensure the U.S. Congress approves the SAFER Study recommendations, which will require large-scale federal funding to implement.

The study will evaluate established flood risk reduction measures, such as increasing channel capacity and constructing stormwater detention basins, as well as large-scale stormwater tunnels.

While the SAFER Study is a new feasibility study, it builds on current Flood Control District initiatives and data-driven projects already completed. This includes current and past capital projects, MAAPnext (ongoing) and completed investigations of stormwater conveyance tunnels.

The SAFER study will result in a Draft Feasibility Report that evaluates the costs, benefits, and viability of proposed flood-risk management solutions. The accompanying Environmental Impact Statement, led by USACE, will assess any potential environmental impacts of the proposed solutions.

Estimated Timeline

Key milestones include:

Public scoping meetings in summer 2025
Development and evaluation of alternatives through 2026
The release of a Draft Feasibility Report and Draft Environmental Impact Statement in 2026–2027

HCFCD hopes to submit the Final Report to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works in 2027 and secure Congressional funding the following year.

Upcoming Virtual Meetings

HCFCD will hold community engagement meetings in each phase. Two upcoming virtual meetings will give you a chance to comment:

Tuesday, August 19, 2025
from 6 – 7 p.m.
Zoom Meeting Registration

Wednesday, August 20, 2025
from 12 – 1 p.m.
Zoom Meeting Registration

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/6/2025

2899 Days since Hurricane Harvey

HCFCD Releases White Paper on Flood-Tunnel Pilot Program

8/5/25 – Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) has released a high-level white paper on a flood-tunnel pilot program that could cost several billion dollars.

The 15-page white paper lays out a starting point for implementation of the 1,860-page Phase II engineering study released by Black & Veatch in March 2022.

The pilot project would do several things:

Give HCFCD experience with tunnels before full-scale implementation
Create institutional knowledge throughout several Harris County departments (flood control, purchasing, engineering, etc.)
Start reducing flood risk right away
Document proof of concept to help obtain state and federal funding for additional tunnels

Conceptual Overview

Tunnels are a proven concept to help reduce flooding. They have helped other cities, such as San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Chicago, Washington DC and more.

In Houston, 10-40-foot tunnels placed 50-100 feet underground could reduce the load on creeks and bayous without the need to purchase large amounts of real-estate. Nor would tunnels displace families or businesses.

They might not provide enough capacity to handle a large river, such as the San Jacinto, but they could reportedly make a dent in flooding along smaller creeks and bayous, especially those with dense populations.

Some rights-of-way would require acquisition for intakes, shafts and outfalls, plus subterranean easements.

Total cost of each tunnel would depend on diameter and length.

Primary Recommendations

According to the white paper, Harris County Commissioners Court expressed interest in pursuing two pilot projects:

One would cross Greens, Halls and Hunting watersheds.
The second would run along Buffalo Bayou and help drain Addicks and Barker Reservoirs.

Each would outfall in the Ship Channel near the turning basin and exceed 18 miles in length.

And each could also someday form the “trunk” of a tunnel network that branches out into surrounding areas. So, they could provide both immediate and future benefits.

Other Conceptual Alternatives

The white paper also outlines four other shorter/narrower tunnels that could help reduce flooding. They are primarily in areas that already have stormwater detention basins but inadequate channel conveyance between them. These alternatives include:

Brickhouse Gully from Bingle to TC Jester Park
Halls Bayou from Keith Weiss Park to the Hall Park detention basin east of 59 near the Fiesta.
Hunting Bayou from Lockwood to Buffalo Bayou
Little Cypress Creek for three miles from Cypress Rose Hill Road to the Gulf Club at Longwood

Each of these alternatives is conceptual and would require further study. Initial cost estimates range from tens to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Timing

Pre-construction planning (including preliminary engineering, final design, environmental permitting, right-of-way acquisition, and bidding) could easily take 4-6 years. Construction could take another 2-4 years. So think of tunnels as roughly a decade-long endeavor.

