Guess where the wetlands were? Today, I flew over Northpark Drive and Sorters-McClellan Road near the San Jacinto West Fork. I photographed a new development called Northpark South. Much of this land is in the floodplain. And much was also classified as wetlands for sixty years.
Can you guess which portion?
Photo of Northpark South on 1/10/24.Clearing essentially complete.
Here’s what the area looked like before clearing. Note any similarities? Like that curve in between the empty area and the tree line near the road?
Satellite photo from same area before clearing.Wetlands are large empty area.
That open area directly coincides with the soupy area in the first image.
And to think, less than a half inch of rain two days ago (January 8) produced all the muck you see in the first photo. Since then, we’ve had sunny skies, low humidity, and high, desiccating winds. They dried out the rest of the site. But not the wetlands.
Contractors at Northpark South have been trying to cover up the wetlands for six weeks with little luck. Here’s a closer shot from the reverse angle.
Photo from 1/10/24after less than a half inch of rain.
Construction plans show that homes will be built over the wetlands.
Wetlands Documented Since Early 1960s
USGS has documented wetlands on this property since at least 1961, as you can see in this topographic map viewer.
I’ve previously posted about the problems of building over wetlands. These pictures make another potent reminder. Problems include shifting slabs; windows, cabinets and doors that stick; cracked driveways; mold; erosion; clogged storm drains; downstream flooding and more.
Before Thanksgiving, I consulted a wetlands expert about this property. The expert said, “I would NOT feel safe living on top of a former wetland this close to the river. NO WAY! The land has a memory, deep in its soils, and I would expect future issues.”
I can see the cracks in wallboard already. No wonder the developer (Century Land Holdings of Texas LLC) urges people to buy homes over the internet, sight unseen! Buyer beware.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/10/2024
1325 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240110-DJI_0038.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2024-01-10 19:54:252024-01-10 20:05:34Guess Where the Wetlands Were?
On December 29, 2023, the New York Post reported that the Internal Revenue Service, Army Corps of Engineers, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality have all launched their own Colony Ridge investigations. Word on the street has it that even more investigations by other Federal agencies are underway.
Finally, just today (1/9/24), Harris County Commissioners Court discussed investigating the flooding, housing and environmental impacts of Colony Ridge on Harris County. The County Administrators Office and Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey agreed to discuss forming a task force. They would then return to Commissioners Court for final approval of their task force recommendations.
Thrust of Many Investigations Still Uncertain
However, with the exception of the DOJ and CFPB, the direction of many of these investigations remains unknown.
For instance, the EPA could be investigating any of several different allegations, including wetlands, endangered species, and pollution violations.
Colony Ridge, which has grown at least 50% larger than Manhattan in a decade, has filled in ponds and wetlands. While the Army Corps bears initial responsibility for investigating wetlands violations, ultimately the EPA reviews permit applications under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Recently, the developer has been pushing into wetlands near Tarkington Bayou. I took the three photos below during in October 2023 while flying over the bayou. Despite a punishing drought, you can still see evidence of ponding.
A University of Waterloo (Ontario) study found that small isolated wetlands that are full for only part of the year are often the first to be removed for development. They enjoy fewer legal protections due to their apparent isolation from jurisdictional waters.
However, the study found that they can be twice as effective in protecting downstream lake or river ecosystems than those directly connected to them. The study labeled them “pollution-catching powerhouses.” Their disconnectedness makes them more effective pollution traps.
Previously, I reported that the TCEQ found raw sewage leaking from a lift station and sewers in Colony Ridge. TCEQ estimated that 48,000 gallons escaped into the Lake Houston watershed, which supplies drinking water for two million people.
To report environmental violations to the EPA, see this page.
Another possibility: EPA may also be looking into whether Colony Ridge displaced any threatened or endangered species. Texas Parks and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say twelve threatened and endangered species live in Liberty County. Some reportedly live in the Colony Ridge Area.
For More Information
Since 2020, I have created more than 75 posts about different aspects of Colony Ridge – from missing drainage studies to sewage spills, rivers of mud, and more. To see links to all the posts, visit this page.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/9/2024
2324 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20231207-Screenshot-2023-12-07-at-11.22.17%E2%80%AFAM.jpg?fit=1100%2C616&ssl=16161100adminadmin2024-01-09 17:38:312024-01-09 17:54:31At Least Seven Investigations Launched into Colony Ridge
Foot dragging by utilities has set the Northpark expansion project back years. What none seems to understand is that this isn’t just a normal road expansion project. It’s about creating a reliable, all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 people.
