Flickinger Provides Updates on Lake Houston Gates, Dredging District

6/18/25 – While speaking to the Kingwood Executive Group this morning, Houston District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger reassured members that the project to add more flood gates to the Lake Houston Dam was on track. He said that the engineering and environmental survey work should be completed by the end of this year as previously promised.

Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger addressing members of Kingwood Executive Group today.

However, he also cautioned that a potential cost increase might skew the critical Benefit/Cost Ratio (BCR) used to evaluate grant applications.

In an update on a related drainage issue, Flickinger explained how important the passage of Rep. Charles Cunningham’s Lake Houston Dredging District bill was for the Lake Houston area. Specifically, he talked about how dredging done to date reduced predicted peaks in the May 2024 flood by more than 2 feet and kept water from entering homes throughout Kingwood and the Lake Houston Area.

Latest on Gates Project

After Hurricane Harvey, many people focused on the addition of more flood gates to the Lake Houston Dam could reduce lake levels and flooding by letting water out faster before and during major storms.

Lake Conroe’s dam can release water 15 times faster than the gates on Lake Houston’s dam.

The gates on Lake Houston’s dam release water so slowly that the City must begin releasing water days before a storm to create significant extra storage capacity in the lake.

With a lead time measured in days, forecasts can change before storms arrive. But with a higher release capacity, dam operators could wait until they were certain a storm would hit before opening the gates.

Flickinger stated that the engineering for the additional gates should be at least 90 percent complete by the end of 2025.

“At that point in time,” said Flickinger, “they’ll be able to get accurate BCRs. And they’re already working on the environmental study. Black & Veatch is handling that.”

Community meetings within the next 4 to 5 months will give the public a chance for input.

Construction Still Predicted to Start in 2028, Completion in 2029

“I think they’ll be able to start construction in 2028 and complete the project in 2029,” said Flickinger. “Nothing’s really changed with the dates in the last six months.”

Early indications are that the project could need another $35 million. Flickinger said, “That could delay the project a little bit if they don’t get the BCR they need. But we got it one time; I think we’ll get it a second.”

Flickinger was referring to when Dave Martin, his predecessor convinced FEMA to include social benefits in the calculation of the BCR. Typically, benefits must exceed costs before FEMA or any other group will award a grant.

Since Flickinger took office, the plan for the gates has significantly changed. The original plan was to construct crest gates on the concrete portion of the spillway. However, because of the risk involved, the City could not find a contractor willing to bid on that job.

The new plan is to add tainter gates to the earthen portion of the dam. The project basically turned into a “start over.”

Kudos to Crenshaw and Cunningham

In his talk today, Flickinger also addressed dredging – past, present and future.

He thanked US Rep. Dan Crenshaw and State Rep. Charles Cunningham. “We’re dredging out on the lake today,” said Flickinger. “That’s part of the money that Congressman Crenshaw got for us. We’re moving 800,000 cubic yards of sediment. And that makes a huge difference,” said Flickinger, before lauding HB1532, Rep. Charles Cunningham’s bill that will create a permanent dredging district on Lake Houston.

The Computer Model that Missed and the Legislation that Didn’t

To underscore the importance of dredging, Flickinger explained how computer models missed predictions for the timing and crest of the May 2024 floods in the Lake Houston Area … at a time when water was already lapping at the foundations of thousands of homes.

“The expectation was that the water would crest two feet higher than it did. But they missed it because their model did not include all the dredging that had been done over the last several years. They missed by about two feet and a day. The river was supposed to crest two feet higher and one day later,” said Flickinger.

“But all the dredging allowed the water to flow into the lake and over the dam faster than what they thought it would. So the dredging is a huge deal.”

HB1532, the bill to create a Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District, finally passed in this year’s session of the state legislature – after three previous tries.

“Sediment comes into the river and the lake 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Flickinger. “And unless we do something about that, it’s going to be a huge problem.”

Even though Cunningham got the dredging district over the goal line this year, Flickinger was quick to acknowledge assists from Senators Paul Bettencourt, Brandon Creighton and Mayes Middleton who helped push it through the Senate.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/18/2025

2850 Days since Hurricane Harvey

HCFCD Briefs Community on Last Cypress Creek Major Maintenance Project

6/27/25 – In a virtual public meeting tonight, the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) briefed the public on the last Cypress Creek Major Maintenance Project associated with the 2018 Flood Bond. The project name: Cypress Creek Channel Rehabilitation and Stormwater Detention Basin, Main Stem, Batch 5.

Batch 5 consists of two smaller packages:

  • Channel Rehab at Kuykendahl and the Cypress Hill Stormwater Detention Basin, expected completion by Q4 2027.
  • Channel Rehab near I-45 and the first phase of the Senger Stormwater Detention Basin, completed by Q2 2028.
Cypress Creek Batch 5
From HCFCD.org

Currently, HCFCD is finalizing design for both packages. They expect to complete design by July 2025 and advertise it for bids beginning in Q2 of 2026.

