Forecasters Predict Very Active 2024 Hurricane Season in Gulf

In January, I published a post about a British firm, TropicalStormRisk.com, that predicted an extreme 2024 hurricane season. It’s still early in the year, so any forecasts have a higher-than-normal degree of uncertainty.

However, more and more forecasters and model runs are pointing to the alignment of several factors that increase hurricane/tropical activity. They include the rapid onset of La Niña, warmer than normal sea surface temperatures, lower-than-normal barometric pressures in the Gulf of Mexico and more.

La Niña Favors More Storms in Gulf

Very few tropical systems made landfall in the continental U.S. last year thanks to a strong El Niño, which tends to disrupt storms in this latitude.

However, the waning of El Niño and the rapid onset of La Niña decreases wind shear in the Atlantic. This lets more storms form and enter the Caribbean and Gulf as opposed to pushing them toward the mid-Atlantic or tearing them apart. And that supports an aggressive forecast for the 2024 Hurricane Season.

From Hurricane Info by Meteorologist Reuben Garcia. Tracks of Hurricanes during La Niña years. Video showed far fewer storms in Gulf during peak El Niño years.

Warmer-Than-Normal Sea Surface Temperatures

Warmer than normal sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Basin also favor the formation of more hurricanes. Currently, temperatures are more typical of July than March.

Warmer water temps provide more fuel for storms and help them intensify more rapidly. This can lead to the formation of more major hurricanes and hurricanes that form closer to shore with little warning.

From Hurricane Info by Meteorologist Reuben Garcia. European Model suggest extremely high probability of warmer than normal sea surface temps going into the peak of hurricane season.
NOAA’s sea surface temperature anomaly chart for March 12, 2024, shows temps 2 to 4 degrees celsius above normal from Galveston to West Africa.

This may be related to the warmest winter on record – 5.4 degrees above average through February, according to NOAA.

Below Normal Barometric Pressures in Gulf and Caribbean

The European Model is also suggesting something not seen in recent years – below normal barometric pressures in the Gulf and Caribbean.

From Hurricane Info by Meteorologist Reuben Garcia. Long-range European Model run suggests low barometric pressures in Gulf during hurricane season.

Other Factors Consistently Suggest Above-Normal Season

According to Garcia, the European model is also suggesting above normal precipitation in the Gulf and Caribbean and 50% more hurricanes than usual and 70% more accumulated cyclonic energy than usual for the Atlantic. That’s more cyclonic energy than the European model has ever predicted! And it has a pretty good track record in that department.

Garcia also points out that the most recent long-range runs of North American models are largely consistent with the European model.

Many Forecasters Agree

For many of the same reasons:

Colorado State University and the National Hurricane Center won’t release their predictions for another month or two when uncertainty is reduced.

It’s important to note that all of these forecasts are Atlantic-basin wide and probabilistic. They predict the probable volume of activity in the hemisphere, not when or where specific storms will make landfall.

More news to follow as it becomes available.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/13/24

2388 Days since Hurricane Harvey

River Grove Boat Launch Silting In Again

After being dredged twice since Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the River Grove boat launch is silting in again already. Recently, boaters started sending in pictures of boats that ran aground before reaching the main channel of the San Jacinto West Fork.

Increasingly Frequent Need for Dredging

The Army Corps dredged the area by the boat launch in December 2018 to open a path for the Kingwood Diversion Ditch (which runs through the park) to reach the West Fork.

Kayden Industries dredged it again in 2020 as part of an effort to clean out sediment deposits in front of the park’s riverfront boardwalk.

Before that, the Kingwood Service Association (KSA) used to dredge the area in front of the docks every 8-10 years, according to Ethel McCormick of Kingwood Association Management.

But now, less than four years after the last dredging, KSA had to commission a new side-scan sonar survey because of increasingly frequent complaints of groundings. The survey showed the entrance to the river channel has only 1-2 feet of depth.

Current River Bottom Depths

The area immediately in front of the docks has more depth than the area where the channel reaches the river. That suggests the main source of the sediment likely came from upriver, rather than from the Diversion Ditch. See below.

River bed depths in front of River Grove Boat Launch

Area in front of River Grove Boat Launch. River-bed depths calculated by HK Dredging in hydrographic survey dated 2/23/24. Note depths at bottom of frame.

