News Archives - Page 69 of 282

Northpark Flooded at Russell Palmer

Saturday night, Northpark flooded at the intersection of Russell Palmer and it remained flooded this morning.

On Saturday, 4/21/24 at 4:46 PM, Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner communicated a flash flood advisory. He also warned of street flooding. And it happened. But the amount of rain at this location should not have caused flooding that lasted more than 12 hours.

1.72 Inches of Rain in About 12 Hours

According to the Harris County Flood Control Gage at the San Jacinto West Fork and US59, the western Kingwood area received 1.72 inches last night and this morning. The peak was 1.12 inches between 5 and 6 PM on Saturday, just minutes after Lindner’s warning.

Most streets handled the volume with only temporary ponding near storm drain inlets. But Northpark flooded near the construction zone at Russell Palmer Road. Saturday night, police had barricaded the westbound lanes.

*Photo Courtesy of Eric Hayes, taken Saturday night after the 1.12 inches in an hour.*

Looking West At Intersection Sunday Morning

As of this morning at 9 AM, Northpark remained flooded and police had erected barricades. But cars were running around them and plowing through water over their bumpers.

*Looking W along Northpark at Russell Palmer intersection, Sunday, 4/21/24 at 9AM.*

What happened?

*Closer shot looking E shows depth of water where cars snaked around barriers.*

Motorists, especially young ones, should know that if water gets over a car’s tailpipe, it will cause the engine to stall. And it could lead to expensive repairs.

*Looking W again at vehicles evading barricades*

Why Northpark Flooded

It’s not unusual for water to collect like this during intense storms. But it is unusual for it to stand like this for 15 hours.

Water in the Diversion Ditch and Bens Branch was slightly elevated this morning, but not very high. And there was barely a trickle of water entering the Diversion Ditch from the new Northpark culvert. That makes me suspect a drain was blocked somewhere.

*Looking E at extent of culvert placement.*

Before arriving at the scene this morning, I feared that the blockage might have been farther west. I saw contractors working on a junction box Friday afternoon about a hundred yards west of where Northpark flooded.

However, it appears that water in the ditch was flowing into the culvert.

*Looking E. Water flowing through area where contractors were installing junction box.*

So I suspect the trouble may be at the intersection itself. I reviewed the pictures I took Friday afternoon before the rain. It shows that the intersection is serviced by at least three drains.

*Location of three drains circled in red at flooded intersection*. *Photo taken before rain.*

This seems like a logical place to start looking for an explanation as to why Northpark flooded. This was the first test for the new drainage at this intersection. I’m sure Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA) and its contractors will be out there soon diagnosing the problem. In the meantime, take alternate routes out of Kingwood.

This whole intersection will eventually be raised to the height of the manhole cover in the very first photo above. That should eliminate Northpark flooding problems at this location. But that will also take some time.

I will let you know what the contractors and LHRA find.

For More Information

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

Posted by Bob Rehak on Sunday, 4/21/24 at noon

2427 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Entergy Makes Some Northpark Progress, but Significant Issues Remain

Entergy has made more progress on the Northpark Drive expansion project in the last two weeks than in the previous four years. But despite what you see in the photos below, significant issues remain to clear the way for the first all-weather evacuation route from Kingwood.

Some Progress, But…

Last week, Entergy, a $4 billion company in Texas, erected nine new power poles outside of the City’s right of way. This week, their contractor, Primoris Services, started the process of stringing wire. That’s good news. Really!

But unseen obstacles could still delay the project significantly. For instance:

Who will pay for moving Entergy’s ground-mounted transformer and associated power lines near the Exxon Station at US59? Entergy reportedly still wants the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA) to pay for upgrading and moving the transformer and buried cables. LHRA insists that’s an illegal ask because it would constitute a gift of public funds.
More power poles remain near Loop 494 that will be difficult to move because of conflicts with new storm drains.
Entergy must tunnel under rail tracks.
Entergy reportedly still refuses to commit to completion dates for moving its equipment.

Will Entergy Beat Union Pacific?

If Entergy does not resolve issues near the railroad tracks before Union Pacific crews arrive to install new signals and improve the road bed, the project could be delayed years.