Batch 5 consists of channel repairs for 1.4 miles of the creek and its tributaries, plus two major detention basins that together will hold 631 acre feet.

All Flood Control District projects receiving U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Develop Block Grant mitigation funds must be completed by March 31st, 2028. 

During the channel repairs, HCFCD says it will make the side slopes of channels less steep to minimize future erosion.

About Cypress Creek and Repairs

The first four batches of repairs restored approximately 24 miles of Cypress Creek and its tributaries. HCFCD has completed Batches 1-3 and Batch 4 is still in progress. Estimated completion for Batch 4: Q1 2026.

Cypress Creek is a highly developed watershed located in northwest Harris County. It extends into Waller County. The watershed comprises 267 square miles, making it one of the county’s larger watersheds. It has 250 miles of open channels including Cypress Creek itself.

During Hurricane Harvey, 29 inches of rain fell across the watershed, damaging more than 9,500 structures.

No Adverse Impact Allowed Downstream

This is the fifth of five major maintenance programs along Cypress Creek associated with the 2018 Flood Bond.

The detention basins are actually designed to mitigate the channel rehabilitation work. Specifically, the channel rehabilitation work will speed floodwater up. The basins will offset that by slowing floodwaters down and reducing the volume in the creek.

As one presenter tonight pointed out, “The flood control district is a “no-adverse-impact” agency. That means we do not allow our projects to reduce flooding risks for one area, while increasing risks somewhere else. That’s why stormwater detention basins are often built before or at the same time as channel conveyance improvements or channel rehabilitation to prevent any unintended impacts downstream.”

The detention basins will hold enough water to cover a football field to a depth of 478 feet.

Getting Closer to Lake Houston Area

Batch 5 includes two separate packages. One is near Kuykendahl.

And the other is near I-45.

HCFCD should hear from the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and HUD on funding soon. The District submitted a grant application for almost $54 million that is still under review (as of 6/7/25) by GLO.

Project Benefits

The District was a little hazy about the benefits. Of course, this is a maintenance program, not a capital improvement program.

A spokesperson said, “Pre-Atlas-14 100-year design storm models show a water-surface elevation reduction of up to one foot near the I-45 project limits” for the Kuykendahl package.

Altogether, HCFCD estimates the benefit area of this project will include nearly 40,000 people, who either live near and/or commute through the area.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/17/2025

2849 Days since Hurricane Harvey

In Praise of Education, Preservation as Flood-Mitigation Strategies

6/16/25 – Not many people understand the value of education and preservation as a flood-mitigation strategies. Leaving land near waterways in its natural state costs a tiny fraction of building giant detention basins after people flood. Plus the natural land provides recreation for people and habitat for wildlife.

The people who built communities like Kingwood and the Woodlands understood that. That’s why we have 300-foot-wide greenbelts along streams like Bens Branch. It’s also why we have giant natural areas like East End Park and the Creekwood Nature Center. They draw an exceptional amount of wildlife to one of the largest cities in America.

But passing that learning on to others requires education.

Connecting with Nature Through Photography

Ansel Adams once said, “If you want to preserve nature, inspire people with its beauty.” I’d take that a step further and add “…while they are young.”

Education and preservation are both crucial flood-mitigation strategies.

So, this morning, I gave a talk about bird photography to a class of young, aspiring photographers at the Creativity Shell in Kingwood.

Years ago before retirement, I built the building that now houses the Creativity Shell. It won national architectural awards for the way it integrated nature with business. I took many of the photos below on the property near Kingwood Park High School. The rest were taken in the surrounding area.

The photos underscore how preservation can bring beauty, contentment, excitement and joy to people who otherwise inhabit a densely populated urban environment. They help people see the subjects, not just as other species, but as individuals struggling to survive, thrive, and raise young of their own.

Photos of Area Wildlife

Two great egrets mirror each other as they preen their feathers.
Painted bunting munches on tall-grass seed outside the front door of the Creativity Shell
Two proud parents watch the first of their chicks hatch out of its egg.
Mallard on Lake Houston
A gathering of roseate spoonbills. The shape of their long bills lets them efficiently sift through muddy water in swampy areas where they can’t see food clearly. 
Mating display of great egret.
Roseate spoonbill returning to nest.
Great egret tilts its wings to slow down before landing on its nest.
One species attempts to raid the nest of another and triggers a war.
Another display of the great egret. The long, lacy plumes (aigrettes) are raised and displayed during courtship.
One roseate spoonbill returns to the nest which the other was guarding.
Red-tailed hawk was feasting on a possum outside Creativity Shell
Big sticks like these are used to form the foundation of nests that will hold three to four chicks as they grow to adolescence.
The vision of a hawk is significantly sharper than humans’. Some estimates suggest they have eight times more resolution. This lets them spot prey up to a mile away in some cases. 
Roseate spoonbill coming in for a landing.