The utilities see the project as a headache. Traumatized residents see it as a lifeline.
And that’s your problem in two, simple sentences.
Evacuation Routes Under Water
Unless you lived here during Harvey, you cannot comprehend the terror of people trapped by rising floodwaters with no way out. By my count, 15 died including 12 elderly who resided near Kingwood’s Town Center, 1.25 miles north of the San Jacinto. Another died two miles north of the river. And two more died near where the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto come together. That makes almost a quarter of the 65 people who died in Harvey across all of Harris County.
Many of my neighbors crowded on the upper floors of homes and in their attics, surrounded by rising floodwaters, praying that they would live through the night. Boats evacuated the lucky ones.
Before power went out and cell phones died, I received several panicked calls from neighbors asking if I knew a way out. They had already tried everything I suggested.
I was out of town when Harvey struck and couldn’t get back in. My wife was home alone, without food, a way to cook, running water, power, a working toilet, or communication. I didn’t know if she was alive or dead. She made it through, but the uncertainty kept me up for days.
I later learned that five evacuation routes out of Kingwood had flooded badly. A sixth to the north was passable… if you could get to it.
Harvey Photos Show Depth of Water
See the pictures below. Hamblen Road was the first to go.
Hamblen Road during Harvey. Photo by Jim Balcom. His family evacuated by boat.
The West Lake Houston Parkway (WLHP) Bridge also became inaccessible. While the bridge remained above water, roads leading to it were under water.
Evacuation from Kings Harbor Townhomes one block from WLHP bridge.Sally Geis, rescued from the townhomes above made it out by boat. This shows her motoring by the Whataburger on WLHP north of Kingwood Drive, 1.7 miles north of the bridge.That’s the top of a submerged car at the Kingwood Town Center Apartments near the library, one block west of WLHP.
Kingwood Drive flooded for almost three miles between Timber Shade and Woodland Hills.
Kingwood Drive at Shady Run.Kingwood High School at Valley Manor flooded to the second floor.Kingwood Drive is in the tree line left of the parking lot.US59 southbound was cut off by 240,000 cubic feet of floodwater per second. It damaged the southbound lanes of the bridgeso badly that they took 11 months to rebuild.
Ford Road was generally passable…if you could get to it. Many who lived close by, even in Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest could not reach it.
That leaves Northpark Drive. It too was blocked in places where channels and streams overflowed. I worked on Northpark for 20 years. And I have seen it flood routinely between Bens Branch and the Diversion Ditch during rainfalls much smaller than Harvey’s.
Regardless, it’s the best option for improvement because it’s on high ground. That means the flooding issues are fixable at an affordable cost.
Northpark Voted by Residents as the Most Important Project in Kingwood
After Harvey, multiple surveys conducted by the City of Houston and Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s office ranked improving Northpark as the most important project in the Kingwood Area.
The project includes a bridge that will go over the railroad. Those mile-long trains frequently back up traffic even when things aren’t flooding. If they stalled during a flood when 78,000 people are trying to squeeze through a pinhole, you have an even bigger problem. And we should not forget in that regard that the UP rail bridge also washed out during Harvey.
Union Pacific railroad traffic was disrupted for months. It had to be completely dismantled. A new bridge was erected in its place.
TXDoT Says “Should Have Been Built Years Ago”
TXDoT told Northpark Expansion Project leaders that if a freestanding town of 78,000 people had been cut off by flooding, an evacuation route would have been built years ago. But we’re not freestanding.
Multi-jurisdictional Morass
Unfortunately, we live in a multi-jurisdictional morass. Two counties. The City. Unincorporated areas. MUDs. The TIRZ. Multiple school districts. Thirty-five homeowner associations. KSA. The state. The Federal Government. Redistricting. Multiple elections that create turnover in leadership.
You get the idea. No one entity or person speaks for the entire area. Thank heavens for former Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin who pushed the Northpark Expansion Project relentlessly ever since Harvey.
So come on Entergy. Come on Verison. Come on CenterPoint. Move it. Act like your lives depended on it. Ours do.
On Tuesday, 1/9/24, Harris County Commissioners court will consider a motion by Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, P.E. to monitor the potential flooding, housing, and environmental impacts of Colony Ridge on Harris County. (See Item 282 on the Agenda.)
Ramsey submitted a similar item for the 10/10/23 session of Commissioners Court. The Court took no action at that time, but agreed to revisit the issue. Now is that time. And the political landscape has changed.
