3/7/25 at 6 PM – Northpark reopened this afternoon after a three-day closure to let the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) insert a single 200-foot section of track weighing 55,000 pounds into their track across the major traffic artery.
The closure tangled traffic throughout Kingwood as tens of thousands of commuters and shoppers struggled to find alternative ways to get to their destinations.
What a welcome relief it is to have Northpark open again. I just made the roundtrip to Northpark and 494 in 20 minutes. However, yesterday, it took two hours…in the middle of the afternoon.
I took this picture at 5:30 PM. And it says it all.
Northpark has re-opened after being closed since March 5, 2025.
As I drove west to capture this shot, I saw traffic streaming by me heading east. And I knew that Northpark reopened.
What a beautiful sight! And it will be even more beautiful when this project is complete.
The Northpark expansion project has two major goals: accommodate a growing volume of traffic and create an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 Kingwood residents.
Please try to patronize the merchants along Northpark. The last three days have been brutal for them.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250307-DJI_20250307173738_0210_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-03-07 18:21:392025-03-07 18:23:47Northpark Reopened After 3 Day UPRR Closure
3/7/25 Updated at 2:30 PM– The UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) has almost finished with Northpark work that caused a three day closure of one of two major traffic arteries out of Kingwood. UPRR hopes to reopen Northpark this afternoon. They say it should be open for evening rush hour.
Reasons for Closure
UPRR installed a single 55,000 pound, 200-foot-long, welded section of track across the area where ten lanes of traffic will soon go. The single section was necessary to stabilize the track against traffic that will drive over it and utilities that will bore under it.
The bridge that will carry six lanes of traffic over the tracks and Loop 494 eliminating backups in the case of evacuation. But the bridge also will create a conflict for utilities that run wires overhead in that area.
The pictures below tell the story of what happened since my last update yesterday at noon.
By 4 PM Thursday
By 4 PM Thursday, Day 2 of the 3-day closure, UPRR crews were preparing the areas next to the tracks where asphalt will go.
Prepping areas for asphalt that will feather roadway into rail crossing.UPRR has begun demobilizing much of its heavy equipment.They also cleared and graded the staging area where they constructed the 200-foot section of track.
That means Loop 494 expansion through that area can now re-commence.
At 10 AM Friday
This morning, Friday 3/7/25, the Northpark railroad crossing was a beehive of activity. Crews poured asphalt over the gravel next to the track so that traffic could move smoothly over them.
Looking South at Loop 494/Railroad and Northpark Intersection on 3/7/25 at 10 AM.UPRR Crews were prepositioning the concrete inserts that will allow traffic in the surface lanes next to the bridge to move smoothly over the tracks.Looking N as operator preps track.
While I was there, they did not actually place any of the concrete panels. However, asphalt kept arriving.
Another load of asphalt arrived as crews spread and compacted the material to create a smooth transition with the existing concrete roadway.Adding another layer.
Reports of Train Moving Through Intersection Yesterday
Numerous people reported a train moving through the Northpark intersection yesterday. Those reports were true. But according to the railroad, the train was moving “really, really slow.”
UPRR has not yet fully stabilized the new section of track per their standards, but they are working on that now.
Reopening and Next Steps
UPRR will reopen the roadway late this afternoon, probably about 5 PM. Variables affecting that goal include the asphalt transition between the newly installed concrete panels and the adjacent roadway.
That asphalt arrived late this morning. And once placed, it must cool. But the roadway should open by rush hour this afternoon, according to UPRR.
The concrete panels needed for the future feeder road crossings and the two 10’ multi-use pathways still need to be installed. UPRR is still working on that.
At 2 PM, the UPRR crew was placing concrete panels between the tracks where turn lanes and sidewalks will cross them.Also as of 2 PM, most of the equipment including the asphalt operation had been removed from the crossing. Note the panel placement operation continuing in lower right.
UPRR also intends to place concrete panels between the tracks north (left) of the intersection above. Note the panels stacked by the white pickup in the lower left of the photo above. It is unclear whether they intend to try to do that before the re-opening.
No new signal work will be done at this time. The existing gate arms and signals will continue to operate when the roadway opens later today.
