Northpark, Loop 494 Lane Switches Happen Tonight

12/19/24 – Northpark and Loop 494 lane switches happen tonight to accommodate new construction. Two large lane switches will begin at 9PM.

One will be on the eastbound lanes between Kings Mill and the eastern end of the project at the Kingwood Diversion Ditch. The second will be on Loop 494 about a block north and south of the Northpark intersection.

In both areas, Harper Brothers Construction will switch traffic to new or temporary lanes to accommodate demolition of the old lanes, installation of drainage, and reconstruction of new lanes.

The project has two overall goals: accommodate increased traffic and create an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 Kingwood residents when floods cut off other exits.

Eastbound NorthPark Drive Traffic Switch

Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority’s (LHRA’s) contractor, Harper Brothers Construction will shift east bound NorthPark Drive traffic from the existing eastbound lanes to the newly constructed center lanes.  The shift of eastbound traffic to the center lanes will occur between Kings Mill Park Drive and the Kingwood diversion ditch, approximately 0.3 miles east of Russell Palmer Road. 

No new changes to the westbound traffic will occur during this phase. The contractor will be installing new storm sewer pipes and inlets along the south side of NorthPark Drive along with new concrete roadway. 

This shift is planned to last approximately 6 months.

For a printable map of the lane changes, see this PDF.

The pictures below may help you visualize the changes coming tonight.

Looking east from near Kings Mill Entrance. Lanes on right will be closed off and traffic diverted to center. Italianos is just out of frame on right.
Eastbound traffic will continue in the center lanes past Russell Palmer Road.
Eastbound traffic will merge back onto the existing lanes between the large dirt pile on left and Jiffy Lube, lower right. Kingwood Diversion Ditch parallels tree line at top of frame.

Loop 494 Traffic Switch:

Harper Brothers will also shift traffic from the east side of Loop 494 to the newly constructed concrete pavement on the west side.  This shift of traffic to the newly constructed concrete lanes will occur between Northpines Drive and the east entrance to Kroger, approximately 0.2 Miles north of Northpark Drive.

This shift will last approximately four months while the contractor installs new storm sewer pipes and inlets along the east side of Loop 494, and new concrete roadway. 

Here’s a second high-resolution, printable map of the lane changes on 494. See this PDF.

This photo may help you visualize the changes.

Looking S along Loop 494 across Northpark. Traffic on the gray, older roadbed on left will shift to the new concrete on right from the foreground, all the way to the top of the frame where road narrows.

One thing to note re: Loop 494. Southbound traffic turning west onto Northpark will have a dedicated right-hand turn lane separate from the southbound lanes. That was not there before. 

Traffic will shift left/west to new lanes along the red line while existing lanes are reconstructed.

I would definitely avoid these areas tonight as contractors erect new traffic barriers. And use extra caution in coming days as drivers get used to the changes.

For More Information

The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority offers a 3-week look-ahead schedule here.

For a history of the project, see these select ReduceFlooding posts.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/19/24 at 2PM

2669 Days since Hurricane Harvey

The Struggle to Keep Natural Flood Control Natural

12/18/24 – Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC), one of the area’s leading environmental groups, gave me an inside peak at what it takes to keep natural flood control natural. Preserving land for flood control along Houston area bayous and creeks is more difficult than it seems.

Kevin Muraira is BLC’s Land Stewardship Manager. He inspects more than 15,000 acres of land each year for encroachments. But he also oversees the ongoing restoration of BLC’s 117-acre Arrowwood Preserve near Tomball.

Muraira works with funding partners and community volunteers who share his vision to make Arrowwood an example of the natural diversity that supports native wildlife.

Below are excerpts from an interview with Muraira about the difficulties of keeping natural flood control natural.

The banks of Spring Creek in Arrowwood Preserve.

More than Flood Control

Rehak: Simply by preserving the 117 acres in BLC’s Arrowwood Preserve, you’re giving floodwaters a large area in which to safely collect without flooding nearby homes. And when the land isn’t flooding, it provides homes for native wildlife.

