Northpark Drive Expansion Project Overcoming Hurdles

8/8/24 – In the last year, the Northpark Drive expansion project hit several snags. But one by one, project partners seem to be overcoming the hurdles.

Contractors discovered utility poles and gas lines in their way. Permits to bore under the railroad and bridge over it took longer than expected. Delays forced changes in plans to keep crews busy. And eventually, when project managers ran out of alternative options, contractors had to shift crews to other jobs.

After months of delays that hampered progress, hope is finally on the horizon.

Paving the Way for Faster Progress

The pace of construction could soon accelerate again.

  • CenterPoint has moved all of its facilities east of Loop 494 and only a few conflicts are left west of 494.
  • Entergy is almost done removing its east-to-west poles at Northpark/494. This will let contractors complete the storm water drainage system, construct new feeder roads, and build at-grade vehicle crossings over the rail tracks. 
  • Comcast, Tachus, AT&T, PS Lightwave, MCI, Optimum, BrightSpeed, and Crown Castle have either finished relocating their facilities, submitted relocation plans under review at the City, or received Permits for relocation. In the last case, they have also provided schedules to the TIRZ
  • A new water main will allow service to be transferred from Porter SUD to City of Houston. This same water main also serves the newly installed fire hydrants along Northpark. 
  • Contractors and UnionPacific have resolved right-of-way issues. Work should start on the rail crossings later this year. 
  • Project managers have acquired additional rights of way from private property owners
  • Alternate plans are in place for rerouting traffic
  • Entergy has submitted Plans for permits that will let them bury their power lines west of 494 and underneath the railroad tracks  on Northpark Drive.

Most of these changes, while barely visible, are highly critical.

Improved Working Relationship with Entergy

Project Manager Ralph De Leon predicts motorists could soon see visible progress. Brian Garcia, Entergy’s customer service manager, agrees.

Both men cite an improved working relationship. Weekly meetings between their teams have reportedly resolved most technical, permitting, and scheduling issues.

Next Steps

Harper brothers has finished burying culvert down the center of Northpark. Now the company will begin installing culvert on the north side of the street westward. It will eventually connect to the system at Self-U-Storage.

Looking west at extent of culvert installation. From here, culvert will move north/right to make room for surface turn lanes and a bridge over the railroad tracks and Loop 494.

The next leg will go under the railroad tracks and Loop 494. It will  connect the eastern and western sections of the storm water drainage system.  

In general, the next major steps for the Northpark Drive Expansion include:

  • Shifting westbound traffic toward the center
  • Burying drainage culverts on the north side of the street.
  • Building permanent access roads on the north.
  • Shifting traffic back to the permanent lanes.

Keep your fingers and tire jacks crossed. Working out many of these unforeseen issues delayed the project 188 days so far. The delays also forced Harper Brothers Construction to divert some of its crews to other jobs to keep them busy.

Photos of Work to Date and In Progress

Crews today worked on bringing power to new, temporary traffic signal locations.

Crews worked on three of the four corners of Northpark and Loop 494. Old power lines on the fourth corner (lower right) were previously de-energized and poles topped. Comcast will reportedly move its cable on those poles next week.
Crews are also spreading and compacting dirt over installed culverts. (Looking W toward US59)
Ditto in the opposite direction. Looking east toward Diversion Ditch.

Upcoming Construction Schedule

To look ahead at planned Northpark Drive expansion activities for the next few weeks, see a schedule on the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority project page.

For More Information

For more information about Northpark Drive expansion and a history of the project, see these posts on ReduceFlooding.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/8/24

2536 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.

GLO Rebuilds Its 2000th Home in Houston, Harris County

Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., announced the Texas General Land Office (GLO) has rebuilt its 2000th home – in Houston and Harris County alone – since Hurricane Harvey. Many more projects are under construction or in the approval process here and in other counties throughout Texas..

Dawn Buckingham MD, GLO Commissioner congratulates the homeowners (center) as she turns over the key. Builder is on left.

GLO rebuilt the home through its Homeowner Assistance Programs (HAP) as part of ongoing recovery efforts. One of the GLO’s missions is to restore and rebuild communities across Texas after natural disasters. Just last year, GLO celebrated the rebuilding of 1000 homes in Houston/Harris County.

Rebuilding Lives, Not Just Homes

The GLO certainly isn’t resting on its laurels. Buckingham said, “This milestone represents more than just a number. It reflects the dedication and hard work of the GLO’s disaster recovery team and our commitment to helping Texas families rebuild their lives after the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and other disasters. 

Buckingham (Left) and Mike Nichols (Right), new director of Houston Housing and Community Development, tour new home with ecstatic owners, Argelis and James Sapio (Center).