Next Steps

KSA presented the results of the survey to its member associations at a Parks Committee Meeting on March 7, 2024. At the time of the meeting, KSA had only had time to obtain one bid. So, the committee took no action. But members agreed that something needed to be done quickly and agreed to look for additional dredging proposals.

As of this writing, KSA is exploring additional options. More news to follow as recommendations firm up. The KSA Parks Committee meets the first Thursday of every month at 7PM. In April, the full KSA Board will also have a quarterly meeting and could approve any major expenditures from the Parks Reserve Fund.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/12/2024

2387 Days since Hurricane Harvey

River Grove Boat Launch Silting In Again Already

After being dredged twice since Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the River Grove boat launch is silting in again already. Recently, boaters started sending in pictures of boats that ran aground before reaching the main channel of the San Jacinto West Fork.

Increasingly Frequent Need for Dredging

The Army Corps dredged the area by the boat launch in December 2018 to open a path for the Kingwood Diversion Ditch (which runs through the park) to reach the West Fork.

Kayden Industries dredged it again in 2020 as part of an effort to clean out sediment deposits in front of the park’s riverfront boardwalk.

Before that, the Kingwood Service Association (KSA) used to dredge the area in front of the docks every 8-10 years, according to Ethel McCormick of Kingwood Association Management.

But now, less than four years after the last dredging, KSA had to commission a new side-scan sonar survey because of increasingly frequent complaints of groundings. The survey showed the entrance to the river channel has only 1-2 feet of depth.

Current River Bottom Depths

The area immediately in front of the docks has more depth than the area where the channel reaches the river. That suggests the main source of the sediment likely came from upriver, rather than from the Diversion Ditch. See below.

Area in front of River Grove Boat Launch. River-bed depths calculated by HK Dredging in hydrographic survey dated 2/23/24.

Next Steps

KSA presented the results of the survey to its member associations at a Parks Committee Meeting on March 7, 2024. At the time of the meeting, KSA had only had time to obtain one bid. So, the committee took no action. But members agreed that something needed to be done quickly and agreed to look for additional dredging proposals.

As of this writing, KSA is exploring additional options. More news to follow as recommendations firm up. The KSA Parks Committee meets the first Thursday of every month at 7PM. In April, the full KSA Board will also have a quarterly meeting and could approve any major expenditures from the Parks Reserve Fund.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/12/2024

2387 Days since Hurricane Harvey

New Kings River Development Gets a Buzz Cut

Those who have fond memories of boot camp in the military may appreciate the buzz-cut look of Meritage Homes’ new development in Kings River. These photographs, taken on Sunday 3/10/24, speak for themselves.

Meritage Homes site. 20 acres in Phase I cleared. Looking E from over Kings Park Way.
All trees facing neighboring homes have been cleared.
Dead trees ready for trimming and transport.
Looking W from over Pinehurst Trail Drive. A large stormwater detention basin will run down the left side of the new development.

Industrial-Scale Terraforming

Contractors have shorn vegetation from the area, except for a thin strip of trees around part of the perimeter. The next step will be to start digging a detention basin and redistributing the dirt across the site. They will use the dirt to fill in wetlands and elevate home pads.

Sweeping the barbershop floor. Closer shot of tree disposal operation.
Note proximity to Meritage development to Phase II of the Trammell Crow/High Street Residential Apartment Complex in upper right along West Lake Houston Parkway. Also note last of wetlands biting the dust.

Twenty acres gone! In about a month!

The result will be rank-and-file tract homes on parade, most likely with some kind of landscaping allowance.

Enjoy the Trees While You Can

It’s not clear yet when Meritage plans to begin Phase II of its Kings River development. The company owns another 20-acre tract on the east side of Pinehurst Trail Drive.

Wooded area in center will become Phase II of the Meritage Development.

In another 20 to 30 years, the new development should blend in somewhat with the surrounding area.

In the meantime, assuming the engineering company properly configured drainage requirements and we don’t get any monster storms, Meritage may avoid adversely impacting surrounding homes with runoff.

However, the latest hurricane forecasts suggest a a highly active hurricane season for the Gulf of Mexico this year.

