Flood-Mitigation Update Nine Years after Hurricane Harvey

8/27/26 – This week marks nine years since Hurricane Harvey, the wettest tropical cyclone on record in the United States. It dropped 60.58 inches of rain in Nederland, Texas, just east of Houston. Harvey also caused an estimated $125 billion in damages, making it the second costliest storm in U.S. history after Katrina.

Estimated rainfall totals from Harvey across SE Texas show Houston in the bulls eye.

According to the National Weather Service, only around 10 percent of the river forecast points in southeast Texas remained below flood stage during the event, and…

Approximately 46 percent of the river forecast points reached new record levels.

National Weather Service

Nine Years of Flood-Mitigation Efforts

In the wake of all that destruction, the public demanded better flood protection and officials responded. Here is a list of some of the major efforts.

Results to Date

What is the status of all these flood-mitigation efforts today? In the same order:

HCFCD has spent about $2.2 billion of the total $5.2 committed – 42%. Because of deadlines attached to some of the federal funds, the County could lose hundreds of millions of dollars and the head of the flood control district resigned under pressure. A new director is trying to pick up the pieces.

The Army Corps completed its dredging program and the City extended it. However, sediment from sand mines upstream has once again reduced the conveyance of rivers, streams and channels.

At the start of this month, directors were finally sworn in for the Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District. And they are in the process of developing a business plan.

Harris County Engineering, which enforces floodplain regulations, is essentially in disarray, due to loss of personnel and high turnover. Some employees have reportedly resigned within weeks of joining the department. As a consequence, contractors are dumping fill in floodplains with impunity.

After achieving mixed results on getting surrounding counties to adopt minimum drainage regulations, Harris County Engineering quietly dropped the effort. Since then, Colony Ridge in Liberty County has grown 50% larger than Manhattan. The developer has filled in wetlands, developed thousands of acres with no detention basins, and failed to line channels with grass to reduce erosion.

Under pressure from Lake Conroe boaters, the SJRA stopped automatic seasonal lowering of lake levels.

Mark Micheletti is now the sole downstream representative on the seven-person SJRA board. And State Rep. Will Metcalf introduced legislation to deny representation to downstream residents on the SJRA Board.

Most of the SJRA studies are still incomplete. And no recommendations have yet been implemented from any studies that are complete. The Spring Creek study, for instance, recommended the purchase of land which had already been sold and developed by the time the SJRA Board got a chance to consider it.

The City of Houston still hopes to add more floodgates to Lake Houston’s dam. However, changes in scope have inflated costs. They now exceed committed funding. The search for funding continues as engineering plans near completion.

CoH’s long-range dredging operational plan will depend on financing for the Dredging and Maintenance District which is still being studied.

In the quest to build a reliable evacuation route from Kingwood, Northpark Drive Phase I is nearing completion, estimated for 27Q1. Waiting in the wings: the Phase II extension to Woodland Hills. And a large detention basin south of St. Martha Catholic Church. In future floods, if Hamblen, Kingwood Drive and Mills Branch Road go under water, this should create a fast, reliable evacuation route. Estimated completion for everything: 2031.

The Coastal Texas Project issued a press release in March 2025 stating that the first component of the plan was starting design. I can find no updates to their website since then.

The Resilient Houston website appears to have been taken down. I can find no recent updates on the program.

HCFCD’s Resilience Plan is still in development.

FEMA published new draft flood maps for Harris County in March 2026. But they won’t become effective for two to three more years while they go through a public comment and review period. Surrounding counties have not yet released updated flood maps based on higher Atlas 14 rainfall totals. Meanwhile, more than 65,000 homes have been built in the region’s floodplains since Harvey, according to a Houston Chronicle investigation.

The Texas Water Development Board’s (TWDB) first statewide flood plan found that:

  • More people live in Texas floodplains than live in 30 states
  • One in five Texans lives in a floodplain
  • 42% of those who live in the San Jacinto River Basin live in floodplains
  • Floodplain dwellers in the San Jacinto watershed alone exceed the population of 15 states and the District of Columbia.