Muraira: Yes, a large part of what I’m doing there is helping restore native species that support native wildlife.

Rehak: BLC just acquired Arrowwood in 2020. What’s the current focus of your work there?

Muraira: We’re focusing on removing invasive species, such as tallow and privet. They crowd out the native species because they have no natural competition here. By removing them, we help native plants and trees re-establish themselves.

Tons of tallow grow throughout the preserve. In some areas, they dominate 80% of the canopy. It’s pretty bad. My group of volunteers and I started the invasive project in April of this year. Of the 117 acres, we’ve positively impacted about four acres total so far. 

Muraira working on tallow removal

It doesn’t sound like much, but people need to remember that this was done by four volunteers plus me. We only work at it for a couple hours a week.

Replacing Invasive Species with Natural Species

Rehak: How does tallow damage the other species? 

Muraira: Tallow leaves have high levels of tannings. They alter soil chemistry in ways that make it difficult for other plants to take root.

Invasive species like tallow don’t really have predators here that control them. Neither are they impacted by the same viruses and diseases that affect native plants. Gradually, they dominate the native plant community and crowd out native species that support local wildlife.

So, we have to remove it. When the canopy starts opening up, we will go back in and start replanting and taking care of our existing native trees, so they can thrive on the property.

Rehak: Those tallow seeds are poisonous to some bird species, too, aren’t they?

Muraira: They are. Tallow don’t really provide much ecological benefit. They just really take up space where we could have native plants growing. Those native plants could provide ecological benefits like food and shelter for wildlife. They also have deeper, more resilient root systems that can help stabilize stream banks and reduce erosion, which can lead to flooding.

Rehak: What will you replace the tallow with?

Muraira: Bald cypress. Water Oaks. Sycamores. River birch.

Planning to Maintain Flood Resilience

Rehak: Will removing tallow reduce flood resilience before the native species re-establish themselves?

Muraira: It’s possible that removing the tallow could de-stabilize stream banks. But we aren’t removing that many all at once. And we have a plan in place to reinforce the banks with other, more desirable native species. That will be a more desirable outcome.

Rehak: Certainly, if you’re doing four acres a year, it will minimize any impact on wetlands.

Muraira: Exactly.

Rehak: And it’s on a small enough scale that the rest of the preserve has a fighting chance to absorb the runoff.

Muraira: Exactly.

Building A Wildlife Sanctuary

Rehak: Are you planning other projects at Arrowwood?

Muraira: We plan on doing a wetland planting event in areas where the canopy opens up. Flowers, too. We plan on installing a native pollinator garden. 

We’ve constructed a more robust trail system that enables better access. And our trail crew is working on installing benches along the trails and at scenic overlooks.  

It’s a way to bring people out, like Lone Star students, and educate them about the value of wetlands. 

Rehak: Aside from the trails, are you planning on letting Arrowwood revert back to nature as much as possible with the native species?

Photo at Arrowwood courtesy of Phil de Blanc

Muraira: That’s the goal. I would love for Arrowwood to become a sanctuary for wildlife. There’s a lot of development going on nearby. So protecting this land, and planting and maintaining the native species that wildlife utilize for shelter and sustenance, is important. 

Main Value of Arrowwood Preserve

Rehak: What is the main value of this preserve in your mind?

Muraira: For me, the number one value is flood prevention or mitigation. Neighbors have told us that neighborhood has flooded a lot in the past. They were really concerned when they found out that a previous owner planned to turn the property into a quarry. 

But they know that we’re not impacting them negatively. We’re providing a place that holds water and retains run off to help protect them.

Rehak: What percentage of the preserve is wetlands?

Muraira: 104 acres out of 117 are completely in the floodway – so, most of it. When we get big rains, all 104 acres are completely flooded. You cannot walk through it. Only a little more than 12 acres are accessible and that’s still pretty difficult.

Ways to Support BLC’s Long-Term Vision

Rehak: Do you have a long-term vision for Arrowwood?