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda

Such developments underscore the need for community associations to purchase forested areas they want to preserve for recreation, beauty, flood-risk reduction, and protection of home values. Ironically Harris County Appraisal District valued this land at less than $400,000.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/11/24

2386 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Upstream Watersheds’ Relative Contributions to Lake Houston Area Flooding

What are upstream watersheds’ relative contributions to Lake Houston Area flooding? During a flood, where does all the water come from? Of course, it depends on how much rain falls where and when, and how long it takes to concentrate downstream. Rainfall is rarely uniform across an entire region.

But still, when considering hundreds of events over time, variations tend to average out. So, considering a hypothetical scenario that assumes a uniform distribution of rain can yield useful insights for planning flood-mitigation and conservation efforts.

Revisiting the January Flood

During late January 2024, the north and west Houston areas experienced widespread flooding. Even though most of the rain didn’t fall around Lake Houston, excess stormwater worked its way downstream over several days and wound up flooding the area. This caused widespread confusion.

During the event, many people put all the blame for downstream flooding on the 19,500 cubic-foot-per-second release from Lake Conroe. However, river gages showed upstream flooding in other watersheds as well. They included Lake Creek, Cypress Creek, Spring Creek and the West Fork below Lake Conroe.

Rainfall is rarely uniformly distributed across a region as large as Houston. But it’s not just how much falls where. The size of a watershed and how it converges with others also affect downstream flooding.

Hypothetical Uniformly Distributed 100-Year Rainfall

That prompted an interesting question that I asked Jeff Lindner, Harris County’s meteorologist.

Given uniform rainfall throughout the region, how much would each upstream watershed contribute to Lake Houston Area flooding during a 100-year rain?

Lindner worked with engineers at the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) to calculate the volumes below. Eleven different watersheds from seven counties feed into Lake Houston.

The table below summarizes their size in square miles, calculates the acre-feet of runoff in a 100-year event, and then determines each watershed’s percentage of the total passing through Lake Houston.

Upstream watersheds’ relative contributions to Lake Houston Area flooding. Assumes uniform distribution of rainfall throughout region.

The map below shows the location of each of the eleven contributing watersheds with the percentages above superimposed.

Map courtesy of SJRA. Percentages courtesy of Jeff Lindner and SJRA. Only watersheds draining through Lake Houston were considered for this exercise.

Observations

What can we conclude from these numbers? If rainfall is evenly distributed across the region:

  • Lake Conroe releases aren’t the only thing contributing to Lake Houston Area floods. SJRA controls only 13% of the runoff. That’s because the Lake Conroe Dam is the only dam in the eleven watersheds draining into Lake Houston.
  • Watersheds vary radically in their size – 7.5X. So we need to be careful when generalizing about the contribution of different areas to flooding.
  • 37% of the runoff coming into Lake Houston comes via the East Fork San Jacinto and its sub-watersheds.
  • 63% comes under the I-69 bridge into the West Fork between Humble and Kingwood.
  • 35% of the region’s drainage comes down the West Fork and passes through an area between I-45 and I-69 with 20 square miles of sand mines.
  • In total, almost 2 million acre feet will drain into Lake Houston during a 100-year rain.

The implications of that last fact for flood mitigation are enormous.

The total volume of water during a 1% (100-year) storm reaching Lake Houston would fill Lake Conroe 4.75 times.

One hydrologist I consulted for this post said, “I don’t know the exact amount of detention storage needed to significantly reduce flooding risks in Kingwood, but it will probably be at least another Lake Conroe’s worth of storage. That may help drive home the challenge facing HCFCD, SJRA, COH, and Montgomery County.”

And the money to accomplish that will likely take State and Federal backing.

Reviewing watersheds’ relative contributions to Lake Houston Area flooding may also be helpful in:

  • Visualizing where water comes from in a flood.
  • Determining the optimal locations for potential, regional, stormwater-detention basins/dams, such as those proposed along tributaries of Spring Creek.
  • Focusing conservation efforts, such as the Bayou Land Conservancy’s recent dedication of a preserve along Lake Creek.
  • Controlling sedimentation, i.e., planning for the retirement of West Fork sand mines, which have become leaky sieves.
  • Sand-trap placement.

As always, nothing clears brain fog faster than clean data, well summarized and presented. My thanks to Jeff Lindner and the SJRA for their help with this post.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/10/24

2385 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Entergy Ignores City Deadline to Move Northpark Power Lines

Today, Entergy missed yet another deadline in a long series of deadlines to move its power lines to make room for Northpark Drive expansion.

