Since Dr. Tina Petersen’s last update on 5/1/2026, the new schedule shows that, of 28 projects in the Disaster Relief (DR) and Mitigation (MIT) groups, expected completion dates have:
Marcus Stuckett, new Executive Director of HCFCD, at Taylor Gully/Woodridge Groundbreaking on 7/20/26
Of an additional seven neighborhood drainage projects, six should finish before the end of this year.
Beating the CDBG Clock
Stuckett replaced Petersen a little more than a month ago. Petersen resigned under pressure when it finally became clear that the county could lose hundreds of millions of dollars due to missed deadlines on CDBG jobs.
As Petersen came under increasing pressure, she developed a plan with the Texas General Land Office (GLO). The plan applied spending from three different types of CDBG jobs against the $322 million designated for the DR group. Those have the tightest deadline – February 28, 2027. Just seven months away!
The other two types of projects being applied against the DR total include Mitigation (MIT) and neighborhood drainage.
By applying spending from the latter two groups against the DR total, HCFCD hopes to meet its obligation to spend $322 million by the end of February, 2027. Worst case, HCFCD will reduce its potential losses.
Only $56.77 million has been spent to date in the DR and MIT groups, with $67.33 million in the neighborhood drainage group. Those total $124.1 million. That means…
…the $322 million finish line is still $197.9 million away.
Calculated from HCFCD spreadsheet submitted to Commissioners Court for 8/6/26 meeting.
How Deep is the Hole?
This transmittal shows that Stuckett still needs to get HCFCD out of a deep hole that Petersen left HCFCD in.
About one third of the $322 million has been spent to date.
That leave two thirds to spend within the next seven months.
Seven months represents about 15 percent of the time between the announcement of the CDBG-DR award and the deadline for spending it.
So, HCFCD must spend the remaining two thirds in 15 percent of the time.
That’s a tall order. It’s sad that Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia defended Stuckett’s predecessor to the bitter end and delayed her exit by a year or more as the CDBG funds fell into a deeper and deeper hole.
Now, it will take extraordinary effort to climb out of that hole.
The spreadsheet submitted by Stuckett for the next commissioners court meeting is extremely detailed: about 40 lines deep by 51 columns across.
Such updates will hopefully let commissioners discuss any concerns they have. And help HCFCD answer their questions.
In the next few months, accurate and timely updates will also show whether the current “running rate” will get us to the $322 million finish line in time.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/1/26
3259 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/2026/08/Stuckett-at-Woodridge-Groundbreaking.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2026-08-01 17:07:542026-08-01 18:44:27HCFCD Still Has Steep Hill to Climb on CDBG Projects
7/31/2026 – For the last few years, I’ve posted about the slowdown in the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD). Based on a tip, I recently explored contract awards taking up to 20 months to get through the Purchasing Department. So, the slowdown appears to extend beyond just HCFCD.
Bonfire, the County’s purchasing portal, shows the status of projects in the Purchasing Department. Among them are engineering/design for the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and numerous feasibility studies.
I’m not alleging incompetence, malfeasance or corruption. I’m just alleging slowness and a lack of urgency. See examples below.
Kingwood Diversion Ditch
The Kingwood Diversion Ditch project grew out of the Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis conducted by Neel-Schaffer, Inc. in 2019. The 600-page report, delivered a year later, recommended immediate implementation of two projects: the Diversion Ditch and Taylor Gully.
In 2024, U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw secured an earmark for final engineering of the project through the EPA.
After that, entries in Bonfire, the county’s purchasing database show how long it took to secure and mobilize a vendor.
04/18/2025 – Request for Qualifications (RFQ) released on Bonfire
05/19/2025 – Consultant Submittals due
09/11/2025 – Authorization to negotiate with Halff (the contractor) goes to Commissioners Court
I asked ChatGPT what the normal vendor procurement time for such projects should be. It replied, “Texas state procurement guidance for formal service contracts estimates a minimum procurement cycle of roughly 86 days, with complex procurements commonly extending to 198 days or more.”
Drilling down, ChatGPT also indicated the following ranges for large counties, such as Harris.