Hurricane Harvey Homeowner Assistance Program

The GLO’s Homeowner Assistance Program is funded by $2 billion in Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The program helps homeowners repair, rebuild, and, in some cases, elevate their homes to mitigate future flood risks. 

Army Vet and Teacher

The homeowners, James and Argelis Sapio, have been married 47 years and lived in the same house for 27 of those. A U.S. Army veteran, James served in war zones around the world starting in Vietnam and ending in Eastern Europe. Argelis, taught at a neighborhood elementary school

They loved their home and the location. But it flooded repeatedly with increasing frequency. Over time, the flooding got worse as neighbors built their lots up. Reportedly illegal dumping also complicated flooding issues when it backed water up in ditches. The final straw was Hurricane Harvey. A foot of floodwater invaded the Sapio’s home.

They persisted through a daunting application for aid that the GLO, HUD and City are trying to streamline. Four months ago, construction of a new home started on their old lot. The elevated design should make them safe from flooding. It includes ramps to make access easier.

The 2000th home. Note elevation and ramp.

Said Argelis (with a smile), “Now the only thing we have to worry about is elevating our cars.”

Construction took four months. During that time, the couple lived in motels. They were so eager to move in, they weren’t going to wait for the movers. Argelis said they were going to bring a mattress in tonight and sleep on the floor if they had to.

Ongoing Commitment to Disaster Recovery

Altogether, the GLO has rebuilt more than 8,000 homes in 49 counties designated eligible by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

Commissioner Buckingham reaffirmed the agency’s ongoing dedication to disaster recovery and preparedness as the GLO celebrates this achievement. “The GLO remains steadfast in supporting Texans as they rebuild and recover,” said Buckingham. “Together, we will continue to work towards a more resilient Texas.”

For a one-minute YouTube video of the ceremony and tour of the house, click here.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/7/24

2535 Days since Hurricane Harvey

West Fork Still Running Through Sand Pits

8/6/24 – During Beryl in July, the San Jacinto West Fork continued to run through at least three abandoned sand pits. Mining companies still own two. A third has been sold to a residential developer for unknown purposes.

The river captured the pits earlier this year. “River capture” is a term used by geologists when floodwater breaks through a dike on one side of a pit and then bursts out the opposite site. That effectively reroutes the river. The phenomenon usually takes place in pits on a point bar and shortens the distance water must travel around them.

Sold by Hallett to Riverwalk Porter LLC

Hallett sold a 200-acre pit on the west side of the San Jacinto West Fork to Riverwalk Porter LLC shortly before the January floods this year. It was great timing for Hallett; not so great for the developer. See below.

West Fork, upper left, enters a 200-acre pit (left) that Hallett sold to Riverwalk Porter LLC shortly before the pit capture. Note how the normal riverbed is now blocked by sand. 8/6/24.
At the south end of the same pit, the river re-enters its normal channel. 8/6/24.

If Riverwalk Porter LLC planned to use this pit for stormwater detention, that will no longer work. They would be pumping water directly into the river.

Second Pit Still Owned by Hallett

A little farther north, the river cuts through another pit. Hallett still owns this one. The southern end of this pit (bottom of frame below) was left open for years until the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) made Hallett fix it.

Now it’s open again…but on two sides. And the TCEQ has not yet taken action. I first observed this opening after May floods.’

Looking North. West Fork now cuts straight through the pit rather than going around it via its normal channel. 8/6/24.
Closer shot of bypassed channel at same pit. 8/6/24.

Williams Brother Pit

Just south of White Sands Drive in Porter, Williams Brothers abandoned a pit after Harvey. The company still owns the property. However they show no signs of re-establishing an eroded dike.

A narrow berm used to seal the pit off from the river at the top of the frame. The berm eroded during January floods then disappeared in May floods this year.

With the river now flowing into the mine, it is starting to erode a channel out of the mine.

Williams Brothers Mine after Beryl. Photo taken 7/9/24. River flows toward foreground.

In fairness, when the river is lower, the channel in the foreground does not yet convey water all the way back to the river.

Abandoned Pits Becoming Bigger Problem

At least four other companies have abandoned pits on the West Fork in recent years that represent potential issues:

What to Do?

I’ve been talking lately to residents neighboring these facilities. They worry about flooding related to the mines and how that can undermine their property values.

One resident that I interviewed today talked about growing up on the river before Lake Conroe, sand mining and his property flooding. He talked about clear water, abundant fish and plentiful wildlife.

I’ve been researching best practices for sand-mine abandonment and have some thoughts that I will share on the subject in coming days. I’m not sure we can get back to the way it was in the 1960s, but we can definitely do better. Check back in the coming days.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/6/2024

2534 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 29 since Beryl

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.

HCFCD Releases Final Report on Hurricane Beryl

8/5/24 – Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) has released its final report on Hurricane Beryl. The amazingly detailed, fact-filled, 30-page report by Jeff Lindner, Harris County’s meteorologist, covers the storm’s origins, rainfall, storm surge, high-water marks, wind speeds, flooding, and more for locations throughout the County.