TWDB is now in its second flood-planning cycle. Regional Flood Planning Groups submit projects they identify for funding to help reduce flood risk. But there are far more projects than dollars to do them. In the first cycle, the regional groups submitted $46 billion worth of projects and the legislature appropriated $1 billion to fund them.

Conclusions

I draw several conclusions from these observations:

  • If another flood like Harvey happened now, it could be equally destructive.
  • Mitigation takes longer and costs more than taxpayers can afford.
  • So…homebuyers beware.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/27/26

3285 days (nine years) since Hurricane Harvey

Northpark Pond Liners Being Installed

8/26/26 – Contractors are currently installing liners in the two entry ponds that bracket Northpark Drive at US59. See the north pond below.

Photo courtesy of Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority.

The liner is a geomembrane made out of high density polyethylene. It takes at least 240 pounds/inch to break the liner.

Ponds Will Serve Two Purposes

To motorists, the ponds will look like decorative lakes at the entrance to the community. However, they also play another important role as stormwater retention basins.

The difference between the water surface level and top of bank represents capacity for excess stormwater storage. The increase in impervious cover associated with expansion of the roadway will create additional runoff and the ponds will help retain that, reducing flood risk.

Closing on Property for Well Will Be Key to Pond Completion

On 7/24/26, I wrote a brief update about the entry ponds. Two things were holding up completion. 

  • Closing on property for the well that would fill the ponds when rainwater doesn’t
  • The need to cover the pond liners to keep sunlight from damaging them.

The plan is to cover the liners with a foot of dirt. That should protect them from harmful UV rays.

De Leon previously said he hopes to close on the property for the well during the first week of October 2026 and have the ponds filled by the end of October.

According to De Leon, “We still have to get the permit approved by the subsidence district and schedule the sub-contractor to dig the well. Then we need electricity to operate it. If we get rain before all that happens, they could easily fill by themselves.”  

Multiple Purposes of Pond Liners

The primary purpose of a pond liner in a decorative community-entrance pond is to keep the water in the pond rather than allowing it to infiltrate into the surrounding soil. But it serves several related functions.

  • Prevents seepage and water loss. This is especially important in sandy, gravelly, fractured, or otherwise permeable soils. Without a liner, maintaining the desired water level could require continual makeup water.
  • Maintains a stable appearance. Decorative ponds are usually designed around a particular water-surface elevation. A liner helps keep shorelines, fountains, waterfalls, and landscaping looking as designed.
  • Reduces operating costs. Less water has to be added to compensate for infiltration, which can substantially reduce water bills and pumping requirements.
  • Provides some isolation from groundwater and soil. A liner can limit exchange between pond water and groundwater and reduce the migration of dissolved minerals or contaminants in either direction.
  • Helps control vegetation and erosion. Liners can discourage deeply rooted aquatic plants and prevent the pond bottom from eroding.

When complete, the Northpark entries should look as beautiful as the Kingwood Drive entries. That will be a major upgrade for the entire community.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/26/26

3284 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District Kicks Off Planning Effort

8/25/26 – Just days after being sworn in, the five board members of the new Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District held their first working meeting on 8/24/26. They focused on developing an organization that could, in turn, develop a long-range plan.

Three of the five board members live in the Lake Houston Area, including the board chair. So, they are highly focused on getting dredges in the water as soon as possible.

Dredging District board (L to R): Sarah Burkey, William Simpson (chair), Derek St. John, Kathleen Jordan, Ken Kirchhofer (out of frame to right). Jordan lives in Kingwood. Simpson and Kirchhofer live in Atascocita.

Board Chair William Simpson set the stage by saying, “We’re basically starting from day one on this. Today, we want to strategize around how to move forward and then form some committees to start working.”

After a review of bylaws, they discussed:

  • Scope of work/maps/surveys
  • Estimate of costs
  • Funding plans
  • Schedule milestones
  • A procurement plan
  • Committees

Houston Public Works Set the Stage

David Wurdlow, Houston Public Works’ Sr. Assistant Director of Capital Projects and Grant Management, set the stage by talking about dredging costs and funding sources – both past and potential.

