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 disposaloperation.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.
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
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240310-DJI_0233.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2024-03-11 14:21:152024-03-11 14:21:17New Kings River Development Gets a Buzz Cut
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.
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.
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.
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
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image002.png?fit=330%2C326&ssl=1326330adminadmin2024-03-10 14:53:302026-04-05 22:56:46Upstream Watersheds’ Relative Contributions to Lake Houston Area Flooding
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.
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.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240309-RJR_3276-e1710029012230.jpg?fit=733%2C458&ssl=1458733adminadmin2024-03-09 18:52:132024-03-09 19:01:35Entergy Ignores City Deadline to Move Northpark Power Lines
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240306-Screenshot-2024-03-06-at-6.50.05%E2%80%AFPM.jpg?fit=1100%2C612&ssl=16121100adminadmin2024-03-07 14:38:022024-03-07 15:00:21Preliminary Recommendations for Kingwood Diversion Ditch Announced
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:
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.
On the Flood Control District’s website at hcfcd.org/F-14, or
Via phone at 855-925-2801 with Meeting Code: 6701
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:
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.
In the past two weeks, construction activity for the Northpark expansion project has focused primarily on the ponds at US59 that will double as detention basins.
However, progress has also been made farther east. CenterPoint has been busy relocating gas lines. Contractors now have signed right-of-entry permits to UnionPacific (UP) property. And they have been busy installing a storm-sewer junction box in front of the Shell Station at Loop 494.
But the thing most people will notice this week is that two of the four outbound lanes on Northpark at 59 are now closed and will remain that way for several months.
Entry Ponds
I took all the pictures below during the last week of February 2024. For the first time, you can clearly see the outlines of both ponds. Contractors started on the north pond first. So, it is further along. But the outline of the south pond, ringed by transplanted trees, is now also clearly visible.
Looking N at S PondCloser shot shows three more decorative areas for plantings, one on each side of the triangle.Men working on foundation for retaining wall around one of the landscaping areasalong Northpark Drive.Reverse angle. Looking S at N pond.Retaining wall around area to be landscaped was just completed and contractors were removing forms for concrete.Pipe for storm drains is being stockpiled in North Pond.
As you can see from these photos, the sides of the ponds will slope toward the middle. Maximum depth for each pond will be about 20 feet.
According to Northpark Expansion Project Manager Ralph De Leon, excavation currently is down to about 7 feet max, the approximate location of the water table. So, the ponds will eventually get almost three times deeper than they are now. That’s a lot of dirt to move!
Contractors will use the dirt to fill in over the box culverts which will go down the center of Northpark. But because of several utility conflicts, placement of the box culverts had to be put on hold.
So, contractors are storing the dirt at the Eagle Sorters Sand Mine on the West Fork. It will be transported back to Northpark when needed.
Stored dirt (center) from entry ponds at the Eagle Mine on Sorters-McClellan Road.
Once contractors place the dirt over the culverts, they can then begin paving two additional lanes of traffic over where the center ditch used to be.
UnionPacific
Now that all the legal agreements are in place and engineering plans have been approved, work can begin around the UP tracks. It won’t happen immediately though. According to UP, rail traffic is now in its peak season. In the coming months, expect to see three types of activity.
Boring under the tracks to take excess stormwater from the entry ponds to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and Bens Branch via Ditch One.
Placement of a one-piece concrete bed/continuous section of track over the project area with signal upgrades
Creation of ground-level feeder roads/turn lanes on each side of main lanes which will bridge over the tracks.
Looking E at Ditch One, Part of Northpark Expansion Drainage. Northpark is in upper right.
Northpark Expansion Project Lane Closures
Starting yesterday, 2/26/24, two westbound lanes on Northpark at 59 closed temporarily for reconstruction during the next few months.
During the first month, the existing left turn lane and one through lane will remain open. Then traffic will switch onto the newly constructed lanes, while the other lanes are completed. The contractor will install new storm sewer pipes and inlets along with new concrete roadway.
Looking N. Demolition has already begun on two westbound lanes.At 4 PM on Tuesday afternoon, OUTBOUND traffic on northpark was backed up past Russell-Palmer Road because of the lane closures.
Westbound traffic should expect delays and alternative routes are encouraged.
Judging by the outbound delay I saw today, I plan to avoid this bottleneck for the duration of the Northpark Expansion project.
Other Activity
The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA) and City Councilmember Fred Flickinger are scheduled to meet with the City Attorney on Thursday, 2/29/24, to discuss the Entergy issue. After years of discussion, the utility has not yet begun moving its power lines and transformer out of the way.
LHRA will hold a board meeting on March 14th, in part, to discuss Entergy options.