Every sentence contains nuggets of information that you can use to amaze your friends, relatives in other states, and insurance agents.

Wind Speeds Up to 99 MPH

I’m not joking about insurance agents. One homeowner told me an adjuster denied her claim based on the fact that the wind was “only 37 MPH.” This report shows both average wind speeds and gusts. According to the official report, peak gusts in the Lake Houston Area were 69 MPH – almost double what the adjuster said.

Kyle Field at Texas A&M recorded the highest gust – 99 MPH.

Highest Storm Surge since Ike

Have a home near the shore? You may be interested to know that Beryl produced the highest storm surge since Hurricane Ike in 2008.

Storm surge averaged 5-7 feet above ground level along the coast, near the west side of Galveston Bay, Clear Lake, and the lower San Jacinto.

Water levels at the ship-channel turning basin reached 9 feet above ground level.

The high surge levels are likely the result of freshwater descending in watersheds as wind drove seawater into the upper portions of the ship channel.

Rainfall Intensity

Rainfall intensity was very high in places at times.

The Houston Transtar Center in the Buffalo Bayou watershed received 9.9 inches in 6 hours. There’s only a 2% annual chance of that (meaning it was a 50-year rainfall at that location). Transtar also received the highest 24-hour total – 12 inches (a 4% annual chance or 25-year total).

Out of 193 gages, 82 (42%) recorded an inch of rainfall in 15 minutes.

Rainfall Totals

Rainfall totals were less impressive due largely to the speed of the storm.

Most of the county received 24-hour totals of 6-9 inches. Higher totals generally fell south of I-10.

Six-hour rainfall amounts averaged 4-7 inches across most of the county.

Rainfall rates on the Atlas 14 chart for both 6- and 12-hour periods generally fell between 2- and 10-year events.

24-Hour Rainfall Totals during Beryl. HCFCD report also contains totals from shorter time periods.

The report noted that storms before Beryl had left the ground highly saturated. That increased runoff.

Only 10 Homes in County Flooded

Channel flooding was moderate. Approximately 10 structures flooded throughout the county. All suffered flooding in the past. They were built in areas with very low elevations.

Forty out of 193 gages reached or exceeded “flooding-likely” levels. That means the channels were full to the top of their banks.

Had the storm moved slower, Beryl could have been a very different story!

Other Damage

Power outages that resulted from high winds blowing trees into power lines created by far the largest impact to infrastructure.

2.26 million homes lost power – some for up to 11 days. The Lake Houston Area was among the hardest hit because of the dense forests here. The density adds a degree of difficult for both maintenance and repair crews.

Note uprooted tree to left of bend in trail still leaning over power lines in Kings Forest. Photo taken 8/4/24.

Twenty-eight days after the storm, dead trees and limbs still clog streets and lean on power lines.

Intense rainfall occasionally caused flooding of streets and roadways. Portions of SH288, I-10 and I-45 flooded and became impassable at times.

Beaches eroded along most of the upper Texas Coast. High tides and storm surge overtopped and destroyed entire dune systems.

Beryl also damaged coastal roadways, beach access walkways, and private as well as public properties.

High-Water Marks

A table on page 30 compares the high-water marks at dozens of locations with those from previous storms dating, in some cases, back to 1973.

At Clear Creek and I-45, Beryl flooding reached almost as high as Tropical Storm Allison (7.7 feet in Beryl vs. 7.8 feet in Allison).

HCFCD did not record any high-water marks in the Lake Houston Area.

Deaths

As of July 31, Hurricane Beryl had directly caused five deaths in Harris County: three from drowning, two from falling trees.

Additionally, the County recorded 13 indirect deaths: eight heat related, five recovery related.

The report notes that Beryl continues a recent trend of more fatalities occurring in the aftermath of landfalling storms than from the storms themselves.

I’m not quite sure what to infer from that. Is our preparation for flooding getting better? Or is our infrastructure maintenance getting worse?

For More Information

To read the full Final Report on Hurricane Beryl, click here. You can compare reports on other major storms here.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/5/24

2533 days since Hurricane Harvey and 28 since Beryl

Many Eager to Discuss CenterPoint Power Outage Issues

8/4/24 – Yesterday’s post about power disruptions due to “tree touches” drew of flood of responses from all parts of the Lake Houston Area. Many were eager to meet with CenterPoint face-to-face and discuss grievances going back decades.

Among the many responses, one stood out. Chris Bloch, a Bear Branch Trail Association (BBTA) board member, provided a detailed list of problems that his association encounters when trying to work with the company.

I have lightly edited Bloch’s letter for brevity without changing any thoughts. It shows the lengths our unpaid volunteers go to in order to serve their community. I took all photos below today on BBTA property to illustrate the issues Bloch talks about.