Excellent performance: 2–3 months
Normal performance: 3–5 months
Acceptable but slow: 5–7 months
ChatGPT concluded, “If a county repeatedly takes 9–12 months simply to hire a consultant, that often indicates process inefficiencies, staffing shortages, indecision, or governance bottlenecks.”
I verified these time ranges and conclusions with former county leaders.
Vendor Selections for Various Feasibility Studies
To see if the Diversion Ditch selection process was an anomaly, I checked several other recent vendor procurements involving HCFCD projects.
12/09/2024 – (Yes… 2024!) RFQ released on Bonfire
02/03/2025 – Consultant submittals due
04/09/2025 – Authorization to negotiate with several vendors went to Commissioners Court. Vendors included: AECOM; Civitas; Frees-Nichols, Inc.; Gauge; Halff; HDR; Huitt-Zollars; LJA; LAN; Michael Baker; Pape-Dawson; Torres.
03/11/2026 – Award to Gauge and Michael Baker – 457 days after RFQ issued (15 months)
06/04/2026 – Award to Michael Baker, Halff and Torres 542 days after RFQ issued (18 months)
07/22/2026 – Award to Pape-Dawson and Aecom – 590 days after RFQ issued (almost 20 months)
07/30/2026 – Award to LAN, and Frees-Nichols, Inc. – 605 days after RFQ (20 months)
Times Represent One Phase of Many
Keep in mind that these times represent single phases of projects. Other phases include: preliminary engineering and construction and maintenance.
Typical HCFCD project lifecycle
And then there’s the time required for the chosen vendor to actually DO THE WORK.
People familiar with HCFCD and Harris County call the situation unacceptable. They point to the previous Executive Director of HCFCD; the Purchasing Department; the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity; and the County Attorney as the architects of this quagmire. It’s not just Purchasing.
Costs of Delays Not Reported
HCFCD’s new Executive Director, Marcus Stuckett, has his work cut out for him. He must not only turn around HCFCD, he must light a fire under other county departments as well.
Such delays have real costs even though they are rarely reported.
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/2020/01/HumbleFlooding.jpg?fit=1500%2C839&ssl=18391500adminadmin2026-07-31 18:08:582026-07-31 18:58:28Harris County Slowdown Extends Beyond HCFCD
7/30/2026 – A new 4-minute video shows flood destruction in communities immediately downstream from the proposed 5,300-acre Scarborough development at the confluence of the San Jacinto West Fork with Spring, Cypress and Turkey Creeks. It illustrates the risks of development in that area.
It is one of the most flood-prone properties in the San Jacinto River Basin. Yet the Dallas-based developer is looking for ways to build thousands of homes there.
Watch Video, Then Sign Petition
In case anyone needs a reminder of Harvey’s destruction in the Lake Houston area, here it is.
The video is set to country music that speaks of “Scarborough Bottom” and the risks of developing land near rivers and streams in southeast Texas. Bottomland is low-lying land, typically by a river and subject to overflow during floods.
Please watch and share this video with your friends, families and social networks. Then consider signing this petition on change.org if you haven’t already done so.
Local Leaders and Residents Lining Up Against Proposed Development
As of this morning, it had more than 8,600 signatures. Plus the support of State Representative Steve Toth, the Bayou Land Conservancy and more.
One of the areas leading hydrologists has stated that if Scarborough’s land gets developed, it would be like aiming a firehose at the Humble/Kingwood area.
Still, the developer is reportedly exploring ways to develop the property.
In my opinion, the safest thing would be to turn this land into a state park. That would enhance rather than undermine existing home values. It would limit future flood losses and mitigation costs. And it would provide recreational opportunities for the public.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/30/2026
3257 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/2026/07/Scarborough-Keyframe-1.jpg?fit=1100%2C612&ssl=16121100adminadmin2026-07-29 19:28:522026-07-29 20:01:55Video of Flood Destruction Shows Scarborough Development Risks
7/29/2026 – The allure of living near water is both primal and spiritual. Water is soothing, refreshing, sustaining, beautiful, comforting and necessary. For much of human history, people HAD to live near water. Rivers became cradles of civilization.