How Tuesday’s Discussion Will Differ from October’s
The discussion on Tuesday will probably differ radically from October’s.
First, Tuesday’s agenda item is broader; it includes housing and environmental impacts, not just flooding.
Second, in October, the discussion quickly devolved into an argument about the credibility of media allegations that triggered a special session of the State Legislature. Among other things, the media allegations concerned illegal immigration. At the time, County Judge Lina Hidalgo characterized them as “conspiracy theories.” Things went downhill from there.
Ultimately, the State Legislature decided not to do anything about Colony Ridge except build a DPS substation there to beef up law enforcement.
But since then, things have changed.
DOJ/CFPB Lawsuit Changes Political Landscape
The U.S. Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have filed a lawsuit against the developer for predatory lending practices targeted mainly at Hispanics.
The 45-page lawsuit alleges that the developer violated the:
Fair Housing Act
Consumer Financial Protection Act
Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act
Equal Credit Opportunity Act
It also offers specific examples of alleged abuses, including:
Sky-high interest rates
Untrue statements in marketing materials
Omitting material facts
Failing to provide required accurate translations
Failing to report and disclose other required information
Marketing in Spanish but providing legal documents that buyers couldn’t understand in English
Foreclosing on properties multiple times
The inclusion of housing issues in Tuesday’s agenda may broaden the base of support for action re: Colony Ridge. Suddenly, we’re talking about people allegedly abusing Lina Hidalgo’s, Lesley Briones’ and Adrian Garcia’s core constituents. All three are Hispanic.
The lawsuit has already motivated LULAC (the League of United Latin American Citizens) to join the fight. The headline of this press release on their website says, “LULAC SUPPORTS FEDERAL ACTION IN MASSIVE REAL ESTATE FRAUD CASE THAT TARGETED LATINOS IN TEXAS.” As a result…
Commissioners may now see Colony Ridge as abusing immigrants, not helping them achieve the American Dream.
Plus, Colony Ridge is expanding into Harris County. That brings the issue much closer to home for Commissioners. We could soon be talking about how the Colony Ridge developer affects voters in Harris County, not voters in Liberty county.
Putting a Finer Point on Upstream Flooding Study
Even though Commissioner’s Court did not approve Ramsey’s Colony Ridge motion last October, the other commissioners didn’t totally ignore him. Commissioner Rodney Ellis also expressed concern about flooding issues originating outside Harris County.
On December 5, 2023, Commissioners Court approved a study of several watersheds including the East Fork San Jacinto River, which drains Colony Ridge. The purpose: to identify potential flood impacts due to unmitigated flows coming into Harris County from upstream counties and to evaluate the impacts of the increased flows on erosion and sedimentation issues.
If approved, Ramsey’s agenda item for next Tuesday, could put a much finer point on that. Instead of looking at flooding issues that originate in surrounding counties in general, it would specifically look at erosion issues originating in Colony Ridge. That could potentially lead to more legal action against Colony Ridge depending on what they find.
At a minimum, I hope it stimulates a discussion about two things:
The image on the right was taken over Colony Ridge. Such erosion contributes to the buildup of sediment that reduces the conveyance of rivers and streams, contributing to flooding.
For more information and issues relating to Colony Ridge, see this post.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/5/2024
2320 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SameRegs-DiffResults.jpg?fit=1100%2C701&ssl=17011100adminadmin2024-01-05 15:04:222024-01-05 22:23:22Harris County To Reconsider Colony Ridge Impacts
The Northpark Drive expansion project understandably slowed during the holidays. But Northpark tree moving started in earnest this week. Contractors have returned and started moving trees to clear the areas where two detention ponds will be excavated at 59.
In other news:
Concrete culvert is being stockpiled to carry stormwater from the ponds to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch via Ditch One behind the businesses on the north side of Northpark.
TXDoT has found a hazardous waste site for oil-contaminated dirt discovered during clearing for the north pond. Relocation of the waste should be complete by the end of January, if not sooner.
CenterPoint is almost finished moving its gas line that used to run down the center of Northpark. That will allow resumption of culvert placement in the center ditch.
Entergy is still delaying parts of the project by refusing to move its electric lines and transformers unless the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority pays them $1.4 million. The amount originally demanded – $711,000 – mysteriously doubled during the holidays.
To learn more about each of these items, see below.