Bob,

The Bear Branch Trail Association property has many power line easements crossing it. In each of the last three years, CenterPoint has had contractors on BBTA property cutting back vegetation. I do not know about other trail associations, but CenterPoint has actively tried to manage their right of way (ROW) through BBTA property.

In all cases, CenterPoint contractors cut back vegetation at a greater width than the CenterPoint easement. We have not objected to that practice as long as it is within reason. But we have encountered several other persistent problems.

Not Removing Debris

In numerous cases, we have identified trees on BBTA property leaning toward power line easements. In some cases, CenterPoint, has taken down the trees, but it is their policy not to remove the debris. We have had to bear the cost of removal or leave it to rot. If the tree is in a highly visible area, we pay to have it removed.

CenterPoint easement through BBTA property behind the Kings Forest Pool. Note debris left behind and tree still leaning over pole.

Working Near Power Lines

At other times, CenterPoint feels BBTA should hire contractors to remove trees near power lines. BBTA contractors are highly qualified and professional, but they often refuse to remove trees near power lines. They fear for their safety. (See photo above.) As we work through these issues, delays can expose the public to higher risk of power outages.

Taking Out the Trash

We also have had a consistent problem with CenterPoint contractors leaving ROW debris on BBTA property.

We document these instances with photos and complain to CenterPoint. They respond by claiming their contractors should have removed the debris.

CenterPoint usually asks us to document locations. Eventually contractors may return to remove debris. But…

We do not feel we should have to supervise CenterPoint contractors. CenterPoint should have their own inspectors monitor contractors’ work.

Chris Bloch, BBTA Board Member
BBTA trail behind Kings Forest Pool

Homeowner Reporting Issues

We actively monitor power line rights of way to identify problems. And we notify CenterPoint when we find them. We feel it’s part of our responsibility. But their own contractors do not seem to report issues to CenterPoint.

And unfortunately, we do not see all the problems. Many originate on adjoining homeowner properties. In my opinion, nearly half of power line damages start there. I suspect the vast majority of homeowners do not report problem trees. And if they did, they would likely not volunteer to have trees removed at their own expense.

Whose Job Is It?

CenterPoint seems to avoid removing trees that threaten power lines if they are not on the CenterPoint ROW. This contributes to the number of trees that fall on power lines.

Giving Notice

And CenterPoint rarely advises us when accessing their right of way through our trails.

CenterPoint often uses BBTA trails to access downed power lines in many locations. (See below.) Their heavy equipment has damaged trails, left deep ruts and created unsightly holes in underbrush. In one case, they even ran over saplings newly planted by students.

Equipment cut across trail and through underbrush to get to Centerpoint easement.

Refusing to Pay for Most Damages

But CenterPoint has refused to pay to repair the damage. They say their out of state contractors are responsible.

BBTA has threatened to sue CenterPoint, but eventually BBTA usually bears the cost of replacing damaged trails.

To reduce this chronic problem, we have now upgraded our specifications for trail repairs to make trails stronger.

In the past, when CenterPoint damaged trees on BBTA property, they donated replacement trees. That’s good. We hope they will respond the same way this time.

Better Management Approach Needed…All Around


Damage to power infrastructure can be much better managed. But it will take a more cooperative approach between CenterPoint, Trail Associations, and Homeowner Associations.

CenterPoint isn’t the only utility that we occasionally grapple with. Comcast damaged greenbelts, too. And it is our understanding that Optimum, Brightspeed and AT&T all plan fiberoptic installations in the near future.

We look forward to resolving these conflicts in a way that benefits all parties.

Chris Bloch

Bear Branch Trail Association Board Member

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/4/24

2532 days since Hurricane Harvey and 27 since Beryl

Planning a Better, Faster Recovery from the Next Storm

8/3/24 – Yesterday was a start. Kingwood residents and political leaders met in several areas hard hit by Hurricane Beryl to discuss ways to improve recovery efforts. The idea: to start a dialog about steps that Houston Public Works, CenterPoint, community leaders, and residents can take together to reduce disruptions from future flooding and power outages.

Connectedness of Issues and Domino Effects

The recovery discussions took place on streets still clogged with debris that were near power line corridors, greenbelt trails, a school and two sewage “lift stations.”

Centerpoint representative addresses group including Houston City Council Members Fred Flickinger (center) and Twila Carter (right); State Rep. Charles Cunningham (upper right); and Dee Price, KSA President (striped shirt).

Lift stations pump sewage uphill to treatment plants. When treatment plants are downhill, gravity does the work – a much more reliable solution. Without power, or when flooded, sewage from the lift stations can back up into people’s homes and overflow.