But occasionally, river flooding also brings destruction. And when modern engineering and infrastructure made it possible to live farther from rivers, most moved to higher ground away from danger.
Empty townhomes near San Jacinto West Fork stand a mute witness to the power of nature after Harvey.
Still, for some people, living near water is worth the risk and uncertainty … so much so that they often pay a premium for homes with higher flood risk. Whether that premium is worthwhile depends on your disposable income and risk tolerance. Go into a major purchase with eyes wide open. Here are several things to consider.
Understanding Flood Risk is Crucial
If I were advising a close friend buying a home near water in the Houston area, I would say this:
“Buy for the water view only if you fully understand what comes with it.”
Bob Rehak
Waterfront homes — whether on a lake, river, creek, bayou, or even a retention pond — often command a price premium. But in Houston, that premium can come with higher flood risk, higher insurance costs, more difficult resale, and greater uncertainty as flood maps and rainfall assumptions evolve.
Recent draft FEMA flood maps, for example, significantly expand mapped floodplains in Harris County. Meanwhile, many other surrounding counties, eager to expand their tax bases, have not updated flood maps in decades.
10 Key Considerations
Here are several topics I would explore before making an offer.
1. Has the structure ever flooded?
This may be the single most important question. Don’t just ask the seller.
Also:
Talk with neighbors.
Check county flood records if available.
Look for old news photos.
Search social media after Harvey, Tax Day, Memorial Day, Imelda, and other major storms.
Ask whether water entered the structure—not merely the yard.
A home that stayed dry during Harvey generally deserves a closer look than one that flooded repeatedly.
2. Is the home near the water or above the water?
Those are very different.
A house perched 40 feet above a lake may have spectacular views with little flood risk.
A house six feet above a bayou may have the same view — but vastly different risk.
In Houston’s relatively flat terrain, the elevation of the first finished floor relative to expected flood levels matters far more than the horizontal distance to the water.
Two houses across the street from one another may differ by only 18 inches in slab elevation — but that can dramatically affect both flood risk and insurance premiums. We saw that in the Elm Grove flooding in 2019.
4. Don’t stop with FEMA maps.
FEMA maps are useful. But they are not the complete story.
FEMA itself notes that mapped flood zones are only one tool for understanding risk. And few FEMA maps incorporate the risk from street flooding. Many streets (especially in new neighborhoods) are designed to become auxiliary storage for stormwater during major events.
5. Look upstream—not just nearby.
Most buyers look at the kitchen. Look at the entire watershed.
The house itself may not have changed. But the watershed may have.
Pay particular attention to upstream land-use change. In rapidly growing watersheds such as Spring Creek, Lake Creek, Cypress Creek and the San Jacinto River basin, today’s flood risk is not necessarily tomorrow’s. A home that has never flooded can become more vulnerable given rapid upstream development, insufficient mitigation or changing channel conditions.
6. Study the neighborhood’s drainage.
Some homes flood because of rivers. Others flood because streets become rivers.
Ask:
How quickly does water leave?
Are storm sewers undersized?
Is there ponding after ordinary thunderstorms?
Do roads become impassable before houses flood?
Access matters. Especially during emergencies. A dry house isn’t very useful if emergency vehicles can’t reach it.
7. Budget insurance before buying.
Many buyers discover the insurance cost after they’ve emotionally committed.
That’s backwards. Get actual quotes first.
Compare:
National Flood Insurance Program
Private flood insurers
Remember:
Homeowners insurance generally does not cover flooding
Flood insurance usually has a 30-day waiting period.
Under Risk Rating 2.0, premiums now vary substantially depending on elevation and risk characteristics. FEMA no longer quotes nationally subsidized prices based solely on flood zones. Quotes are now on an actuarial basis.
8. Think about resale.
Ask yourself:
“If I needed to sell this house in ten years, would someone else hesitate for the same reasons I’m hesitating today?”
Flood disclosure laws are becoming more robust.
Insurance costs are becoming more visible.
Risk information is easier to obtain than it was 15 years ago.
Future buyers may discount flood-prone properties more heavily than previous generations did.
9. Separate emotional value from financial value.
Water views have real value. They also have real costs.
Ask yourself:
Is the view worth an extra $100,000?