And for something completely different…

Fawn born on the lawn of the Creativity Shell near the front door.

About the Creativity Shell

The Creativity Shell took over a building I constructed in the early 2000s for my business – Rehak Creative Services. The 20,000 SF facility is divided up into multiple open spaces designed to encourage interaction, sharing and creativity. Virtually every space in the building has a view of nature outside from at least three different angles.

Shelancia Daniel, M.Ed. and executive director, has turned it into a space for encouraging creativity among students of all ages. Offerings include classes/workshops for sewing, textile arts, fiber arts, art, drawing, painting, pottery, photography, media, cooking, culinary arts, knitting, S.T.R.E.A.M. (science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, math/media), and so much more.

More than 80 summer-camp students and teachers gathered outside the Creative Shell for a group photo this morning.

The Creativity Shell operates year round. It is a nonprofit organization on a mission to educate and inspire the next generation of makers. It was a privilege and a pleasure to see the light in their young eyes.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/16/25

2848 days since Hurricane Harvey

Demolition of Old Westbound Lanes Begins on Northpark

6/14/25 – In the NorthPark Drive expansion project last week, the traffic switch originally scheduled for 6/6 finally happened on 6/10. Since then, demolition of the old westbound lanes on Northpark between Loop 494 and US59 has begun.

In other Northpark news, contractors are laying rebar in preparation for a concrete pour between Public Storage and Quick Quack Car Wash.

And after an engineering review, Ralph De Leon, the Northpark project manager, says 100% of the water in the Enclave Detention Basin will go south toward the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and that it will not overflow into Northpark.

Finally, CenterPoint has removed an electrical pole that was in the way of boring underneath the UnionPacific Railroad tracks. Contractors have finished the receiving pit west of the tracks and have started boring for the second pipe that will go under the tracks. However, it appears there may be some utility conflicts in the receiving pit west of the tracks.

I took all the pictures below on Saturday, June 14, 2025.

Traffic Switch and Old Lane Demolition

The shot below shows how traffic was diverted from the old westbound lanes in the middle of the frame.

Looking E from in front of Exxon Station near US59. Note traffic swerving to left of the area where heavy equipment is perforating the old westbound lanes in preparation for their removal.

This close shot shows the actual perforations made by what looks like a hydraulic hammer (or giant punch) on the arm of an excavator.

Perforation of old concrete in preparation for removal.

After the old concrete is removed, new culverts will be placed underneath where it was. Then contractors will pour new concrete.

As you can see below, it looks like the perforation stretches halfway from Loop 494 to US59 as of Saturday 6/14/25. LHRA hopes to finish that work this coming week.

Looking East from over US59.

Getting Ready for Next Concrete Pour

Contractors have also finished placing rebar in new westbound lanes between the Quick Quack Car Wash and Public Storage.

Looking E toward Quick Quack from the Dunkin’ parking lot.
Looking W from Dunkin’ driveway toward Public Storage.
Wider shot looking W shows location of rebar in upper center (to left of traffic). New Enclave Subdivision within Kings Mill on right.

Enclave Detention Basin Controversy

In a previous post, I noted how construction plans for the Enclave showed its detention basin overflowing into Northpark during extreme rainfall events. That became a concern because one of the main goals for Northpark is to create an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 people during high-water events.

Northpark Enclave construction plan detail
Detail from Enclave construction plans obtained via FOIA request from Montgomery County Engineer’s Office. Highlight added.

Montgomery County Precinct 4’s Victoria Bryant said that she was convening a review of the plans by the two engineering companies involved (for Northpark Expansion and the Enclave), the Montgomery County Engineer’s Office and Houston Public Works. She has not yet communicated the outcome of that review.

Separately, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 conducted its own internal engineering review.

At the LHRA/TIRZ 10 board meeting on 6/12/25, Ralph De Leon, project manager for Northpark expansion stated that “It’s not going to overflow. 100% of the water goes south, ties into Kings Mill, and will go out (to) the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.”

Council Member Fred Flickinger added, “Now, obviously, all of it going into the Diversion Ditch creates another set of issues.”

It’s not clear yet whether the Montgomery County Engineer’s Office reached the same conclusion. No one has explained the reason for the notation on the plans yet.

Meanwhile, Enclave contractors have finished connecting storm sewer pipes to their detention basin.

Storm sewer pipe from Kings Mill now reaches the Enclave Detention Basin.

Bore Under Railroad Tracks

Side-by-side 5-foot steel pipes will carry stormwater under the UnionPacific Railroad tracks from the area west of Loop 494 to the east toward the Diversion Ditch by Flowers of Kingwood.