On February 6, the City of Houston sent a letter to Entergy, demanding that the company move its power lines out of the City’s right of way within 30 days. That would have given them until March 8 to comply. But as of today, March 9, 2024, not one of the poles had moved.

The City’s agent, Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10, first asked Entergy to move the poles four years ago. This is just another in a long line of disappointments that have delayed the Northpark Drive Expansion Project – driving up taxpayer costs, increasing flood risk, and snarling traffic.

Last month, Entergy refused to provide ReduceFlooding.com with a copy of its response to the City. And today, Entergy did not return a phone call explaining why the company ignored the City deadline.

Before/After Photos

Here’s how the north-side/west-bound expansion area near the UP tracks looked before the City sent its demand letter.

Entergy power poles in the way of Northpark expansion
Photo taken Jan. 13, 2024, before City sent letter to Entergy.

And here’s how the same area looked this morning. Not one pole has moved as a result of the City’s February 6 letter.

Photo taken around noon on March 9, more than 30 days after letter was sent. Nothing has moved.
Reverse angle. Looking E along Northpark at endless backups and poles still in original locations. Also taken March 9th.

As I took these photos Saturday near noon, traffic was backed up more than a mile!

Clash over Cash

In the past, Entergy asked for compensation to move its poles. But according to an LHRA spokesperson, compensation is not allowable under Texas law because the poles were in a City right of way and not covered by an easement. Thus, any payment would have constituted a “gift of public funds,” which the Texas Constitution prohibits. 

Entergy was, however, legally entitled to compensation for moving buried wires in an easement near the Exxon station at US59. Entergy had agreed to move them for $711,000 near Christmas last year. However…

Entergy still has not moved buried wires or a transformer near the Exxon station at US59.

…within days after the disagreement about payment for relocating the poles, Entergy’s asking price to move the underground wires mysteriously increased by half a million dollars. Simultaneously, their cost estimate went from line item to lump sum – without itemization. Since then, the asking price has increased another $200,000 without explanation.

Previous Communications with Entergy

City of Houston held Utility Coordination Meetings with Entergy on 10/8/20, 12/10/20, 01/14/21, 2/11/21, 3/11/21, 2/10/22, 3/10/22, and 4/14/22.

In addition, the City also emailed Entergy’s Utility Relocation consultant on 12/07/20, 06/21/21, 06/30/22, 07/22/22, 08/19/22, 09/20/22, 10/21/22, 01/11/23, 01/24/23, 03/03/23, 05/17/23, 07/19/23, 08/23/23, 10/16/23, 10/26/23, 12/01/23, and 12/13/24, 01/16/24.

I don’t care to speculate on the motives for Entergy’s lethargy. However, I’m pretty certain that if this goes to court, the entire project could be delayed years.

You can draw your own conclusions and point fingers where you will.

If there was ever any doubt, Entergy now knows that one of the main goals of Northpark Expansion is to provide an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 Kingwood and Porter residents. Personally, I hate feeling like a pawn in Entergy’s game.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/9/24

2384 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.

TxDOT, LHRA Engage Kingwood at Northpark Phase II Meeting

On 3/7/24, TxDOT, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ10 and the City of Houston hosted an open house at the Kingwood Community Center to share detailed project plans at a Northpark Phase II Meeting. The informal “come-and-go-when-you want” style of the meeting gave authorities a chance to mingle with residents and solicit their feedback on plans.

Two hundred and forty-six people attended the Phase II meeting in person or virtually.

Objectives of Project

In addition to reducing traffic congestion, one of the main goals is to elevate Northpark Drive above the 100-year floodplain to create an all-weather evacuation route for area residents. Other goals include preparing for anticipated growth and improving pedestrian/bicycle safety.

Different Lanes for Different Pains

As with Phase I, roads will be elevated. Lanes will be both added and widened. Eleven-foot-wide lanes will expand to 12 feet. And 10-foot-wide sidewalks will be added, enabling bicyclists and pedestrians to pass each other easily.

Proposed improvements to Northpark Drive extend from 750 feet east of Russell Palmer Road to 800 feet east of Woodland Hills Drive, in Harris and Montgomery Counties. The project would include the reconstruction and widening of approximately one mile of Northpark Drive from a four-lane to a six-lane roadway.

TXDoT broke Phase II into three sections based on current lane configurations and traffic conditions.