Would it still be worth it if my insurance doubled?
What would happen to my equity after a major flood?
In Houston, water itself isn’t the risk—low elevation is.
Some of the region’s finest neighborhoods are built around lakes, rivers, and bayous and have experienced little flooding because they’re situated on high ground. Others have flooded multiple times despite looking attractive on a sunny day.
When evaluating property, think like an engineer, not a tourist. Ask, “Where will the water go during the worst storm of the next 30 years?” If no one can answer that satisfactorily, keep looking.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/29/2026
3256 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SJR_511_030.jpg?fit=1800%2C1200&ssl=112001800adminadmin2026-07-29 16:03:172026-07-29 16:03:18Advice to Those Considering Living Near Water
07/28/2026 – Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) has released new figures showing where it has spent money through 2026 Q2. The County has spent only $49.15 million dollars in the entire San Jacinto Watershed since passage of the 2018 Flood Bond eight years ago.
That compares with $367,450,000 worth of projects advertised for the San Jacinto in the 2018 Bond Project list.
Thanks goodness HCFCD got a new executive director last month!
Little Money Spent on Construction
The previous executive director kept slighted the San Jacinto watershed for years. Studies dragged out for years with no end in sight. HCFCD spent little money in the watershed. Period. And it spent even less on construction.
When you look at the spending by project stage, construction ranked highest. That actually surprised me.
Calculated with data from HCFCD Activities Page
But of the $21.7 million total spent on construction, HCFCD spent only one third on capital improvement projects (CIP construction = $7.28 M). The remainder went to maintenance.
While maintenance spending is absolutely critical, we shouldn’t forget that it is designed to keep flooding from getting worse as opposed to CIP projects which actually improve flood risk.
So, in eight years, HCFCD spent only about $7 million to actually improve flood risk in the county’s largest watershed.
To date, HCFCD hasn’t come close to delivering what was promised in 2018.
What Did Bond Advertising Promote?
The final project list came with 13 Bond IDs for the San Jacinto Watershed; each contained one or more projects. Together the money allocated for them totaled $367,450,000. So, with only $49.15 million spent to date, just 13% of promised funding has been delivered in the last 8 years.
Start drilling down further; you will find even more egregious examples.
Floodgate Example
Take for example the new floodgates on Lake Houston. Initial plans allocated $70 million ($50 million coming from the federal government and $20 million from the flood bond as a local match).
If the reported figures are accurate, the county actually spent only $20,000 so far – one thousandth of the local match. And 1/3,500th of the total. In fairness, perhaps they’re waiting for the City to finish the engineering.
Dredging Example
And then there’s dredging. Dredging was supposed to receive $50 million ($10 million from local funds with a $40 million match). But so far, HCFCD reports only $7.28 million spent for dredging. (See CI-61.)
Hopefully, Marcus Stuckett, HCFCD’s new executive director, can right some of the slights from the past administration. On a positive note, the recent start of construction on the Taylor Gully/Woodridge project may help turn the San Jacinto spending drought around.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/28/2026
3255 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/HCFCD-Spending-by-Stage-in-San-Jacinto-2018-2026.png?fit=2018%2C1190&ssl=111902018adminadmin2026-07-28 21:46:362026-07-28 23:35:41HCFCD 2026 Q2 Spending Update: San Jacinto Watershed Still Ignored
07/27/26 – New spending figures are available from Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) through the end of 2026 Q2. This quarter marks the end of Dr. Tina Petersen’s administration and the start of new Executive Director Marcus Stuckett’s. In that sense, it represents (pardon the pun) a watershed moment.
HCFCD spending data shows that Stuckett inherits a production pipeline that was not pushing flood-mitigation projects into and through construction at historically normal rates.
Eight years into what was supposed to have been a 10-year bond program, Harris County has spent only 37% of the dollars approved by voters while inflation in the heavy-construction sector of the economy has totaled more than 50%.
As a consequence, inflation is taking a huge toll on the Flood Bond’s purchasing power…and making residents live with higher flood risk longer than necessary.
But there’s also some good news: 6 HCFCD construction jobs on the Harris County Commissioners Court Agenda this week!