For More Information

See the:

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/5/25

2898 Days since Hurricane Harvey

SJRA Unveils 10-Year Flood-Mitigation Plan

8/4/2025 – The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) has unveiled a ten-year flood-mitigation plan for the river basin. For the most part, it’s built around continuations of previous efforts. Regardless, it’s interesting to see what SJRA hopes to focus on in the future.

The plan contains eight main elements:

Spring Creek Watershed Flood-Control Dams Feasibility Study
Upper San Jacinto River Basin Sedimentation Study
Lake Conroe/Lake Houston Joint Reservoir Operations Study
San Jacinto River and Tributaries Sediment Removal and Sand Trap Development
Waller County Flood Mapping Updates
Upper Basin Dual Purpose Reservoir (Flood/Water Supply)
Rain and Stream Gage Installation
Miscellaneous Flood Management Projects

Let’s look at each.

Spring Creek Watershed Flood-Control Dams

Previously, the SJRA identified two potential sites for flood-control dams in the upper Spring Creek watershed. The sites included properties along Birch and Walnut Creeks. One of the sites subsequently was sold for a solar farm. However, SJRA believes it only needs a small portion of that property. It has budgeted money to buy that property and relocate some of the solar panels.

Matt Barrett, SJRA Flood Management Division Manager said, “We believe it is still a feasible site if we can identify a project sponsor to own and maintain the dam/reservoir.”

Currently, SJRA is seeking partners who could help fund land acquisition, construction and maintenance.

As with many of these items, SJRA emphasizes that it only has money for planning, coordination and project leadership, but not actual execution. For that, it must rely on grants.

Upper Basin Sedimentation Study

SJRA started this project several years ago also. The presentation shows them wrapping up their sedimentation study next year. They intend to rank order and develop an implementation plan for all projects that they have identified to date.

Joint Reservoir Operations Study

The goal of this project is to determine the most efficient and safe way to coordinate the operations of Lake Conroe and Lake Houston during floods. However, construction delays on Lake Houston’s new floodgates have delayed the completion of the study. That’s because engineers must understand the total release capacity of Lake Houston’s gates to make plans.

When last I checked, the City planned to adjust the number of gates to fit available funding. Once the release capacity has been locked down, engineers can develop:

An inflow forecasting tool for Lake Houston
Gate operations policies
Feasibility of pre-releases at either or both reservoirs
Risk evaluations in different weather scenarios.

SJRA hopes to complete this project by 2028.

Sediment Removal and Sand Trap Development

This project started in 2020 and identified a test site near the Hallett mine on the San Jacinto West Fork. SJRA wanted the site to be near a mine so miners could remove accumulated sediment from the sand trap once it filled up.

However, after the site was identified, the recommended site was subsequently cut off by a “pit capture.” The river is now flowing through the Hallett pit rather than around it.

The question in my mind is whether the pit walls can be hardened or vegetated somehow to let the exposed pit function as the sand trap.

SJRA hopes to work with a consultant to simplify the design and reduce costs for all involved. They see project completion in 2028.

Waller County Flood Mapping

SJRA hopes to obtain a grant from the Texas Flood Infrastructure Fund to update Waller County’s flood maps to Atlas 14 standards. This project could go through 2029 and cost $7 million.

Upper-Basin Dual-Purpose Reservoir

This is one of the most exciting elements of the 10-year plan. This feasibility study would determine the most viable location for a new lake/reservoir in the upper river basin that could mitigate flooding and supply water.

The study will look at a number of constraints and work with stakeholders, such as the US Forest Service.

Depending on the feasibility of the ultimate recommendation, it could replace a number of preliminary recommendations from the River Basin Master Drainage Plan developed several years ago. The study would go through 2029.

Upper San Jacinto River Basin — *A new dual-purpose reservoir could be sited north of Lake Conroe or in the East Fork Watershed.*

Rain/Stream Gage Installation

SJRA, working with counties, precincts, and other local governments, has identified 48 locations for rain/stream gages across the upper river basin. SJRA has incorporated all of them in the Regional Flood Plan.