Muraira: To have a place for wildlife to survive; we’re losing habitat at an astronomical rate. And to have an outdoor classroom, where we can bring people out and educate them about the importance of protecting habitat for wildlife and protecting neighbors from floodwater.

Rehak: If somebody wanted to help you, what’s the best way?

Muraira: Call me. We have a number of ways. One of the most popular is our ambassador program. It’s like a mini-Texas-Master-Naturalist crash course. But beyond that, it gives folks a chance to see what Bayou Land Conservancy is all about. We try to keep natural flood control natural.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/18/24 based on an interview with Kevin Muraira of BLC

2668 Days since Hurricane Harvey

 

Mercer Detention Basins Going Slower than Expected

12/17/24 – The two Mercer Stormwater Detention Basins along Cypress Creek at FM1960 and the Hardy Tollroad were originally scheduled for completion in April of this year. Pictures taken today, however, show contractors are far from finished.

Mercer Detention Basin on Cypress Creek
Wide shot looking NE shows both Mercer Stormwater Detention Basins. FM1960 on right. Hardy Tollroad on left.

Together, the two basins will be able to store 512 acre feet of stormwater when complete. They will help reduce flooding along Cypress Creek. And depending on the location storms and the timing of floodwaters, they could even help offset releases from Lake Conroe that affect the Lake Houston Area.

Better late than never, I guess.

Mercer North Basin

Shot of north pond shows state of finish and ongoing construction.

The north basin appears almost completely excavated and has a concrete inlet, but the sides and bottom are unfinished.

Looking NW at Cypress Creek and concrete inlet for first basin. Concrete reduces erosion during floods.
A lone 54″ concrete pipe will let water back into the creek as floodwaters recede.

Mercer South Basin

The second basin to the south (left, below) appears about half excavated.

Looking W at South Mercer Basin shows depth of excavation. FM1960 on left. Hardy at top.
Culvert connecting two basins not yet complete.

The second basin will catch overflow from the first. See diagram below.

Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin

Construction Started Late, Will End Late

The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) website construction timeline shows that the project, in Rodney Ellis’ Precinct 1, was to have been expedited. It was originally scheduled to take 348 days.

HCFCD:

The HUD Grant that helped finance the project stipulated that construction needed to finish by Fall 2024. Fall ends next Sunday. I hope they got an extension. Because it doesn’t look like they will finish by next week.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program provided a $15.4 million grant for the project. Another $9.7 million comes from the 2018 Bond Program.

Posted on 12/17/2024 by Bob Rehak

2667 Days since Hurricane Harvey

10 Two-Letter Words That Make All the Difference in the World

12/16/2024 – Decades ago, someone told me the 10 two-letter words that make all the difference in the world. The words have stuck with me ever since.

“If it is to be, it is up to me.”

The 10 two-letter words

The quote has been attributed to various individuals, but most often William H. Johnsen. It beautifully encapsulates the essence of personal responsibility combined with the spirit of self-drive. And it inspires an immediate sensation of empowerment.

What Would You Like to See Improved?

Don’t like the way the Kingwood Drive median looks? Pick up the phone. Call your City Council Member. Knock on doors. Get your neighbors to show up and start chopping vines.

Some of the volunteers who helped trim back vines along Kingwood Drive last month.

Tired of the way your HOA enforces deed restrictions? Start going to your board’s meetings. Speak up. Join a committee. Better yet, run for the HOA board.

Think grass is growing too tall in the medians on our thoroughfares? Do what Michelle Stahlman did. Find out from the City what its mowing schedule is. Organize all the trail associations into a JOINT Trail Association. Get them to fund mowing in off weeks. Then bid and award the job.

Hate seeing your community ravaged by flooding? Do what Chris Bloch did. Put on a pair of boots. Slog through the mud. Talk to the engineer who designed our drainage systems. Figure out what’s wrong. Talk to more engineers about how to fix it. Engage political leadership at all levels. Get agreement to fund and pursue fixes.