The City of Houston has hundreds of such lift stations. And during Beryl, Houston Public works shuttled backup generators back and forth between them. They tried to buy enough time to keep the lift stations from backing up and overflowing.

Unfortunately, the shuttling didn’t work in parts of Woodstream Village. There, residents talked about backed up sewage flowing from homes into streets and then Lake Houston.

Chris Kalman, Woodstream resident, talked about how problems are becoming progressively worse. “Centerpoint was awfully quiet when asked about repeated power outages in this area going on 18-plus years now. No real answer.”

The solution, according to a Public Works spokesperson Greg Eyerly, is to buy more generators. But that could take years in a city struggling with other urgent budget issues. And recovery can’t wait.

Cambio (left), State Rep. Cunningham (center) and Eyerly (right) discussing lift stations in Woodstream.

Preventing/Reducing Outages

Related recovery discussions about preventing or reducing power outages took place throughout the morning. According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s final 2004 report on Utility Vegetation Management, “tree touches” are generally cited as the single largest cause of electric power outages. They occur when trees, or portions of trees, grow or fall into overhead power lines.

In Kingwood, trees have grown up under or around power lines in many places. In fact, many residents have commented that if not for recent Beryl-related trimming, they would’t even have known power lines were there.

Trees touching power lines near Deerwood Elementary where group first gathered yesterday. Power to nearby residents was out for 9.5 days after Beryl.

Unfortunately, from a recovery/electric reliability point of view, Kingwood is in a region that experiences frequent high winds and heavy rainfall. The heavy rainfall supports fast growth of tall trees. And frequent high winds push those trees into power lines.

So another major focus of recovery discussions included:

  • CenterPoint vegetation management practices, especially maintenance intervals (which they avoided disclosing)
  • Trees that fall from trail association property onto CenterPoint power lines
  • Removal of debris that can clog storm sewers
  • Who is responsible for what
  • How one group’s performance or lack thereof can affect electric reliability and related issues for others.

Need for a New Approach Involving Trail and Community Associations

At-Large City Council Member Twila Carter said, “CenterPoint must have a collective conversation, resulting in a plan with KSA, the HOAs and Trail Associations to address maintenance. The thoughts of “In the past, that’s the way we’ve always done it,” or “the way it’s always been” no longer work for this community. We need to address the community as it is today, not how it was planned 50 years ago.”

District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger said, “A meeting between the trail associations and CenterPoint will make a significant difference. It was the best thing to come out of today.”

Flickinger was referring to a discussion with Dee Price, KSA President. Price agreed to set up a meeting with Kingwood trail associations, community associations, CenterPoint and the council members.

Flickinger continued, “There has to be significantly more aggressive vegetation management in the future.”

Kaaren Cambio, Dan Crenshaw’s assistant, explained how the homeowner and trail associations around Lake Conroe regularly inspect resident properties for trees and branches that threaten power lines. She said they send letters to residents requiring them to take down such trees or trim them back.

CenterPoint can trim back limbs and trees that encroach on their easements. But CenterPoint cannot take down trees on private property. That includes trail association property. So recovery needs to be a cooperative effort.

Chris Bloch, a long-time Bear Branch Trail Association (BBTA) Board Member, was not at the meeting, but observed, “The number of trees and limbs that fell during Beryl was easily 2X+ what we had during Ike. I attribute this to two summers of drought which stressed the trees and then an exceptionally wet spring.”

Costs of Burying Power Lines Not Clear

Flickinger also said, “I’m pushing for more underground electrical lines. I want to see the analysis of the costs. I know it’s expensive, but I believe we are paying for it incrementally every time there is a storm.” Flickinger cited lost wages, the cost of backup generators, debris cleanup, and more.

CenterPoint responded that the costs of burying wires are location specific and the costs of repairing underground cables, when cut, are much higher. However, CenterPoint offered no specifics about the cost of burying power lines in Kingwood.

Impacts on the Elderly and Ill

Cambio also talked extensively about the impact of power outages on hospitals plus nursing and retirement homes.

Many operate in multi-story buildings. Elderly in wheel chairs rely on elevators. But without power, they are trapped. They can’t get up or down stairs to get to doctors. Nor do they have power for dialysis, breathing machines, etc.

Kingwood Hospital had a backup generator. But, reportedly, it was insufficient to power the entire facility.

Cambio recommended changes to state law, requiring hospitals, nursing homes and retirement homes to have sufficient backup-generator power to operate elevators and air conditioning.

The only problem: According to Chris Coulter of Texas Power Agents, such backup generators require regular maintenance. They also require oil and fuel, such as gasoline, which may be hard to find during widespread power outages. After Beryl, the lines I found at functioning gasoline stations stretched for more than a half mile.

Voluntary Best Management Practices May Not Be Enough

I asked Coulter, who was not at yesterday’s roving recovery meeting, for recommendations about how to improve electric reliability.