However, for years, a CenterPoint electricity pole blocked the path. CenterPoint finally removed it last week. That’s good news.

Looking west at start of twin 5-foot pipes that will carry stormwater under tracks. “Receiving pit” on far side of tracks.

Contractors have also apparently finished the receiving pit west of the tracks where the pipes will tie into a junction box under Loop 494 northbound lanes.

However, the “receiving pit” west of the tracks appears to have some utility conflicts of its own. See below.

Note one pipe under ladder and another cutting diagonally across receiving pit. LHRA notes indicate one is an abandoned water line.

Once UnionPacific approves a workaround, LHRA says crews will work 24 hours to finish the bores within two weeks.

As they say in construction, “it’s always something.”

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/14/25

2846 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.

U.S. Disaster Assistance History Shows Constant Change

6/13/25 – We had a decentralized system of disaster assistance for almost 200 years before FEMA.

But more than 60% of the U.S. population has never known life without FEMA. So my post about President Trump’s intention to dismantle the agency caused considerable fear and anxiety. This post may help reassure those people. While change is always difficult, it’s possible. We had a decentralized system before. And we are still here.

More than 100 Programs Before Consolidation under FEMA

Before President Carter formed FEMA in 1979, disaster relief was a collection of scattered, fragmented federal, state, and local relief efforts. More than 100 programs existed on the federal level alone across HUD, USDA, DOE and other departments. The situation was chaotic and duplicative.

However, a recent announcement by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Trump indicated that FEMA will be disbanded after this hurricane season. Its responsibilities for disaster response will return to the states, according to Trump.

It appears we are coming full circle. How did we get here? Below is a brief history of disaster relief efforts in the U.S. dating back to 1802.

Early Federal Involvement (1802-1930s)

The first legislative act of federal disaster relief in U.S. history followed a devastating fire in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in December 1802. The destruction of large areas of the city’s seaport threatened commerce in the newly founded United States. In 1803, the U.S. Congress provided relief to affected Portsmouth merchants by suspending bond payments for several months.

In 1900, the first federal government disaster mitigation effort was in Galveston. The government assisted local and state groups with building the seawall.

Up through the 1930s, federal support was ad hoc. Congress passed more than 128 one-off disaster relief bills—each tailored to a specific event. There was no overarching federal policy.

During the New Deal era in the 1930s, agencies such the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (1932) and the Bureau of Public Roads (1934) began offering loans and disaster-related rebuilding funds for public infrastructure. (But the 1953 RFC Liquidation Act terminated its lending powers in an effort to fulfill President Dwight Eisenhower’s vision of limiting government’s involvement in the economy.)

From Civil Defense to Disaster Relief (1940-1960s)

On September 30, 1950, Congress passed the Federal Disaster Relief Act. It let the federal government assist states during disasters, by empowering the President to declare a “major disaster” and provide limited federal assistance. The President retained this function in various incarnations until 1973. But, overall, federal efforts still remained highly fragmented.

On December 1, 1950, President Harry Truman created the Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA). It focused on nuclear threats, civil defense and disaster relief. Then in 1958, the FCDA merged into the Office of Defense and Civilian Mobilization.

In the 1960s, several major disasters drove change. Events like the Great Alaska Earthquake (1964) and Hurricanes Betsy (1965) and Camille (1969) spurred federal involvement.

The Flood Control Act of 1965 gave the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers greater authority to implement flood control projects.

The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 created the NFIP to address flood risk via insurance. 

Toward Coordination (1970s)

As stated above, by the early 1970s more than 100 programs addressed disaster response across numerous federal agencies.

In 1974, President Nixon signed the Disaster Relief Act. It standardized presidential disaster declarations and improved federal assistance.

During the Carter administration, momentum grew to consolidate scattered federal disaster and civil defense functions under one roof. An executive order formed FEMA on April 1, 1979.

Early FEMA Years (1979 – 1988)

FEMA quickly began coordinating disaster and civil defense efforts, managing the national flood insurance rollover, and responding to events like Love Canal and Three Mile Island. 

The Robert T. Stafford Act in 1988 set the foundation for FEMA-led responses following federal declarations. It also encouraged state and local disaster planning.

Expansion and Reform (1990s – 2000)

The next two decades saw both expansion and reform for FEMA. The Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska in 1989 led to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. This act specified federal response roles for oil-related disasters.

The Federal Response Plan in 1992 created an interagency framework for coordinated disaster response under the Stafford Act.

The Emergency Management Assistance Compact in 1996 enabled interstate mutual aid during disasters. It facilitated resource sharing when federal help wasn’t triggered.

In 2000, the Disaster Mitigation Act further amended the Stafford Act to emphasize preparedness and planning, including pre-disaster grants.