Other Northpark Work
Separately, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority used the opportunity created by the railroad work to run drainage underneath Northpark in two areas. The Harper Brothers crews are also nearly finished with those, too. So that work should not impede the re-opening of Northpark.
Drainage work under Northpark is virtually complete.The last loads of asphalt were being placed as I left.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/7/25
2747 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250307-DJI_20250307100657_0196_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-03-07 11:49:242025-03-07 14:47:51UPRR Almost Finished, Northpark to Reopen This Afternoon
3/6/25 – UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) has finished splicing a 55,000-pound, 200-foot-long, single section of track into their line across Northpark Drive in Kingwood. However, more work still needs to be done. UPRR must still:
Install concrete between and alongside the tracks, so traffic can move smoothly over them.
Get signals working again.
Clear the intersection of Loop 494 and Northpark.
Clean up the TXDoT right of way on Loop 494 that they used as a staging area.
Heavy Lifting Completed
The hardest part of the job is now complete, though.
The single-section splice will stabilize the track through an area where ten lanes of traffic will go under and over it. Several utilities must also bore under it.
On the morning of 3/5, UPRR started removing the old track and moving the new track closer to the Northpark/494 intersection.
Looking S along Loop 494. Old track on left. New on right.Shot taken 3/5/25 at 8 AM.
By 2 PM yesterday, they had repositioned the new section next to the old track.
Note how much closer the new track is to the old.Shot taken 3/5/25 at 2 PM.
They also had a mountain of gravel ready to provide a fresh base for the new track.
Gravel stockpiled for new base.Shot taken 3/5/25 at 2 PM.
Because of traffic snarls throughout Kingwood, I missed the actual installation of the new track.
Sometime between 2 PM yesterday and 8 AM today, UPRR actually, removed the old track and moved the new 55,000-pound section into place. The railroad also freshened the track base with new gravel. The shots below show how it looks as of 8 AM on 3/6/25.
Looking SE at the area just north of Northpark. Note old sections of track awaiting removal.Shot taken 3/6/25 at 8 AM.Wider, lower shot shows Northpark in upper right. Still looking SE.Shot taken 3/6/25 at 8 AM.Looking south across Northpark/Loop 494 intersection.Shot taken 3/6/25 at 8 AM.Reverse angle.Looking North across Northpark.Shot taken 3/6/25 at 8 AM.
Elsewhere on Northpark
Meanwhile, Harper Brothers, the general contractor for the Northpark expansion project, used the UPRR closure as an opportunity to trench across Northpark in two places to install new drainage. The trenching took place between the U-turn and the railroad tracks.
Looking E at installation of new drainage by Harper Brothers.Shot taken 3/5/25 at 2 PM.
Traffic Snarls Throughout Kingwood
As Kingwood residents detoured around the Northpark closure, traffic snarled everywhere…despite the best efforts of UPRR and HPD to help direct traffic. It was like an avalanche trying to squeeze through a pinhole.
Getting to the location above would normally take ten minutes from my house. Today, it took more than a half hour.
The Northpark closure should last through Friday. Use this time to visit merchants in Kingwood. Work from home. Or simply read a good book. This too shall pass.
It dramatizes the need for more traffic capacity and an all-weather evacuation route out of Kingwood.
During mega-storms, such as Hurricane Harvey, when Kingwood Drive is cut off, we have insane traffic congestion on Northpark.
This project will improve that situation. It will make it easier to get to US59 across the railroad tracks and Loop 494. So, allow extra time if you must travel and pack your patience.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/6/25
2746 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250306-DJI_20250306082545_0144_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-03-06 11:38:182025-03-06 12:14:21UPRR Inserts New 200-Foot Section of Track Across Northpark
3/5/25 – This morning, the UnionPacific Railroad (UPRR) closed Northpark Drive to replace a 200 foot section of track and install new signals. The replacement is necessary because the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 is expanding Northpark Drive to handle increased traffic and to create the first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood.
The expansion project will feature a six lane bridge over the tracks as well as four lanes of feeder roads at grade level, two lanes on each side of Northpark. A single, welded 200-foot section of track will replace the existing track in order to increase stability of the rail lines under all that traffic and to accommodate new drainage under the tracks.
Traffic Impact
Kingwood residents have known about the closure for months. But now it’s here. And it became clear that many people had not gotten the message. At 10 AM, outbound Northpark traffic had backed up as far as the eye could see. Police were turning it around at a temporary U-turn just before the tracks.
Looking east on Northpark at drivers who didn’t get the message about the road closure. One car at a time squeezed through the tight turnaround, backing traffic up.
First Stage of Track Replacement
Below are pictures taken this morning of activity around the tracks at Northpark and Loop 494.
Looking SE across Loop 494 in foreground toward Northpark at top of frame.Heavy equipment lined up to move the new track into place. Closer shot shows area where UPRR will maneuver new section of track into position.
But first, crews had to remove the old track. They started this morning with the concrete panels between tracks over Northpark Drive.
This piece of equipment has a giant “tooth” that loosens gravel around the concrete panels that traffic drives over.Then the another tooth formed a “jaw” that lifted the panels and placed them on a forklift.Step and repeat. That procedure continued down the tracks.After several panels were placed on the forklift, another forklift would take its place.Ready for pickup on lane 6.
Next steps:
Pull up track and ties
Maneuver new track into place
Insert concrete panels
Wire signals
Bore under tracks for utilities
Stay tuned for more pics. And stay off Northpark until Saturday. The closure lasts March 5-7.
3/4/25 – In many ways, the purpose of government is to help us manage uncertainty by working together. For instance:
A strong national-defense system provides the stability people need to go about their daily lives and build businesses.
The justice system protects us from criminals who would steal our hard-earned money.
Traffic systems enable us to get where we’re going safely – in the air and on the ground.
Flood-control systems protect us from unpredictable major storms that might otherwise destroy our homes.
Triple Threat For Disaster Relief and Flood Mitigation
But in the last month, newspapers and magazines from coast to coast have blared headlines about the possible impacts of massive federal government staff cuts and a blanket funding freeze on government grants. The cuts and delays potentially affect wide swaths of the federal government including:
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It helps provide low-income, affordable housing. And its Community Development Block Grant Program also helps fund many flood-mitigation and disaster-relief projects.
Together, these three groups help protect us from natural disasters, recover from them, and mitigate the impact of future severe-weather events.
It’s unclear at this point how budget and staff cuts in these groups would impact disaster-prone areas, such as Texas. But rumors certainly have created a stir. And the uncertainty surrounding the cuts is contributing to potential delays that could jeopardize 60+ flood-mitigation projects totaling $1.1 billion that Harris County has been working on for four years.
Right now, no one can predict what all this uncertainty will bring. And that in itself is bad.
Separating Waste from Need
Predictably, most people have lined up along a partisan divide. But in this national debate, we need a better appreciation of details and nuances.
When I listen to stories of government fraud, waste and abuse, one side of my brain thinks, “We need to get a better handle on that.” Many examples exist in Harris County right under our noses.
But when I listen to stories about DOGE pillaging through one government department after another, I can’t help but wonder whether a series of targeted surgical strikes might work better than a blanket, slash-and-burn campaign.
It reminds me of a cautionary nursery tale dating back more than 500 years. Parents have taught it to countless generations of children around the world to dramatize the value of preparation and attention to detail.
For Want of a Nail, the Shoe Was Lost
For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; For want of the shoe, the horse was lost; For want of the horse, the rider was lost; For want of the rider, the battle was lost; For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost; And all from the want of a horseshoe nail.
No government system works perfectly forever. They require constant calibration in response to changing environments. But wholesale, sudden change has the potential to disrupt communities and lives drastically. And I’m not just talking about people whose jobs are affected.
Impacts of Threatened Cuts Already Seen Locally in County Commissioners Court
In Harris County Commissioners Court last Thursday, leaders discussed ways to deal with the uncertainty produced by these possible cuts.
Item 11 dealt with financial strategies to deal with uncertainty in case the federal government pulls back grants affecting Harris County employees and programs, including the 2018 Flood Bond.
Item 164 dealt with the need to better understand the status of each project in the Flood Bond in the face of a potential billion-dollar budget shortfall.
The Peril of Pendulum Politics
The function of government should be to provide services that give citizens a safe environment to build better lives … in the most cost-effective way possible. It’s not one or the other.
Right now, Harris County has at least $1.1 billion of grants at risk because they are under the HUD umbrella. That makes them tainted in the current environment because of HUD’s statutory mission established under Democratic presidents in the 1960s.
Let’s make sure that in the current swing of the pendulum, we don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
The DOGE “Musketeers” are reportedly evaluating cuts of 50 – 80 percent of HUD’s staff … plus billions in grant programs. The County has worked four years to apply for the $1.1 billion in grants. HCFCD conducted engineering studies, prepared flood-remediation plans, and developed estimates.
We have already spent millions of dollars in anticipation of reimbursement. If DOGE nukes CDBG programs, either by directly cutting the grants themselves or the personnel required to process reimbursements, the County will be out the money already invested. That will delay or eliminate future flood control projects entirely.
Is It Wise to Cut $1.1 Billion That Could Save $150 Billion?
Look at those CDBG disaster recovery funds not as a frivolous expense, but as an investment in future safety and cost reduction.
The flood-control grants will protect against future floods. When the next superstorm like Harvey hits, the $1.1 billion under review will look tiny compared to the damages it could help avoid.
Harvey damages cost $125 billion. Adjusted for inflation, a similar storm today could easily cost in the region $150 billion.
Perhaps DOGE should focus on cutting future expenses, not just today’s. To quote another old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/4/25
2744 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.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Harvey-at-59-Bridge-IMG_3686-e1741129570215.jpeg?fit=1100%2C685&ssl=16851100adminadmin2025-03-04 17:11:592025-03-04 22:53:59Editorial: Government Should Help Manage Uncertainty, Not Create It
3/3/25 – A Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) spokesperson reports that the District finished picking up Hurricane Beryl debris at numerous locations along Bens Branch in Kingwood on February 27, 2025.
Hurricane Beryl struck the Houston area on July 8, 2024, with winds gusting up to 83 MPH at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Sustained winds exceeded tropical storm strength for approximately six hours in the Lake Houston Area. Wet grounds over a large part of the area from well above average spring and early summer rainfall led to widespread downing of trees.
The storm damage came on top of a derecho earlier in the year that created chaos.
HCFCD claims the piles were not theirs but couldn’t say who they belonged to. However, local leaders who monitored cleanup efforts disagreed.
But Eric Heppen, Harris County Precinct 3’s Director of Engineering, said, “We’re past that now. We’re just going to pick up the piles.” Thank you, Commissioner Ramsey. And thank you, HCFCD.
Some piles, such as those along Bens Branch opposite Bear Branch Elementary on Tree Lane, became highly visible eyesores. They also became temptations for young boys eager to show off their mountain-climbing skills.
The pictures below show what remained of the Tree Lane piles today.
Nothing.Piles gone!
Thanks to Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey for breaking the logjam (pun intended) over who was responsible for the Beryl debris and arranging for the pickup.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/3/25
2743 Days since Hurricane Harveyand 238 since Beryl
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250226-DSC_1834.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2025-03-03 22:03:342025-03-03 23:14:34HCFCD Finishes Removing Beryl Debris from Bens Branch
3/1/25 – At the 2/27/25 Harris County Special Commissioners Court meeting, commissioners spent more than an hour discussing the need for a 2018 Flood-Bond update to help deal with a potential billion-dollar funding shortfall.
Previous Flood Control District department heads published a flood-bond update monthly. But the frequency has fallen to annually under the current department head as activity slowed and inflation soared.
Harris County Commissioners Court 69 minute discussion on need for bond update.
Commissioners Openly Concede Funding Shortfall
Against that backdrop, Commissioners and the County Judge openly conceded that all promised bond projects will not get done because of a lack of money. That’s despite assurances on the Flood Control District website that all will get done.
However, discussion made it clear that commissioners worry whether projects in their precincts will end up on the chopping block. They also worry whether the Flood Control District has followed the Equity Prioritization Frameworks adopted by Commissioners Court.
Reasons for Concerns
The request for an update came as commissioners fretted about the potential cancellation of projects associated with $1.1 billion allocated to Harris County from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) via the Texas General Land Office.
Earlier in the meeting , Commissioners had voted on financial strategies designed to limit the County’s financial exposure in case HUD funding fell through. (See previous post about Item 11),
Thirty-five percent inflation in the non-residential construction sector since the beginning of the bond has also affected the Flood Control District’s purchasing power.
Finally, an unexplained four-year slowdown in activity at the Flood Control District also has commissioners concerned. The slowdown continually decreases purchasing power over time by delaying projects as inflation builds.
Already, the current activity level in dollars adjusted for inflation is lower than before voters passed the 2018 bond.
Analysis of data from HCFCD and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
See below.
HCFCD spending in 2024 roughly equaled 2017 spending after adjustment for inflation.
To complicate matters, the Flood Control District’s website “Active Projects” Page no longer works and hasn’t for months. The District blames it on a problem with their geographic information systems. That affects an interactive map.
But the page also featured a text-based list of active projects and their locations. That has also disappeared with no explanation. And a Harris County source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told me Flood Control has not made an effort to fix the page/map.
Getting up-to-date information out of the Flood Control District has definitely become more difficult. And not just for journalists. Clearly that has commissioners worried, too.
Commissioners Grill HCFCD Head for More Than Hour
Commissioners could have conveyed the update request in a simple memo. Instead they vented their frustrations for one hour and nine minutes. At one point, Adrian Garcia even accused fellow Democrat Rodney Ellis of filibustering!
Commissioners feared many projects would not be completed. Each explained why he/she wasn’t getting a fair share.
Ellis Request
Rodney Ellis worried whether the District was following his Equity Prioritization Framework. He requested that the update include:
Prioritization scores for each project.
A clear demonstration of how the bond prioritization framework is being implemented and tracked
An explanation of the prioritization of planning, design, constructing and funding of flood-bond projects.
Financial analysis showing all completed projects and sub-projects.
Lists of all:
Projects and sub-projects under construction and awaiting funding.
Committed partnership agreements.
Signed Inter-local Agreements (ILAs).
ILA commitments still in discussion.
Remaining available funds.
He emphasized that he “didn’t want to wait until all the money is gone.” He added…
“I know there’s not enough money to do all the projects we talked about and everybody else knows it. I’m just crazy enough to say it in public.”
Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis
Ramsey Concerns
Tom Ramsey worried about $257 million in subdivision drainage projects taken out of his budget. He pointed out that he has 2-3X the number of road miles to maintain compared to other precincts. Yet he has the smallest percentage of the total budget.
Ramsey concluded, “Come back in a way that we can live up to the commitment that we made to the voters in 2018. Right now, we’re struggling to make that happen.”
Garcia Concerns
Adrian Garcia complained about heavy trucks tearing up the roads in his highly industrialized precinct. He also worried about getting enough dollars to complete projects in his precinct.
Briones Concerns
Lesley Briones also worried about getting a fair share of dollars for projects in her precinct. Most of it leaned Republican before redistricting. Without saying it, she implied that the area had been penalized for the way it leaned politicly. She added, “I personally will not feel comfortable going out for a future bond if we haven’t delivered on the 2018 bond.”
Hidalgo: “Is There a Billion Dollars Sitting Somewhere?”
Judge Lina Hidalgo said she remained committed to “lifting up folks that had historically been left behind.” Then she asked, “Has that been achieved to any degree? To what extent have we achieved that?”
“We know we don’t have enough money. What are we going to do, folks?”
Lina Hidalgo, Harris County Judge, during discussion of Item 164 on 2/27/25.
She then discussed pausing non-equity projects and redirecting money to equity projects.
“The other option … go to the voters. I’m not hearing an appetite for that, so I just don’t understand how we solve this without additional money. So my final question, ‘Is there $1 billion sitting somewhere?'”
“It would just be sad to find out that the [projects] not completed rank higher on prioritization.”
Equity Wins Again
In the end, Commissioners Court requested a recommendation from the Director of Flood Control that would maximize the goal of finishing projects according to the equity prioritization framework, with highest scoring projects finishing first.