Moving Day Arrives for Trees
Before excavation can begin on the two stormwater detention ponds at US59, numerous trees must be transplanted.
This week, Northpark tree moving began in earnest on the south side of Northpark. Trees are being moved from the center of the entry to the periphery to form a green backdrop that says “Kingwood.” They will frame a decorative pond that doubles as a stormwater detention basin.
The giant machine shown below scoops out dirt and places it to the side. Then it scoops out a tree and drops it into the hole.
To see the complete sequence, view this post from an earlier press conference.This shot shows the beginnings of the tree backdrop around what will become a pond.
But the job isn’t done yet. More trees remain. Heavy rain earlier this week is still slowing transplantation.
Looking south across Northpark. Wide shot shows where pond will go and trees yet to be transplanted.
Contaminated Soil Being Relocated
Before Thanksgiving, contractors struck oil in the soil on the north side of Northpark at 59. Someone dumped it years or even decades ago. To prevent further leeching into the groundwater, contractors excavated and isolated it with plastic sheeting.
Looking south toward Northpark over the contaminated soil.
All contaminated soil should be removed by end of January at the latest, according to Ralph De Leon, project manager.
The ponds on both sides of Northpark will keep the US59 intersection from flooding during heavy rains, helping to ensure that the new all-weather evacuation route for 70,000 people remains passable during extreme storms.
More Box Culvert Stockpiled to Reroute Drainage
Excess water from the ponds will be routed east toward the Kingwood Diversion Ditch instead of north along 59 toward Bens Branch – a shorter route.
Why? During heavy rains drainage to Bens Branch where it crosses under 59 can back up all the way to the Northpark intersection. Re-routing it will avoid flooding along the vital 59 corridor AND Northpark without adding to the burden on the Diversion Ditch.
Culvert stockpiled between railroad tracks and Ditch One.Alternate route for stormwater from entry ponds to Kingwood Diversion Ditch and/or Bens Branch.
CenterPoint Gas Line Relocation
As of this afternoon, CenterPoint had reached Russell-Palmer Road with its new gas line. It is moving the line from the median to make room for 6×8 foot concrete box culverts. The culverts will allow the Redevelopment Authority to create two new lanes inside the old lanes, rather than outside, which would be more expensive because of the need for property acquisition.
When the last quarter mile is finished to the diversion ditch, culvert placement in the ditch will resume. It was temporarily halted earlier when contractors discovered serveral conflicts with the gas line; it was higher than expected. That interfered with a consistent gradient for the drainage.
Entergy Conflict Resolution
Before Christmas, the Redevelopment Authority had agreed to pay Entergy $711,000 to move a transformer and some power lines. After Christmas, Entergy doubled the price to $1.4 million. It’s one more setback in a years-long struggle with the corporate giant. More news to follow when and if a resolution becomes clear. (Editorial comment: Entergy does not seem to share 70,000 Kingwood residents’ sense of urgency about the need for an all-weather evacuation route.)
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240104-DJI_0014.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2024-01-04 18:51:382024-01-04 20:26:58Northpark Tree Moving Starts; Pond Excavation Next
Back in November 2023, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) terminated its excavation and removal contract with Sprint Sand and Clay. The 2021 contract called for Sprint to remove up to 500,000 cubic yards of material from Woodridge Village. Had the full amount been excavated, it would have more than doubled the stormwater detention basin capacity on the site.
Extent of excavation at end of Woodridge Village E&R Contract with Sprint. Photo: 12/28/21.
Only About A Third of Max Volume Excavated
But at the time HCFCD terminated the contract, Sprint had excavated only 160,748 cubic yards, an amount equal to 100 acre feet, and only about a third of the maximum allowed under the contract.
When HCFCD purchased the Woodridge Village property from Perry Homes, the site had only 70% of Atlas 14 requirements (the new standard for a 100-year storm). The lack of detention capacity contributed to the flooding of hundreds of homes in Kingwood along Taylor Gully twice in 2019.
In the end, the 160,748 cubic yards meant that the site had 96% of Atlas 14 requirements. But significantly, the additional capacity is still just a hole in the ground. It has not yet been tied into other Woodridge detention basins or drainage channels.
Termination Caused by HUD Rule
The rationale for termination of the contract had nothing to do with Sprint’s performance. Rather, it had to do with an unintended consequence of a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rule.
HCFCD hoped to pay for both Taylor Gully and Woodridge Village with HUD funds. But a HUD rule states that HUD funds cannot pay for work already completed on a project when a grant application is submitted.