As funding becomes available, they would be constructed. SJRA projects this project could last through 2032.

Miscellaneous

In the latter phases of the 10-year plan, SJRA is reserving some money for miscellaneous projects that arise through 2035. They might be small scale follow-up studies or facilitation of major construction projects – when/if they come to pass.

For More Information

See the full document presented to the SJRA board or visit SJRA.net.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/4/25

2897 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Can HCFCD Finish DR Projects Worth $323 Million Before Deadline?

8/3/2025 – HCFCD is running out of time to bid and complete Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief projects before a firm and looming deadline. The county could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in aid if it misses the deadline. Yet, it won’t even bid most of the projects for months.

Where Has the Time Gone?

Former Texas General Land Office Commissioner George P. Bush first announced hundreds of millions of dollars in HUD Community Development Block Grant funds for Harris County in May 2021. But it took Harris County almost four years – until January 25, 2025 – to finalize its list of projects for GLO approval.

While it took Harris County years to develop its list, it took the GLO approximately four months to review and approve 10 of the ll disaster-relief (DR) projects on it. DR projects all have a tight, firm deadline of February 28, 2027 – just 19 months away.

But subtract from those 19 months three to six months for bidding and mobilizing a project. Also subtract another two months for closing it out and turning in all the billing. That means you’re losing another five to eight months out of the 19 months. But some of these jobs could take years to complete.

The Greens Bayou Mid-Reach Program, for instance, is huge. It could require several years to build according to one construction expert I consulted.

In September, 2023, HCFCD held a press conference celebrating the funding of the TC Jester Stormwater Detention Basins. But that won’t even go out for bids until the fourth quarter of this year.

And even though it’s not part of the DR package below, another project is also illuminating. HCFCD awarded the bid on the Mercer Basin construction contract on August 4, 2023. It’s comparable in size to many of these projects and construction is still not finished.

Only One Project Bid So Far

So far, HCFCD has announced only one bid award among the group of 11 CDBG-DR projects. That’s for the Arbor Oaks detention basin on White Oak Bayou. And that should begin construction any day now if it hasn’t already.

Ten Others Could Take Months to Start Bidding

The latest bid outlook sheet posted on HCFCD.org shows when the ten other disaster relief projects in the HUD package should be advertised for bids.

It typically takes three to six months from when HCFCD first advertises a project until the winning bidder starts turning dirt. For instance, the county’s purchasing database shows that HCFCD advertised Arbor Oaks beginning April 18, 2025 – 3.5 months ago.

Using these examples as barometers, HCFCD will have little time to complete some of the jobs above. And the county could lose hundreds of millions of dollars.

Who’s to Blame?

We haven’t lost the money yet. But when/if the house of cards collapses on itself, I suspect the head of HCFCD and the county officials who hired her will start pointing fingers at each other.

Shortly after Dr. Tina Petersen took over as Executive Director of HCFCD, I had a prophetic lunch with her. She told me how she wanted to slow things down and become “more intentional” about the way HCFCD did business. And did she ever slow things down!

The previous management team executed projects at twice the speed she is.
Adjusted for inflation, she’s now spending at a rate lower than before the 2018 flood bond, with billions at her fingertips.
She lost seasoned professionals and replaced them in many cases with political hacks.
And she has refused to tap knowledgeable resources in the local engineering community that could have helped her.

Lest this sound like a totally self-inflicted wound, commissioners court sat back and tolerated delays even when she missed deadline after deadline for explanations about a $1.3 billion shortfall in the 2018 bond program and whether CDBG projects were in danger. And in the “mixed-message” department, Commissioners gave her an almost $90,000 raise to $434,000 per year…shortly after publicly lambasting her performance in commissioners court.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/3/2025

2896 Days since Hurricane Harvey

The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.

After Five Weeks, Culverts under Kingwood Drive Still Clogged

8/1/2025 – After a month of supposedly working to restore conveyance of blocked culverts under Kingwood Drive, the culverts remain blocked and crews seem in no hurry to remove the sediment. They may be disputing whether they were hired to do that.

