Bayou Land Conservancy Ribbon Cutting on Spring Creek

On Friday, 10/13/2023, Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC) staff and board members met with supporters and legislators for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at BLC’s new Arrowwood Preserve on Spring Creek in Tomball west of 249.

BLC’s Arrowwood Preserve is in the floodplain of Spring Creek just north of Lone Star College – Tomball.

Land Donated by Two Sand Miners in 2020

The occasion: dedication of a new outdoor classroom for environmental education. Years of work that began with the donation of 117 acres to the Bayou Land Conservancy in 2020 culminated yesterday. Two sand miners, Don Poarch and Joe Swinbank, owners of Sprint Sand & Clay, donated the ecologically diverse land across Spring Creek from Lone Star College-Tomball.

The preserve takes its name, Arrowwood, from a 6-8 foot shrub that’s a member of the Honeysuckle family. The preserve marks the western extent of the plant’s natural range.

Since acquisition of the land, BLC staff, volunteers and supporters have developed a management plan, blazed trails, erected boardwalks, and built the new outdoor classroom.

BLC developed the open-air classroom in partnership with William & Madeleine Welder Smith Foundation; The Ralph H. and Ruth J. McCullough Foundation; and Plains All-American Pipeline Company.

An Ecological Gem Now an Outdoor College

The photos below show some of the quiet, natural beauty of the Arrowwood Preserve.

Arrowwood is 117 acres of wetlands also populated by hardwoods and some pines.

Spring Creek cuts through the Arrowwood Preserve.
View looking south from above the new outdoor classroom.
Looking East. The preserve extends to SH249, left to right in the middle.
Jill Boullion, Executive Director of the BLC, cuts the ribbon to honor years of hard work by staff, board members and supporters. New outdoor classroom in background.
After the ribbon cutting, attendees explored the beauty of wilderness in the city.

The land will connect to the Spring Creek Greenway which extends all the way southeast to US59.

Value of Nature in Flood Mitigation

It’s hard to put an exact dollar figure on the value of such a preserve. Traditional benefit/cost ratios used in flood-mitigation projects quantify the benefits of massive engineering/construction projects against the cost of avoided damages.

But this land is still natural. So damage to structures is not a consideration. The value of damages avoided would depend on how many people with bad judgement might choose to build on land that goes deep under water during frequent floods. At 249, Spring Creek floodwaters rose 11.4 feet above flood stage during Harvey. That equals 27.5 feet above the normal elevation!

Need for New Formula to Weigh Prevention Against Correction

But there’s another way to look at this: the value of prevention compared to the cost of correction. Our parents all taught us that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The current mapped floodplains around and in Arrowwood look like this.

From FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer. Striped area = floodway of Spring Creek. Aqua = 1% annual chance of flooding. Tan = .02% annual chance.

Keep in mind that the map above was drawn in 2014 – before Harvey. FEMA has not yet released new post-Harvey flood maps. The floodplains will reportedly expand by 50% to 100%.

So, protecting this land from development will save money several ways. It will eliminate or reduce the:

  • Injuries and lives lost.
  • Cost of flood repairs.
  • Disruption to people’s lives after a flood.
  • Wasted construction dollars in unsafe areas that could have built safe homes on higher ground.
  • Buyouts after repetitive flooding.
  • Loss of home values.
  • Lawsuits.
  • Urban decay.
  • Taxpayer subsidies for the National Flood Insurance Program.
  • Cost of engineering and environmental studies designed to determine how to fix the problems.
  • Construction costs to build flood-mitigation measures, such as stormwater detention basins and channel widening
  • The need for expensive bulkheads and dikes to control river migration.
  • Higher tax rates to pay for many of the costs above.

Then, balance all those uncertainties and negatives against the positives of preservation.

Forests also slow down floodwaters by creating friction. This reduces severity of damage and gives people downstream more time to evacuate if necessary.

Clearly, determining the value of preservation demands a different kind of formula that considers different costs and different benefits.

Perhaps the next generation of future homeowners and leaders from Lone Star College will learn such things at BLC’s new outdoor classroom on Spring Creek and change the world for the better. I hope so.

Support Bayou Land Conservancy

This is an area that should stay natural forever. And with the help of the Bayou Land Conservancy, it will. BLC is an organization making a huge difference in a quiet way. It deserves the support of each and every one of us.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/14/23

2237 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Save the Date: Dave Martin’s Farewell Town Hall Meeting Next Tuesday

City of Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin will hold a farewell town hall meeting for District E residents.