Since Harvey, approximately $175 million has been raised for dredging from a variety of sources and $168 million expended. That leaves approximately $7 million in the kitty.

Funding summary shows balance left in last two line items, which are not yet closed.

Utilizing those remaining funds would require an interlocal agreement of some sort with either Harris County or City of Houston.

Wurdlow next identified several possible sources for grants. He emphasized that many grants are designated exclusively for capital improvements and that, by definition, dredging is a maintenance activity. Outside of an emergency, such as Hurricane Harvey, that limits potential funding sources somewhat. However, several sources remain viable alternatives.

Since Harvey, more than 4 million cubic yards of sediment have been removed from the lake and its tributaries through a variety of programs.

Finally, Wurdlow discussed how dredging dovetailed with other flood-mitigation efforts underway in the Lake Houston watershed, such as the SJRA’s sedimentation, sand trap, and joint-reservoir-operations studies.

Identifying Elements of a Business Plan

The discussion then hopscotched through a variety of topics related to things necessary to develop a long-range business plan. They included, but were not limited to:

  • Hiring an attorney and a CPA
  • Determining ways to finance dredging efforts
  • Finding placement areas to drain spoils
  • Transporting dredged materials away from the lake
  • Working with developers who might use the spoils
  • Devoting long-range drainage plans
  • Agreeing on scope of work (i.e., maintaining current silt levels or improving them)
  • Limiting water-quality concerns related to dredging
  • Implementing sand traps to reduce incoming sediment
  • Finalizing goals (i.e., dredging XXX thousand cubic yards per year)
  • Agreeing on the core mission
  • Developing a procurement plan and web site
  • Identifying potential partners
  • Developing ways to communicate with the public and partners
  • Setting up board committees to handle all of the above

The discussion lasted an hour and thirty-eight minutes. The group had more questions than answers. But that was expected at this point. However, the board identified the key questions it needs to answer. And it developed a committee structure to deliver a workable business plan.

Future Meetings

The Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District plans to hold meetings on the third Monday of every month at the Humble Chamber at 11 am. The address is 110 W. Main St., Humble, TX 77338.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/25/2026

3283 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Two Lake Houston Floodplain-Fill Investigations Launched

8/24/26 at 5PM – After quick-thinking residents spotted TXDoT contractors dumping fill in the Lake Houston floodplain on Friday night, August 21, local authorities leaped into action and stopped the operation by mid-day on Saturday, August 22, 2026.

On Sunday, August 23, a silt fence was installed improperly on the property. And today, Monday, August 24, Houston Public Works launched an investigation. Here’s the latest.

Flickinger Visit Stops Dumping

Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger visited the dump site on Saturday.

Floodplain fill reduces stormwater-storage volume during floods. That increases flood risk for others. As a consequence, City regulations prohibited such fill in 2018.

Landowners can move dirt within the floodplain. But they cannot bring dirt INTO the floodplain from outside of it. That reduces stormwater storage.

Shortly after Flickinger’s visit, neighbors reported that the TXDoT contractors stopped their fill operation, and that the landowner would likely be forced to pay a fine and remove the fill dirt.

Google Earth Pro satellite image of floodplain being filled. See red oval.

Ineffective Silt Fence

After Saturday’s post pointed out that there was no silt fence around the fill, the next day, someone installed a laughably ineffective silt fence. It didn’t even reach the ground. So rain could easily wash silt under the bottom edge of the fence.

Note gap below fence. Photo taken Sunday 8/23/26.

Best practices for silt fence installation recommend burying the bottom edge of the fabric at least six inches in a trench on the uphill side of fence supports, then back-filling the trench. See the diagram below, compiled by ChatGPT.

Note inset illustration on bottom right.