City Met With Community Representatives in June

Five weeks ago, on 6/24/2025, representatives of the Houston City Council District E office, Houston Public Works, Kings Forest and the Bear Branch Trail Association met to discuss clearing a ditch that had not been cleaned out for more than 20 years.

The ditch cuts through Kings Forest between Valley Manor and Twin Grove, next to Kingwood High School. Then it crosses under Kingwood Drive and empties into Kingwood Lake.

Valley Manor Ditch — *Ditch has no name. Just a number – G103-35-01.*

One week after City and community representatives met, a contractor started clearing trees around the ditch.

*Looking north up the ditch from over Kingwood Drive.*

However, after a full month, the contractor has yet to address the ditch itself, especially the critical blocked culverts under Kingwood Drive. And crews appear to be on hold. Activity has virtually ceased.

Confusion Re: Scope of Work

In talking with the contractor and the City, it has become clear that there is a misunderstanding regarding the project scope. No one at the City will send me the scope document or a contract outlining responsibilities despite repeated requests – both in person and via email. And the contractor keeps saying, “Talk to the City.”

The best I’ve been able to get is a suggestion that the scope may have been “vague.” Meanwhile, equipment has been mostly idle for two weeks.

The contractor has seven work days left before school starts on August 13. At that point, the logistics of working around thousands of high school students will make the work infinitely more complicated because of the need to close down at least one lane of Kingwood Drive.

Blockages Under Kingwood Drive Remain

Restoring conveyance will require removing lots of muck from areas around the culverts and in the median itself.

North of the westbound lanes on Kingwood Drive, culverts are half blocked with sediment. See below.

*Entry to culverts leading to median. Water drains toward top of frame.*

*Exit from same culverts. Looking N across median toward westbound Kingwood Drive.*

*Looking S again at opposite side of median. Eastbound lanes* *in distance.*

Clearly, plenty of sediment must be removed before conveyance of the culverts is fully restored. Based on the photos above, I estimate conveyance has been reduced 50 percent.

Half of Outfall Blockage Remains

The first photo below shows what the outfall on the south side of Kingwood Drive looked like before the start of work at the end of June. The second shows what it looked like today.

Comparing the pre- and post shots, it appears that the contractor removed half the sediment blocking the outfall. One of the workers told me they intended to finish this portion of the job. However, he didn’t know what they intend to do about the median and culverts. He also said they had finished removing brush.

Waiting On…?

For the past few days, I’ve seen unmarked contractor vehicles parked next to the job site. Periodically, someone leaves one and walks into the woods. One even sat in the excavator above while I photographed it.

But as of quitting time today, the excavator had not moved. I went back and checked it three hours later.

To my knowledge, it has not moved for several days. It’s hard to imagine why workers would go to work and not work.

City Council Member Fred Flickinger has vowed to find out next week whether the City is being billed for downtime.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/1/25

2894 Days since Hurricane Harvey

The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.

Major Northpark Traffic Change Coming Next Week

7/31/2025 – According to the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website, contractors will soon move all eastbound traffic on Northpark Drive between Italiano’s and GS Tire & Auto to newly constructed lanes on the south side of the thoroughfare. This will eliminate two major swerves within 3,000 feet and straighten out inbound traffic east of Loop 494.

The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website indicates the change will happen on the night of 8/5/2025. However, I have been unable to confirm that.

Photos of Lane-Change Areas Taken Today

All photos below were taken today starting from the east and moving west.

*Looking West from G&S.* *Inbound traffic will move to the south (left).*

The shift to the south will go past Russell Palmer … all the way to Italiano’s.

*Looking west from Russell Palmer (lower left). From this point, traffic in BOTH directions will shift south and demo of old outbound lanes will begin.*

*Still looking west. This detour will also straighten out. Italiano’s is out of frame in upper left. Through this stretch, traffic in both directions will shift left (south)*

After contractors open up the new eastbound lanes, they will shift westbound traffic to the south from NextCare Urgent Care to Russel Palmer. They will then begin demolition of the old westbound lanes between those two points.