Want to see your community’s entries renovated and decorated? Get involved with the Kingwood Service Association, like Dee Price did. Spend time with a landscape architect. Present recommendations and costs to the KSA Parks Committee. Forge a political consensus. Get 50% of KSA members to agree with you. Supervise the contractor. Till it’s done to your satisfaction.

It’s possible. Ordinary people do things like these every day. But Kingwood is growing older. Along with its residents.

Teach the Next Generation

So, teach your kids early in life about the attitude and skills that make a difference. Teamwork. Sacrifice. Initiative. Leadership. A willingness to take ownership of problems. And an eye for opportunities.

Together, we can achieve anything we put our minds to. Volunteers made Kingwood great. And volunteers can keep it great.

We just need to live by the 10 two-letter words. “If it is to be, it is up to me.”

2666 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/16/2024

With grateful thanks to our elected leaders, civil servants, and everyone who ever volunteered to serve on a board or committee in the community. And my humble apologies to the thousands of unseen volunteers whose names I omitted.

Flickinger Issues Dredging, Floodgates Updates

12/15/24 – Houston District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger issued a newsletter on 12/11/24. It contains updates on Lake Houston dredging and additional floodgates for the Lake Houston Dam.

Dredging Details

According to Flickinger, the City’s dredging contractor will begin south of the West Fork-Mouth Bar this week. DRC will remove approximately 800,000 cubic yards of silt and sediment.

“The removal will take two years.”

District E Council Member Fred Flickinger

DRC will use a combination of mechanical and hydraulic dredging.

FEMA is providing funds the additional dredging in this area. The funds came from tireless efforts in protesting the initial volume that FEMA approved for dredging back in 2019. Congressman Dan Crenshaw, previous Council Member Dave Martin, and former Chief Recovery Officer Stephen Costello protested FEMA’s ruling tirelessly.

In August 2020, FEMA, through their technical consultant at the US Army Corps of Engineers, reversed itself. FEMA concurred with the City’s ninety-four-page technical report.

Photo taken December 8 of DRC/Callan Marine Dredge anchored off Royal Shores as it prepares for new dredging program.

Council Member Martin strongly disagreed with the USACE’s original four-page tabletop study. He continued to push for the volume he knew the Lake Houston Area deserved.

Said Flickinger, “We are excited to see this additional dredging finally get going. We are working to find funding for continued dredging throughout Lake Houston and its tributaries.”

Floodgates Timeline

Phase II for the Lake Houston Dam Spillway Improvement Project is underway. Phase II includes the final design engineering and construction of eleven new floodgates. They will be built in the existing embankment on the east side of the Lake Houston Dam Spillway.

New gates will go in the sunlit area in the embankment to the right of the existing gates and channel.

Building the new gate structure in the east embankment removes the high-construction risk of modifying the existing gate structure or spillway. The old plan, which involved shaving down the existing spillway and adding crest gates was abandoned when the City could not find bidders willing to assume the risk.

The new plan also allows continued use of the existing gate structure during construction.

Each gate will be 20 ft x 20 ft and release approximately 7,100 cubic feet of water per second (cfs) per gate when fully open. The combined total water release of all 11 gates will be approximately 79,000 cfs.

79,000 CFS equals the volume of water released each second from Lake Conroe by the SJRA during the peak of Hurricane Harvey.

The current timeline is to have the final design and construction plans completed by December 2025.

The City will bid and award the contract for construction in 2026.

Finally construction will begin by Q4 2026 or Q1 2027, almost ten years after the storm that made people realize the need for the project.

The existing Lake Houston floodgates have one-fifteenth of Lake Conroe’s release capacity. That makes any kind of coordinated release strategy virtually impossible. It also means that people both up- and downstream may get slammed with higher floods than if the City had a meaningful pre-release capability.

According to Flickinger, the District E office continues to sit in on bi-weekly coordination meetings for this project.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/15/25

2665 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Major Changes Coming Soon At Both Ends of Northpark Expansion Project

12/14/24 – Contractors yesterday were busily preparing for major changes at both ends of the Northpark Drive expansion project. Weather permitting, they should take place on December 19th and 20th.