Union Pacific reportedly has two crews that rotate through 27 states handling such issues. If we miss them this year, the Northpark project goes to the back of a very long line, according to Ralph De Leon, Northpark project manager for LHRA.

Entergy has already blown a City deadline to move its equipment by March 8. So they have already missed a 30-day deadline by 42 days. But according De Leon, Entergy still refuses to commit to any completion dates.

Ray of Hope

According to Houston Public Works (HPW), Entergy has assigned a new project manager and team to the project. This could be a sign of good things to come.

HPW Senior Division Manager Patrick Nguyen says the City is working with Entergy to resolve easement issues that could result in construction delays and cost escalation. Mayor John Whitmire, who is committed to seeing the project through, has reportedly asked Nguyen to act as an arbitrator.

In an email received today, Nguyen said that “Entergy has assigned a new project manager along with a team to the project.” While diplomatically expressing hope, he did not elaborate further.

Progress Last Week

All nine poles erected last week had pulleys and rope or cables threaded through them when I took these photos today. According to one expert I talked to, crews will use the rope or cables to “pull wire.”

*Close up (top left) of cables/ropes and pulleys that will be used to pull new electrical wires from pole to pole.*

Compare old and new poles in lower left. Once wire is pulled to a pole, it will be attached to the tip of the insulator.

Moving the poles farther from the street will create room for a six lane bridge plus two turn lanes on each side of the bridge (to meet TXDoT requirements).

LHRA first notified Entergy to move its equipment in 2020. Entergy still won’t commit to a completion date.

Other Northpark News

Contractors are smoothing out the dirt placed over the culverts between the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and Russell Palmer Road.

*Looking west toward Kingwood Diversion Ditch from over Russell Palmer Road*

Northpark will expand inwards. Contractors will pour two lanes of concrete in the dirt-covered area above. If I read the schedule correctly, paving in the area above could start within the next two weeks.

West of Russell Palmer (below), contractors buried almost another hundred yards of 6’x8′ culvert last week. Weather permitting, and if they can keep up that same rate of progress, they should be to the railroad tracks in another three months or so.

*Looking west along Northpark. Last week, culvert crews were barely past the Shipleys Donut sign the lower right.*

However, the culvert will not go all the way to the tracks down the median. As it approaches the point where the bridge starts to rise, it will veer to the right and go under the turn lanes where Entergy is moving back its poles.

For More Information

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

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/19/24

2425 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.

Flood Digest: Flooding, Planning and More

Below is a digest of seven flood-related items in the news lately.

Dubai Floods

On April 18, 2024, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates saw the heaviest flooding in 75 years. That’s as far back as their records go. Dubai began data collection efforts in 1949. The floods followed several cloud-seeding flights. They probably did not cause the heavy rain, but many believe they contributed to it. Highways, the airport and large parts of the city were under water.

“By the end of Tuesday, more than 142 millimeters (5.59 inches) of rainfall had soaked Dubai over 24 hours. An average year sees 94.7 millimeters (3.73 inches) of rain at Dubai International Airport,” said the AP. Wave after wave of thunderstorms from a strong low-pressure system triggered heavy rains in neighboring Oman that killed 19 people.

Sally Geiss, a former Kingwood resident, sent me a link to a dramatic collection of videos of the flooding on NotTheBee.com.

Regional Flood Planning Group Recommendations

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has approved amendments to the first-ever regional flood plans. They recommend additional solutions to reduce the risk and impact of flooding across the state. The amendments bring the total estimated cost of flood-risk-reduction solutions for all 15 planning regions to more than $54 billion.

Significantly, 30 of the flood-mitigation projects could provide water-supply solutions if implemented.

All of the flood-risk-reduction solutions recommended in the amended regional flood plans should be included in the 2024 State Flood Plan. That will make them eligible for funding through the State’s Flood Infrastructure Fund.

San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group

The San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group – Region 6 is currently underway to solicit a technical consultant for the second planning cycle.

Harris County will advertise a request for qualifications (RFQ) within the coming weeks. The RFQ selection and process will follow standard Harris County procurement procedures.

Interested? The flood planning group provided this link to monitor opportunities:
https://purchasing.harriscountytx.gov/Services/Online-Solicitation-Opportunities.