Use extra caution as people get used to the changes and as traffic increases with people returning from vacation.

Bore Under Railroad Tracks Still Stalled

For several weeks now, boring for the twin 60″ pipes underneath the UnionPacific Railroad Tracks has been stalled due to the discovery of utility conflicts. The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website simply says, “All work on UPRR ROW has been halted due to further unknown conditions found in the field on 7/25/2025.”

*The originating pit for the bores east of the UnionPacific tracks.*

*A few feet west of the tracks, the bores have not yet reached the receiving pit.*

The project planners intended to convey excess stormwater west of the tracks under them to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and Bens Branch. But contractors must resolve the utility conflicts (shown above) and place junction boxes for the drainage in both pits before they can connect the drainage on each side of the tracks.

*So close and yet so far. Only a few feet separate the two pits. But the utility conflicts are holding up a major part of the job.*

Loop 494 Progress

Meanwhile contractors have made good progress on Loop 494 both north and south of Northpark.

*Looking S across Northpark at new northbound lanes (left) one of which is mostly finished..*

Looking north from the other side of Northpark…

*Contractors have begun placing rebar to expand the roadbed.*

After crews finish paving the northbound lanes of Loop 494, they will begin the eastbound lanes of Northpark west of Loop 494.

Between 59 and Loop 494

Between Loop 494 and 59, contractors are currently placing junction boxes for drainage underneath where the inbound surface lanes will go. Today, you could see them placing one of the boxes in front of Whataburger.

*Drainage junction box in front of Whataburger on right.*

According to the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority, “They will then move into the center median of Northpark west of LP 494, to begin work on the storm laterals and structures, which include the detention-pond equalizer pipe.” See below.

*Recently demolished center section of Northpark will be focus of next phase of drainage work.*

To see progress since the last update, compare photos in this post from 7/21/2025.

In Other Northpark News

Crews have started preparing the base for what will become new inbound surface lanes just east of the UP Railroad Tracks.

*Looking E across from Public Storage and Dunkin’ Donuts*

It’s not easy to see how the pieces of this jigsaw puzzle come together when you’re driving. Keep your eyes on the road and check back here periodically for progress reports.

Yesterday, as I came in on Northpark from 59, it took almost a half hour to get the one block from 59 to Loop 494. Because of the construction near Whataburger, inbound traffic was down to one lane for a short while. But it was back open this morning.

Such closures can be hard to predict and frustrating. To the degree you can, I would try to avoid Northpark during construction hours. But also be sensitive to the hardships placed on local merchants. Go out of your way to patronize them when you can.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/31/2025

2893 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Diversion Ditch Study Did Not Consider Obvious Opportunities that Might Have Reduced Costs, Flood Risk

7/30/25 – The Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) of Kingwood Diversion Ditch Conveyance Improvements makes no reference to three obvious detention opportunities that could potentially reduce project costs and help protect people in Kingwood from flooding. Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) commissioned the PER in 2021 after the Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis identified fixing Diversion Ditch issues as one of the top priorities in Kingwood.

Chris Bloch, a local engineer and flood activist says he showed the detention opportunities to HCFCD. However, Neel-Schaffer did not consider them in its report for unknown reasons.

Detention South of River Will Not Help Flooding Along Diversion Ditch

The Neel-Schaffer PER recommended building 405 acre-feet of detention south of the San Jacinto West Fork.

The location south of the river may help people downstream, but it will do nothing to reduce the volume of water flowing down the Diversion Ditch during a major storm.

Detention south of the river will help people farther down the West Fork. But Bloch points out that locating detention along the Diversion Ditch would help both Kingwood residents and others downstream.