Let’s look at each of these points.
Construction Slowdown
Shortly after voters approved the flood bond in 2018, spending on flood-mitigation projects soared. But then, the team that sold the bond and defined hundreds of projects was pushed out by Democrats starting in 2021.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia managed to get Dr. Tina Petersen appointed head of HCFCD at the start of 2022. And ever since, for whatever reason, project activity has plummeted. You can clearly see it in the rate of spending below – despite having billions of dollars available.
HCFCD spending since 2018 Flood Bond as of 26Q2.Far right reflects only 2 quarters. But even doubled, 2026 would represent a continuation of the long-term decline.
The gray area in the graph above represents construction spending. It has dropped almost by half since its peak during the previous administration. Construction is down to $90 million per year [annualized] from $160 million per year [actual].
As a result of the slowdown, Harris County could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in HUD Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Relief, whose deadlines are fast approaching.
Lower-than-Normal Construction Expenditures as Percent of Total
Typically, construction accounts for about 65% of most flood-mitigation projects, give or take 10%.
That number can vary even more depending on land-acquisition costs, environmental permitting, etc. There are always exceptions. But on average, 65% is considered a defensible rule of thumb for planning purposes by many flood experts; some suggest the figure may even be higher.
So, how has HCFCD spending compared? It falls far short of 65%. Looking at everything spent to date, only 46% has been on construction. But even that number may be deceptively high.
Construction spending on maintenance masks what’s happening on the capital-improvement side. So let’s also look at each sub-category.
HCFCD capital-improvement construction spending to date is just 37% of all capital improvement costs. And the Total percentage is buoyed up by construction spending on Maintenance.
Remember that only capital-improvement construction dollars actually reduce flood risk.
Only 37% of Bond Money Spent After 8 Years into 10-Year Bond Program
There’s another significant takeaway from last quarter’s update. HCFCD has spent only 37% of the bond money approved by voters – eight years into what was supposed to have been a 10-year bond program.
Sorting expenditures on the HCFCD Activity Page by “Fund Source” shows that only $932.69 million of the $2.5 billion bond has actually been spent to date. This excludes district and partner funds.
54% Inflation in Heavy Construction Sector Since Start of Flood Bond
But all the data above illustrates only part of the problem. Cumulative inflation in the heavy-construction sector of the economy totals 54% from mid-2018 (when voters approved the Flood Bond) to mid-2026. (Source: Federal Highway Administration’s National Highway Construction Cost Index, considered by many as a good analog for flood-control work).
This inflation has progressively eroded the purchasing power of flood-mitigation construction budgets.
A Bad Institutional Hangover
Problems moving projects into and through HCFCD’s production pipeline in a timely way has resulted in:
Inflation gobbling up a large percentage the bond’s purchasing power
Fast-approaching deadlines jeopardizing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding
People living with higher flood risk longer than necessary.
There is some good news in all of this on the horizon. It looks like HCFCD’s new Executive Director, Marcus Stuckett, is making an immediate impact. This Thursday’s Commissioner’s Court agenda shows six CIP projects starting construction or going out for construction bids. They include:
Meyergrove Stormwater Detention Basin
Halls Bayou Channel Conveyance Improvements – Phase II
T.C. Jester Stormwater Detention Basins – Compartments 1A and 2
Hopefully Stuckett can get construction projects moving again.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/27/26
3254 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/2026/07/Construction-as-Percent-of-Total-Table.png?fit=1880%2C584&ssl=15841880adminadmin2026-07-27 17:38:302026-07-27 17:38:32HCFCD Construction Slowdown May Be on Verge of Turnaround
7/25/2026 – Last Thursday, a meteorological fluke spared the Lake Houston Area from the worst of Tropical Storm Bertha. Others nearby were not so lucky.
Throughout history, many cultures, military organizations, emergency managers, coaches and writers have coined sayings that contrast the value of preparation with luck. Here are some of my favorites that could apply equally to flood control.
Classic Proverbs
“Luck favors the prepared.” (Often attributed to Louis Pasteur in various forms)
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” (Ben Franklin)
“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”
“Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.”
“Dig the well before you’re thirsty.”