Harris County Purchasing

County Judge Lina Hidalgo held a press conference last week in which she blasted Harris County purchasing procedures. She wants to change them. According to Hidalgo, RFQs for Flood Control, Engineering and the Toll Road Authority are approved without bidding or documentation.

In virtually all cases, Purchasing rubber stamps the recommendations of Commissioners, according to Hidalgo. And she says that 93% of those approved contributed heavily to commissioners.

Here’s a link to her press conference video.

*Lina Hidalgo Press Conference on Purchasing*

She starts about 15-20 minutes into the video, and there’s a Spanish translation at the end. So it’s not as long as it looks.

Hidalgo based her allegations on a series of audit reports of the purchasing department, which were previously publicized by the Houston Chronicle.

Hidalgo never mentioned her own legal troubles re: the Elevate Strategies contract.

Kingwood Open House

Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey’s office is hosting a Kingwood Open House on Thursday, April 25, 2024 between 6:30 and 8 PM at the Kingwood High School, 2701 Kingwood Drive.

The focus will be on infrastructure improvements and include representatives from Precinct 3, City of Houston, San Jacinto River Authority, and Harris County Flood Control District.

The Woodlands MUD Elections

In Texas, Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) have the legal authority to partner with other governmental agencies such as the Texas Water Development Board and Harris County Flood Control District for flood-mitigation projects.

Early voting for The Woodlands Municipal Utility District directors begins on April 22 at the Shenandoah Municipal Complex.

In preparation, The Woodlands Township Future Group will sponsor an informative talk by Robert Leilich, Director of the Board of The Woodlands MUD #1 and Erich M Peterson, PE, General Manager of the Woodlands Water Agency.

Their topic: “All You wanted to Know about Municipal Utility Districts.”

Date: Monday, April 22, 2024

Time: 7 pm to 8 pm

Please copy the link below and paste in a browser to join the presentation via Zoom:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82866382552?pwd=IB2JnUwSD96Tq68oZLygYaNPRTbWT4.1

Passcode: 346862

The discussion of Municipal Utility Districts will cover:

What is a MUD?

What services do MUDs provide The Woodlands?
Who determines and directs the activities of a MUD?
What is The Woodlands Water Agency (also known as WoodlandsWater) and what is its relationship to MUDs in The Woodlands?

Emergency Habitability Repairs

The City of Houston Planning Department publishes a weekly Permit Activity Report. I usually scan it for development projects in the Lake Houston Area. But in the last few weeks, I have noticed something else that’s highly interesting.

There’s an extremely high correlation between “emergency habitability repairs” and proximity to drainage ditches and bayous with a reputation for flooding, such as Greens Bayou.

In one of the previous reports, I found that 90% of the emergency repairs happened in apartment complexes right on the banks of Greens or within a block of it.

This should underscore the risk of living close to waterways. Even though the permit applications may not have immediately followed a flood, they may have resulted from problems, such as mold that build up after floods.

I intend to follow this trend and report more when I have more data.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/18/24

2424 Days since Hurricane Harvey

GLO Announces HUD Disaster Relief Deadline Extension

4/17/24 – While addressing Houston City Council this morning, Texas General Land Office (GLO) Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has given the City and Harris County a two-year extension on the use of Harvey Disaster Relief funds.

Without this extension, the City of Houston and Harris County would have had until February 2025 to spend these funds. This extension means Harris County communities and communities in another 48 Harvey impacted counties will have an opportunity for more time to finish projects.

*GLO Commissioner Dawn Buckingham (purple dress) surrounded by Houston City Council and Mayor John Whitmire.*

The GLO administers all HUD funds within the State of Texas.

Extension Needed to Complete Projects

The extension became necessary because time is running out to use the funds allocated by HUD several years ago. The delays were caused in part by distrust.

Under a previous mayor, Houston repeatedly failed to meet deadlines for the expenditure of funds. Eventually, GLO had to take over administration of several City programs. And a HUD investigation found irregularities in City programs.

The City and Harris County were also late in submitting project lists to the GLO. Twenty-two months after learning they would receive hundreds of millions of dollars, the two entities still hadn’t submitted project lists to use the money.