Overview: Three Stormwater Detention Opportunities Inside Kingwood

Bloch consulted with Stan Sarman before Sarman’s untimely death several years ago. Sarman was one of the consulting engineers who designed Kingwood’s original drainage for Friendswood. Bloch says that he and Sarman identified several recommendations to improve Kingwood drainage. From north to south, they include:

Adding detention between Northpark Drive and St. Martha Catholic Church
Removing a berm between Kings Manor and Kings Mill detention ditches, then increasing the width and depth of the combined ditches
Creating extra capacity near the proposed new San Jacinto River outfall of the Diversion Ditch.

According to Bloch, these alternatives could provide far more capacity than the 405-acre feet that Neel-Schaffer says it needs – especially if combined with some channel-widening opportunities. I will discuss channel widening in a future post. But first, let’s look closer at these three.

Opportunity #1

Neel-Schaffer evidently didn’t look at anything north of the Harris/Montgomery County line. Since Neel-Schaffer released its PER, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority announced plans to build 100 acre-feet of detention in the area where the Diversion Ditch splits off from Bens Branch just north of Northpark. That’s a quarter of the needed 405 acre-feet right there.

Opportunity #2

Removing the berm between the Kings Mill and Kings Manor ditches and increasing the width and depth of the combined ditches would provide another 100 acre-feet of detention capacity. Both ditches are owned by Montgomery County Municipal Utility Districts.

Kings Mill is under fire to reduce runoff due to the new high-density Northpark Enclave development. Construction plans show runoff entering the Northpark evacuation route during extreme high-water events.

Plus, additional Enclave runoff will further reduce Diversion-Ditch capacity. Parts of the Diversion Ditch have a 50% chance of flooding every year.

Opportunity #2 could help mitigate both Enclave and Diversion-Ditch capacity issues.

Dual drainage ditches separated by needless berm could provide another $100 acre feet of storage. — Looking East toward Russell Palmer Road. Eliminating the berm between Kings Mill and Kings Manor Drainage could provide an estimated 100 acre-feet of additional stormwater detention benefitting Kingwood residents.

Opportunity #3

Neel-Schaffer recommends extending the Diversion Ditch from below Deer Ridge Park to the West Fork – without forcing it to make an S-turn through River Grove Park.

*New outfall for Diversion Ditch (red line) creates another opportunity for more detention (in red box).*

That coincides with one of the recommendations originally made by Sarman and Bloch. But Sarman and Bloch also called for construction of a large pond at the outfall location. This pond would slow water velocities exiting the Diversion Ditch and provide a sediment-settling area before the water enters the River.

Depending on the configuration, such a pond could provide another 80 to 100 acre-feet of inline detention.

High Cost of Detention South of River

Those three alternatives alone could provide approximately three quarters of the needed detention and reduce flood risk for more than 500 residents who flooded near the Diversion Ditch during Harvey.

Bloch and Sarman identified other opportunities within the ditch to expand capacity. They could easily bring the total to far more than the 405 acre-feet needed.

Neel-Schaffer makes a frank confession about its detention recommendation south of the West Fork on page 38 of its Preliminary Engineering Review. It says that…

“Although an offsite stormwater detention basin is feasible, the prospective benefits are negligible.”
Neel-Schaffer Kingwood Diversion Ditch Preliminary Engineering Review, Page 38

Yet the projected cost of the basin they proposed is between a quarter and a third of total project costs – almost $15 million out of $55 million. In fairness, Neel-Schaffer says on the same page, “Due to limited effectiveness and significant cost, the recommended detention basin should be further examined during final design.”

Final Design Getting Underway

On May 8, 2025, Harris County Commissioners Court approved a motion to advertise final design and construction of the diversion ditch project for bids. However, an engineering design firm has not yet been selected.

When they are, I hope they evaluate some of these recommendations.

A transmittal from HCFCD Executive Director Dr. Tina Petersen shows that the EPA and Texas Water Development Board have apparently pledged $7 million to the project. That won’t cover much construction. So, Petersen says HCFCD will continue to look for more grants. Her timeline shows construction starting in mid-2028…if she can find the money.