  • Section A starts about halfway between Russell-Palmer and the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and goes up to the Ditch. “A” also includes the Woodland Hills/Northpark Drive Intersection.
  • Section B goes from the Ditch to the start of the Northpark Place Commercial Association.
  • Section C includes businesses inside Kingwood almost to Woodland Hills, where Section A restarts.

The three lanes would include two 12-foot-wide main lanes in each direction; left and right turning lanes; and 1-foot-wide outside/inside shoulders.

The area where the grassy median is today would be repurposed to use as turning lanes or additional travel lanes.

TxDOT

The wooden pylon sign that says “Kingwood” will go. However, according to Dee Price, KSA President, the serpentine wall that heralds “The Livable Forest” would remain after construction.

Reconstruction will also include new signals at the Woodland Hills Drive and Hidden Pines Drive intersections.

To reduce flooding, the project also includes new drainage features, such as open ditches, curb-and-gutter, and one stormwater-detention basin in a location yet to be determined.

See additional details about what will happen in each section in this presentation or these meeting handouts.

Still Time to Provide Public Comment

If you missed the meeting last night, you can still provide public input. Review the materials above and send your comments via:

  • Email to: hou-piowebmail@txdot.gov
  • Mail to:
    • TxDOT Houston District
    • Advanced Project Development Director
    • P.O.Box 1386
    • Houston, Texas 77251-1386

If you own a business along Northpark, don’t miss this preliminary schematic construction diagram that shows rights of way and more plan details.

Business owners especially need to understand how a change in traffic patterns could affect their businesses.

Construction is still several years away. The most likely start date: 2027. Between now and then, project managers will focus on environmental surveys, detailed design, and right-of-way acquisition.

Upcoming Schedule

LHRA has also provided a three-week look-ahead schedule to show you what will happen when.

Two important items on it include:

  • Starting on March 11, one lane will close on Russell Palmer during installation of the temporary signals.
  • The water line to Parkwood Baptist Church which held up construction has now been repaired. A crew will soon splice in the missing piece of culvert with a concrete sleeve to tie adjacent sections together.

For More Information

For more information about the project including Phase I, visit the project pages of the LHRA/Tirz 10 website. Or see these posts on ReduceFlooding:

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/8/24

2383 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Preliminary Recommendations for Kingwood Diversion Ditch Announced

On 3/6/24, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) revealed its preliminary recommendations for the Kingwood Diversion Ditch. The recommendations come out of a preliminary engineering report (PER) for the project. And HCFCD is still soliciting public comments.

Recommendations from Preliminary Engineering Report

HCFCD initially considered three alternative scenarios and dismissed one. It then spent most of last night’s meeting comparing the other two and discussing why it preferred one.

The proposed project alternative recommends:

  • Channel conveyance improvements to the Diversion Ditch
  • A diversion structure at the intersection of the Diversion Ditch and Bens Branch to take enough water out of Bens Branch to bring it up from a 2-year level of service to a 100-year level.
  • Bridge replacements at Kingwood Drive, Walnut Lane, Deer Ridge Estates Boulevard and the pedestrian bridge at Lake Village Drive
  • A new outfall to the West Fork San Jacinto River.

The bridges at Northpark Drive will also be rebuilt, but as part of the Northpark Expansion Project.

The ultimate goal of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch Project is to reduce the risk of structural flooding associated with the Bens Branch channel.

HCFCD

Improvements to One Channel Improve Another

The Kingwood Diversion Ditch is a man-made channel that was constructed prior to 1978. The channel diverted excess stormwater from Bens Branch and gave it an alternate route to the West Fork of the San Jacinto River.

The two channels largely operate as one unit. But HCFCD has room to expand the ditch and not Bens Branch. That’s because large portions of the Bens Branch Channel remain natural and are flanked by greenbelt trails, near and dear to the hearts of residents.

The Kingwood Diversion Ditch, however, has ample right of way and room for expansion. Even though, the Diversion Ditch operates at 100% of its design capacity, expansion of the Diversion Ditch can reduce the water surface elevation along Bens Branch without destroying the natural character of the stream.

The two alternatives that made the initial cut each recommended widening and deepening the Diversion Ditch channel. Exact dimensions/increases, however, will not become clear until final construction plans are developed.

Proposed widths for the bottom of the channel could vary from 10-80 feet. Top of channel widths could vary from 150-190 feet.