Post-9/11 and Modernization (2001–present)

After the 9/11 attacks in 2001, FEMA played a key role in emergency coordination, accelerating policy development. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 placed FEMA under DHS (effective 2003), integrating it into broader national security efforts .

The widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, led to the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006. It reestablished FEMA as a distinct agency within DHS, defined FEMA’s primary mission, and designated the FEMA Administrator as the principal advisor to the President, the Homeland Security Council, and the Secretary of Homeland Security for all matters relating to emergency management in the United States.

In 2008, a National Response Plan aligned response partners from government, NGOs, and the private sector.

Then in 2018, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act updated the Stafford Act again to bolster pre-disaster mitigation funding and resilience-building measures.

Key Takeaways

Emergency assistance is constantly evolving in the U.S.

  1. Fragmented federal assistance endured until the 1970s
    Relief efforts were hampered by dozens of distinct agencies and programs—resolved only when FEMA centralized federal coordination.
  2. Shift from response to resilience
    Over time, legislation and policy have increasingly emphasized preparedness and mitigation, not just post-disaster relief.
  3. Partnership model
    Disaster response in the U.S. is a layered system where local → state → federal coordination is essential, supported by mutual aid compacts and NGOs.

Important to Texas

In reorganizing disaster assistance yet again, I hope that we can retain its best aspects. Disaster assistance is too important to just disappear. The chart below makes that clear. It shows the total amounts of assistance FEMA has offered Texas and other disaster-prone states/territories since its inception.

State/TerritoryPublic
Assistance ($B)		Individual
Assistance ($B)		Total
Assistance ($B)
Puerto Rico40.16.746.8
Louisiana22.83.226
New York18.12.921
US Virgin Islands17.32.619.9
Florida14.72.517.2
California12.51.914.4
Texas11.82.314.1
Source: OpenFEMA Dataset

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/13/2025

2845 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Harris County’s Appalling Lack of Transparency

6/12/25 – As Harris County begins setting its budget for 2026, a number of events have underscored the County’s appalling lack of transparency that involve billions of dollars in spending. For example:

  • An empty transmittal to Commissioners Court by the Office of Management and Budget that should have communicated level-of-service projections for budget discussions.
  • County Attorney Christian Menefee’s automatic appeal of every Public Information Request made by investigative journalist Wayne Dolcefino to the Texas Attorney General’s office.
  • The County Engineer’s failure to detail where 2022 bond money is being spent.
  • Missed deadlines by the County Engineer and Flood Control District to account for subdivision drainage expenditures and 2018 Flood Bond project funds.

Projected $270 Million Shortfall and Tax Increase

The County has a mandatory deadline of September 30, 2025 to set its budget for the next fiscal year. And this year won’t be pleasant. According to the Houston Chronicle, the county now faces a $270 million deficit for next year, more than double earlier projections.

As Commissioners Court debates which program budgets can be reduced and which genuinely need increases, they are reportedly also exploring a possible tax-rate election. Such an election is required under Texas statutes if the county seeks to raise taxes above certain limits.

But there is an appalling lack of information available on current and projected budgets by departments. That information is necessary for citizens to evaluate whether a tax increase is justified and to participate in the process.

Example: A “transmittal” by the Office of Management and Budget on today’s Commissioners Court agenda was to have described updates to the FY2026 Level of Service Projections. See Item 300. But when you click on the link for more information, the linked document had absolutely NO details.

Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey questioned budget director Daniel Ramos about it. Ramos promised to have details for the next commissioners court meeting on 6/26/25. We’ve been hearing that since February. Regardless, the three Democratic commissioners voted to “accept” the empty transmittal. Judge Lina Hidalgo was absent.

Automatic Appeals of Public Information Requests

At an hour-long talk in Humble on June 9, 2025 to a group of concerned citizens, legendary investigative journalist Wayne Dolcefino described his problems prying information out of Harris County.

Wayne Dolcefino Presentation at Spring Creek BBQ on 6/9/2025

He stated that Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee (who is running for Congress while still acting as county attorney) systematically denies every request for public information that Dolcefino makes.

Dolcefino says that Menefee appeals them all to Attorney General Ken Paxton. That forces Dolcefino to appeal the appeals. And that draws out the process and increases his costs – some by thousands of dollars.

Many of his requests are ridiculously simple, i.e., for an invoice. In one of the cases where Dolcefino’s appeal succeeded, he says that Menefee’s office supplied him with an invoice for a million dollars that had absolutely no backup or detail. Yet the County paid it.

Dolcefino thanks Gallery Furniture owner Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale for helping to support his quest to shine light on the County’s cult of secrecy surrounding its financial operations.

Where is That 2022 Bond Money Going?

In November 2022, Harris County voters approved three bond propositions totaling $1.2 billion for public safety facilities, roads, drainage, transportation-related programs, parks, and trails.