He immediately focused on vegetation management and tied the growth of vegetation over time with the increasing frequency of power outages.

The FERC report cited above says that utility vegetation management programs represent one of the largest recurring maintenance expenses for electric utility companies in North America.

Coulter jokingly characterized companies like CenterPoint as “tree trimming companies that happen to distribute power.”

“The odds are that every single electric customer in the US and Canada has, at one time or another, experienced a sustained electric outage as a direct result of a tree and power line conflict.”

FERC Report on Utility Vegetation Management, Page 6.

FERC and NERC Guidlines

This FERC report is well written and easy to understand. It makes dozens of common-sense recommendations to improve electric reliability. I recommend it.

Coulter also referred me to NERC, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. NERC describes itself as “… an international regulatory authority whose mission is to assure the effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the grid.”

Coulter said that NERC rules recognize different sizes of lines in regard to vegetation management requirements. Heavy fines apply if vegetation is ignored around lines that carry more than 100 kV.

However, lines that carry less power often get neglected – something that hampers recovery.

Coulter said that many of his Kingwood customers told him about seeing several such lines for the first time after Beryl. They didn’t even know the lines were there because they were so badly overgrown!

Said Coulter, “The NERC rules are very specific about frequency and minimum vegetation clearance distances for larger transmission (above 100 kV). Fines are steep so the utilities pay close attention and abide by the rules. However, Kingwood has a large spiderweb of distribution lines that are below that bright-line designation.”

Perhaps the fines need to apply to smaller power lines.

Next Step: Broaden the Discussion

Dee Price is reaching out to trail and community associations to set up a meeting about vegetation management. It will also involve our elected representatives, CenterPoint and Houston Public Works.

At a minimum, I came away from yesterday’s discussions with a feeling that we need to:

  • Raise awareness of vegetation management issues within the community
  • Handle those on private property that could affect electric lines by ourselves
  • Report problems on or near CenterPoint easements that they may not be aware of.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/3/24

2531 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 26 since Beryl

NHC Issues Advisory on Potential Tropical Cyclone 4

8/2/24 5PM – The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued an advisory about Potential Tropical Cyclone 4. It affects people on the west coast of Florida for now. Since yesterday, models have come into closer alignment. There is now a higher degree of certainty that the PTC4 will track up the west coast of Florida, then cut east around Tampa and emerge into the Atlantic.

Current Status and Forecast

Land interaction with Cuba has limited strengthening of the storm today. But by 2PM Saturday, it should emerge into the eastern Gulf and intensify into a tropical storm before making landfall.

Maximum sustained winds are currently at 30 MPH, but will accelerate Saturday and Sunday.

NHC forecasts a 40-50% probability that the Florida’s western coast will see tropical storm force winds (one minute average >= 39MPH). The earliest arrival time on the southern tip of Florida is 8 AM Saturday 8/3/24.

So far, the tropical wave has not yet reached tropical storm force anywhere in the Atlantic or Caribbean. However, tropical storm watches and warnings are up for the entire western coast of Florida.

NOAA’s latest satellite imagery shows the storm centered over Cuba at 21:40 Z on 8/2/24.

PTC4’s position over Cuba as of 4:40 CDT.

Up to a Foot of Rain and 4 Feet of Storm Surge

NHC expects tropical storm conditions to follow the storm up the eastern seaboard through next Wednesday. They also warn of life-threatening storm surge (2-4 feet) and coastal flooding from Georgia to North Carolina next week. Finally, they warn of isolated river flooding.

Expect rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches, with maximum rainfall totals up to 12 inches, across portions of Florida and along the Southeast U.S. coast this weekend through Wednesday morning.

Next Storm Name Is Debby

This storm should become “Debby.” Chris had a short life and veered into northern Mexico as Beryl was moving toward Houston.

For the time being, people in the Houston area can breathe easier. But the Atlantic hurricane season is just starting to heat up. It will peak on September 10.

peak of hurricane season
From: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/

Where to Find the Latest Information

Those with friends, relatives or vacation plans in the southeast can track the progress of the storm in satellite images at:

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/satellite.php.

For the latest NHC forecasts, visit: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?start#contents.

NHC issues updates every 4 hours when a storm threatens.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/2/24 at 5:30 PM

2530 Days since Hurricane Harvey

New Forecasts Show Latest Disturbance Now Moving Toward Gulf

8/1/24 – 7PM Update – Since posting this story earlier today, NHC has shifted its predictions even farther west and increased development chances to 40% in two cays and 70% in 7 days.

8/1/24, 9 AM – According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), a well-defined tropical wave is now moving toward the Gulf. This represents a significant change from earlier predictions that took the storm east of Florida.

The system is currently producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms over the southwestern Atlantic and northeastern Caribbean Sea.