“Repair the roof while the sun is shining.” (Popularized by John F. Kennedy)
Military Sayings
“The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.”
“Proper planning prevents poor performance.” (Known as the Five Ps)
Emergency managers often express the same idea without mentioning luck:
“Preparedness saves lives.”
“Disasters don’t plan ahead. You can.”
“Prepared, not scared.”
“When seconds count, preparation matters.”
Some that mention luck:
“Hope is not a strategy.”
“Luck is not a plan.”
“Don’t confuse good luck with good judgment.”
“Past success is not proof of future safety.”
“Just because you’ve been lucky doesn’t mean you’re safe.”
“Luck eventually runs out; preparation doesn’t.”
“Every disaster survivor was lucky. The prepared ones needed less luck.”
“The safest families don’t count on luck; they count on preparation.”
“Ignoring risk is gambling. Preparing for it is responsibility.”
Flood Control
“The best time to prepare for the next flood is before the river rises.”
“Floods don’t care how lucky you’ve been.”
“Every floodplain eventually reminds people why it’s a floodplain.”
“Nature keeps no record of how many times you’ve gotten away with it.”
“A century without a flood doesn’t cancel tomorrow’s forecast.”
Past is Not A Prologue
Many people mistake the absence of past losses for the absence of risk, when in reality they may simply have benefited from a run of favorable conditions. Two poignant expressions in that regard:
“When it comes to protecting your family, hope is a virtue—but preparation is a responsibility.”
“Building your family’s safety on luck is like buying insurance after the storm has begun.”
What You Can Do
So, what can ordinary citizens do to prepare? I have a very short list of suggestions.
Become politically involved. Understand what is and isn’t being done to reduce your flood risk. And demand results.
Support HCFCD’s new executive director as he tries to turn the organization’s CIP program around and start, once again, building the projects voters approved almost 9 years ago.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/25/2026
3252 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Bond-CIP-as-of-26.02.01.png?fit=2068%2C784&ssl=17842068adminadmin2026-07-25 17:33:122026-07-25 17:53:41Luck as a Flood-Control Strategy
7/24/26 – This week’s Northpark Drive expansion update includes news on the bridge, Loop 494, traffic lights and the entry ponds.
No-one ever said building the first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood would be easy. But the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 took on the job which has entailed coordinating the work of multiple utilities and political jurisdictions and a railroad. They each have their own priorities and timetables.
Bridge Over Loop 494 and UPRR Tracks
The bridge over Loop 494 and the UnionPacific Railroad Tracks is one of the signature features of the Northpark Expansion project. It will enable the smooth flow of traffic during evacuations even when trains stall on the UPRR tracks or stoplights at 494 get knocked out.
The east ramp for the bridge by Dunkin’ Donuts is now totally paved and virtually complete. Work has shifted to building turn lanes under where the bridge will go and sinking piers for the bridge.
Rebar for bridge piers being hoisted into place.Eastern Northpark Bridge abutment. Cranes are drilling holes as crews prepare rebar cages to reinforce the concrete piers. Crews are also prepping a u-turn under the bridge at this location.Closer shot of prep work on U-turn lane. Note circular rebar cage top right.Drilling holes for the piers takes some serious equipment.
494 Detour
The intersection of Loop 494 and Northpark was shut down for several weeks while contractors installed north-to-south drainage across Northpark. However, they have completed that operation and repaved 494.
Surface lanes are now complete on 494 and curbs have been installed. Photo from a week ago.
But before they can remove the concrete traffic barriers that detour traffic, UPRR must be present to coordinate their crossing signals with other systems.
Everyone is reportedly scrambling to open the intersection before school starts next month.
Traffic Light Coordination
City of Houston, TxDOT, METRO, Harris County and Montgomery County all have signals. Transtar is the entity that manages/integrates each of the individual jurisdictions and signalized intersections onto a single monitoring system. Integration is one of the steps needed when they upgrade to a new system.
Farther east on Northpark at Russell Palmer Road, several weeks ago, a contractor realized the “pedestrian push-to-cross signal” on the north side of Northpark was not connected to the controller box.