Of the total amount, $100 million is designated for countywide public-safety investments. The remaining $1.1 billion will be allocated across the four Harris County precincts for transportation, parks, and trail projects.

The engineer’s website contains information about where money is going for several public-safety facilities.

But despite having spent $116.7 million dollars in the last three years, the county engineer provides absolutely no detail on what the transportation, parks, and trails money has bought.

No Requested Update on Flood Bond/Subdivision Drainage Expenditures in 126 days

On February 6, Commissioners Court erupted into a rare display of bipartisan outrage when it became clear that the County didn’t have enough money to deliver flood-mitigation projects promised long ago. The shortfalls had to do with the 2018 Flood Bond and Subdivision Drainage programs.

One hundred and twenty-six days later, commissioners are still waiting for a simple report that details:

  • Sources of funding
  • Status of each project
  • Expected time to completion
  • How cost has changed over time
  • Whether there was a change in scope

The 2018 Flood Bond contained 181 projects totaling $5.2 billion. A 27.5% compound rate of inflation since 2018 has undermined a sizable, but undetermined chunk of the program’s purchasing power.

Commissioners worry whether enough money remains to complete priority projects in their precincts.

Transparency Needed for Accountability

In the last two years under Lina Hidalgo, Harris County has spent more than $5 billion dollars of your tax money. But no one can tell you, or at least will tell you, where that money has gone.

And yet the County wants more of your money. Some may be going to worthwhile programs. But until Harris County supplies more details, it will be hard to tell. We need transparency to hold elected officials accountable.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/12/25

2844 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.

Trump Plans to Eliminate FEMA after 2025 Hurricane Season

6/11/2025 – President Donald Trump has provided the most specific timeline yet for his plans to eliminate FEMA. He says he will phase out the agency after this hurricane season ends on November 30. According to news reports on CNN and ABC, Trump says he will shift responsibility for disaster relief onto states.

Some Funding for States May Remain Available

However, that does not necessarily mean that ALL funding provided by FEMA will go away. Trump says his office will distribute aid directly to states. But he also reportedly said after an Oval Office briefing that there will be less federal aid.

For months, Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose department oversees FEMA, have vowed to eliminate the agency, repeatedly criticizing it as ineffective and unnecessary. Noem reiterated those plans Tuesday in the Oval Office, saying FEMA “fundamentally needs to go away as it exists.”

Noem didn’t have much good to say about the agency she oversees. According to ABC, she reportedly said, “We all know FEMA has failed thousands, if not millions of people.” She obviously never lived in a FEMA trailer after her home was swept away by floodwaters.

Are States Prepared to Take Over FEMA’s Role?

No one thinks FEMA is perfect. The most frequent criticism: that it takes too long for aid to reach the people who need it when they need it most.

According to CNN, Trump’s exact long-term plans for the federal government’s role in disaster response remain unclear. But the administration is seeking ways to make it far more difficult to qualify for federal aid and have state’s handle the job.

However, plans to eliminate FEMA have reportedly baffled state emergency managers. Many doubt localized efforts could replace the agency. Most states, they said, do not have the budget or personnel to handle catastrophic disasters on their own, even if the federal government provides a financial backstop.

The Atlantic said that’s Trump’s statements suggest that “he does not understand that states already do lead disaster response; they just can’t do it without an infusion of FEMA dollars and expertise when the disaster is too big.” They concluded, “The buck has been passed.”

I’m personally waiting to hear how duplicating FEMA capabilities in 50 states and then putting them on standby between less frequent emergencies will improve efficiency.

What Will Happen When a Disaster Overwhelms a State?

Ironically, this morning, I started preparing a post on a Report to the President titled “What’s Needed to Advance Hurricane Helene Recovery in Western North Carolina.” U.S. Representative Chuck Edwards from western North Carolina prepared the report in April 2025.

The 62-page, well written report contains 17 common-sense recommendations to fix FEMA and other government disaster aid programs, not eliminate them. The recommendations focus on how to speed up the delivery of aid an eliminate red tape.

As I read the report, I had an eerie sense of deja vu. I kept flashing back to the problems Texas encountered after Hurricane Harvey – problems we still battle almost eight years later.

Edwards puts the scope of North Carolina’s disaster in perspective. He says, “In American history, only eight hurricanes have reached the $50 billion damage threshold across the area of impact. For Hurricane Helene, North Carolina has calculated at least $59.6 billion in damage in North Carolina alone, not include the six other states of impact.”

Helene, to cite a few examples:

  • Wiped out 18% of one North Carolina county’s housing stock
  • Forced 1300 companies in another county out of business
  • Caused a 70% decline in yet another county’s tourist economy
  • Damaged 152 bridges
  • Destroyed 4 miles of Interstate 40 and caused detours costing local businesses as much as $60,000 per month
Interstate 40 in Haywood County, NC after Helene. Courtesy NC Dept. of Transportation

“The tragic reality is that Western North Carolina is at risk of going bankrupt.”