Date: Tuesday, October 17th, 2023

Time: 6:30 p.m.

At: Kingwood Community Center

Address: 4102 Rustic Woods Dr. Kingwood, TX 77345

The Houston Police Department (HPD) Kingwood Division will start the program with a brief demonstration of new virtual reality training software, purchased with District E Service Funds. The Police will also provide a brief summary of local crime statistics. Later, HPD Lake Patrol will provide safety tips for Lake Houston.

Other Speakers

Recovery Efforts

Stephen Costello, Chief Resiliency Officer for the City of Houston, will give a comprehensive overview of the recovery efforts undertaken after Hurricane Harvey. This will include updates on the Lake Houston Dam Spillway Improvement Project (floodgates), dredging operations, and the desilting of bridges.

Solid Waste/Recycling

Mark Wilfalk, Director of the Solid Waste Department, will address any concerns regarding trash and recycling collections.

Northpark Overpass Project

Jeff Nielsen, President of the Lake Houston Redevelopment Board/TIRZ 10 board, will share information on the Northpark Drive Overpass Project, and various TIRZ 10 projects. 

Dave Martin on His Years of Service

Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin will provide a wrap up of his years of service and commitment to the residents of District E.

Information Tables for Early Arrivals

There will also be information tables hosted by City of Houston Departments, available for those who arrive early, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

For More Information

For more information, please contact Mayor Pro Tem Martin’s office at (832) 393-3008 or via email at districte@houstontx.gov.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/13/23

2236 Days since Hurricane Harvey

First Tree Transplanted in Northpark Expansion Project

October 12, 2023 – This morning, contractors transplanted the first tree in the Northpark Drive expansion project. The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority has budgeted $700,000 for the transplantation project in response to public concerns about saving as many trees as possible.

Plan for Tree Transplantation

Trees from the Northpark entry areas at US59 will be transplanted to the perimeters to make room for stormwater retention basins totaling 22 acre feet. Additional trees in the way of utility work farther east on Northpark will also be transplanted to the entries.

Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin attended the press event this morning and emphasized that the transplantation effort was the fulfillment of a commitment made to the public. Here is a summary of the final transplantation plans.

Why Northpark Must Be Widened

The widening of Northpark, including a bridge over the UnionPacific Railroad tracks, will create an all-weather evacuation route for more than 70,000 people in case of a natural disaster, such as Hurricane Harvey. Engineers need the retention-basin capacity to control runoff from the additional lanes of traffic near the entry at US59.

The ponds will do double duty as decorative lakes that welcome residents and visitors in normal times. And the transplanted trees will form a ring of green behind the entry ponds.

How They Will Transplant Giant Trees Weighing Tons

It’s not everyday that you get to see such massive machinery at work. The tree moved this morning was estimated at 15-20 feet tall. With its root ball, the tree weighed thousands of pounds.

The truck used for moving the trees has massive blades that circle a tree and scoop it out of the ground. It then moves the tree and its intact root ball to a new location where a matching hole has been pre-scooped. The pictures below show the tree being lowered into the hole, and then the blades being lifted out and retracted.

Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin (left) supervises transplantation of first tree as it moves toward its new home.
Truck moves into position near the pre-dug hole adjacent to Northpark Drive (upper left).
Truck lowers stabilizing legs and begins to lower tree into hole.
Almost there!
Tree nestles into place.
Driver begins to retract blades.
Driver lifts blades and retracts them so they no longer encircle tree.
Driver begins closing the blade assembly so he can move away and begin work on the next tree.
Looking SW across Northpark. All of the trees you see in the old entry will be transplanted in a similar fashion.
Looking NE toward utility work now under way along the north side of Northpark. Trees from both sides of road will eventually be moved to make way for upgraded utilities, a bridge, and improved drainage.

Your kids or grandkids may find this process fascinating. So please share this post with them.

Change is always difficult. But it’s important to remember that human lives will someday depend on this project and that efforts are being made to protect the lives of as many trees as possible.

For More Information

For previous posts about Northpark construction, see the following:

Also visit the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 Project pages at https://lakehoustonra.com.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/12/23

2235 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Commissioners Discuss Colony Ridge, But Take No Position Yet

As the state legislature takes up what to do about Colony Ridge, Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey, PE, brought the issue up in the 10/10/23 session of Commissioners Court.