According to Ralph De Leon, Northpark project manager, connection involved boring underneath the roadway, installing conduit, then running wire, etc. That’s done now. Now the City needs to run their diagnostics, inspect everything and only then can the signals become operational.”
De Leon described the complexity, “Signal boxes now have their own IP address. They are complex devices that run on software that generates endless codes/numerical signals. In terms of process, we bought the traffic signal control box, handed it to the City, they put it in their shop, loaded the software, programmed its computer, generated a logbook, then ran diagnostic after diagnostic.”
I noticed City crews working on stoplights at several places on Northpark today. So. we may be close. The new target date for fully functional signals at Russell Palmer is July 31.
Entry Ponds
Sunlight can break down pond liners unless water covers them. So, closing on the property that will hold the well that keeps the ponds full was necessary before the pond liners could be placed.
A sale-and-purchase agreement for land has now been signed by all parties. The earnest money was deposited yesterday and the title company is working on scheduling the closing.
Now, De Leon is working with KSA, which has agreed to operate the well long-term.
7/23/26 – One of the leading conservation groups in the area, the Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC), has lined up against the proposed 5,300-acre Scarborough development at the confluence of Spring Creek and the San Jacinto West Fork.
Almost 10,000 citizens have already signed a petition against Scarborough’s development. Harris County Commissioners Court and Houston City Council have also unanimously approved resolutions opposing it because of its potential impacts on public safety and regional infrastructure.
According to BLC, development of the environmentally sensitive property also raises concerns about drinking water, and the future of one of the Houston region’s most important natural floodplains.
BLC’s Board of Directors recently adopted a formal resolution opposing the Scarborough Development. The Board believes the project would put critical floodplains and wetlands at risk and could increase flooding downstream while affecting water quality in the Lake Houston watershed.
From FEMA’s Flood Hazard Layer Viewer. Scarborough property in center at confluence of Spring and Cypress Creeks with San Jacinto West Fork. US59, Kingwood and Forest Cove on right.Cross-hatch = Floodway, Aqua = 100-Year Floodplain, Brown = 500-year Floodplain.
Note that the flood map above is based on pre-Atlas-14 data. So the situation is actually much worse than depicted. Montgomery County has not yet adopted new flood maps based on Atlas 14.
Why Leaving the Land Natural Matters
Scarborough’s property currently functions as a natural floodwater storage area. It slows and absorbs stormwater while filtering water that ultimately flows into Lake Houston.
Lake Houston serves as the primary drinking water source for approximately 2.4 million people across the Greater Houston Area, according to Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger.
The property, commonly referred to as the “Scarborough Development” or Ryko tract, lies within one of the most environmentally sensitive and flood-prone areas of the Lake Houston watershed.
“Bayou Land Conservancy’s mission is the permanent preservation of land along streams to protect people from flooding, safeguard clean water, and conserve wildlife habitat,” said Jill Boullion, the Executive Director of Bayou Land Conservancy. “This property checks all those boxes. It needs to be protected, but we need help from the community to succeed,” she added.
This specific tract of land consists predominantly of active floodplains and wetlands that currently act as a critical natural sponge, absorbing and slowing floodwaters, and providing essential water filtration for the Lake Houston watershed. Clearing and filling these wetlands to elevate the property for development could increase the speed and volume of stormwater runoff, placing downstream communities at greater risk of flooding while undermining regional flood mitigation efforts.
Typical Wetland on Scarborough Property
BLC Encourages Public to Sign Petition
BLC is encouraging members of the public to join the effort and make their voices heard by signing a petition to support the permanent protection of the proposed development and by contacting their elected representatives.
Those interested in supporting this conservation effort can help by signing the petition against Scarborough, contacting their elected officials, and advocating for the permanent conservation of this land.
The BLC Board has also authorized BLC staff to actively advocate for the preservation of the property through:
Public education
Collaboration with community and environmental partners
Engagement with elected officials
Submission of regulatory comments
The BLC Board may also pursue conservation easements to permanently protect portions of the property.