  • On the west end, they were prepping for a concrete pour between US59 and Loop 494 on the north side of Northpark.
  • On the east end, they were beginning to pave the middle between Russell Palmer Road and G&S Tire and Auto near the Kingwood Diversion Ditch in preparation for a major lane switch.

The project will ultimately accommodate increased traffic while providing an all-weather evacuation route for Kingwood residents.

West End of Northpark

The pictures below taken on 12/13/24 show what’s happening where.

Looking west at Northpark Drive from over US59. Note major changes to left side of road.
Reverse angle looking west toward US59 from over Loop 494

A crew will begin paving this area on 12/20/2024 in the early morning, according to the schedule posted on the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority’s website.

Why Use Tar as a Base Layer

According to ChatGPT, contractors often put tar (or more specifically, a liquid asphalt or bituminous layer) over dirt before pouring concrete or laying asphalt. There are several important reasons:

1. Moisture Barrier – Tar acts as a barrier to prevent moisture from the soil below from seeping into the concrete or asphalt layer above. Excess moisture can weaken the concrete over time, cause cracking.

2. Dust Control – Applying a tar layer helps control dust from the underlying dirt or aggregate base. This ensures a cleaner, more stable surface for the concrete or asphalt to adhere to.

3. Adhesion Enhancement – Tar is often used as a “tack coat” to create a bond between the road base and the concrete or asphalt layer. This helps prevent separation over time, which could lead to road failure.

4. Stabilization – Tar helps stabilize the soil or aggregate base beneath the road. This provides a consistent and uniform surface for pouring concrete, reducing the likelihood of uneven settlement.

5. Sealing the Base – Tar seals small cracks and voids in the base material, preventing water infiltration. Water infiltration can erode the base, leading to instability and potential road damage.

6. Improved Longevity – By addressing the issues of moisture, dust, and adhesion, the tar layer contributes to the overall durability and lifespan of the road.

Using tar as a base layer is especially common in areas where the soil composition or environmental conditions might otherwise compromise the road’s structural integrity.

East End – Russell Palmer to G&S Tire and Auto

I also took these pictures on 12/13/24. They show work at the eastern end of the Phase One project. This work will pave the way for a major traffic switch on December 19th.

Looking East toward Diversion Ditch from Over Russell Palmer Intersection
Looking west from eastern end of Phase One of Northpark expansion. Existing eastbound lanes (left) will soon be closed off.

On the night of Thursday December 19, 2024, contractors will switch traffic eastbound Northpark traffic from just east of Kings Mill to the area shown in the photo immediately above. Traffic will detour into the middle. They will then close off the existing eastbound lanes through that same stretch of Northpark in preparation for demolition and repaving.

Loop 494 Traffic Switch

That same night, December 19, 2024, contractors will move all traffic onto the new concrete paving on Loop 494. See below.

Looking south on Loop 494 across Northpark Drive and recently poured concrete.

They will then close off the existing lanes (on the left above) for demolition and repaving.

See the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority web page for Phase One of the Northpark Expansion Project for additional upcoming work.

For a Project History

To learn more about the project history and its purpose, consult these ReduceFlooding.com posts:

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/14/24

2664 Days since Hurricane Harvey

New TCEQ Sand Mining BMPs Ignore Pit Captures

12/13/24 – Proposed new Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Best Management Practices (BMPs) for sand mines ignore what miners are supposed to do in the case of pit captures. “Pit capture” happens when a river breaks through the dikes of a sand mine. It can have serious consequences including, but not limited to:

  • Increased erosion and river instability
  • Altered hydrology
  • Water quality degradation
  • Habitat loss and ecosystem disruption
  • Infrastructure risks
  • Channel realignment
  • Economic impacts (cost of mitigation)

Identifying Pit-Capture Pros and Cons

In some circumstances, pit capture can also produce benefits. The balance between benefits and risks depends on the specific geomorphological and ecological context of the river and the sand mine pit. To maximize benefits while mitigating risks, scientists recommend:

  • Performing a hydrological and ecological assessment before and after capture.
  • Using adaptive management strategies to guide the development of the captured pit.
  • Integrating the site into regional plans for flood control, habitat creation, or recreation.