By the time Houston and Harris County submitted project lists, time was running short and fear of HUD clawbacks set in.

Today’s announcement means that $322 million worth of projects can move forward with a high degree of confidence that they will be successfully completed and reimbursed.

The announcement affects HUD Disaster Relief funds, which had the tightest deadlines. HUD Mitigation funds have more time.

The Mayor and several City Council Members including Twila Carter (an at-large member who lives in Kingwood) talked about “hitting the relationship reset button” in a positive way. The smiles and positive comments lasted 45 minutes. The sense of relief was palpable.

Mayor John Whitmire, who previously worked with Commissioner Buckingham in the Texas Senate, emphasized the importance of trust. He said that people were “hungry to see government working again.”

Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, helped stabilize strained Harris County relations with the GLO and attended the meeting.

Need to Find Displaced Families

The Council discussion also included several other topics including the high cost of insurance and affordable housing. Commissioner Buckingham emphasized that she herself lived below the poverty line while growing up “until the age of 35.”

Buckingham also announced the launch of a collaborative outreach effort to seek out Houstonians who were displaced under former Mayor Turner’s tenure and not offered relocation assistance.

Approximately 900 families at four apartment complexes that received HUD disaster relief funding should have been offered money to move. But they were not.

Now, it’s hard to find those displaced families. Buckingham and Whitmire announced a collaborative effort with community groups to help find those people. Once found, they can apply for the assistance they deserved, but didn’t get.

“We will use many resources to find these Houstonians, including outreach through schools, churches, and faith organizations, Houston Public Works, food banks, and community organizations,” said Commissioner Buckingham.

The four apartment complexes include:

Monticello Square Apartments
5312 Clarewood Drive, Houston 77081
Buyout date: August 24, 2021

Spring Village Apartments
11810 Chimney Rock Road, Houston 77035
Buyout date: June 2, 2021

Biscayne at City View
17030 & 17050 Imperial Valley Drive, Houston 77060
Buyout date: Nov. 17, 2021

Appian Way Apartments
3200 N. MacGregor Way, Houston 77004
Buyout date: May 5, 2021

Affected residents of these apartment complexes should visit recovery.texas.gov/URAHouston for information on eligibility for assistance. Or they can contact the URA Assistance Program at:

19219 Katy Freeway, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77094
Telephone: 281-925-7155 or 1-844-893-8937 (toll free)
Fax: 832-582-2580
Email: cdr@recovery.texas.gov

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/17/2024

2423 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Royal Pines Construction Begins

Royal Pines, a new, 150-acre development in Porter at the north end of West Lake Houston Parkway (WLHP) is mobilizing for construction. The developer began clearing and grading the site in April 2022. By September 2022, they finished. And by October 2022, they were flooding neighbors.

For the past 18 months, they’ve been working on building two detention basins to help solve the flooding problems as they finalized their drainage and construction plans. They recently received Montgomery County permits and are now mobilizing for construction.

In response to a FOIA Request, Montgomery County supplied the drainage impact analysis and construction plans today. But they are far too large to post here. They include 314 pages of technical drawings. And they total almost 400 megabytes. So I will provide a brief summary now and provide more detail after I dig deeper.

Two Phases, Three Sections in First

According to the drainage impact analysis, construction will take place in two phases.

The developer, Starlight Homes Texas, LLC, owns land in the floodplain and floodway of White Oak Creek. Approximately 40 acres – almost a third of the site – will be used for recreation and green space, but not homes.

The first phase of construction will have three sections clustered near the current northern terminus of WLHP. WHLP will later be extended farther north. Plans for Phase II have not yet been completed or approved.

*Purple Area will be developed in Phase I and have three sections. Red area will be Phase II.*

Altogether, the development will have 448 homes. About two thirds will be on 40′ wide x 125′ long, 1/8th acre lots. The rest will be 10 feet longer.

Drainage Impact Analysis Claims No Adverse Impacts

The drainage impact analysis was based on 2018 Lidar data and NOAA’s Atlas-14 rainfall probability statistics. Both are current.

Part of the site used to drain toward WLHP. But the drainage was altered during grading. Now, all but 2.5 acres flows to the two detention basins and White Oak Creek.