City Investigation Issues Red Tags

Houston Public Works investigators visited the site this morning. At 5PM today, they issued this statement, “The Floodplain Management Office inspection team issued red tags on the affected parcels this morning and contacted the trucking contractor. As of this afternoon, one of the onsite red tags was not found when we returned. We’ll continue to follow up.”

Public Works says it will issue a more detailed report tomorrow morning and has requested TXDoT’s cooperation in stopping the floodplain filling.

TXDoT Response to County Investigation Request

Meanwhile, Harris County Precinct 3 also asked TXDoT to look into recurring problems like this. TXDoT contractors are excavating the dirt from a large detention basin four miles north as mitigation for the FM2100 expansion project.

Eric Heppen, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey’s head engineer, shared this statement from Nyemb Nyemb, P.E., North Harris Assistant Area Engineer for TXDoT.

Nyemb said, “We recognize that this has been a recurring concern and will be meeting with the contractor as soon as possible to address the matter and reinforce compliance with all applicable requirements.”

“If it is determined that material was improperly dumped in this area, the contractor will be required to remove it and restore the site.”

Nyemb Nyemb PE, TXDoT manager for North Harris County

Nyemb continued, “Failure to comply with project requirements and corrective measures could result in project enforcement actions. The TxDOT project team will work and  investigate the reported activity and take appropriate action if any project-related material is found to have been placed without the required approvals, authorizations, or permits.”

Unfortunately, we’ve heard that before from Mr. Nyemb.

Who Owns the Floodplain Property Being Filled?

Harris County Appraisal District Records show that Lake Houston Lighthouse, L.L.C. owns it. However, Texas Secretary of State records show that the LLC last filed a required Public Information Report in 2022 and went through a tax forfeiture in February 2024. So presumably, the individual owners lack a corporate veil to protect them from liability.

Both of the LLC’s managing members list their address at a single residence on Page Lane – the street immediately south of the channel shown above.

How to Stop Floodplain Fill

Engineers tell me such activity goes on all over Harris County. How can we stop it? Previously, there was talk about criminalizing such behavior. Currently, it is a civil offense.

Heppen said that the county may work with the state in the next session to pass a law against such fill activity. Making it a criminal offense changes the whole “What if I get caught?” equation. Instead of a slap-on-the-wrist fine, a criminal record might disqualify someone from getting future jobs or permits.

If we want to reduce damage in the next flood, we must do more than pay lip service to floodplain preservation.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/24/26

3282 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.

FM2100 Contractors Caught Dumping Fill in Lake Houston Floodplain

8/22/2026 – Look at flooding long enough and you will come to think of it as a series of debits and credits where the balance in the public-safety ledger is never quite clear. It feels as if flood-risk increases constantly offset flood-risk decreases. For example, shortly after posting about drainage improvements on Bens Branch, I witnessed contractors dumping fill in the Lake Houston floodplain.

Offsetting Efforts

On the plus side, a new clear-span bridge replaced a low-water crossing that backed up water in Bens Branch.

But on the minus side, last night around 7pm, I started receiving a barrage of text messages, emails and phone calls from people in Huffman. TXDoT contractors excavating a detention basin on FM2100 outside of the floodplain started dumping the dirt inside the floodplain…right next to a part of Lake Houston…that flooded badly…and that we just spent millions dredging.

East side of Lake Houston. Fill site in center foreground. FM1960 in upper right.

The trucks dumped their fill in a small trailer park east of the Lake Houston Brewery on the south side of FM1960. The area lies in floodplains and floodways.

From FEMA Flood Hazard Layer Viewer. Cross-hatch = Floodway. Blue = 100-year floodplain. Red oval signifies approximate fill location.

According to multiple residents, the dump trucks went all night and continued this morning. So I went to Huffman shortly before noon today and started counting trucks. At one point, I counted six in a ten-minute period.

They backed up to a little channel that residents say was just dredged. Then they dumped their loads. A small bulldozer spread the dirt out, pushing it toward the water as fast as it was dumped. The owner had no silt fences in place. Nor did he have a permit or stormwater pollution prevention plan posted at the site entrance as required by law.