However, the new TCEQ sand mine BMPs mention no such studies, despite the fact that at least six pits were captured on the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto during floods this year. Plus, consider this. The City is getting ready to spend another $34 million to dredge another million cubic yards of sand from the confluence of the two forks.

Instead, the new TCEQ BMPs emphasize concepts under headings such as “Be a Good Neighbor,” “Practice Good Housekeeping,” and “Select Appropriate Equipment.” This is stuff most guys learned in a middle school shop class. Under “Good Housekeeping,” one recommendation urges miners to adequately maintain sanitary facilities. But they forgot the “Wash hands after using a port-a-potty” requirement.

My overwhelming impression after reading the new BMPs was a yawn. Why bother?

The new BMPs are more notable for what they don’t include than what they do include.

And they don’t include anything about the B-52 sized elephant in the broom closet – pit capture.

River now cuts through Hallett Pit on West Fork and has abandoned its original channel (right).
Pit containing wastewater now has a more direct route to river when it breaches. Note repair by maintenance road.
The pit above is just one of many at the Hallett West Fork Mine which spans several square miles.

I discovered the pit capture above in June of this year. It likely occurred in the May flood. And Hallett has done nothing to mitigate it since.

Perhaps they and the TCEQ feel the benefits outweigh the consequences. But of course, they aren’t footing the $34 million dredging bill.

In August of this year, TCEQ issued a report on another pit capture slightly downstream from here. It didn’t mention this pit even though it was open at the time and multiple people filed complaints. Nor did it mention the term “pit capture.” And the report made several other mistakes. For instance, Hallett claimed the expert witness TCEQ identified works for them, the but the TCEQ listed the employee as working for a Hallett competitor. No wonder the Texas Sunset Commission called TCEQ a reluctant regulator.

Leave a Public Comment

So what’s a mere citizen who enjoys clean water to do?

The TCEQ is soliciting public comment on their new BMPs for sand mines. I know what my comment will be about. If you wish to leave a public comment:

Feedback or comment must be provided to Jess Robinson, MC 175, Office of Legal Services, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087. Comments may also be submitted electronically. To be considered for this project, input must be received by 11:59 p.m. on January 24, 2025, and should reference “APO BMP List Proposal.”

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/13/24

2663 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Educating People About a Healthy Floodplain Environment

12/12/24 – Karastin Katusin gets people to see, touch, and experience a healthy floodplain environment, so they will want to protect such places. 

Katusin is a geologist and educator by training. She is also the Community Conservation Manager for the Bayou Land Conservancy, one of the leading environmental organizations in southeast Texas. Her mission: connecting people to nature and educating them about floodplains. 

I interviewed Katusin recently about the Bayou Land Conservancy’s Arrowwood Preserve along Spring Creek. It’s one of her favorite places to teach. She frequently guides students and faculty from Lone Star College as well as community groups through this fragile ecosystem so they can experience the many ways nature can make us all healthier and safer from floods.

Giving Water a Safe Place to Go

Rehak: When you teach people how a healthy floodplain can help reduce flooding, what key points do you make?

Katusin: First, in order to have a healthy floodplain, you have to have a floodplain. I’ve lived in Texas now for eight years, and I still am amazed at how you can just build anything anywhere. So, I always try to point out to people that Arrowood, for example, is a great opportunity for us to not develop. The ecosystem is not yet as healthy as we want it to be, but it still gives water a safe place to go.

A two-inch rain along Spring Creek can produce flooding over your head in Arrowwood.

Karastin Katusin

During Hurricane Harvey, water in Spring Creek rose 26.5 feet! As development continues, we need to leave natural places for that water to go, so it doesn’t go into people’s living rooms.

Group going down the main entry trail to Arrowwood to learn about floodplains.