On Friday, March 15, the City, LHRA and Entergy will meet. Hopefully, they will come to an agreement that doesn’t involve legal action, which could increase costs and cause delays.
Reminder: Phase II Meeting on March 7
Also don’t forget the public input session on March 7 from 5-7 PM. 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.
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/2024/02/20240227-DJI_0127.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2024-02-27 16:51:072024-02-27 21:57:00February ’24 Northpark Expansion Update Including Lane Closures
Harris County Engineering has released preliminary drainage plans and a drainage analysis in response to a FOIA Request for a new Kings River Development located along Kings Park Way and Pinehurst Trail Drive. The drainage analysis claims “no adverse impact” on surrounding neighborhoods because of the three detention ponds they plan to build.
But the analysis by R.G. Miller Engineers, which is now under review by Harris County Engineering:
Omits data
Contains misstatements
Leaves out related reports
Includes alarming assumptions.
Together, these issues call into question the conclusion of no adverse impact.
In the meantime, the clearing of the Phase-1 site, owned by Meritage Homes, continues, even though Harris County disapproved construction plans for its detention basin.
Looking W.Mertitage Kings River Phase I construction site was about 80% cleared as of 1/29/24 at noon.
Let’s look at each of the issues above.
Data Omitted
Typically, engineers justify “no adverse impact” by comparing pre- and post-development peak-discharge rates. If the post- rate does not exceed the pre- rate, then they claim “no adverse impact.”
But the drainage analysis does not show the pre-/post comparison in a simple table. Why?
Take Tables 7 and 8A, for instance. They address calculations involving Pond 1 on the first section of land now being cleared (see above).
Table 7 from R.G. Miller Drainage Analysis, Page 7. Note blank boxes top leftafter Existing Peak Discharge.
The data is missing. They omitted the data again in another series of tables later in the analysis.
Drainage Analysis Table 8a, Page 13. Note missing data after “Maximum Allowable Outflow,” line 6.
A third table (1-D, page 8) includes pre-development runoff for all three ponds. Together, they seem to justify the claim.
But I can’t find the peak runoff for Pond 1 by itself in any one of the pre/post comparisons. Keep in mind that the second two ponds won’t be built for years. In the meantime, Pond 1 will be the sole source of mitigation.
Soil Analysis and Environmental Reports Not Completed
Discharge rates also depend on soil types. That’s because the soil on a site affects the rate of infiltration.
But Section 10 on Page 15 of the drainage analysis talks about how a geotechnical report (which would determine infiltration rates) has not yet been produced. It says, “…a geotechnical investigation is required to characterize potential soil conditions.”
The drainage analysis also never mentions the wetlands on the property. Those would normally be addressed in an “Environmental Issues” section. But that section says only, “Environmental investigation has not been completed in this study.”
This is kind of like your jet taking off without a full load of fuel. You might get to your destination, but…
Misstatement?
The report also contains a huge misstatement.
For instance, Section 2.2.3 (Results) begins with, “The detention storage volume required for the proposed 41.5 acres residential development is 26.98 acre-feet per acre.” That would mean they require 11,196.7 acre-feet of detention. But they’re providing only 39.8 acre-feet of storage volume.
I’m sure this is a typo. Another section of the analysis later states that the 26.98 figure is computed by using Harris County’s minimum requirement of .65 acre-feet per acre.
Such misstatements and poor proofing call into question other calculations in the analysis.
Alarming Assumption
Section 2.1 (Existing Conditions) states, “Since the proposed detention ponds outfall to an existing 30-in RCP and 36-inch RCP at Pinehurst Trail Drive, the maximum allowable discharge in this study will be the maximum capacity of the 30-inch RCP and 36-inch RCP.”
That sounds to me as though they feel they can use 100% of the existing storm sewer capacity…without regard to the needs of surrounding neighborhoods. For instance, assume that surrounding neighborhoods already use 75% of existing capacity. If the new development uses 100%, that means the drains would be 75% over capacity.
No Clear Support for Claim of “No Adverse Impact”
Although, they claim “no adverse impact,” it’s not clear to a lay person how they arrived at that assumption.
In fairness this report is still under review by Harris County Engineering.
The development also sits in the City of Houston’s extra territorial jurisdiction.
I hope both entities make the engineers clarify the basis for their claims and produce a final report that the public can understand. I stared at these 47 pages all day and still don’t understand how they can justify “No adverse impacts.”
Is it too much to ask for clarity when the safety of people and their homes is at stake?
Construction Plan of Detention Basins “Disapproved”
Evidently Harris County Engineering had some concerns with this development, too.