Truckers’ Carousel

I then spent approximately an hour tracking the trucks to and from the excavation site, near where Huffman-Cleveland road intersects FM2100. The trucks made one round trip after another.

This is not the first time contractors were caught dumping fill in floodplains from that detention basin. Even if the property owner didn’t know better, the contractors and TXDoT should have.

Upon learning of the problem, Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger went to the dump site and shut down the operation. He said…

“The owner will likely face a fine and be forced to remove the fill.”

Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger

What Regulations Say

City of Houston regulations prohibit bringing fill into a 100-year floodplain or floodway. See Ord. No. 2018-258, Sections 19-34 and 19-43. The area where the dumping occurred lies inside the City’s limits.

Three trucks and a bulldozer working simultaneously in fill area.
As quickly as trucks dumped their loads, the dozer would spread them out.
No silt fences!

No Adverse Impact Allowed

Flooding has been likened to the death of a thousand cuts.

Any displacement of floodwater in one area simply raises the level somewhere else. And many of the homeowners and businesses surrounding this site have flooded before on multiple occasions.

Adding fill to the floodplain reduces the area available to store floodwater during large storms.

So, if you see fill being dumped in a floodplain, please report it to the appropriate authorities. You could be saving your home from a flood that hasn’t yet happened.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/22/2026

3280 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.

Northpark Update: Sidewalks, Entry Ponds Nearing Completion

8/20/2026 – Ralph DeLeon, project manager for the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority, shared some good news about Northpark Drive expansion today. It concerns the entry ponds at US59 and sidewalks near Loop 494.

  • Entergy has relocated power poles that were partially blocking sidewalks.
  • Entry ponds could have water in them by the end of October.

Here are the stories behind the developments.

Entergy Power Poles Relocated

Years before the Northpark project began, Entergy placed more than half a dozen power poles in front of Public Storage and Self-U storage west of the UnionPacific Railroad tracks. The placement of the poles encroached on the City’s easement. But the encroachment did not become apparent until construction of the 10-foot wide sidewalks along Northpark began as part of the expansion project.

Had Entergy fought moving the poles, the sidewalks would have had to narrow down in that area from 10 feet to 4.

Then the sidewalks would have expanded again past the pinch point. That could have compromised the functionality of the sidewalks which were designated as multi-use pathways. The idea behind the wider-than-normal pathways: allow pedestrians, handicapped people and bicyclists to all use the paths simultaneously. But the pinch point could have prohibited that.

Entergy began moving the encroaching poles on 8/12/26.

Northpark expansion entergy
Entergy began moving the poles last week. Image supplied by De Leon.
Northpark expansion entergy
Another photo from 8/12/26 supplied by De Leon as Entergy began shifting poles.
Northpark expansion
New Entergy Pole. Image taken today by De Leon.
The job’s not quite done, but the wider sidewalks will make the pedestrian experience much more pleasant.

As of this afternoon, Entergy has finished relocating all its conflicting poles. That means continuous 10’-wide sidewalk along the north side of the roadway.

Entry Pond Liners and Well

On 7/24/26, I wrote a brief update about the entry ponds at US59 Two things were holding up completion.

  • Closing on property for the well that would fill the ponds when rainwater doesn’t
  • The need to cover the pond liners with water to keep sunlight from damaging them.

De Leon says he now hopes to close on the property for the well during the first week of October 2026. If all goes according to plan, that would allow installation of the pond liners and filling of the ponds, presumably before the end of October.

Photographs supplied by De Leon today show that the pond liners have already arrived on location. They will prevent the loss of water due to seepage and stabilize lake levels.

Entry pond liners stored under protective blankets near Exxon station.

When complete, the Northpark entries should look as beautiful as the Kingwood Drive entries. That will be a major upgrade for the entire community.

For more than 20 years, I was president of the Northpark Place Commercial Association. During that time, I received hundreds, if not thousands of complaints about the appearance of Northpark entries compared to Kingwood Drive. Now, 30 years later, the community will get its wish.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/20/26

3278 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Clear-Span Bridge Replaces Low-Water Crossing over Bens Branch

8/19/26 – Today, the Bear Branch Trail Association (BBTA) replaced the old low-water crossing over Bens Branch behind Bear Branch Elementary School with a new clear-span bridge.