Location as of 8/1/24 at 9AM CDT

Development Chances

Development of this system should occur slowly during the next two days. Environmental conditions will soon become more conducive for development. And a tropical depression could form this weekend or early next week over the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

The system has a 20% chance of formation in the next 2 days and a 60% chance in the next 7.

National Hurricane Center

NHC and others have discussed this tropical wave for about a week now. In the last 2 days, shower and thunderstorm development has become better organized, but there is still no defined circulation at the surface at this time.

The wave axis should reach Cuba by early this weekend. According to Jeff Lindner, Harris County meteorologist, land interaction will likely prevent any sort of significant development in the near term – unless a center forms either south or north of the inlands.

Likely Track

Toward this weekend it is now likely that the wave will enter the eastern Gulf of Mexico. After that, the steering patterns become highly complex.

Forecasts have a high degree of uncertainty. Different models show numerous outcomes in the eastern Gulf during the next 5-7 days.

Weak Storm Likely at This Point

Intensity forecasts are also very uncertain at this point. Most models predict a weak system. But once a defined surface center forms, intensification looks likely.

Factors Supporting Development

Lindner points to three factors supporting eventual development.

Conditions supporting intensification over the eastern Gulf of Mexico include:

  • Very warm sea surface temperatures
  • Light wind shear
  • Potential for dual outflow channels aloft.

Role of Dual Outflow Channels in Formation

Meteorologists frequently talk about shear and sea surface temperatures in relation to hurricane formation. But they talk less often about the importance of outflow channels. How do outflow channels support hurricane formation?

Dual outflow channels are important in hurricane formation because they can enhance the efficiency and intensity of a storm.

According to ChatGPT, they provide:

  1. Enhanced Ventilation: This allows the hurricane to expel air more efficiently, promoting a stronger inflow at the surface.
  2. Symmetrical Structure: With outflow in multiple directions, the hurricane maintains a more symmetrical structure.
  3. Lower Pressure: Efficient outflow channels contribute to lowering the central pressure of the hurricane. Lower pressure at the core leads to higher wind speeds and a more powerful storm.
  4. Sustained Intensification: Dual outflow channels can support sustained intensification by continually removing air from the upper levels, allowing the storm to draw in warm, moist air from the ocean surface.
  5. Balanced Energy Distribution: The channels help distribute energy more evenly around the storm, preventing one side from becoming too dominant and potentially disrupting the hurricane’s structure.

Dual outflow channels thus help enhance the structural integrity, efficiency, and intensity of hurricanes.

Preparations

At this time, no one predicts that the storm will reach as far west as Houston. But last week, no one predicted that it would reach the Gulf either.

As always, your best bet is to be prepared for anything. Restock food, water and batteries used after Beryl. Recharge your backups. And monitor the NHC daily.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/1/24

2529 Days since Hurricane Harvey

How to Report Storm Debris Blocking HCFCD Ditches, Creeks

Here’s how to report storm debris blocking Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) ditches and streams.

After a storm, it’s crucial to keep HCFCD channels clear of fallen trees and debris to reduce future flood risk. One tree down across a stream can catch other trees that create a log dam, backing water up into neighborhoods and streets.

If you spot any obstructions, please report them immediately.

Visit hcfcd.org/service-request to submit a service request or call the helpline at 346-286-4197.

HCFCD

The Next Step in Recovery

With most power lines restored, now is the time to start the next step in the recovery process from Hurricane Beryl: clearing creeks and ditches.

In places like Kingwood, many creeks and ditches are in greenbelts. And many blockages may still be difficult to reach because of debris that has fallen on greenbelt trails.

Residents should seek out problems that could affect their homes and report them immediately.

Tree downed by Beryl over Bens Branch near Village Oaks Drive in Kingwood

Reporting Tips

HCFCD maintains more than 2000 miles of channels. So, report problems quickly; you don’t want to be at the end of that line.

Also make sure you clearly identify the location.

  • Many cell phones and cameras allow you to embed GPS coordinates in images if you turn the function on in settings.
  • Most drones also attach GPS coordinates to images.
  • At a minimum, use street addresses and crossroads.

I use a shareware program called PhotoGeoTag that generates a map of a problem’s location from GPS coordinates embedded in a photo like the one above. See below.

Screen Capture from PhotoGeoTag

It’s also important to identify the channel. Many locations won’t have names or street addresses. But they should have channel ID numbers at a minimum.

Consult the Harris County Flood Education Mapping Tool for the ID number of unnamed channels or tributaries.

Screen capture from Harris County Flood Education Mapping Tool showing channel IDs.

Now you know how to report storm debris. Over to you!

Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/30/2024

2527 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Costs of NOT Preserving Floodplains

7/29/24 – Yesterday, I reviewed a thought-provoking, academic study co-authored by Dr. Samuel Brody of Texas A&M about the relative effectiveness of three different forms of flood mitigation. Today, I would like to discuss a related topic – the costs of not preserving floodplains.