As a result, when HCFCD applies for a HUD grant, it must:
Zero out work completed to date and stop work.
Estimate the cost of remaining work.
Wait for an award determination.
The rule also affected several other E&R projects in Harris County, such as one on TC Jester next to Cypress Creek.
It’s especially painful in this case because HCFCD listed the Woodridge Village stormwater detention basin as an alternate project for HUD funding. That means, it would only be considered if a fatal flaw knocked one of HCFCD’s primary recommendations out of the running.
HCFCD Exploring Alternative
Amy Crouser, an HCFCD spokesperson said, “Woodridge must be treated as if it were funded by HUD and GLO, which means that we cannot perform any choice-limiting actions on the site, such as the E&R contract. It will be some time before we know if any alternate projects will move to the ‘funded list.’”
Crouser then added, “However, we are investigating whether we can split the Woodridge Village Stormwater Detention Basin into two projects. That may offer some flexibility in getting the E&R contract reinstated. We should have an answer in the next few weeks.”
HCFCD has not yet publicly released the final engineering studies on Woodridge or Taylor Gully.
With interest rates falling, housing starts may pick up and increase demand for fill dirt. That could eliminate the only real drawback of an E&R contract; they can be time consuming if demand for dirt is low. Otherwise, they represent exceptional value for taxpayers. Sprint made only $1,000 from the contract but made its money back by selling the dirt at market rates.
Status of Excavation At Year End
Here’s where things stood at the end of 2023:
Acre Feetof Stormwater Detention
% of Atlas-14 Requirement
% of Ultimate
Site Had When Purchased from Perry Homes
271
70%
47%
Had as of 12/31/23
371
96%
63.9%
Atlas 14 Requires
385
100%
66%
Had Sprint Excavated All 500,000 CY
580
150%
100%
As of 12/31/23, nothing but the cool winter wind could be heard howling through Woodridge Village.
Stay tuned for more news as it develops.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/3/2023
2318 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20231228-DJI_0460.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2024-01-03 20:07:532024-04-16 10:43:49Woodridge Village Plans Still on Hold, But that Could Change Soon
Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) will soon start building the new Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin, a large flood-risk reduction project along Cypress Creek adjacent to Mercer Botanical Gardens. HCFCD issued a notice to proceed to the contractor in December 2023 and the contractor is now mobilizing.
The basin is north of FM-1960, east of the Hardy Toll Road, south of Cypress Creek and west of the Memorial Hills.
Combined 512 Acre Feet in Two Basins
The Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin project will include the excavation of 512 acre-feet of soil and other materials from the site. Once complete, the $14.8 million dry-bottom stormwater detention basin will provide approximately 166.8 million gallons of stormwater storage during heavy rainfall events.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program provided a $15.4 million grant for the project. Another $9.7 million comes from the 2018 Bond Program.
Arrowstone Contracting, LLC received a $14,846,391 contract for construction. Land acquisition, engineering and administration will consume the rest of the budget.
The stormwater detention basin will include two separate compartments, north and south, with an equalizer pipe connecting them. An 54″ outfall pipe will also be constructed along the north compartment so stormwater can slowly flow back into Cypress Creek after storms pass.
Construction Caution
Contractors will access the work area via FM-1960 or Lazy Ravine Lane in the Memorial Hills Subdivision. The contractor may use heavy construction equipment such as dump trucks, excavators and bulldozers. Motorists should be aware of truck traffic when passing near construction access points and along truck routes.
The HUD Grant stipulates that construction needs to finish by Fall 2024. And construction is scheduled to take 348 days.
Reducing Backwater in Tributaries
This is among multiple stormwater detention basin projects the Flood Control District is developing in the Cypress Creek watershed.
A regional drainage study for the watershed found that flooding along tributaries of Cypress Creek is predominately caused by rising stormwater in Cypress Creek backing up into tributaries. Flooding is not caused by a lack of sufficient stormwater conveyance or drainage capacity on the tributaries themselves. Therefore, stormwater detention basins could be a beneficial project to reduce that backwater issue.
Project Benefits
The Mercer Basins will remove the 100-year area of inundation from 30 structures and the 500-year area of inundation from an additional 17 structures.
The project also includes a 30’ wide berm to accommodate maintenance and future recreational amenities.
The project avoids wetlands and will lower the water surface elevation by .35 feet during a 100-year storm event, according to HCFCD.
Upstream detention was one of three major prongs of the strategy to reduce flooding in the Lake Houston Area. This and every other little bit will help downstream.