Same entry trail in winter after a small rain. Where did that hill go?

Teaching and Applying the Fundamentals

Rehak: What do you tell people to help keep them safe from flooding?

Katusin: The number one thing is “get educated.” Learn flooding concepts. A lot of people don’t understand the difference between a floodway and a floodplain. Or a one-year flood, a 10-year flood and a 100-year flood? 

I often hear people say, “We just had a 100-year flood. So, how can we have another?” They don’t understand that it’s a statistical estimate that means you have a one-percent chance of flooding EVERY year. So, educating yourself is Step One. 

And then Step Two is, “Do the work.” Figure out how these flooding concepts apply to your situation. For instance, people sometimes say, “Oh well. So what if I’m in the 50 year floodplain?” 

Rehak: So what! Someone in a 50-year floodplain has a 44.5% chance of flooding during the life of a 30-year mortgage! That’s almost like betting your home on a coin toss.

Katusin: Absolutely. I don’t think they understand how dangerous that is. There’s a related concept called system capacity. Can the stream hold a rain of a certain intensity without coming out of its banks? For instance, a stream that has a 50-year system capacity can hold a 50-year rain without flooding.

Rehak: The Spring Creek watershed seems to be a land of extremes. 

system capacity

Katusin: Some parts have a 500-year system capacity. Others out there by 290, right where all the development is happening, have less than a 25-year system capacity.

How BLC Helps Protect People from Flooding

Rehak: So, how does Bayou Land Conservancy help protect people from flooding?

Katusin: Most people want land preserved for wildlife, water and flood control. But they don’t know how that happens. That’s where we can help. We work with landowners to reduce development on property they own. But we do it in a way that lets them still use their land in a productive way, keep it in the family, and save money. 

The Value of Conservation Agreements

Katusin: Sometimes people donate land to us outright. But more often, they retain ownership of their land and we put conservation easements on it. The easements restrict the land from being used for development. But they still let the landowner use their land in other ways. For instance, agriculture, forests, hunting, camping, etc. 

The agreement stipulates what each party can and can’t do. For instance, we won’t clearcut the land or put in a shopping center. Instead, we will try to create a pocket of land that ideally becomes a sponge for floodwater.

Preserving wetlands helps store stormwater that would otherwise add to flood peaks downstream.

It’s great when the public can access the land. But remember, in most cases, we just have a conservation easement. The original owner may still own the land and keep it in their family. That may limit public accessibility.

Rehak: How does the family make money off the agreement? How do they benefit?

Katusin: Often, landowners get some sort of tax break. 

Rehak: Why?

Katusin: Because the land has lost some of its development potential, typically the tax valuation decreases. 

Rehak: Like on the portion of the land along a creek in a floodplain?

Katusin: Exactly. It doesn’t make any difference to us if it floods. By preserving the land in a natural state, we’re giving water a safe place to go. Wildlife has a safe place to live. And hopefully, the land soaks up excess rainwater. That helps reduce flooding downstream. 

Rehak: What do you like most about your job?

Katusin: I love explaining these concepts to groups … in a natural setting. I lead tours of our preserves when groups request them. It’s fun watching people connect all the dots and understand why it’s important to protect land along rivers and streams.

Karastin (kneeling on left) with a BLC trail crew restoring Arrowwood Preserve.

For More Information 

To learn about the many ways you can support the mission of the Bayou Land Conservancy, visit their website.

Posted by Bob Rehak and Karastin Katusin on 12/12/24

2662 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Kingwood’s East End Park: Beautiful Flood Protection

12/11/2024 – One of the most popular parks in Kingwood is KSA’s East End Park. Tens of thousands of people visit this 158 acre, dog-friendly nature park each year. It’s spectacularly beautiful – filled with towering pines, tall-grass meadows, wetlands, boardwalks, wildlife, and miles of hiking trails.

East End Park

Members of the Lake Houston Nature Club and the Houston Audubon Society have documented an incredible 141 species of birds in East End Park, many threatened or endangered. The list keeps growing thanks to KSA and community conservation efforts.