HCFCD said only that widths would vary along different portions of the channel and that, altogether both channels should be able to handle 100-year rains when the project is complete. The Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis revealed that portions of Ben’s Branch flooded in a 2-year rain.

The screen capture below shows benefits of the recommended alternative (#3).

HCFCD recommended Alternative #3 because of savings on maintenance.

Money Not Yet Identified to Fund Improvements

However, money does not currently exist to fund ANY of the three options. Almost seven years after Harvey, only $3.9 million has been committed. But costs are estimated at $54.5 million.

Screen capture from PER review meeting.

HCFCD emphasized that it always looks for funding. The District laid out a sequence of future events. Next steps:

  • Present the preliminary engineering report to commissioners court in two weeks.
  • Commission final design
  • Additional community engagement meeting
  • Secure funding
  • Begin construction

Need for Local Disaster-Mitigation Funding

The funding challenges, almost seven years after Harvey when the sense of urgency has dissipated, underscore the need for communities everywhere to plan for their own flood mitigation.

We can’t expect the federal government to ride to the rescue for every issue in every community. People in Kentucky don’t want to pay for our Diversion Ditch any more than people in Kingwood want to pay for a Diversion Ditch in Kentucky.

Still Time for Public Comment

You can see video of the meeting and the full presentation here. HCFCD will accept public comments through March 20:

  • At hcfcd.org/F-14, or
  • Via phone at 855-925-2801 with Meeting Code: 6701

Northpark Phase II Meeting Tonight

Switching gears, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority will hold a separate meeting tonight at the Kingwood Community Center from 5-7PM to discuss plans for the second phase of Northpark Drive Expansion. Hope to see you there.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/7/2024

2382 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Diversion Ditch Meeting Tonight; Northpark Phase II Tomorrow

Tonight, Harris County Flood Control (HCFCD) will discuss the results of a preliminary engineering review on the Kingwood Diversion Ditch at a virtual meeting from 6:30 to 7:30. The objective: to find the optimal alternative for:

  • Returning the Diversion Ditch to a hundred-year level of service
  • Pushing back the floodplain from homes and businesses
  • Reducing future maintenance costs
  • Controlling overall costs
  • Significant reduction in water surface elevation along Bens Branch and the Diversion Ditch.

For those of you who may not be familiar with ditch names, The Kingwood Diversion Ditch splits off Ben’s Branch just south of the new St. Martha’s Catholic Church, about a block north of the fireworks stand on Northpark (see below).

Where water gets diverted from Bens Branch (running diagonally through center of frame) in tree line. Diversion ditch center then goes under Northpark Drive, foreground, on its way to River Grove Park.

It then cuts south toward Kingwood Drive next to the HPD Fire Station, and then continues its way to the West Fork snaking its way through Trailwood Village and past Deer Ridge Park. It then joins the San Jacinto at River Grove Park.

White = Diversion Ditch. Red = Bens Branch. Green = Possible new outfall.

The Diversion Ditch got its name because it diverts water from Bens Branch (red above), which cuts diagonally through the heart of Kingwood. It therefore reduces flooding in all neighborhoods south and west of the red line.

That’s one reason why the Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis named it the most important drainage project in Kingwood. It affects more people than any other project in the entire area.

Features of Various Options

Features of the various options presented tonight will include:

  • Expanding conveyance of the Diversion Ditch
  • Adding a drop structure to reduce erosion
  • Creating a new outfall to the West Fork
  • New, wider bridges over the Diversion Ditch
  • Improved street drainage
  • Creating a natural stable channel design in certain areas with riffles and pools.

This is your opportunity to provide community input on the recommendations before final design begins.

How/When to Join Meeting

The Virtual Community Engagement Meeting will be held on:

March 6, 2024

6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Join online at: www.publicinput.com/Kingwood2

Or by phone* at 855-925-2801 with Meeting Code: 6701

Organization of Meeting

The meeting will begin with a brief presentation to share project updates, followed by a moderated Q&A session with Flood Control District team members.

How to Submit Public Comments

Residents will be able to submit questions, comments and input before, during and after the meeting, which will be considered during project development. Any comments not addressed during the Q&A session will receive a response at the conclusion of the public comment period.

You may submit comments in any one of three ways from March 6, 2024 (tonight) to March 20, 2024.