The regional drainage study found here recommends nearly 25,000 acre-feet of additional stormwater detention in the Cypress Creek watershed. That would be enough to hold back the peak flow during Harvey for almost 5 hours. In lesser storms, the benefit would last even longer.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/2/24based on information from HCFCD
2317 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mercer_Map-e1704245017906.png?fit=1100%2C1100&ssl=111001100adminadmin2024-01-02 19:34:562024-01-02 19:47:54Construction Beginning Soon on Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin
On 12/13/23, Texas General Land Office (GLO) Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D. announced the approval of Coastal Erosion Planning & Response Act (CEPRA) funding for a Bolivar Peninsula Beach and Dune Restoration project.
The beach-restoration project seeks to:
Restore additional essential beach and dune systems
Provide crucial protection for Highway 87, Bolivar Peninsula’s only hurricane evacuation route
According to the GLO, the CEPRA funds – initially aimed at an engineering study – will provide both economic and coastal resilience benefits.
Part of SH 87 Already Washed Away
Highway 87 once had a stretch between Sea Rim State Park and High Island that washed out repeatedly over the decades. TXDoT closed it permanently in 1990. Today, eastbound SH 87 stops at High Island. Evacuees must then turn north on SH 124 toward I-10.
The stretch being protected provides the only remaining land-based evacuation route for the 2,800 residents of the Bolivar Peninsula. Seventeen people died there on September 13, 2008, during Hurricane Ike.
The scope of this project: to develop focused beach nourishment engineering design specifications for a U.S. Army Corps permit. Beach nourishment will alleviate tidal impacts threatening SH 87’s eastern terminus on Bolivar Peninsula near High Island.
Satellite Image Sequence Shows Severity of Shoreline Erosion
This series of Google Earth images shows how shoreline erosion now has waves lapping at the shoulder of the highway in this area.
State Highway 87 near High Island in 1974. Note dunes between highway and broad beach.Same area immediately after Ike. Note erosion of beach and deposition inland from SH87.Same area in 2023. Note continued erosion of beach toward highway.Enlargement of nearby stretch shows high tide lapping at riprap which maintenance crews are replenishing (2023).
The beach nourishment engineering design specifications under this project are focused on an approximately four miles of the Bolivar Gulf-facing shoreline beginning at the Galveston-Chambers County line and extending west toward Gilchrist. This is where tides come closest to Hwy. 87 on a recurring basis.
Improving Resilience
“Ultimate benefits from this beach nourishment design work would include protection of the peninsula’s only hurricane evacuation route,” said a GLO spokesperson.
The CEPRA Program helps communities across the Texas coast implement erosion response projects and related studies to understand and reduce coastal erosion as it threatens public beaches, natural resources, coastal development, public infrastructure, and public and private property.
The Bolivar Peninsula Special Utility District, Bolivar Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, Galveston County Road Administrator Lee Crowder, Galveston County Judge Mark Henry, and Galveston County Precinct 2 Commissioner Joe Giusti played pivotal roles in securing this funding.
Nature-Based Solutions Help Protect People and Wildlife
Commissioner Buckingham said, “As a Texan who grew up near the coast and lived on Galveston Island for more than a decade, preserving our state’s precious shorelines and their communities is a top priority.”
FEMA has found that such nature-based solutions increase quality of life for both humans and wildlife. And make no mistake. This is an important wintering and nesting area for many species of wildfowl that depend on the wetlands in this area.
Snow geese flocking near High Island in December 2008, shortly after Ike.
Looking back at 2023, we got lucky. A lack of extreme rainfall masked a slowdown of flood-mitigation spending and massive clearcutting of wetlands and floodplains. Had we been hit by a hurricane instead of a drought, who knows what would have happened.
Have we lost our sense of urgency about flood mitigation? Did the drought lull us into complacency? If so, will that contribute to future flooding? Let’s look more closely at what did and didn’t happen in 2023.
No Widespread Flooding or Flood Damage
To my knowledge, no floods caused widespread damage in the Houston area this year. That’s a tribute to three things: past flood-mitigation efforts, drought, and the absence of tropical activity.
At the end of the third quarter, HCFCD and its partners had spent almost $3.8 billion on flood mitigation since 2000 and $1.8 billion since Harvey. That has helped reduce the risk of flooding – especially in lower-income watersheds that frequently flooded. That’s where most of flood-mitigation money has been concentrated.
But flood-mitigation spending alone didn’t account for the absence of wide scale flooding in the Houston area in 2023. Mother Nature “helped,” if you can call a drought helpful.
Much of the Houston region suffered through moderate to severe drought for most of 2023. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, much of Harris County is still rated “abnormally dry.” And most surrounding counties are still in moderate drought.
How much rain did we get? Through December 29, we received 41.75 inches – 10 inches below our normal 51.73 inches. So, despite recent rains, we received 20% less than normal for the year.
Drier-than-normal weather for most of the year created ideal conditions for construction of flood-mitigation projects. However, flood-mitigation spending fell to about half its peak during 2020.
Source: HCFCD Data from FOIA Requestthrough 3Q2023 with fourth quarter estimated.
Harris County Flood Control District provided no official explanation for the slowdown. However, various people familiar with HCFCD operations have cited:
In the meantime, 15-20% inflation in construction costs could force HCFCD to eliminate $1 billion worth of projects from the original bond list. And projects at the end of the equity priority list in affluent areas are the most likely to get the axe. HCFCD is re-evaluating them all.
Every day no work is being done is a day wasted. And a day that people have to live with higher flood risk.
Relentless Development in Floodplains and Wetlands
Meanwhile, the clearing of land in the upper San Jacinto River Basin has not slowed. Developers cleared thousands of acres in 2023.
We saw how dangerous that could be after Perry Homes cleared 268 acres in Woodridge Village without building sufficient stormwater detention capabilities. Areas downstream in Kingwood’s Elm Grove Village that didn’t flood after 50 inches of rain from Harvey in 2017 flooded after a 5-inch rain on May 7, 2019.
The giant Colony Ridge development in Liberty County virtually doubled in size during the last two years. By the end of 2023, it was at least 50% bigger than Manhattan. The developers:
I took the following six shots over Colony Ridge in 2023. They show small portions of the developer’s clearing activity, but represent hundreds of other shots too numerous to include here.
Some call this progress. But Colony Ridge is now the subject of a Federal lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Other Developments Leave Land Exposed to Erosion
Colony Ridge isn’t the only development in the Lake Houston Area that leaves land exposed to erosion. Here are several others.
Los Pinos photographed in March 2023.First part of a planned 4,000 acre development.Royal Pines in Porter on White Oak Creek flooded neighbors four times in two months.Northpark South at McClellan Sorters Road (bottom L to R) at Northpark Drive (Center) was under 8 feet of water during Harvey. It contained wetlandsand will drain through sand mines to the San Jacinto West Fork in the background.
Mavera at FM1314 and SH242 will eliminate wetlands but claims it will have no adverse impact. Photographed Jan. 2022.Evergreen near SH242 and FM1314.
I could cite dozens of additional examples like these. When rains wash through these sites, they pick up sediment and carry it downstream.
Sediment Deposition
Eroded sediment from these clearing operations washes downstream. It drops out of suspension where the water slows as it reaches Lake Houston.
Where Spring Creek (left) joins San Jacinto West Fork (right) at the Harris Montgomery County line. Photographed from over I-69 looking west.
The result: sand bars that reduce the conveyance of the river, forcing water out of the banks and into people’s homes.
Sand bar on West Fork of the San Jacinto at Lake Houston after Harvey reduced river’s conveyance. Army Corps dredged the blockage after thousands of homes and businesses flooded upstreamduring Harvey.
Good News, Bad News
The good news: many blockages like the one above have been removed through dredging by the Army Corps and City.
The bad news: Many boaters have written in the last few months, complaining about how shallow the rivers are once again becoming due to unchecked sedimentation.
While I am ecstatic about another year without a flood, I hope we do not become complacent about preventing activities that contribute to flooding.
We need to establish and enforce best management practices that reduce sedimentation that clogs our rivers.
Flood Gate Project Goes Into 2024 with Momentum
So as not to finish the year on a down note, I would like to mention the project to add more flood gates to the Lake Houston dam.
In 2023, Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin and Chief Recover Officer Stephen Costello accomplished an extraordinary “lift.” They convinced FEMA to include social benefits in their Benefit/Cost Ratio calculation. This helped them achieve a benefit/cost ratio greater than one, meaning benefits exceeded costs for the gates.
Then, they rallied local, state, and federal officials to fund the project so it could move forward. While $20 million of the $170+ million for the project comes from the 2018 flood bond, it will be hard for certain Harris County Commissioners to block it now that everyone else has done their parts.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20231111-DJI_0872-copy.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2023-12-31 12:25:132025-08-19 22:07:53Year in Review: Looking Back at 2023
Reduce future flood losses compared to maintaining the status quo
Improve transparency around the potential impacts of climate change and proposed development
SFHA and FPA Definition Recommendations
FEMA currently defines a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as land “subject to a 1 percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year.” The SFHA may contain several different zones that show different degrees of risk. Historically, FEMA has equated the SFHA with “floodplain” or “flood-prone area” (FPA).
TMAC recommends redefining these terms to give them different meanings. TMAC also recommends using a higher standard of accuracy (95% confidence level as opposed to 50%), but more on that later.
If FEMA adopts the recommendations, the term “Special Flood Hazard Area” would apply to areas that currently require flood insurance for mortgages made by federally regulated lending institutions.
The term Flood-Prone Area, on the other hand, they argue, should be reserved to reflect future risks from climate change and development. See below.
Why separate the two? Lenders would face resistance to enforcement of the insurance-purchase mandate if it meant requiring flood insurance on homes or businesses not yet in the 1-percent-annual-chance floodplain.
But having a separate, second definition that reflects future risk could help floodplain managers lower the probability of future flooding for homes under construction by applying to building codes, elevation requirements, and more. It could also give home buyers additional information on which to base their decisions.
Recommendation for Higher Confidence Limits
Because of a perceived rise in flood occurrences on properties lying outside the SFHA, the lending community has become more suspicious of the standard’s accuracy. People see the SFHA’s flood insurance requirement as a binary choice. “I need it or I don’t.”
But the current definition is based on the AVERAGE chance of flooding. That means 50% of properties would have a higher risk than indicated and the rest would have a lower chance.
After a flood, surprised borrowers sometimes blame their mortgage companies. “How come you didn’t tell me I was at risk?” Many buyers conclude they are safe based on a misunderstanding of technical details related to the 1% annual-chance standard.
The new standard proposes a 95% confidence interval as opposed to an average risk. That would include homes expected to flood in all but 5% of floods. A confidence interval in statistics is another way to describe probabilities.
TMAC argues that an easily understood and interpreted standard would balance safe land use with economic benefit. It would also protect lenders, educate buyers, and encourage borrowers to act responsibly.
Redefining Flood-Prone Areas
The illustration below depicts TMAC’s concept for developing the FPA elevation and associated boundary. It includes an extra safety margin for climate change and future development.
This “freeboard factor” would be a proxy for estimated future conditions.
However, TMAC recognizes there may not be:
• Adequate land-use information to determine the impact of future development or • Planned development expected to change flood conditions or • Sufficient information to determine the impacts of climate change.
0.2% Annual Chance Flood Recommendations
For consistency and ease of communication/education, TMAC recommends applying the 95% confidence limit to .02% annual chance floods also. These were previously known as 500-year floods.
Fill Recommendations
Bringing fill dirt into a floodplain to elevate homes reduces the amount of storage capacity for floodwaters. Fill can also often increase hazards to nearby property owners and have negative environmental impacts.
Currently, a maze of regulations governs the use of fill. TMAC recommends consolidating and clarifying all fill requirements in flood-prone areas.
Among the recommendations: Prohibiting fill as a floodproofing technique.
Notice of Fill Impacts
TMAC recommends that FEMA should require participating communities, as part of permitting duties, to quantify and put on file the impacts of proposed fill and other development on flood height and the environment prior to issuing fill permits.
When increases in flood elevation or potential negative environmental consequences are found and cannot be mitigated, at a minimum, property owners and appropriate environmental agencies should be notified prior to issuing permits.
Many such requirements already exist for floodways. This recommendation would expand the requirement to floodplains.
The TMAC report observes that large amounts of fill placed in the flood fringe can potentially create significant impacts upstream, downstream or both. But there are no impact notification requirements in many communities and states.
“This is in effect a risk transfer to uninformed landowners and environmental stewardship organizations,” says the report.
“While a requirement to notify falls short of a requirement of consent, it is an improvement over today’s framing where risks are allowed to be transferred to others without their awareness.”
TMAC
Status of Adoption Unclear at this Point
Due to the holidays, I’ve had trouble determining where FEMA stands in adopting these recommendations. TMAC clearly labels these “interim recommendations.”
The problem with proposed changes to regulations is that they create winners and losers. People with risky land to sell may not want fuller disclosure. On the other hand, those in danger of flooding may want more information.