Chris Bloch, a member of the BBTA board, wrote that “Today is a significant day in Kingwood Flood Mitigation.  The old low-water crossing over Bens Branch is gone. We have replaced it with a new clear-span bridge. The Bear Branch Trail Association will dedicate this new bridge to the memory of Stan Sarman, who helped develop Kingwood’s drainage system.” See below.

This and other photos by Chris Bloch. New bridge installed today.
In comparison, previous bridge restricted conveyance by 20X.

Original Built by Foster Lumber Company

Foster Lumber Company originally built the old low-water crossing, so its logging trucks could cross Bens Branch. When Sarman first came out to do survey work for Friendswood Development, the only access through the Livable Forest was old logging roads. This low-water crossing was the original Tree Lane logging road.  

“Stan drove over the old crossing when he laid out future roads and utilities,” said Bloch. “People may have wondered why this low-water crossing was so wide. But the logging trucks needed the width. Hamblen Road, Kingwood Drive, and Northpark also had logging-truck roads.”

One culvert bridge remains across Bens Branch. It’s in the median of Northpark between Hidden Pines and Glade Valley Drives south of the St. Martha cathedral. And it frequently contributes to Northpark flooding.

Old Bridge No Longer Adequate

The old low-water crossing near Bear Branch Elementary represented a major restriction to the flow of Bens Branch through Kingwood, according to Bloch, an engineer. “The three culverts were adequate before Kingwood was developed. But as more development took place, increasing the impermeable surface also increased water flows in Bens Branch.  

Old crossing during a heavy rain

Debris caught in the three culverts during heavy rains further restricted evacuation of floodwaters. Bloch says that Kids in Action, St. Martha’s Elementary School, plus parts of North Woodland Hills and Bear Branch Villages all suffered flood damage because of the old low-water crossing.

Old low-water crossing catching debris from heavy rain

Delayed by Funding, But Harris County Precinct 3 Helps

The Kingwood Area Drainage Study called for removal of the structure. However, the Flood Control District said they did not have funding for it. The structure was also not on property owned by the District.

Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey provided the funds out of his budget for the removal of the old crossing  The Bear Branch Trail Association provided funding to purchase and install the new bridge.  The total cost of the flood-mitigation project exceeded $300,000.

The flow area under the new bridge is more than 20 times that of the old low-water crossing.  

Chris Bloch

“In addition to mitigating upstream flooding, installation of the new bridge improves the safety of school children and other trail walkers who cross Bens Branch,” said Bloch.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/19/2026, based on information provided by Chris Bloch

3277 Days since Harvey

Fox26 Interviews New HCFCD Director Stuckett about Priorities

8/18/26 – This afternoon, Fox26 reporter Greg Groogan interviewed new Harris County Flood Control District Executive Director Marcus Stuckett about his priorities. Stuckett inherited the job just six weeks ago after the previous director resigned under pressure, when it became apparent that Harris County could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding.

Groogan interviewing Stuckett on 8/18/26

The most immediate issue: a looming U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) use-it-or-lose-it deadline for $322 million in Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR).

Interview Begins with Frank Assessment

Groogan began the interview by asking Stuckett for his assessment of situation. Stuckett replied frankly and openly. He said, “We have some challenges, but we are working through those. We have some aggressive deadlines that we’re working on with the CDBG-DR projects. They’re due February 2027, followed by CDBG Mitigation projects in March 2028.”

How Stuckett Hopes to Accelerate Projects

Then he added, “We’ve been speaking with contractors, trying to find ways to accelerate the projects and we’ve had some great conversations with them.”

Groogan likened the task to a Manhattan Project or going into the fourth quarter, down three touchdowns and expecting to win. “Can it be done?” he asked.