Any questions not addressed during tonight’s Q&A will receive a response from the Flood Control District after the event. Meeting information and video will be available on:

This is in Addition to the Northpark Phase II Meeting

This is not the only flood-related meeting this week. So don’t get confused. There’s another one tomorrow night, March 7 from 5-7 in-person at the Kingwood Community Center to discuss Northpark Phase II. That one will be sponsored by TxDOT, LHRA, TIRZ-10, and CoH. Please join your neighbors for both meetings.

Posted by Bob Rehak on March 6, 2024

2381 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Reminder: Northpark Phase II Input Meeting Thursday, 5-7 PM

TxDOT, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA), City of Houston and Tax Increment Redevelopment Zone (TIRZ) 10 will solicit public comments at a Northpark Phase II Input Meeting, from 5-7PM Thursday, March 7 at the Kingwood Community Center.

A significant part of the effort to provide an all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood in the event of another superstorm, such as Hurricane Harvey.

Current Northpark Drive looking west toward 59. Major crossroad in center of frame is Woodland Hills Drive. Extent of project would go from bottom of frame to treeless area in distance.

Phase II will run from slightly west of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch to slightly east of Woodland Hills Drive. Part of the mile-long project falls in Montgomery County and part in Harris County. 

Purpose of Project

The purpose of the project is to address current and increasing traffic congestion. Utility and drainage features will also be upgraded.

And to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians, the project will include a new pedestrian underpass and 10-foot wide sidewalks that connect to the Kingwood trail system.

The TxDOT announcement provides a few of the details:

  • To improve commute times, the roadway will expand to three lanes in each direction and include turn lanes.
  • To improve safety, lane width will also increase.
  • The proposed reconstruction will include new signals at the Woodland Hills Drive and Hidden Pines Drive. 
  • To improve drainage and make Northpark passable in high water events so Kingwood residents have an all-weather evacuation route.

No Home Or Business Structures Expected to be Impacted at This Time

TxDOT does not anticipate impacting any home or business structures at this time. But strips of property that front on the roadway will need to be acquired. For additional details, see this TxDOT page or a schematic drawing on this LHRA page.

Meeting Details

LHRA and TxDOT will discuss plans for the next phase of the project. It will reach past Woodland Hills Drive. 

Thursday, March 7, 2024
from 5-7 p.m.
Kingwood Park Community Center
4102 Rustic Woods Dr.
Kingwood, TX 77345

Part of Northpark Phase II

The Northpark Expansion project will not only move traffic faster, it will create an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 people in the Kingwood and Porter areas. During Harvey, other evacuation routes were cut off.

Pictures of Major Features

The pictures below show the way things exist now. Captions will describe the changes.

West is Up. Note Walgreens on south side of NP (top left) and Exxon on north side (top right). Three lanes of traffic will continue outbound and continue past bottom of frame inbound. Turning lanes widened and added.
Pedestrian underpass will be added between the Walmart Parking Lot (right) on the north and McDonalds/Executive Barber Shop (shown on the left). Road will be elevated as over other underpasses in Kingwood.

The underpass will improve safety for thousands of Kingwood Park High School, Kingwood Montessori, Creativity Shell, and Village Learning Center students.

Looking W along Northpark. Elevated roadway and new bridges over Bens Branch by St. Martha’s (upper right out of frame) will improve safety during high water events.

In addition, the road will be widened to at least three lanes, from US59 until approximately 1,000 feet east of Woodland Hills Drive.

Who Should Attend?

  • Any whose evacuation route was cut off during Harvey
  • Anyone who commutes along Northpark
  • Parents of Kingwood Park High School Students
  • Business owners in the Northpark Place Commercial Association
  • Anyone who flooded along Northpark, North Woodland Hills
  • Anyone who flooded downstream because of Bens Branch
  • Anyone who flooded along the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

That’s because Northpark drainage is intricately connected with Diversion Ditch and Bens Branch Drainage.

Your input is vital to ensure the project remains consistent with your needs and community norms.

Please come. Speak now or forever hold your peace, as they say in wedding ceremonies. Many will to have to live with this project for the rest of their lives.

For More Information

For more information about the project including construction plans, visit the project pages of the LHRA/Tirz 10 website. Or see these posts on ReduceFlooding:

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/5/24

2380 Days since Hurricane Harvey