Rep. Chuck Edwards, North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District, Page 38

Among Edwards’ 17 recommendations, he includes these:

  • Eliminate or consolidate duplicative programs and processes between agencies
  • Modernize FEMA’s outdated IT systems
  • Simplify processes for disaster survivors

Edwards’ report is highly recommended reading.

It seems to me that reforming disaster relief may be a better alternative than handing it off to states, such as North Carolina, that may find themselves unable to cope with disasters as large as Helene.

If Trump gets this wrong, it could be his undoing. More than 55 million Americans live in areas directly exposed to hurricanes. But according to Fox News, Trump won the 2024 election by only 2.3 million votes.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/11/25

2843 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.

City Shows Appreciation for Median Madness Volunteers

6/10/25 – City of Houston Council Members Fred Flickinger and Twila Carter threw an “appreciation party” yesterday for dozens of Median Madness volunteers who came out to help trim back vines.

The event was at a relatively new eatery in Kingwood Town Center. It’s called Parry’s Pizzeria and Taphouse. Despite torrential rains that forced the celebration inside, a good time as had by all. The pizza and appetizers were delicious; the conversation lively; and smiles genuine.

Torrential Rains Couldn’t Dampen Spirits

The Germans have a word for that feeling: “Gemütlichkeit.” It translates to “a feeling of warmth, comfort, and well-being. And it’s often associated with camaraderie. It’s not just about physical comfort. It’s more about a sense of peace, belonging, and social harmony. 

These were strangers who gave up some Saturday mornings to try to make their community a better, safer place. They achieved their intended goal. And they formed friendships in the process. See below.

Thank You All!

Thank you, Council Members! For taking the lead, organizing the events, and showing appreciation.

And thank you, Parry’s, for the wonderful pizza and emergency bucket brigade. You made it a memorable evening.

But most of all, thank you, Median Madness volunteers, for giving up your time to make Kingwood a better place. You exemplify the ten two-letter words that make all the difference in the world: “If it is to be, it is up to me.”

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/10/2025

2842 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Two Images Explain Why We Need a Watershed-Wide Flood Agency

6/9/25 – While re-reading the final version of the state flood plan recently I came across two images that explain why we need a watershed-wide flood agency. Unfortunately, a bill to create one, HB2068, died in the House Natural Resources committee this session.

Floodplain-Management Practices and Enforcement in Texas

The first image shows the level of (self-reported) floodplain management practices for every county in the state. I’ve circled the general area of the San Jacinto River Basin. Note how most of the counties draining into Harris County (dark blue in center of oval) report lower levels of floodplain management practices than those in Harris County itself.

Now look at the levels of floodplain regulation enforcement. Again, most of the counties draining into Harris County (dark red in oval) report lower levels of enforcement.

Critically, the levels in Montgomery County are “unknown” in both maps.

That doesn’t make them non-existent. It likely means one of two things: 1) they weren’t enough of a priority for the county to respond to the survey. Or 2) the county did not know whether/when Commissioners Court would approve its new drainage regulations.

MoCo still has not adopted comprehensive new drainage recommendations since the 1980s despite some of the fastest growth in the region. The drainage criteria manual currently posted is dated 2019, but contains only minor updates to 1989 regulations.

Valid Reasons for Drainage Regs to Differ

Valid reasons exist for drainage regulations to vary. Take for instance rainfall rates and land use. Rainfall rates generally decline as you go north and west from Harris County. And land use varies from an ultra-dense urban environment to forests, prairie and agricultural.

Regardless, within a river basin, people are inextricably bound together by water that does not respect jurisdictional boundaries. And we need to find ways of living together that respect growth, change and property rights, while also respecting neighbor’s rights to safety.

What our neighbors upstream do affects us, just as what we do affects our neighbors downstream.

Society establishes rules that help people live together without destroying each other. Consider rules of the road, property rights and criminal law for instance.

Would you say it’s OK for a neighbor to throw their trash on your property because they don’t want to pay to haul it away?

Most homeowners would say no. But illegal dumping happens all the time. Just like a few bad-apples want to dump their excess stormwater on your property.

Individual Rights vs. Common Good

People don’t want other people telling them what to do. Especially Texans. And that’s why Texas more people live in floodplains than the entire populations of 30 states.

We need to find solutions that respect individual rights and the common good. Philosophers have debated those extremes for more than 2000 years, dating back to Plato and Aristotle. But from a psychological point of view, it’s probably safe to say that it’s usually someone else’s problem … until it happens to you.

And eventually, the way Texas is growing, someday it will. As Houston grows outward, so do our flooding problems. And those problems are almost impossible to fix after the fact. That’s why we need a watershed-wide flood agency.