These recommendations may help make the project more affordable.

Posted by Bob Rehak 7/30/25

2892 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Explanation of Toth’s Negative Votes on Dredging Bills Not Supported by Evidence

7/28/2025 – State Representative Steve Toth has announced a bid to unseat U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw in next year’s Republican primary. While Crenshaw helped secure more than $120 million dollars for dredging in the Lake Houston Area after Harvey to reduce flood risk, Toth voted against bills to create a Lake Houston Dredging District THREE times in five years.

Toth claims that the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), a powerful Republican think tank, was “also against the bill.” However, a search of the TPPF website turned up no mention of any of the three bills. They included:

HB 2525 in 2021 (by former State Rep. Dan Huberty)
HB 5341 in 2023 (by current State Rep. Charles Cunningham)
HB 1532 in 2025 (also by Cunningham)

I searched the TPPF website for each of the bill numbers (with and without spaces and hyphens). I also searched it for key words such as “dredging” and “Lake Houston.” None of the searches turned up any mention of any of the bills. Moreover, neither of the bills’ authors could recall TPPF taking a stance for or against the bill(s), nor could their chiefs of staff.

Likewise, neither Google, nor ChatGPT, found any public records indicating that TPPF adopted a position against the creation of a Lake Houston Dredging District.

Witness Lists Don’t Support Toth Claim Either

The list of witnesses who addressed the House Natural Resources Committee on HB 2525 in 2021 shows no one from the TPPF. Ditto for the Senate testimony.

I could find only two public comments in 2023 – both written and neither from TPPF.

The same holds true for HB 1532 in 2025. No comments from TPPF in the House, nor in the Senate!

The only people who ever testified against any of the three versions of the Dredging District bills represented water authorities, not TPPF.

Error-Ridden Defense of Negative Votes

A close examination of Rep. Toth’s defense of his negative votes shows other troubling issues, too. See below.

Five Issues in Six Sentences

In the six full sentences above, I quickly spotted five major issues.

#1 – I can find no public records of TPPF being against any of the dredging bills as discussed above.
#2 – “One more taxing agency.” The 2025 version of the bill (HB 1532) that became law states explicitly that the dredging district cannot levy taxes. Do you really want a representative who doesn’t read the legislation he’s voting on?
#3 – SJRA responsible for Kingwood flooding? It was a combination of factors. Lack of dredging for decades reduced the conveyance of the West Fork by up to 15 feet. That’s why we need regular dredging as the Army Corps recommended.
#4 – Even if TPPF was against the bill, who cares? Toth is running to represent tens of thousands of Lake Houston Area residents and business people that flooded – not the TPPF. Do you really want a representative who votes against the needs of constituents to curry favor with a think tank in Austin that doesn’t even list flooding as an issue it cares about?
#5 – If the TPPF was against the 2025 bill, why did so many Republicans vote for it? It passed the House by 114 to 19 and the Senate by 30 to 1.

Mr. Toth certainly doesn’t inspire my trust.

No Reply from Toth Yet

Johnna Wells, the lady who elicited the response above from Rep. Toth has invited him to come to Kingwood and address voters on these issues. He indicated a willingness to talk to her, but wouldn’t say when.

In the hall of mirrors that political discourse has become in recent years, it’s important to verify the claims you hear or see.

If Mr. Toth wishes to respond to the observations in this post, I will be happy to print his point of view. But he must start with who at TPPF came out against the bill. What did they say? When? And where? And how can it be verified?

What started out as unexplained votes has quickly morphed into a major trust issue.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/28/2025

2990 Days since Hurricane Harvey

The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.

West Fork Dredging Contract Complete, But Job Far from Over

7/27/25 – Callan Marine is done with its City of Houston West Fork dredging contract. The contract used the last of the FEMA money that U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw helped obtain for dredging the West Fork Mouth Bar and the surrounding area after Harvey.

The City hired Callan to dredge 800,000 cubic yards from the San Jacinto West Fork between Kings Point, Atascocita and FM1960. But even though that contract is now complete, the need for dredging is far from over. Let me explain.