*Western stormwater detention basin. Property in background flooded several times before basin was built.*

*Eastern stormwater detention basin does not quite follow schematic layout. It sits where White Oak Creek cut across property during a 5-year rain.*

The drainage impact analysis provides a summary for how the detention basins will perform in 25- and 100-year storms. In either event and in either direction (White Oak or WLHP), the claimed post-development runoff is less than the pre-development. See table below.

*From Page 15 of Drainage Impact Study by DE Corp., 10/9/23.*

The drainage impact analysis makes a great deal about how the total discharge beats requirements by such a large margin. However, keep in mind that the analysis does not yet include runoff from Phase II.

The engineer, Amy Dziuk, makes a point that the surplus capacity will be used later for Phase II. She claims that Phase I will “not cause adverse impacts to the receiving waterways or surrounding areas.”

Photos of Equipment and Materials Being Staged

I took these photos on 4/15/24. Concrete and HDPE pipe as well as heavy equipment are scattered throughout Phase I of the site. See below.

*Looking south toward Country Colony at equipment and materials being pre-positioned.*

*Green pipe is usually used for sewage or drain lines.* *Blue carries water.*

*Section 3, Phase I west of Country Colony*

I also saw men cleaning the entrance to the site and repairing silt fence.

*Looking S at north end of WLHP from entrance to Royal Pines*

Perhaps the attention to housekeeping in the photo above will be a good omen. Let’s hope they keep it up.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/16/2024

2422 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.

Northpark Culvert Installation Resumes

Northpark culvert installation resumed in a major way last week.

For several months, utility conflicts stalled installation of the 6’x8′ box culverts down the center of Northpark Drive. During preparation of the center ditch, contractors found gas lines buried at insufficient depth.

With those conflicts now resolved, according to Project Manager Ralph De Leon, installation of the box culverts can now resume. When contractors complete the culverts, dirt will be placed on top of them, and then two lanes of pavement on top of the dirt. The result will be a Northpark Drive that expands inward instead of outward. It will create three lanes in each direction…that should not flood like the thoroughfare currently does.

The expansion project has two primary goals:

Get more people in and out of Kingwood faster…
…in all weather conditions, even when other thoroughfares are cut off by flooding.

During Hurricane Harvey, West Lake Houston Parkway, Hamblen, Kingwood Drive, and parts of Mills Branch Road were all blocked by rising floodwaters.

Pictures of Installation Progress as of 4/15/24

Since my last post on 4/8/24, contractors completed installation of the culvert at Parkwood Baptist Church and are working their way west past Russell Palmer Road. Today, they were working in front of Shipley’s Donuts.

*Looking E.* *Northpark culvert installation west of Russell Palmer Road* *near top of frame.*

*Looking E at* *Northpark culvert installation. Heavy equipment lifting massive section of culvert to place in hole.*

*Once men finish prepping the hole in the background…*

*…step and repeat for almost another mile to 494.*

In Other Northpark News

Entergy managed to install five more power poles in the last week. That brings their total to nine in four years.

The new power poles sit back farther from the street. That will create room for four more lanes of traffic adjacent to the bridge that will go over the railroad tracks at 494. The four include two inbound turn lanes and two outbound turn lanes to/from 494.

Project managers first notified Entergy of the need to move the poles in 2020. Construction experts tell me the project could have easily been completed by now.

Not much new has happened at the entry ponds at 59. Heavy rains a week ago have the bottoms covered with water.

*Looking west at area that will become the North Pond*. *Parts of new turn lanes are already being used, reducing traffic congestion somewhat.*

*More culvert awaiting installation which will carry excess stormwater between ponds and Ditch One.*

See the route below. It will go behind the businesses on the north side of Northpark until reaching the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and Bens Branch.

That pretty much does it for visible progress during the last week.

For More Information

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

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/15/24

2421 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.

Why Flood Risk Increases During Construction

Pictures taken of a new Huffman development after a 3.75-inch, 2-year rain last week illustrate why flood risk increases during construction compared to other phases of a project.