On 2/9/24, Engineering disapproved the R.G. Miller construction plans for Detention Basin #1. Engineering kicked the plans back for housekeeping-type issues.
For instance, the plans didn’t contain:
ID of the channel the ponds drained into
A Project name
A Project number
The signature and seal of a registered Texas professional engineer (PE).
Harris County used to refuse to review plans that weren’t signed and sealed by a PE. I am told that such gratuitous omissions make reviewers angry.
I would link to all the construction plans here. But the file sizes are massive and the construction plans moot for now. More later when/if they’re approved. For now, to review the entire 45-page, 16 meg drainage analysis, click here .
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/26/24
2372 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/2024/02/20240226-DJI_0109.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2024-02-26 18:26:182024-02-27 21:48:43New Kings River Development Drainage Analysis, Plans Raise Questions
Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) has begun construction of a 512 acre-foot stormwater detention basin upstream from Lake Houston on Cypress Creek near Mercer Arboretum. HCFCD hopes to complete the project in 2024.
The Mercer Project is located on the northeast corner of Hardy Tollroad and FM1960. It stretches north to Cypress Creek. A residential neighborhood borders it on the east.
Clearing the wooded site in Commissioner Rodney Ellis’ Precinct 1 began in January and continues. Meanwhile, it appears that excavation has begun in the portion of the site closest to Cypress Creek.
The projects includes two connected basins. Construction of the north basin appears further along than the south basin.
Photos of Construction Progress
I took the photos above on Sunday afternoon, 2/25/24. Surprisingly, contractors were hard at work.
Looking NW from over FM1960 toward Cypress Creek and Hardy Tollroad.North Basin will be on right. Start of South Basin is on left.Lower right area contains wetlands.Reverse angle looking S toward downtown Houston on horizon. Cypress Creek in foreground.Wooded area on left is designated for floodplain preservation.Closer shot shows beginning of excavation of north pond.Contractor is burning downed trees. I did not notice any piles of mulch. Looking N at more new clearing for South Basin.
Details and Funding for Mercer Project
Both basins will have dry bottoms. An underground equalizer pipe will balance the water level in the two basins, while avoiding the majority of jurisdictional wetlands and streams on the property.
A 54″ outfall pipe will move water back into the creek from the basins after a storm at a rate consistent with pre-construction runoff. A 30-foot-wide berm will accommodate maintenance and future recreational activities such as hike and bike trails.
This project is listed in the 2018 Bond Program as F-88. HCFCD estimated the cost at the time at $25 million, which included land acquisition, design and construction. Construction alone costs $14.8 million.
Funding comes both from the bond and a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program.
Benefits
The Mercer Project will lower the water surface elevation in the area shown below during a 100-year flood by .35 feet.
MercerProject location and benefit limit per HCFCD.
The Mercer project will remove the 100-year area of inundation from 30 structures and the 500-year area from another 17 structures. The homes benefitted extend from the Hardy downstream approximately to Cypresswood Drive.
Impact on Lake Houston Area
I applaud this project because every little bit counts. But three to four inches of flood-level reduction along Cypress Creek will have a much larger impact along Cypress Creek than in the Humble/Kingwood area. Here’s why.
Cypress Creek is just one of 11 watersheds that feed into Lake Houston. Cypress joins Spring Creek just upstream from the US59 bridge over the West Fork. In a 100-year storm evenly distributed across the region, the total runoff volume for each watershed upstream of Lake Houston is almost 2 million acre feet.
This project provides a hair more than 500 acre feet. So, by itself, it will retain only 0.025% of the water running off upstream of Lake Houston.
However, the Mercer Basin will retain 0.27% of the runoff in the Cypress Creek watershed. See table below provided by the SJRA.
Acre-feet of runoff from watersheds upstream of Lake Houston, assuming a 100-year rain uniformly distributed across the region.
A regional drainage study for the Cypress Creek watershed found that flooding along tributaries is predominately caused by stormwater from a rising Cypress Creek backing up into the tributaries. It’s not a lack of sufficient stormwater conveyance or drainage capacity on the tributaries themselves. HCFCD believes stormwater detention basins could reduce that backwater issue.
HCFCD’s Ultimate Recommendation for Cypress Creek
The regional drainage study described here recommends nearly 25,000 acre-feet of additional stormwater detention in the watershed – 50X more than this project provides. It’s unclear where all that land will come from in a watershed that’s already highly developed.
And that dramatizes the need to preserve land along creeks and bayous before it gets developed. That will be a far more cost-effective strategy in the long run.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/25/24
2371 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240225-DJI_0065.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2024-02-25 17:33:462024-02-25 17:42:27Construction Begins on Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin
