1/24/25 – Only hours remain to reduce your flood risk from sand mining.
The public comment period for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) proposed new best management practices (BMPs) for sand mines closes tonight at 11:59 PM. As of this morning, fewer than 200 people statewide had left comments. That’s less than 1% of all the homes and businesses that flooded in the Lake Houston Area alone.
Small Response Says People No Longer Care About Flooding
And that’s a pathetically small number considering sand mining’s contributions to flooding in this area. Sediment released from the mines during floods accumulates at the mouths of rivers streams and ditches, blocking drainage. Accumulated sediment also reduces the conveyance of rivers and streams.
Blockages and reduced conveyance contributed to an estimated billion dollars in damages during Harvey. They have also cost almost $200 million to dredge in the last five years.
Yet the new BMPs do nothing to address this problem. They show the heavy hand of lobbyists on a state agency eager to create the appearance of public protection.
What We Need
In my opinion, the mines need to be on higher ground, farther from rivers. And the setbacks need to retain their natural vegetation. This will reduce the chances of:
Erosion at greater than natural rates
Rivers migrating into mines over time
Pit capture (That’s when a river starts flowing through a mine pit.)
Floodwaters inundating the mines and carrying off sediment
Downstream sediment accumulations that contribute to flooding homes and businesses.
Hallett and surrounding mines on the San Jacinto West Fork on May 3, 2024. This was during what amounted to a 2- to 10-year rainfall, according to HCFCD.However, flood levels downstream reached 100-year levels, a testament to the reduced conveyance of the West Fork.
The dikes around sand mines are supposed to protect them in a 100-year flood. But as you can see in the photo above, it doesn’t really work that way.
Submitting Your Comment Should Take Less Than 2 Minutes
Please help. Submit public comments to the TCEQ that urge them to include BMPs that address better sediment control.
Here’s how. It should only take a minute or two. Follow these simple steps.
Paste the text into their webform or use your own words.
RE: APO BMP List Proposal
TCEQ’s proposed list of Best Management Practices for Aggregate Production Operations completely ignores mining issues that contribute to flooding in the Houston area.
Most mines on the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto were inundated last year in what amounted to 2- to 10-year rainfall. Floodwaters swept industrial waste downstream into Lake Houston, the drinking water supply for two million people.
The rivers also broke through the dikes of at least six of those mines. The rivers now run through pits instead of around them. This flushes sand and sediment downstream, where it reduces conveyance, blocks drainage and contributes to flooding.
Addressing these issues requires building mines on higher ground, farther from rivers.
I recommend doubling the minimum setback from 100 to 200 feet for mines in the San Jacinto watershed. That will put the mines on higher ground, farther from the floodway.
I also recommend leaving forests undisturbed in the widened buffer zone. That will reduce the velocity of floodwater and, with it, the volume of sediment carried downstream. It will also decrease the likelihood of pit capture, by increasing the amount of time that it takes a river to migrate into a mine. The forest will also help capture sediment that may escape a mine.
Finally, the wider buffers will give rivers more room to spread out during floods. Right now, dikes are supposed to protect mines from a hundred-year flood. But when mines build tall dikes on one side of a river, they double the volume of water flooding the other side. And when they build tall dikes on both sides of a river, water has no room to spread out without invading the mines. The tall dikes effectively eliminate ALL floodplains and turn rivers into erosive firehoses.
I also support the concerns and list of alternative BMPs proposed by Texans for Responsible Aggregate Mining.
Hurry. There are only hours left. So please don’t put this off. Your voice could make a difference for thousands.
West Fork mouth bar formed during Harvey and was 8-10 feet above water line in place. Picture taken before dredging. This backed water up into the Humble/Kingwood/Atascocita Area.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/24/25
2705 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20240503-DJI_20240503180502_0197_D-1.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-01-24 15:11:102025-01-24 15:11:14Last Chance to Reduce Flood Risk from Sand Mining
1/23/25 – In an effort to build the first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood along Northpark Drive, contractors this week took a brief break – for the weather. But today, they were back at it. Here’s where things stand in the last full week of January.
Demolition, Drainage and Weather Delay
The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 has resumed demolishing more of the old Northpark Drive pavement. Contractors already demolished and removed the old northbound lanes on Loop 494 south of Northpark. This afternoon, they were busy scraping away the old eastbound lanes on Northpark itself between the entrance to Kings Mill and Russell Palmer Road.
In other news:
Installation of culverts on the north side of Northpark has almost reached the UnionPacific Railroad tracks.
A concrete pour between Loop 494 and US59 was only partially completed before the big freeze. It was paused, but rebar is ready when the temperature becomes warm enough to pour concrete again. The ideal temperature for safely pouring concrete is typically between 50°F and 70°F.
Pictures Taken 1/23/25
Here are pictures of the progress taken this afternoon.
Looking east from in front of Northpark Christian Church. Old lanes have been demolished and removed all the way to Russell Palmer Road.Reverse angle from same location. Demolition extends to Kings Mill entrance.Drainage on outbound Northpark now extends almost to UPRR tracks visible at top of frame.Looking South at Loop 494 northbound lanes, also demolished.
Only one of two westbound lanes were poured before cold weather set in.
But another is ready to go when temperatures improve.
Coming Soon
In the next couple weeks, the look-ahead schedule posted on the LHRA website shows that, weather permitting:
As soon as the main drainage reaches the UPRR, crews will drop back and begin working on laterals to businesses.
After the eastbound roadway is removed, a small storm sewer crew will begin the installation of laterals to the new inlets at the new curb line.
Paving crews will continue westbound work between 59 and Loop 494.
Crews will demolish the Northbound lanes on Loop 494 north of Northpark.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20250123-DJI_20250123152027_0774_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-01-23 18:33:482025-01-23 19:00:40More of Old Northpark Drive Disappears
1/22/25 – The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has proposed new Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Sand Mines. But they do nothing to address flood risk from sand mining here in the Lake Houston Area.
Sediment pollution from upstream sand mines has contributed to flooding more than 13,000 homes and businesses in the Lake Houston Area. Yet despite more than a billion dollars in damages and almost $200 million spent on dredging in the last five years, fewer than 100 people have protested the new, but ineffective BMPs as of noon today.
To encourage more people to get involved, below I’ve summarized the problems and suggested solutions that you can submit verbatim. The process should take less than two minutes.
The Problem
Local sand-mining practices accelerate and add to the rate of natural erosion. That helps create sediment blockages that reduce conveyance of rivers, back water up, and build higher flood peaks.
Sand deposited during Hurricane Harvey was 8-10 feet above the water line in places. It backed water up into Kingwood, Atascocita and Humble, and stretched 3,400 feet.East Fork Mouth Bar after Imelda grew 3,700 feet.
Both of these blockages have since been dredged. But more sand continues coming with each new flood due to questionable management practices at upstream sand mines. See suggestions below.
Be Part of The Solution
Please add your voice to those protesting the omission of BMPs that address our issues. Providing public comment. Only three days remain before the deadline Friday night.
It should only take a minute or two. Follow these simple steps.
TCEQ’s attempt to create a helpful list of Best Management Practices for Aggregate Production Operations is an exercise in willful blindness. It completely ignores issues mandated by the legislature, as well as others that reduce water quality and increase flood risk.
The issues you do address are addressed in a vague and/or self-evident manner that render them inadequate.
In addition to more specificity, I would like to see BMPs that help mines in the Houston region avoid inundation and pit capture.
Most mines on the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto were inundated last year. Floodwaters swept industrial waste downstream into Lake Houston, the drinking water supply for two million people.
The rivers also broke through the dikes of at least six of those mines. The rivers now run through pits instead of around them. This flushes sand and sediment downstream, where it reduces conveyance, blocks drainage and contributes to flooding.
Addressing these issues requires building mines on higher ground, farther from rivers.
I recommend doubling the minimum setback from 100 to 200 feet for mines in the San Jacinto watershed. That will put the mines on higher ground, farther from the floodway.
I also recommend leaving forests undisturbed in the widened buffer zone. That will reduce the velocity of floodwater and, with it, the volume of sediment carried downstream. It will also decrease the likelihood of pit capture, by increasing the amount of time that it takes a river to migrate into a mine. The forest will also help capture sediment that may escape a mine.
Finally, the wider buffers will give rivers more room to spread out during floods. Right now, dikes are supposed to protect mines from a hundred-year flood. But when mines build tall dikes on one side of a river, they double the volume of water flooding the other side. And when they build tall dikes on both sides of a river, water has no room to spread out without invading the mines. The tall dikes effectively eliminate ALL floodplains and turn rivers into erosive firehoses.
I have attached a PDF that shows visual proof of the need for BMPs that address our main sand-mining concerns in the San Jacinto Watershed.
I also support the concerns and list of alternative BMPs supported by Texans for Responsible Aggregate Mining.
Send a message to Austin that you want the protection you pay taxes for. Get all your friends, neighbors and relatives to submit comments, too.
For more information about sand mining in the Houston region as it relates to the Proposed BMPs, consult these posts.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Harvey-SanJac_437-Mouth-Bar-Cropped.jpg?fit=1988%2C853&ssl=18531988adminadmin2025-01-22 15:55:152025-01-22 16:44:40Reduce Flood Risk from Sand Mining in Two Minutes
1/21/25 – The TCEQ is soliciting public comments on its proposed new “best management practices” (BMPs) for sand mining. The comment period closes at 11:59 PM on 1/24/25. That’s this Friday.
Regrettably, few people have submitted comments to date. Yet, when it comes to reducing downstream flood risk, few things are as important.
BMPs are Helpful Guidelines, Not Regulations
BMPs do not carry the force of regulation. Regardless, they have great value for businesses. They improve organizational effectiveness, efficiency, trust, risk management, product quality, compliance, sustainability, neighbor relations and more.
They say to employees of an organization, “Here are lessons learned from all who have come before us. This is how the best in our business operate.”
But sadly, the BMPs recommended by TCEQ for sand miners are not very instructive. They fail to address the critical issues that sand miners – and the public – in the Houston region face. Worse, instead of raising the bar, they lower it.
Confluence of Spring and Cypress Creeks (Left)with San Jacinto West Fork (right). Taken after May floods in 2024 near US59 Bridge. 20 square miles of sand mines are upstream on the right.
We Need BMPs that Address Our Real Issues
So hungry are we to keep Texas growing with low-cost concrete that we have collectively avoided addressing the other costs of sand mining related to flood mitigation, insurance, public health, and water purification. For example:
Inundated sand mines deposit industrial waste in the drinking water supply for 2 million people.
Rivers broke through the dikes of at least six mines on the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto last year, carrying sand and silt downstream, where it reduced the drainage capacity and the storage of Lake Houston.
Costs to the public?
Houston Public Works must pay more to purify our drinking water.
The public must pay more in taxes to support dredging programs that restore conveyance and reduce flood risk.
Insurance companies must increase premiums to pay for damage to flooded homes and businesses.
Not one of the BMPs proposed by TCEQ addresses these problems. It’s as if addressing them would obligate TCEQ (which the Sunset Commission called a ‘reluctant regulator’) to enforce them.
Worse, the proposed TCEQ BMPs failed to address issues specifically mandated by the state legislature in its last two sessions. They include water use, noise, and light pollution.
In addition, the BMPs that TCEQ does propose are vague and self-evident. For instance:
“Ensure vehicles are driven at reasonable speeds to reduce dust disturbance.”
“Be sure your stockpiles are only as high as your permit allows.”
I have posted about the need for public comments on these BMPs three times in the last two months. See:
Regardless, the last time I checked, TCEQ had received only a handful of comments.
So, for those who feel daunted by the complexity of the task or the time required, I have compiled the copy below. You can simply cut and paste the copy between the two lines into the TCEQ’s webform.
RE: APO BMP List Proposal
TCEQ’s attempt to create a helpful list of Best Management Practices for Aggregate Production Operations is an exercise in willful blindness. It completely ignores issues mandated by the legislature, as well as others that reduce water quality and increase flood risk.
The issues you do address are addressed in a vague and/or self-evident manner that render them inadequate.
In addition to more specificity, I would like to see BMPs that help mines in the Houston region avoid inundation and pit capture.
Most mines on the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto were inundated last year. Floodwaters swept industrial waste downstream into Lake Houston, the drinking water supply for two million people.
The rivers also broke through the dikes of at least six of those mines. The rivers now run through pits instead of around them. This flushes sand and sediment downstream, where it reduces conveyance, blocks drainage and contributes to flooding.
Addressing these issues requires building mines on higher ground, farther from rivers.
I recommend doubling the minimum setback from 100 to 200 feet for mines in the San Jacinto watershed. That will put the mines on higher ground, farther from the floodway.
I also recommend leaving forests undisturbed in the widened buffer zone. That will reduce the velocity of floodwater and, with it, the volume of sediment carried downstream. It will also decrease the likelihood of pit capture, by increasing the amount of time that it takes a river to migrate into a mine. The forest will also help capture sediment that may escape a mine.
Finally, the wider buffers will give rivers more room to spread out during floods. Right now, dikes are supposed to protect mines from a hundred-year flood. But when mines build tall dikes on one side of a river, they double the volume of water flooding the other side. And when they build tall dikes on both sides of a river, water has no room to spread out without invading the mines. The tall dikes effectively eliminate ALL floodplains and turn rivers into erosive firehoses.
The attached PDF shows visual proof of the need for BMPs that address our main sand-mining concerns in the San Jacinto Watershed.
Review and attach this PDF which shows visual proof of the need for BMPs that address the main sand-mining concerns in the San Jacinto Watershed.
Modify the bracketed text above as you see fit to address other concerns you may have.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/21/25
2702 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/2024/05/West-Fork-Confluence-5.17.24.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-01-21 14:24:392025-01-22 11:50:54Only 4 Days Left To Comment on New TCEQ Sand-Mining BMPs
1/20/25 – As I write this, the snow has already begun. Some people are predicting up to 6″ tonight and tomorrow. To put that in historical perspective, Houston hasn’t seen that much snow since 1895.
The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority sent out a notice tonight saying that construction on Northpark would be tabled until after the snow melts.
We can only hope drivers use as much common sense. Snow will make roads slick. Lanes make frequent changes around construction. And if you start to skid, you will likely run into a giant concrete barrier, not just a curb.
Large concrete barriers in construction zone will leave little room for recovery in a skid.
Also keep in mind, that even if you know how to drive in snow, it’s not part of the skill set for 95% of the motorists in Houston.
The City and County advise staying home and avoiding all travel until the roads clear. But if you must travel, please use routes other than Northpark Drive for your own safety.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/20/25
2701 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20250107-DJI_20250107133202_0641_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-01-20 21:29:102025-01-20 21:29:14Best to Stay off Northpark in Snow
1/19/25 at 9 AM – This morning, the National Weather Service (NWS) updated its predictions for the Winter Storm Watch and Cold Weather Advisory issued yesterday. The possible accumulations of snow increased from 3″ to 5″ with ice accumulations of around one tenth of an inch also possible.
Banding will lead to a disparity in snow totals. Some areas could receive less than 5″ and some could receive more. Exact locations of heavy snow bands are uncertain. Monitor the latest NWS forecasts for updates.
Wind gusts will be as high as 35 MPH for large portions of southeast Texas from Monday evening through Tuesday afternoon.
Plan on dangerous road conditions that will impact commutes.
Bitter Cold to Follow Snow
Bitter cold will follow the snow and ice. Tuesday night, NWS predicts temperatures will drop to 18º F at Bush Intercontinental Airport and barely reach above freezing on Wednesday. So, the snow and ice may not have time to melt before they refreeze.
Wind chills could drop to the single digits by Wednesday morning in some areas.
Gusty northerly winds today through Tuesday will result in wind chills in the 10’s and 20’s…so you’ll need layers if going outside.
How Cold Near You?
Many areas will fall below freezing on Monday evening and potentially remain below freezing into Wednesday afternoon. During that period, temperatures may only warm a few degrees above freezing. Sub-freezing temps could still around for 36-45 hours.
Monday AM Forecasted Low Temperatures:
North of HWY 105: 22-26
North of I-10: 25-29
Houston metro (inside Beltway): 27-29
Coastal Counties: 28-31
Beaches/Galveston: 31-34
Tuesday AM Forecasted Low Temperatures:
North of HWY 105: 24-26
North of I-10: 25-28
Houston metro (inside Beltway): 27-29
Coastal Counties: 27-30
Beaches/Galveston: 30-32
Wednesday AM Forecasted Low Temperatures:
North of HWY 105: 14-17
North of I-10: 15-18
Houston metro (inside Beltway): 17-19
Coastal Counties: 19-22
Beaches/Galveston: 28-30
Precautions include Pipe Protection
Maximum preparations and precautions for sub-freezing conditions for many hours should be completed today. Failure to complete proper precautions may result in significant damage to vegetation and infrastructure.
Protect sensitive vegetation.
Protect any exposed outdoor pipes (sprinkler systems should be shut off and properly drained). Pipes in attics and along exterior walls of structures could freeze at these levels.
Prepare proper shelter and warmth for animals and livestock and make sure water sources are not frozen.
Persons should limit outside exposure to a minimum.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Winter-Storm-Watch-2.png?fit=725%2C544&ssl=1544725adminadmin2025-01-19 08:58:412025-01-19 09:00:50NWS Now Predicting Up to 5″ of Snow, Sleet
1/18/25 – Don’t get a flood in your attic. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a cold weather advisory and a winter storm watch for the entire Houston region. Sub-freezing temperatures and extreme wind chills mixed with ice and snow are expected. The:
Cold-weather advisory runs from 3 AM to 12 PM on January 19th.
Winter-storm watch takes effect on Monday January 20, 2025 at 6PM and will last until Tuesday at the same time.
For more details on each, see below.
Cold Weather Advisory Details
WHAT: Very cold wind chills below 20 degrees are expected.
WHERE: Portions of south central and southeast Texas.
WHEN: From 3 AM to noon CST Sunday, January 19, 2025
IMPACTS: Wind chill values can lead to hypothermia with prolonged exposure.
PRECAUTIONS: Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves. Keep pets indoors as much as possible. Make frequent checks on older family, friends, and neighbors. Ensure portable heaters are used correctly. Do not use generators or grills inside.
Winter Storm Watch Details.
WHEN: Monday evening through Tuesday afternoon
WHAT: Heavy mixed precipitation is possible with total snow and sleet accumulations up to 3 inches and locally higher amounts. Ice accumulations of up to one tenth of an inch possible for portions of south central and southeast Texas.
IMPACTS: Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Tuesday morning and evening commutes.
PRECAUTIONS:
Be where you plan to be by 6:00 PM Monday for the duration of this winter storm event.
Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation. Delay all travel if possible.
If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution and be prepared for sudden changes in visibility.
Leave plenty of room between you and the motorist ahead of you, and allow extra time to reach your destination.
Avoid sudden braking or acceleration, and be especially cautious on hills or when making turns. Make sure your car is winterized and in good working order.
Jeff Lindner, Harris County’s meteorologist provided this additional detail.
As a cold front moves through the area today, look for increasingly colder conditions into Sunday and next week. Expect a substantial drop in the temperatures tonight into Sunday.
The freezing line will make it down toward the north and western sides of the metro area Sunday morning. When combined with gusty northerly winds of 15-25mph, wind chills will fall into the 10’s and 20’s for much of the area.
A more significant freeze is likely Monday morning with lows into the 20’s for much of the area and into the low 20’s north of HWY 105. Expect similar lows on Tuesday morning. Coldest temps will be on Wednesday morning with possible ice/snow cover and clearing skies resulting in maximum cooling conditions.
The duration of sub-freezing temperatures will be critical. Much of the area looks to fall below freezing Monday early evening and not rise above freezing until Wednesday afternoon.
Even then, it may only be a few degrees above freezing for a few hours. We could potentially experience sub-freezing temps for 36-45 hours over much of the area – and possibly longer.
Monday AM Forecasted Low Temperatures:
North of HWY 105: 22-26
North of I-10: 25-29
Houston metro (inside Beltway): 27-29
Coastal Counties: 28-30
Beaches/Galveston: 31-33
Tuesday AM Forecasted Low Temperatures:
North of HWY 105: 22-26
North of I-10: 26-30
Houston metro (inside Beltway): 27-29
Coastal Counties: 28-30
Beaches/Galveston: 30-32
Wednesday AM Forecasted Low Temperatures:
North of HWY 105: 17-20
North of I-10: 18-21
Houston metro (inside Beltway): 19-21
Coastal Counties: 19-24
Beaches/Galveston: 30-32
Maximum preparations and precautions for sub-freezing conditions for many hours should be completed this weekend. Failure to complete proper precautions may result in significant damage to vegetation and infrastructure.
Winter Precipitation:
Once the cold air is in place on Monday, another front will move through. Expect snow along and north of I-10 with the potential for a mixture of freezing rain/sleet/snow south of I-10. Models suggest the storm may move across the area in bands, resulting in much higher precipitation totals locally. This scenario occurred in 2004, 2008 and 2009.
Snow accumulations of 1-3 inches (or more locally) are possible along and north of I-10. Expect lower amounts south of I-10.
There is a:
70-85% chance much of the area will see at least a tenth of an inch of snow.
35-50% chance the area south of I-10 will get ice.
We could still be dealing with travel issues into Thursday morning. Aviation will be heavily impacted. Snow will clog runways and de-icing of planes will likely be necessary.
Forecast Graphics
Monday AM Low Temps:
Tuesday AM Low Temps:
Wednesday AM Low Temps:
Probabilities of Snow and Freezing Rain:
Snow Accumulation through Tuesday 600am (additional accumulation is likely after 600am)
Ice Accumulation through Tuesday 600am (additional accumulation is likely after 600am)
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/18/25based on information from NOAA, NWS and Jeff Lindner
1/17/25 – According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was a year for climate records and near records. 2024 was the:
Warmest year in the contiguous United States in 130 years
Third wettest year of the climate record in the contiguous United States
Second worst year for tornadoes (with 1,735 confirmed to date)
Second highest year for billion-dollar weather disasters in 45 years. Twenty-seven cost a total of $182.7 billion (which was the fourth highest price tag on record).
Fourth highest year for hurricanes making landfall in the U.S.
Graphic Recap of 2024’s Most Significant Climate and Weather Events
The maps below come from the NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). The first shows significant climate events during 2024.
Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters
The second map shows the location and dates of the 27 billion-dollar disasters.
NOAA says 2024 ranks second highest for number of billion-dollar disasters in a calendar year, one event behind 2023’s record 28 events. The total annual cost in 2024 – $182.7 billion – may rise by several billion as additional costs from identified events are reported.
Since records began in 1980, the U.S. has sustained 403 separate weather and climate disasters where overall damages/costs reached or exceeded $1 billion. All costs are adjusted to 2024 dollars based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The total cost of these 403 events exceeds $2.915 trillion.
Since 1980, the U.S. has experienced an average of nine billion-dollar disasters per year. So 2024 tripled the average.
Seventeen states (Texas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine) ranked warmest on record while all but two remaining states across the Lower 48 ranked as one of the warmest five years on record.
Annual precipitation for the contiguous U.S. was 31.58 inches, 1.66 inches above average, ranking in the wettest third of the historical record (1895–2024).
The Atlantic basin saw 18 named tropical cyclones and five landfalling hurricanes during 2024—an above-average season. Hurricane Helene was the seventh-most-costly Atlantic hurricane on record.
The tornado count for 2024 was second highest on record behind 2004 (1,817 tornadoes) with at least 1,735 confirmed tornadoes. When looking at EF-2+ tornadoes, 2024 was the most active year since the historic 2011 season.
Be cautious about generalizing about trends from these numbers. Almost every one of the stats references other record years from decades or even a century ago.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/17/2025 based on information from NOAA and NCEI
2698 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Disasters-in-2024.png?fit=1637%2C889&ssl=18891637adminadmin2025-01-17 16:36:282025-01-17 16:36:312024 Climate Records, Near Records
1/16/2025 – Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, PE, and Distict E Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger discussed the status of numerous flood projects at a meeting of the Kingwood Area Republican Women today at the Oakhurst Golf Club.
Ramsey addressing Kingwood Area Republican Women’s Club today.
Among the projects they covered were:
Taylor Gully Improvements/Woodridge Village Detention
Legal Changes Governing Pre-Release of Water from Lakes
Edgewater Park
Dredging
Medians
Flood Tunnels
Subsidence
Below are the highlights. They also discussed other issues such as median maintenance, vine control, crime, taxes, government waste, elections and more. But I will focus primarily on infrastructure issues related to flooding – especially Taylor Gully and Woodridge Village, because of pending approvals this month.
Taylor Gully/Woodridge Village
After Perry Homes clearcut approximately 270 acres in Montgomery County, hundreds of Kingwood homes flooded twice in 2019 along Taylor Gully. Taylor Gully runs through the northern part of Kingwood from Kingwood Park High School to White Oak Creek.
Harris County Flood Control District (HCDFC) began working on mitigation plans in 2021 and presented preliminary recommendations to the community in December, 2022.
The county had high hopes for funding from the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), but those ran into a potential snag. Taylor Gully improvements fit within available HUD funding, but Woodridge Village (the former Perry Homes Property) did not. HCFCD hoped to build more stormwater detention basin capacity on Woodridge to help control Taylor Gully expenses downstream.
Regardless HCFCD pressed forward. They combined the two projects. And according to HCFCD, both now fit with available funding capacity (see “above the line” list on page 2) of the list being presented to Commissioners Court next week on 1/23/25.
The county purchased Woodridge Village in February 2021. Shortly thereafter, HCFCD began an excavation and removal (E&R) contract to get a “head start” on the basins. Indeed, the head start brought the total stormwater detention on the site almost to Atlas-14 standards.
However, HCFCD was forced to terminate the E&R contract before the basins could be completed. That was to comply with HUD requirements while HUD considered the grant application.
This is potentially great news for the people who live in Sherwood Trails, Elm Grove, Mills Branch and Woodstream.
Watch commissioner’s court closely next Thursday. The Kingwood area drainage study named this project as one of the two most important in Kingwood.
Kingwood Diversion Ditch and Upstream Detention
The Kingwood Diversion Ditch was the other of the two most important projects. The Diversion Ditch takes floodwaters out of Bens Branch, which runs diagonally through the center of Kingwood from St. Martha Catholic Church to River Grove Park.
Improving the Diversion Ditch would reduce flood risk for hundreds of homes and apartments, Kingwood High School, Town Center, and Kings Harbor. Both Bens Branch and the Diversion Ditch currently have a two-year level of service. That means they have a 50% chance of coming out of their banks in any given year.
Ramsey estimated today that the project could cost $60 million. However, he also indicated that U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw “got us enough money so we can do the final engineering.”
Eric Heppen, Precinct 3 engineer, later stated that once Commissioners Court approves the preliminary report, it will be made public.
Flickinger emphasized that he is talking with Montgomery County, trying to get them to retain more of their floodwaters. He raised concerns about a new 200,000 sq. ft. convention center planned for US59 at Valley Ranch. “That will generate a lot of runoff that could come down to us, unless we work together to find a way to hold that water up there.”
Houston City Council Member Fred Flickingerat same meeting.
Additional Floodgates for Lake Houston
Shortly after Harvey, many people pinned their flood-mitigation hopes on additional floodgates for the Lake Houston dam. The idea: to lower the lake faster when it becomes certain that a storm will flood the area. The existing gates have 1/15th the capacity of Lake Conroe’s. So Lake Houston must start releasing far earlier in advance of storms than Lake Conroe. And by the time Lake Houston is lowered, storms can veer away, wasting valuable water.
So Conroe tends to hold its water back until it is absolutely certain. At that point, it has no other choice than to release water at high rates that flood people downstream.
Being able to lower Lake Houston faster would let Lake Conroe release earlier and slower, smoothing out flood peaks downstream.
Ramsey estimated the cost of 11 new floodgates that could release 80,000 cubic feet per second at $150 million. He said the final engineering should be completed this year. He also said that bidding and construction could start in 2026.
Legal Changes Governing Pre-Release of Water
Flickinger addressed a related legal issue. State law limits the release of water from lakes; it must be only for defined beneficial uses and flood control is not one of them.
So, Flickinger is working with State Rep. Charles Cunningham to change that and increase the limit. “Bottom line,” he said, “is that we need to release more water sooner rather than holding it back until we’re adding to the crest of the flood.”
Flickinger is also working with the San Jacinto River Authority on these changes.
Edgewater Park
After Harvey, the County acquired land on the northeast corner of the West Fork and US59, which will turn into Edgewater Park. It will also connect the Houston Parks Board’s West Fork Greenway with the Spring Creek Nature Trail. Ramsey said the plans will be made public very soon. After the meeting, Precinct 3 engineer Eric Heppen confirmed the plans were 99% complete.
Ramsey said, “Soon, you’ll be able to go from Kingwood to Tomball and not cross a road.” That should be a tremendous draw for hikers and bikers and the entire area.
Dredging
Flickinger discussed two aspects of dredging not covered in last night’s post. First, he is seeking additional funding to continue the current program while the dredge is on the lake. Second, he feels opportunities exist to increase efficiency.
I asked what he meant by that. FEMA restrictions on the funds currently being used limit the dredging to “pre-Harvey” conditions. That means, Callan Marine, the contractor, must dredge to different depths to match the exact bottom profile that existed before Harvey. And that requires repositioning the dredge more than if you were just dredging to a uniform depth across wide areas.
The search for additional funding has led Flickinger to the City, the Coastal Water Authority (CWA) and former State Representative Dan Huberty. Huberty was appointed to the board of CWA last last year by Houston Mayor John Whitmire.
Medians
Several people from the audience questioned Flickinger about the medians along Kingwood Drive. He touted the success of his first Median Madness event in November 2024 and announced another on February 22, 2025. Mark your calendar now.
More than 50 volunteers participated in the last vine-cutting extravaganza. He hopes for many more volunteers this time.
Flood Tunnels
The county is getting ready to launch the next phase of its flood tunnel study. Ramsey emphasized that there isn’t enough room in Harris County to poke enough holes in the ground to solve all of our flooding problems. He sees tunnels that carry floodwater from strategic locations as essential parts of the solution.
Eric Heppen, Ramsey’s engineer said that by burying the 40 foot tunnels 80 feet underground, you can double the conveyance in some watersheds, sidestep environmental issues, and avoid having to condemn property.
But many issues have yet to be worked out. For instance, will tunnels be constructed to relieve 2-year, 5-year, 10-year, 25-year or 50-year flooding? More to follow when details become available.
Subsidence
Harris County estimates the area east of Lake Houston will grow by 18,000 homes in the next 10 years. But there currently are no plans to provide them with surface water. So, they will pump groundwater. That means subsidence. And subsidence means flooding, according to Ramsey. He pointed to Conroe as an example. The City’s groundwater pumping has caused subsidence as far south as Harris County.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/16/25
2697 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/20221206-Taylor-Gully.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=112001200adminadmin2025-01-16 21:37:172025-01-17 14:29:08Ramsey, Flickinger Discuss Status of Flood Projects
1/15/25 – The City of Houston’s latest West Fork Dredging Program appears to be off to a fast start. Dredging began about a month ago and has already filled up approximately 10 percent of the placement area. The program was originally estimated to last two years.
Shortly after sunrise yesterday, Callan Marine’s General Pershing Dredge lifted its bit out of the water temporarily as the dredge was repositioned. Note the FM1960 bridge downstream in the upper right.
Pictures Taken 1/14/25
Yesterday morning, the Callan dredge was anchored off Atascocita Point. Just three weeks ago, it began across the river in Kingwood. The pictures below tell the story.
Looking N.Atascocita Point on left and Kingwood on far side of river. Can you spot the Kings Point water tower?
Callan will pump slurry to the placement area through that winding 18″ pipe in the photo above. It goes approximately four miles to an area near the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Canal. See pictures below.
The Amazing Maze
There, Callan separates the water from sand and silt with an ingenious maze. The twists and turns in the maze slow the water down, so sediment drops out of suspension.
Water comes in at the upper right and exits near the same point. Note how the sediment is higher on the wall near the entry, then tapers off. To visually estimate percentage of completion, compare levels on both sides of the diagonal berm in right foreground.
The 35-acre pond currently in use is surrounded by berms approximately 6-8 feet tall that contain the slurry. Callan has room at this same site to build another pond of approximately the same size. The two together will total 70 acres.
Cleared but unfinished areain foregroundwill contain a second pond. Luce Interbasin Transfer Canal on right.Notice how bulldozers have built small temporary walls that channel the slurry away from areas where fill has already reached the full height of the berms.When filled, this area will be high and hard enough to build new homes on.
Bulldozers spread the sediment out in layers that allow excess water to drain out or evaporate. One dredging expert told me that when dry, the sediment will be hard enough to support foundations and homes.
Small, low temporary berms within the placement area concentrate the slurry where workers want it to go.
Water that Doesn’t Evaporate Returns to the Lake
The pictures below track the movement of water within the placement area.
Slurry shoots in from the dredge almost 4 miles away.Then bulldozers spread out and compact the dirt.Water that doesn’t evaporate eventually makes its way through the maze back to the two pipes (center at bottom)Boards in front of the exit pipes control the level of water in the pond and the rate of outflow.After dirt is separated from the water, any remaining water that doesn’t evaporate re-enters Lake Houston (upper left).
Comparison with December
To see how much progress Callan has made, compare the pictures above with the one below taken, just three weeks ago.
Progress as of 12/21/24.
Beneficial Use
I wonder if that return channel will become a ready-made detention basin when the landowner develops the site. This is an ingenious example of “beneficial use” – turning a problem into a solution.
Up the Down Escalator
Nevertheless, there is a cost associated with dredging. Funding for the program comes from FEMA via U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw. The City will use money left over from previous West Fork Mouth Bar dredging. Crenshaw secured $125 million in federal funding to cover dredging, including phases already completed.
Some of the sediment shown above comes from natural erosion. Some also comes from upstream sand mining.
With 20 square miles of sand mines in a 20-mile reach of the West Fork between I-45 and US59, the average width of exposed sediment during floods is one mile.
Sometimes I compare flooding issues to trying to walk up a down escalator.
In this case, we’ve failed to establish an effective regulatory regime based on a comprehensive set of best management practices for sand mines. And the public is paying the price in terms of increased flood risk and mitigation costs.
If you haven’t already written the TCEQ to register your concerns about their proposed (but inadequate) best management practices for sand mining, please do so. The public comment period ends on January 24. This post contains more about the problems with the TCEQ’s proposed BMPs. Texans for Responsible Aggregate Mining has even bigger concerns which I posted about yesterday.
Please mail your concerns to Jess Robinson, MC 175, Office of Legal Services, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087. Or you may submit them electronically. Comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. on January 24, 2025, and should reference “APO BMP List Proposal.”
So far, only a handful of people have registered public comments. So please help.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/15/25
2696 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/2025/01/20250114-DJI_20250114091626_0721_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-01-15 13:39:462025-06-21 19:14:42New West Fork Dredging Program Off to Fast Start