Flood Control agreed to present the analysis on May 22. This has the potential to slow Flood Control’s work even more.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/2/25
2742 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CC-2.27.25.jpg?fit=1100%2C554&ssl=15541100adminadmin2025-03-02 18:20:322025-03-03 11:01:39Harris County Commissioners Demand Flood-Bond Project Update
Between Pearl Harbor and the surrender of Japan, 1349 days elapsed. But more than twice that number of days have elapsed since Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
Battleship Arizona, December 7, 1941. Photo courtesy of National Park Service.
At 1349 Days after Harvey, I wrote a post entitled “It’s Official: Harvey Flood Mitigation Is Taking Longer than World War II.” The bittersweet post expressed disappointment about the lack of progress … tempered with hope for the future. But sadly, many of the observations I made then are true today. We still:
Are dredging the mouth of the San Jacinto West Fork, which backed water up into thousands of homes and businesses.
Are fighting with each other over which neighborhoods get their flood-mitigation projects started first.
Have not turned one shovel of dirt at any of the upstream sites identified for stormwater detention in the San Jacinto River Basin Master Drainage Plan.
Bush provided numerous recommendations to cut red tape. But sadly, few, if any, have been implemented.
Failure to Prepare is Preparing to Fail
During the last Harris County Commissioner’s Court Meeting, we witnessed Commissioners struggling with this slow-motion disaster that has become a second disaster in itself.
They even spent a full hour requesting an update from HCFCD on the status of bond projects. Those updates used to be a regular monthly report.
Failure to prepare for flooding that you know will come is an invitation to heartbreak and misery. When the next flood happens, the damage will be self-inflicted.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/1/25
2741 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210507-Arizona.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=18011200adminadmin2025-03-01 18:14:212025-03-01 18:52:31We Won World War II in Half the Time That It’s Taking to Start Harvey Flood-Mitigation Projects
2/28/25 – Today, the Texas General Land Office (GLO) released the status of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster-relief and flood-mitigation applications from Harris County’s Flood Control District and Housing & Community Development Department.
The grant applications cover almost $1.1 billion dollars in aid for Harris County relating to Hurricane Harvey alone, which the GLO manages for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Today’s updates cover the status of more than 60 projects. A little more than half have already been approved. Twenty-one are still in review. And eight still have not been submitted yet.
Separately, yesterday Harris County Commissioners adopted three resolutions to limit financial exposure during the Federal grant funding freeze.
Let’s look at the disaster-relief and flood-mitigation applications first, then the issue of financial exposure.
HCFCD Disaster Relief Projects
Of the 11 disaster relief projects published by Flood Control, the GLO has already approved 10. Flood Control has not yet submitted the application for the Genoa Red Bluff Regional Stormwater Detention Basin.
All projects in this list total approximately $269 million.
Provided by GLO on 2/28/25
For descriptions of each project above, click here.
HCFCD Flood-Mitigation Projects
HCFCD is submitting 18 projects in the flood-mitigation category. Of those, the GLO has started reviewing 16. HCFCD has yet to submit two.
The 16 projects submitted to date total approximately $510 million out of $541,847,826 allocated for this category.
Only one project below – Taylor Gully/Woodridge – is in the Kingwood Area.
For a printable PDF of these two lists, click here.
County Making Contingency Plans for Federal Grant Funding Freeze
A large portion of the Special Harris County Commissioners Court Meeting yesterday concerned planning for uncertainties regarding the federal grant funding freeze. Specifically on the agenda:
Item 11 tried to limit the County’s financial exposure in case projects were started, but promised funding did not come through on the back end.
Item 164 requested HCFCD to provide an update on every 2018 flood-bond project (completed, in progress, and not yet started). Commissioners requested dollars expended to date by life cycle stages, locations and subprojects. They also requested a listing of how all projects scored and ranked on the County’s Equity Prioritization Framework.
Those two items alone consumed two hours.
Re: Item 11, Commissioners adopted three motions unanimously:
Motion 1 directed OMB to maintain a maximum monthly average of $100 million in outstanding receivables relating to federal grants and to update commissioners court monthly on balances.