Importance of Decisiveness and Trust

Stuckett replied, “We can do it as long as we remain focused on the plan and we remain decisive going forward.”

Groogan then asked Stuckett who has a reputation as a leader who fixes problems, “What will you do differently than the leadership you just replaced?”

Surprisingly, Stuckett referred to restoring the public’s trust. “We understand that we are beholden to the residents of Harris County, and I want to be able to restore that trust by communicating honestly, communicating with transparency about our successes, as well as some of the challenges that we face while we work on these projects.”

Focusing More Resources on Construction and Planning

When Groogan tried to pin Stuckett down to more specifics, Stuckett focused on construction. “We’ve been meeting with contractors and trying to provide more resources.”

Stuckett also focused on planning. “In terms of our planning efforts, we just have to focus on developing solutions without having a lot of back and forth amongst ourselves and consultants when making decisions.”

Groogan then asked “That’s an important part of your role – walking into a room and saying, ‘This is the best information we have and we need to get this done.'”

Unleashing an Eager Team

As a followup question, Groogan asked, “How receptive has the team you’ve inherited been to that type of leadership?”

“The team has been great,” replied Stuckett. “Everybody’s behind it. We’re all hands on deck. I’ve gotten a lot of help from some of the senior leadership that remains here. Everybody just wants to get projects done. That something that flood control employees have that the public may not have understood. Our employees want to get the work done. We want to be responsive. And we want to provide the service that we promised.”

For what it is worth, in the six weeks since Stuckett assumed his new role, I have sensed a renewed excitement on the part of HCFCD employees and managers that I talk too. In my opinion, they show an energy that felt missing under his predecessor. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

To See More of Interview

Groogan’s interview with Stuckett continued for 15 minutes. During that time, they also talked about:

  • The Texas General Land Office Relationship
  • Physical challenges facing the region such as climate and flat terrain
  • Planning far into the future
  • Kingwood issues and projects
  • Project Brays
  • Working with Commissioners Court
  • Readiness
  • Completing the bond
  • Construction capacity

To see the entire interview from start to finish, visit Fox26. I highly recommend it.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/18/26

3276 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Harris County Considers $327 Million 2027 Budget Increase

8/17/2026 – Daniel Ramos, Executive Director of Harris County’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB), presented a detailed general fund budget for Fiscal Year 2027 this morning to a special meeting of Harris County Commissioners Court. The budget contained an estimated $327 million/12% increase over the 2026 budget. That increase could raise the average homeowner’s Harris County property tax bill next year to approximately $1,350. But if your house is worth more, that number could go far higher.

Here is Ramos’ “overview” presentation. And here is a 112-page explanation posted to the (OMB) website.

The county has two ways to raise property taxes: through your home’s valuation and the tax rate applied to it. But in 2026, total valuations throughout the county rose by only 0.8%. That means in order to pay for 12% increased costs, the tax rates themselves must increase.

Programs Vs. Priorities

Finalizing a budget requires debating priorities. And the presentation Ramos made today mapped proposed expenses to the priorities adopted earlier by the county. The 112-page explanation contains illuminating information about the county’s growth and demographics that drive the proposed increase.

Current Level of Service and Spending

One of the key terms used in the budget is “CLS/S.” It stands for Current Level of Service and Spending. Growth in law enforcement pay parity (with City of Houston), employee health care and benefits, CLS/S requests by departments, pay equity and other changes account for most of the projected $327 increase.

The first three categories alone account for more than two-thirds of the total increase. CLS/S includes the costs of maintaining the same level of service year over year. For instance, it includes $61 million of such things as facility maintenance, fleet operations, utilities, cost-of-living adjustments, changes in state law, and unplanned budget adjustments.

The $61 million also includes $14 million for ARPA programs which would otherwise go away at the end of this year when ARPA funding expires. So those aren’t purely inflationary costs.

The 12% increase is not principally a story about Harris County launching a huge collection of new programs. Approximately half is employee compensation and healthcare.