Aerial images taken over Sila, west of the Huffman-Cleveland Road, show:

Cleared land that accelerates runoff and decreases infiltration
Partially constructed stormwater detention basins
Trenches not yet consistently sloped
Rampant erosion
Workers pumping water out of one flooded area under construction only to flood another

Friendswood took more precautions with the 553-acre Sila than most developers take with their projects.

Regardless, despite their best intentions, a 2-year rain still overwhelmed them in places. Let’s look at examples of each point above.

Accelerating Runoff, Decreasing Infiltration

Natural ground cover slows the rate of runoff. Removing the ground cover lets stormwater flow faster.

Contractors also grade the land to create consistent slopes for roads and storms drains. That can eliminate little ponds, pockets of wetlands, and other natural catchments that slow water down.

Construction clearing for Sila in Huffman — *First phase of Friendswood’s Sila Development in Huffman. Looking east toward St. Tropez at top of frame across Huffman-Cleveland Road.*

I took these pictures just hours after the rain stopped. Notice how fast the runoff accumulated, even without storm drains.

*Reverse angle looking west. Note water rapidly collecting and running off cleared area compared to forested area.*

Partially Constructed Mitigation Facilities

Stormwater detention basins collect accumulated runoff and later release it at slower pre-development rates. Thus post-development runoff rates equal pre-development rates. At least if everything is done correctly.

But what happens when a large rain slams you before you complete the detention basins?

*Partially completed Sila detention basin.*

Trenches Not Yet Consistently Sloped

During work in progress, like this, trenches may not be consistently sloped. In the picture below, water flowed downhill from left to right. A swale caught most of the runoff. And a silt fence backstopped it. Regardless…

*Because the swale was not consistently sloped toward the top of the frame, stormwater overflowed onto a neighbor’s property.*

Rampant Erosion

Backslope interceptor systems that reduce erosion on the sides of ditches and basins have not yet been built here. Neither has grass been planted on the side slopes of those ditches and basins. The result: rampant erosion that can clog ditches and streams, and reduce the capacity of basins.

*Note silt in stormwater detention basin.*

Workers Saving One Area Only to Endanger Another

The first three shots below show the partially completed detention basin and workers scrambling to expel the rapidly accumulating runoff.

*Workers pump water out of the pond into a ditch.*

*Note the pumps washing dirt into the ditch.*

From there, water raced downslope toward the East Fork of the San Jacinto.

*But the high flow from the pumped water found a way around one set of rock gabions and destroyed another.*

That turned the outfall for a neighboring ditch (right of greenish pond above) into a mass of muck. From there, the muck flowed toward the river.

*Muck moves toward East Fork San Jacinto beyond top of frame.*

Could Have Been Worse

I didn’t see any homes that flooded on this day. Muck did flow into a few yards and across roads. And the outfall to a neighborhood drainage ditch, which was just cleaned out, will have to be cleaned out again.

But no doubt, it could have been much worse. See below.

*Contractors created a slight depression to keep water from rushing downhill into neighboring homes (top of frame).*

It’s also worth noting that runoff from Sila must go through more than a half mile of forested wetlands before reaching the East Fork. That will slow the water down, capture some of the erosion before it reaches the river, and keep the sediment from reducing the conveyance of the river channel.

Construction always entails flood risk, especially large scale construction that can take years. But with the right precautions, large rains don’t have to spell disaster.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/14/2024

2420 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.

Trammell Crow Contractors Still Pumping Silty Stormwater into Street

The persistent after-hours pumping of silty stormwater from the Trammell Crow construction site into the street drains has been reported to Harris County Engineering for several months now. Despite warnings, the practice continues. The danger: accumulated silt in drain pipes and the river can reduce their conveyance, back water up in heavy rains, and lead to flooding.

One small development won’t be catastrophic. But the cumulative impact of hundreds could be.

For all those reasons, construction permits come with instructions to use things that retain and filter silty water such as berms, sediment basins and semi-permeable fencing.

Repeat Offender

In January 2024, contractors began clearing Phase II of an apartment complex on West Lake Houston Parkway without any of these safeguards. Because the complex lies just outside the City limits, Harris County Engineering is responsible for inspections.

They have visited the site numerous times and cautioned contractors about discharges of silty stormwater. At different times, the contractors installed silt fences and erected berms. They also built sediment basins and channeled excess stormwater to them.

On April 10th, the area received approximately 2 inches of rain. And yesterday, April 11, the contractors were pumping water back into the street THROUGH A PILE OF MUD. After quitting time. When inspectors wouldn’t be around. Again!!!

Caught on Camera

Michelle Chavez, a nearby resident, caught the action on camera.

39 second video by Michelle Chavez showing extent and source of pumping

Chavez also took several still photos.

*Silty stormwater being pumped through open gate washing out driveway*

*Note mud on right being washed into street.*

*Pumping took place near sunset, around 8PM when County inspectors were unlikely to be present.*

*They appeared to be pumping water from unfinished, underground storm drains, but pumped it through mud. Photo by BR taken around 7PM on 4/11/24.*

At least one local resident concerned about flooding reported the pumping to Harris County Engineering. He was told that Engineering would send an inspector out.

Sending Wrong Message: Will Sixth Time be the Charm?

This is the sixth story I have posted about stormwater-control issues at this construction site. See the previous five.

One wonders when the county will level a stiff fine or shut down this site. At this point the Harris County Engineering Department also has its reputation on the line. Tolerating such behavior sends a message to other developers that may be unsafe in the long run.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/12/24

2418 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.

April 10th Storm Dumps 12-17 Inches in 12 Hours East of Houston

The April 10th storm that swept through Houston during the early morning hours dumped amazing amounts of rainfall just east of here.

A report received today from Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner says that the April 10th storm dumped 12-17 inches of rain in a 12 hour period in a swatch across East Texas. The result: widespread, catastrophic flooding in parts of Newton, Jasper, Hardin, and Tyler Counties.

A peak total of 17.68 inches was recorded near Kirbyville, TX. Lindner characterized the totals as “insanely high.” In fact, NOAA’s Atlas 14 rainfall chart for Kirbyville lists a 12-hour/17-inch rainfall as a 1000-year event.

*NOAA’s Atlas 14 Rainfall Probability Statistics for Kirbyville, TX area.*

Late yesterday morning, Weather.com reported that a Disaster Declaration had been issued for Jasper County, Texas. Officials there said that multiple people were rescued from both homes and vehicles due to flooding in the area. “The city of Kirbyville remains underwater.”

April 10th Storm Rivaled Tax Day Storm

The squall line which started near the Rio Grande around 9:30 pm Monday evening traveled some 800 miles reaching the FL panhandle producing wind damage and tornadoes along much of the path.

According to Lindner, “This should serve as a reminder that when the flash flood ingredients are in place around here, it can rain, and rain a lot, in a very short period of time.”

Some 12-hour rainfall totals were near those of the April 2016 (Tax Day) Storm. It is worth noting that yesterday’s event took place at nearly the same time of year.

The flash flooding developed along a stalled low-level convergence boundary. An influx of tropical moisture and repeat cell training anchored on the boundary for much of the night fed the high totals.

“This was a classic meso-scale flash-flood event common along the Gulf coast,” said Lindner.

High resolution computer models suggested the heaviest rainfall would occur over central Louisiana. So this caught many forecasters off guard.

Tornadoes, Too

The April 10th storm also produced several tornados including one that briefly touched down south of the Katy Freeway inside of SH99.

EF-1 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 90mph touched down around 2:45 am just west of Mason Rd south of Kingsland. It tracked generally eastward toward Fry Rd.

Damage along the east side of Mason Rd was consistent with low-end EF-1 rating. It included lifting and movement of vehicles in a parking lot, the complete failure and collapse of a Tire Shop, blow-out of windows, and failure of roofing on a nearby strip center.

The storm also lofted a commercial AC unit on the top of the strip center and dumped it in the parking lot.

Wind damage continued eastward along and south of Cimarron Pkwy toward Fry Rd.

The wind snapped and uprooted numerous trees through this area and blew down several fences. A corridor of damage continued eastward, but there was little evidence of a full fledged tornado at that point.

Winds estimates in the residential areas between Mason and Fry Rd were on the order of 65-75mph – an EF-0 rating.

Lindner says that these types of tornadoes are common along the leading edge of intense squall lines. Bows or “kinks” develop in the line, enhancing low-level rotation, which results in quick, short-lived, weak tornados.

The path lasted 1.7 miles and width ranged from 300 to 400 yards.

The maximum intensity reached EF-1 (90mph) on east side of Mason Road.

Maximum Winds

High winds were reported in numerous places through the Houston/Galveston area.

62 MPH at Hooks Airport in Tomball
55-59 MPH in Galveston, Pearland, Palacios and Fulshear
65 MPH in Dickinson
71 MPH in San Leon
72 MPH at an oil platform offshore High Island

Lake Houston Area

The Harris County Flood Warning System recorded:

1.96 inches at US59 and the West Fork.
2.16 inches at West Lake Houston Parkway and the West Fork.
3.00 inches in Huffman
4.92 inches farther east along Luce Bayou at 321.

Notice the trend as you move farther east?

All things considered, the Lake Houston Area lucked out. We got enough rain to green up the grass, but not so much that people flooded.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/11/2024

2418 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Hallett Breach Sends Hundreds of Millions of Gallons of Wastewater Downstream

Correction: This sand pit in this post was sold by Hallett to Riverwalk Porter LLC on January 23, 2024.

Google Earth shows a massive breach in the southernmost pond of the Hallett San Jacinto West Fork mine in a satellite image dated February 19, 2024.

*Google Earth image from 2/19/2024. Breach circled in red.*

Here’s how the same area looked today from a drone.

*Hallett Breach. Looking WNW from over San Jacinto West Fork on 4/10/24.*

And here’s how it looked from a boat just hours earlier.

*River-level shot shows height of shoreline. But river level was up because of rain last night.*

A Harris County Flood Control Gage at Highway 99, slightly upstream from this location, showed the river level was up approximately 9 feet when I took the drone photo above this afternoon.

That puts the river-level photo, taken by a resident who prefers to remain anonymous, in a whole new light. The amount of water that escaped from the pond went from near the top of the bank (which you can see) to approximately another 9 feet lower (which you can’t see in these photos).

Breach Open for More than Two Months

Photographing this area is difficult. It is impossible to reach by public roads. And it’s at the edge of my drone’s range.

However, I do have photos that show it happened sometime between January 28 and February 5, 2024.

One drone photo shows the dike intact on January 28. A second, on February 5, shows the breach.

Color of Pond Changes After Breach

The color of the pond is dramatically different in the two photos. Before the January 28 photo and the January floods, the pond was an ghostly off-white color. By February 5, it returned to a more natural brown color.

How Much Wastewater Entered the River?

Google Earth shows the pond measures approximately 182 acres. The difference between the vegetation line around the pond and today’s water level appears to be about 6 feet. But as we saw above, the river was up about 9 feet nearby. If you add another 9 feet to the 6-foot estimate, it’s conceivable that the pond level dropped as much as 15 feet after the breach when floodwaters receded.

But let’s say, to be conservative, that it only dropped 10 feet. That would mean that 1,820 acre feet of wastewater entered the San Jacinto West Fork and made its way downstream to the source of drinking water for two million people – Lake Houston. That equals 593 million gallons – more than half a billion!

Back in 2019, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality cited the LMI Moorhead mine (upstream from Hallett) for the unauthorized discharge of 56 million gallons of white goop into the San Jacinto West Fork. It literally turned the West Fork white.

If my estimates for the Hallett breach are correct, it exceeds the LMI breech by 10X.

Estimating Escaped Sediment More Difficult

I documented at least three other leaks from other Hallett ponds during the January flood. No telling how much sediment escaped from this pond and the others.

I also documented huge amounts of sand suddenly appearing downstream.

A side-scanning sonar survey shows that the West Fork is now only 1-2 feet deep near River Grove Park. The Army Corps dredged that area in December 2018 and Kayden Industries dredged it again in 2020.

And let’s not forget the new City of Houston dredging program. It will remove another 800,000 cubic yards of accumulated sediment between Kings Point and FM1960.

To be fair, some of that sediment could have originated from river-bank erosion, other mines, upstream developments under construction, and even smaller tributaries.

Perhaps Hallett would like to chip in what they feel is their fair share for dredging. Then again, maybe they wouldn’t. Only time and the courts will tell.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/10/2024

2416 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.