About Bayou Land Conservancy: Bayou Land Conservancy preserves land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife. BLC is a nationally accredited, community-supported land preservation organization dedicated to permanently protecting land, with a focus on the streams that feed Lake Houston, an important source of drinking water for millions of people in the Houston region.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/23/26
3250 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/2025/11/20251103-Layered-Maps.jpg?fit=1100%2C563&ssl=15631100adminadmin2026-07-23 11:35:132026-07-23 18:57:02Bayou Land Conservancy Joins Crowd Opposing Scarborough Development
7/22/26 – (Updated at 3pm to correct funding figures.) Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger reported this morning that engineering for the Lake Houston Gates Project is now 90% complete.
Flickinger delivering news about the Lake Houston Gates Project
Speaking before the Kingwood Executive Group at the Kingwood Country Club today, he added that we now know the true cost of a workable plan and it’s higher than before. Thus, the next phase of the project will be the hunt for yet more funding.
The addition of more floodgates will let Lake Houston keep up with releases from Lake Conroe during major storm events. That will help enable pre-release and joint-reservoir-operation strategies when needed to reduce flooding.
Another benefit of the new gates: they will facilitate needed repair and rehab of the 73-year-old dam.
Cost increases plus FEMA money we no longer qualify for leave a funding gap of $183.7 million, according to Flickinger. “So, we’re going to have to go back to the State and the Feds for some more money to try and get that built,” he said.
Th table below shows the current cost breakdown.
Funding analysis as of 7/22/26
“Essentially the scope has changed. When they originally estimated it, they were going to use the concrete portion of the structure. But no construction companies would touch the job because of the risk. They were afraid of a catastrophic loss.”
Flickinger then added, “So, the engineers went back and said, ‘Okay, we’ll put the gates in the earthen portion.’ But they were trying to do it without building a coffer dam. Then they came back again and said, ‘No, that’s not going to work. You’re going to have to build a coffer dam.’ So, the increase in the cost has been driven by the general scope change.”
Flickinger described a scenario where well meaning people were trying to control costs to fit the budget. But ultimately, that didn’t work for safety reasons. And when you’re dealing with the water supply for approximately 2.4 million people, safety is paramount.
Flickinger added, “Now they’ve gone pretty much full blown. The cofferdam that they’re talking about building is going to be very substantial. In fact, you will even be able to drive vehicles on it.”
Where Will the Money Come From?
“We’re not going to get the extra funding as a flood-mitigation project,” said Flickinger, “because the math doesn’t work.” Then he shifted gears and talked about the water supply problems in Texas. “Texas has a huge problem right now with water. The state has appropriated…several billion towards water.”
State Representative Charles Cunningham, who also attended the meeting clarified, “Somewhere over $5 billion.”
Flickinger has already reached out to a number of elected officials and candidates on the ballot this fall. They include State Senator Brett Ligon, Cunningham, Alex Mealer, and Steve Toth. “
“I think we’re going to have a lot of help, both in Washington and in Austin, to get this money,” said Flickinger.
Martin, under whom the project started years ago, joked, “That’s DAM good news.”
Flickinger now hopes to start building the Lake Houston gates by late 2027 or early 2028. But engineers have not yet offered a completion date.
How Benefit/Cost Ratio Will Affect Previous FEMA Commitment
FEMA initially committed $50 million to the gates project. Flickinger says that despite the change in the benefit/cost ratio (BCR), clawbacks are not an issue on the money already spent on engineering. However, the BCR will “absolutely affect” unspent funds.
Complexity of Reducing Flooding
Before moving on to other subjects, Flickinger addressed the complexity of flooding. “Everyone looks at the dam as kind of a shiny object,” he said. “And the dam is hugely important, but there’s a ton of other stuff that goes into flooding and drainage. For instance, he referenced explosive upstream development in Montgomery County and the regulations intended to offset the growth of impervious cover, which were finally upgraded just last year.
He talked about the need to upgrade the Kingwood Diversion Ditch in order to take pressure off Bens Branch and Kingwood Town Center to handle all that upstream growth.
But that, too, will take money. The next legislative session will definitely be important for the Lake Houston Area.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/22/26
3249 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC_5567.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2026-07-22 11:31:002026-07-22 16:50:55Engineering on Lake Houston Gates Project Now 90 Percent Complete