From Ramos presentation to Commissioners Court on 8/17/2026

And using OMB’s own accounting framework, approximately $287 million of the $327 million year-over-year increase was already embedded in the cost of maintaining existing services and spending commitments. That’s 88% not classified as expansion of services.

Existing recurring commitments are growing faster than sustainable recurring revenue.

And that points to a recurring, structural problem.

It’s important to distinguish between “unavoidable” versus “already committed.”  CLS/S does not mean unavoidable. It means current level of service and spending. Some items — healthcare inflation or statutory mandates — may be difficult to avoid.

Other items — pay-parity commitments, continuing ARPA programs, staffing levels, compensation policies — are the consequences of earlier policy decisions that Commissioners Court could theoretically change.

It’s also important to realize that the General Fund numbers cited above do NOT cover Flood Control, Port of Houston, or Public Health which have their own budgets (to be discussed at a later date).

Impact on Typical Homeowner’s Property Tax Bill

At the proposed maximum rate increase allowable without an election – and taking into account homestead exemptions and new construction growth – the average residential homestead would pay $1,350 in County property taxes vs. $1,202 last year, a 12.3% increase. See Page 40 of budget discussion.

The discussion of strategic objectives and their budget impact begins on Page 67 of the PDF. The budget is VERY complex and difficult to follow. However, several appendices may help.

  • Proposed department budgets on page 99
  • Glossary of terms on page 103
  • Which funds pay which departments on page 109
  • Salary increases of elected officials on page 111
  • Proposed benefit rates, also on 111

All pages refer to the PDF numbering system, not the numbers listed at the bottom of pages. That makes it easier to fast-forward within the document.

Make Your Feelings Known

Commissioners will vote on the final 2027 budget on September 8, 2026. Unfortunately, that’s before the November elections. So, if you’d like to limit that 12% increase in your property taxes, the time to start mailing, phoning and protesting is now.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/17/2026

3275 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Special Meeting Monday to Discuss Harris County Budget, Tax Increase

8/16/26 – On Monday 8/17/26, Harris County will hold a Special Meeting of Commissioners Court to discuss the 2027 budget and a tax increase to cover a projected $129 million deficit in the general fund.

The agenda shows that the meeting will start at 9 am. Ironically, Item #1 has to do with “salary grievances.” Item #2 is the budget itself.

Harris County’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provided an overview of the issues in April 2026. The 12-page presentation shows:

  • Historical rates dating back to 2018
  • A breakdown of last year’s budget
  • Where the money comes from; 81.5% of the general fund comes from property taxes
  • Where the money goes; 60% to Justice and Public Safety
  • A breakdown of increases
  • Revenues vs. expenditures; $129 million deficit using the Voter Approval Rate and $257 million using the No New Revenue Rate.

Need for Greater Transparency

The presentation above contains a link for more details, but the link does not work. OMBs Open Budget Dashboard website contains no content as of 7 pm on 8/16/26. And no explanatory information is linked to the agenda. Perhaps OMB will share budget details after the meeting.

The 12-page presentation from April at least contains a list of budget objectives. See below.

Unfortunately, with no details that connect goals with expenditures, it’s hard to tell how the county hopes to achieve these objectives.

I broke out laughing when I saw “housing stability.” One of the single largest expenses for most people is housing. And Harris County could increase property taxes 9-14% according to initial indications. Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey PE said it may be the single largest tax increase in Harris County history. It’s hard to see how increasing property taxes improve housing stability.

I also broke out laughing when I saw the typo in the last line which has escaped the notice of OMB for 5 months. That certainly does not inspire confidence in the accuracy of the numbers commissioners will soon be voting on.

For More Information and Next Steps

A third party, Rice University’s Baker Institute, provides an excellent discussion of the issues surrounding this budget. The Baker Institute also provides several recommendations to make the budget process more transparent.

Don’t expect formal budget approval tomorrow. That will come in later:

  • September 8: Commissioners Court proposes tax rates and considers budget amendments.
  • September 17: Public hearing and adoption of the 2026 tax rates and FY2027 budget.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/16/2026

3274 Days since Hurricane Harvey