Motion 2 directed OCA, OMB, the County’s Strategic Planning Committee, and impacted departments to make recommendations for dealing with at-risk, federally funded programs.
Motion 3 allowed payment of grant-funded invoices if federal funding is available.
The motions govern management of invoice payments related to grants and establish protocols for prioritizing grant programs.
The commissioners want to prevent a significant impact on cash flow and future budget cycles. Their plan includes setting aside general funds and cooperating with the Strategic Planning Committee to identify priority grants.
Additionally, there are strategies to identify at-risk grants, limit financial exposure, and ensure that ongoing expenditures are more closely aligned with the likelihood of reimbursement.
Motion 3 would only allow payment of project/program related invoices if reimbursement seems likely.
The measures apply to all federal grants, not just those listed above. For instance, ARPA funding expires next year and will affect many county employees.
The county averages about $70 million in liabilities every month related to payment of grant invoices (for which the Federal government later reimburses the county). The $100 million limit in Motion 1 reflects an amount that the county cannot afford if the Feds withhold payment.
For the time being, everyone is proceeding as though the funding appropriated by Congress will come through.
Most of those I interviewed for this article believe the President does not have the authority to override laws passed by Congress with executive orders. However, Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) budget cuts could have the impact of hamstringing other departments, such as HUD.
For instance, I talked to two government officials on the condition of anonymity who discussed rumors of staffing cuts greater than 80% at HUD. That could affect reimbursement for tens of billion of dollars in CDBG funds nationwide, because the Department might not have the personnel to process reimbursements.
That could affect most of the disaster-relief and flood-mitigation applications above. But more on that at a future date when and if the rumors become real.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/28/25
2740 Days since Hurricane Harvey
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2/27/25 – Hallett Materials has finally plugged a year-long leak in its Porter sand mine on the San Jacinto West Fork.
According to residents who live near the leak, an investigator from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) visited the mine yesterday. For more than six hours, he sampled water leaking from the mine.
A short time later, Hallett, a self-proclaimed environmental leader, started plugging the leak. It had created a river of sludge several hundred feet wide that led straight to the drinking water supply for 2 million people…for more than a year.
History of Leak
Photos taken on February 8, 2024, show that bulldozers created the leak. Those dozer tracks in the image below certainly don’t appear accidental.
Notice where tracked vehicle shaveddown area between Hallett settling pond (far right) and road/woods, letting sediment-laden water leak out of overloaded pond.Same pond, same sludge, same leaks more than a year later on 2/23/25.
I ran a story about the year-long leak that same day. The post also took the TCEQ to task for magically overlooking the river of what I call Houdini sludge. It can escape from anything, anytime, year round, day or night – without detection by even the most eagle-eyed TCEQ investigator. Slippery stuff, that sludge!
Seriously, I’m sure Hallett will send a blind, part-time, sub-assistant foreman to some TCEQ gulag for re-education and environmental sensitivity training. That should placate the reluctant regulators.”
A note from the sacrificial sub-assistant’s ophthalmologist should also sufficiently explain the “accidental” oversight enough to get Hallett off the hook with a strongly worded apology and a ten dollar fine.
TCEQ’s Biggest Investigation Ever?
The investigator sampling the water this week wouldn’t say much except that this was “the biggest investigation he had ever been a part of.” Of course, previous TCEQ investigators couldn’t find water falling out of a rowboat with a seeing-eye dog.
Pics of Fix
Hallett reportedly parked a bulldozer near where the investigator was working. This afternoon, a resident sent pictures of a pile of dirt the bulldozer pushed against the rising tide of sludge. It was about as deep as a stack of chocolate pancakes at IHOP. See below.
Where one of the rivers of sludge cut across the maintenance roadHallet leak plugged……at least for a day or two.How long will it last?Vegas is taking odds.
Now, there’s a beautifully engineered bandaid!
What more could a TCEQ commissioner up for reappointment ask?
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/27/25
2739 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.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250223_0968_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-02-27 21:46:382025-02-27 23:20:14Hallett Finally Plugs Year-Long Leak in Sand Mine