To educate. And to promulgate sensible solutions in concert with County Engineering Departments or Flood Control Districts. Local authorities would then be free to accept or reject those solutions based on the will of their constituents.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/9/2025

2841 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Crickets from Harris County on Flood Bond, Subdivision Drainage Shortfalls

6/8/2025 – Harris County’s Flood Control District, Engineering Department, Budget Office and County Administrator’s Office have missed another deadline for an update on Flood Bond and Subdivision Drainage Project shortfalls.

After a request for an update in early February – 122 days ago – they missed two deadlines. And it wasn’t on the agenda for this week’s Commissioners Court meeting either.

Meanwhile, Commissioners worry whether the County will have enough money to complete promised projects. Inflation is chewing up their purchasing power and the rate of project initiation has fallen off radically. Eight years into a what was supposed to be a 10 year bond, less than a third of the money has been spent. And only three capital improvement projects were initiated in all of last year.

Commissioners Can’t Seem to Get Clear, Timely Answers

On February 6, 2025, Harris County Commissioners Court erupted into a rare display of bi-partisan outrage when it became clear that the County didn’t have enough money to deliver flood-mitigation projects promised long ago. The shortfalls had to do with the 2018 Flood Bond and Subdivision Drainage programs.

Commissioners used phrases, such as: “an abomination,” “abysmal failure,” “complete and utter dismay,” “major crisis,” and “no sense of urgency.” They demanded that Flood Control, Engineering, the County Administrator and Budget Office return by March 27 with a complete accounting of the money.

But the March 27 meeting wasn’t much better. Commissioners wrestled for more than an hour with a $100 million drainage funding shortfall. The normally diplomatic Precinct 4 Commissioner Leslie Briones bluntly said she felt she was “getting hosed.”

The County Administrator’s Office compiled this confusing 11-page outline showing how projects were moved, added, deleted or had their funding sources change over time and why. Reading it will also help you understand why Commissioners are demanding to know how much money they have to work with.

What Commissioners Demanded

They demanded all relevant departments to develop a standard reporting framework for the Subdivision Drainage Program and the 2018 Flood Bond Program to ensure Commissioners Court can easily see at a minimum:

  • Sources of funding
  • Status of each project
  • Expected time to completion
  • How cost has changed over time
  • Whether there was a change in scope

They required everyone to return with the information on May 22, 2025. But they didn’t meet that deadline. Focus then shifted to the June 12, 2025 meeting. But the update is not on that agenda either. To date, it has been 122 days since Commissioners’ initial request – a third of a year.

Impact of Inflation

The compound inflation rate between August 2018 when the flood bond passed and the end of May 2025 is approximately 27.5%. The Producer Price Index indicates that inflation during that same period in construction could range from 25-35%.

In the middle of all this, on April 11, 2025, Diana Ramirez, the County Administrator announced her resignation. Was her departure related to the chaos?

In 2023, I began sounding the alarm about the impact of inflation on the Flood Bond. It stood at a compound rate of 20% at the time. That’s out of a Flood Bond package totaling $5.1 billion between bond sales and expected matching funds.

So I suspect the shortfall may be considerably more than $100 million. And that means neighborhoods at the end of the Equity Prioritization line may see nothing for their tax dollars.

No Good or Easy Answers

If Flood Control, Engineering, the Budget Office and County Administrator can’t develop a spreadsheet with the information requested above in FOUR MONTHS, that doesn’t bode well for Harris County.

It says two things to me:

  • The County’s financial and IT systems lack functionality and/or interoperability.
  • There may be no good answers to the funding shortfall. People at the end of the Equity line may see no or little benefit from the flood bond.

Flood Control Still in Denial

Harris County Flood Control District’s website still insists HCFCD will complete all projects. But they don’t explain how.

Screen Capture from Equity Prioritization Framework Page on HCFCD.org as of 8:30PM 6/8/2025

The Flood Control District has two ways not to cancel projects. One: postpone them indefinitely. Two: Call them complete when you have no intention of pursuing them.

Flood Bond Cumulative spending over time since start of Bond through end of Q1 2025. If annualized at the Q1 25 rate, total spending for 2025 would still decline – for the fifth straight year. Source: HCFCD.org.

At the rate shown above, it could take another 15 years to complete bond projects…if inflation doesn’t undermine the purchasing power altogether by then.

Project Initiation Rate Plummets

HCFCD has advertised only THREE capital improvement projects for bids this year and THREE in all of last year.

That’s out of 139 active projects listed in the last bond update in July 2024.

With inflation robbing your purchasing power, slowing down construction spending (the largest component of any project) is the last thing you want.

I’d sure hate to be in the “How come?” Room on this one.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/8/2025

2840 Days since Hurricane Harvey