The park is especially popular for sunrise walks. The photo below shows why. The sunrises can be a deeply spiritual, rejuvenating experience.

alternative water source, East End Park
Sunrise over Lake Houston from Kingwood’s East End Park at Otter Point. By Dr. Charles Campbell.

Recreational Wonderland That Doubles as Flood Protection

The recreational benefits of the park are undeniable. But not many people realize that East End Park also plays an important role in flood mitigation.

Friendswood Development Company originally had plans to develop a subdivision where the park is today. But back in 1988, the EPA issued a cease and desist order to help preserve the wetlands. To make the most of the situation, Friendswood donated the land to the Kingwood Service Association (KSA). Friendswood hoped that KSA would turn the land into a recreational facility benefitting all Kingwood residents.

East End Park
The southern half of East End Park. Looking S toward Lake Houston in upper right. East Fork on left. The mowed meadow areas are where Friendswood brought in fill to raise foundations.

As the EPA intended, in their natural state, the wetlands help protect water quality in Lake Houston. They act as nature’s sponges, storing stormwater and eroded sediment before it reaches the lake.

But East End Park also turned into a buffer zone. And that’s the main way it reduces flooding – by keeping homes a safe distance away from floods.

Although a few surrounding residents flooded in Hurricane Harvey, keep in mind that the East Fork San Jacinto submerged the entire park. Harvey was an extreme case. But the buffer has worked for everything else.

Today, the biggest dangers come from occasional encounters with alligators, poison ivy and golden silk banana spiders. They are the largest non-tarantula spiders in North America. Many have leg spans more than five inches wide.

Golden silk banana spiders look ferocious. But they are gentle. And they are beneficial because of all the insect pests they eat including grasshoppers and locusts. However, a single female can spin a web across a ten-foot wide trail overnight. They are most prevalent in the late fall. Webs are usually 5 – 9 feet above ground. So, early morning joggers beware!

I wish the Houston area had more places like East End Park. We’d have healthier lifestyles and less flooding.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/11/2024

2661 Days since Hurricane Harvey


Northpark Expansion Still Making Progress Despite Holidays

12/10/24 – Halfway between Christmas and New Year’s, Harper Brothers Construction is still making progress on Northpark Expansion. The pace appears to have slowed somewhat. But that’s because of the current focus on subsurface drainage. Installing reinforced concrete box culverts takes significantly longer than work above ground.

It appears that all of the old westbound road bed between Caliber Collision and the railroad tracks has been removed except for driveways.

Meanwhile, farther east, I spotted more concrete being poured in the middle in preparation for additional demolition of westbound lanes.

Pictures Taken 12/10/24

Looking east from just west of Russell Palmer. Note new concrete being poured in middle of frame.
Closer shot of today’s pour near Shipley’s. Still looking east.
Wider shot looking west shows significant progress where old drainage ditch used to be in center.
Installation of box culverts in front of Caliber Collision. Notice: old road bed removed between here and railroad tracks.

The area above is where surface turn lanes will diverge from westbound traffic headed over an as-yet-unbuilt bridge over the railroad tracks.

Coffer dam protects workers from cave ins as they work underground.

Up Next

In other news, according to the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority website:

  • Waterline crews will continue transferring water services from the Porter SUD to the City of Houston waterline.
  • Dirt crews will backfill new paving on Loop 494 and excavate for the asphalt transition on each end to tie into the new concrete paving
  • Next week, project managers have scheduled a traffic switch on LP 494. They will move all traffic onto the new concrete paving, and close off the existing LP 494.
  • Another traffic switch during the week of 12/16 will occur just east of Kings Mill to the east end of the project. Traffic will detour into the middle closing off the existing eastbound lanes.

To see what happens when, consult the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority project pages or the schedule below.

For More Information

To learn more about the project history, consult these ReduceFlooding.com posts:

The next meeting of the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority Board will be Thursday morning at 8am at the Kingwood Community Center.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/10/24

2660 Days since Hurricane Harvey