Land in a floodplain is cheap. But the initial cost to the buyer/developer does not reflect the subsequent costs homebuyers and tax payers may incur.

Colony Ridge Land, Inc. bought up a series of lots in Huffman next the San Jacinto East Fork. Harris County Appraisal District values the half- to one-acre lots between $10,000 and $20,000. The catch? They were under 38.7 feet of water during Harvey and 33.7 feet during the 1994 flood.

Assuming Colony Ridge develops these properties, the subsequent costs could far outweigh their sales prices. But it won’t be the developer bearing the costs.

I asked ChatGPT to catalog the costs of NOT preserving floodplains. Here’s how it responded.

“Costs of NOT Preserving Floodplains”

ChatGPT: “Not preserving floodplains can result in a variety of costs and consequences, both immediate and long-term. These can be broadly categorized into environmental, economic, and social costs:

Environmental Costs:
  1. Loss of Biodiversity: Floodplains are rich in biodiversity, providing habitats for numerous species. Development can lead to habitat destruction and loss of species.
  2. Decreased Water Quality: Floodplains filter pollutants from water. Without them, pollutants can flow directly into rivers and lakes, degrading water quality.
  3. Erosion and Sedimentation: The natural vegetation in floodplains helps prevent soil erosion. Without this, erosion can increase, leading to sedimentation in water bodies, which can harm aquatic life and reduce water quality.
Economic Costs:
  1. Increased Flood Damage: Without natural floodplains to absorb floodwaters, the risk of flooding in developed areas increases, leading to higher costs in property damage and infrastructure repair.
  2. Higher Flood Insurance Premiums: Increased flood risks can lead to higher insurance premiums for properties in flood-prone areas.
  3. Loss of Ecosystem Services: Floodplains provide various ecosystem services, such as water filtration, carbon sequestration, and recreational opportunities. Losing these can have economic impacts.
Social Costs:
  1. Displacement of Communities: Increased flooding can lead to the displacement of communities, causing social disruption and potentially leading to long-term relocation costs.
  2. Health Impacts: Poor water quality and increased flood events can lead to health issues, such as waterborne diseases and mental health stress due to displacement and property loss.
  3. Loss of Recreational Spaces: Floodplains often provide recreational spaces for communities. Development can lead to the loss of these spaces, reducing quality of life.
Long-Term Consequences:
  1. Climate Change Exacerbation: Floodplains play a role in carbon sequestration. Their destruction can contribute to higher atmospheric CO2 levels, exacerbating climate change.
  2. Sustainable Development Challenges: Unsustainable development in floodplains can hinder long-term sustainable development goals, leading to ongoing environmental and economic challenges.
  3. Intergenerational Equity: Failing to preserve floodplains can impose long-term costs on future generations, including degraded environmental conditions and increased financial burdens.
Mitigation and Preservation Strategies:
  1. Enforcing Zoning Laws: Implementing and enforcing zoning laws that restrict development in floodplain areas.
  2. Restoration Projects: Initiating projects to restore and rehabilitate degraded floodplains.
  3. Public Awareness: Educating the public and policymakers about the importance of floodplains and the consequences of their destruction.
  4. Incentives for Conservation: Providing financial incentives for landowners to preserve and maintain floodplain areas.

The costs of not preserving floodplains are multifaceted and can lead to significant long-term consequences if not addressed through proactive measures.”

Diving Deeper

Clearly, you can do a deep dive into any one of the bullet points above – plus others not shown – and come up with a long list of costs.

ChatGPT didn’t even mention dredging costs, buyout costs or the cost of flood mitigation projects that try to reduce flooding in areas that flood repeatedly.

For instance:

  • The City of Houston spent $18 million to dredge the mouth bar of the San Jacinto East Fork downstream from the wetlands developed in Colony Ridge.
  • An article in Nature titled “Assessing the Full Costs of Floodplain Buyouts” by William Curran-Groome, Haylee Haygood, Miyuki Hino, Todd K. BenDor and David Salvesen details 23 pages of costs related to buyouts. They include burdens on government staff involved in buyout funding, acquisitions that can take years, 5-year funding pipelines, and dozens of other transactional costs.
  • Close to home, it took HCFCD five years to purchase and tear down the Forest Cove townhomes. And it cost the Houston Parks Board $3.5 million to build a segment of the West Fork Greenway that goes about halfway between US59 and Woodland Hills Drive.
  • Those HCFCD regional stormwater detention basins, often built on bought-out properties, can cost tens of millions and take decades.

I plan to dig deeper into the costs of not preserving floodplains to see if someone has compiled a comprehensive list of taxpayer costs triggered by a floodplain development. More to follow.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/29/24

2526 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.