Pictures Taken Today

The General Pershing, Callan’s dredge was docked today on the east side of Lake Houston, just south of FM1960.

*Miles of massive dredge pipe used in the operation were pulled onshore, waiting for removal.*

*The placement area next to the Luce Bayou Inter-Basin Transfer Canal was vacant. Callan had removed all of its equipment.*

*The gates that let return-water out of the placement area had been removed (lower right).*

*The return-water channel from the placement area was filled in. Straw had been placed across the filled channel to retard erosion.*

*Callan filled the area inside the perimeter berms* *almost completely.*

But just upstream from from where the dredging took place, the West Fork is already filling in again near the West Lake Houston Parkway Bridge.

need for more dredging — *The area near Kings Harbor is only 1-2 feet deep.* *The Army Corps dredged this area just a few years ago.*

*Not many people will be tying their boats up here near Raffa’s.*

Dredging complete — *Farther upstream, it’s the same story. Boaters told me today the outfall of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch (shown above) is only about 6″ to a 1′ deep at River Grove Park.*

Ironically, the Army Corps liberated River Grove from a giant sand build up just a few years ago. Remember what this area looked like then? See below.

River Grove Sand Bar — *Same area in 2018 before Army Corps dredging. An estimated 500+ homes above this point flooded during Harvey.*

Sediment buildups like these reduced the conveyance of both the East and West Forks by 15 feet in places.

*Another massive build up less than a half mile downstream from River Grove took the Corps months to dredge.*

The Would-Be Congressman Who Denies Need for Dredging

Reducing flood risk in the Lake Houston Area requires reducing sediment build ups like these. Before the Corps left the West Fork, it recommended setting up a maintenance dredging program to help prevent such massive buildups in the future.

Following the Corps’ lead, former State Rep. Dan Huberty tried to set up such a program in 2021. So did State Rep. Charles Cunningham in 2023. Cunningham finally succeeded this year when HB1532 became law.

And yet a person upstream who wants to represent the Lake Houston Area in Congress, State Representative Steve Toth, voted against Cunningham’s Dredging District bill. And now he’s challenging Crenshaw.

I have yet to hear a credible explanation as to why Toth voted against the dredging district bill and the needs of the people he hopes to represent. Perhaps he would care to go on the record.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/27/25

2889 Days since Hurricane Harvey

The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.

Take Regional Flood Survey Now, Deadline Fast Approaching

7/25/2025 – The San Jacinto Flood Planning Group is fielding a brief regional flood survey that will be used to help judge public priorities for the next round in the development of the State’s Flood Plan. Your last chance to take the survey is August 1, 2025.

But don’t wait. Take it now while this post and the link are in front of you. It will only take a few minutes and your suggestions could help reduce your flood risk.

About the State Flood Plan

In 2019, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 8 directing the creation of the first-ever state flood plan for Texas. The state flood plan brings together the findings of the 15 river-basin-based regional flood plans and makes legislative and floodplain management recommendations to guide state, regional, and local flood control policy.

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) adopted Texas’ inaugural State Flood Plan on August 15th, 2024. Now we’re into the next cycle of the plan, which will be updated every five years.

So here’s your chance to sound off about everything you’ve learned in the last five years. The San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group covers more than 5,000 square miles in 11 counties.

Here’s the start page to take the survey.

After some location and contact questions, the survey will ask you some pretty high level questions, i.e., “What do we need?”

I said, “We need river-basin-wide flood control districts. Otherwise, we’ll never be able to solve flooding that originates across county lines.”

Others knowledgeable about flooding problems in Texas said we need:

A guaranteed amount of funding for the plan – every year or at least every legislative session – to facilitate planning better.
A statewide program in every school to teach students about flood risk – before they buy their first home.

Whatever your suggestions, make sure you submit your regional flood survey by August 1, 2025. Better yet, do it now so you don’t forget.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/25/2025

2887 Days since Hurricane Harvey