Screen capture of Ramsey starting discussion.

Ramsey Leads Off Discussion with Photos of Dramatic Erosion, Impacts

Ramsey presented dramatic photos of erosion coming from Colony Ridge. He also discussed how rampant erosion impacts areas downstream. He referred to:

Ramsey also reminded everyone that Lake Houston supplies drinking water to roughly 2.2 million people, about half the population of Harris County.

Next, Ramsey introduced a motion to determine how much a study would cost to learn how Colony Ridge drainage has impacted Harris County. Ramsey, an engineer by trade, limited his remarks to drainage and infrastructure issues, even though the state legislature is examining a much broader range of issues.

You can see slides from Ramsey’s presentation here.

Commissioners and HCFCD Director React to Ramsey

Ramsey asked Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) to come back to the next Commissioners Court meeting with an outline and cost for a study that would determine the downstream impacts from Colony Ridge.

Dr. Tina Petersen, HCFCD executive director, said they hadn’t studied Colony Ridge but would do everything she could to come back to the next Commissioners Court meeting with a proposal for a study.

Then the scope of the task started expanding. Other commissioners, including Rodney Ellis, pointed out that Liberty County wasn’t the only upstream county impacting Harris County.

Commissioner Adrian Garcia asked whether Director Petersen could expand the scope to consider impacts from other counties. But Petersen said that would be impossible by the next meeting.

Because other upstream areas have similar issues, commissioners felt a regional approach might make more sense and funding might be available from the Texas Water Development Board to study the problem.

So, Commissioner Ellis suggested having Intergovernmental Affairs look into what other counties, including Liberty, are doing.

Judge Hidalgo called the other Colony Ridge issues being investigated by the legislature and Attorney General Ken Paxton “conspiracy theories.”

No Action Taken in Meeting, but Unanimous Agreement to Revisit Issue

In the end, the Commissioners voted to take “no action” on Ramsey’s motion in yesterday’s meeting. However, they also agreed to reconsider it at a future date when Commissioners have more information about the scope and costs of a study.

In the meantime, I’m not sure how much cooperation Harris County will get from upstream counties. In my opinion, other counties sometimes see lax enforcement of regulations as tools to attract development.

See the entire discussion. It lasted about 18.5 minutes from 5:04:25 to 5:23, and ended with unanimous agreement to revisit the issue at an unspecified future date.

If nothing else, this raises the profile of Colony Ridge issues in the state legislature. The bi-partisan nature of the meeting’s outcome and the focus on infrastructure issues may make Colony Ridge’s charges of racism much more difficult for the legislature to ignore.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/11/2023

2234 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.

Recommendations for Special Session of Texas Legislature on Colony Ridge

Today, the Texas legislature began another special session. On the agenda: Colony Ridge, the controversial Liberty County development in so many headlines lately.

Colony Ridge
Colony Ridge, the world’s largest trailer park, now covers approximately 20,000 acres, an area 50% larger than Manhattan.

During the last four years, I have published more than 60 articles about Colony Ridge. I have based them on countless drive throughs, flyovers, and interviews with residents, engineers and public officials.

I have seen with my own eyes, over and over again, many drainage and related infrastructure issues that the state legislature could address. In my opinion, the legislature should address the following.

Please forward this link to all your friends. Ask them to contact their state legislators in support of these recommendations.

List of Infrastructure Recommendations for Special Session

  • Get Liberty County to enforce its drainage regulations.
  • Protect downstream areas from Colony Ridge erosion by forcing the developer to comply with Liberty County regulations, including those that call for:
    • Planting grass on the side slopes of drainage channels and stormwater detention basins
    • Installing backslope interceptor swales and pipes to protect side slopes from sheet flow that causes erosion
    • Installing pilot channels along the bottom of detention basins
  • Tell TxDoT to fix FM1010, a vital evacuation route for tens of thousands of people.
  • Update state building codes to reduce squalor and make Texas eligible for more than a billion in FEMA BRIC funding which could help address Colony Ridge infrastructure issues.
  • Put teeth into the State Water Code Section 11.086 to ensure Colony Ridge and others provide adequate stormwater detention that helps protect downstream residents from flooding.
  • Create minimum drainage standards that:
    • Mandate use of Atlas 14 or latest FEMA rainfall rates
    • Require minimum detention rates of .55 acre feet per acre
    • Prohibit use of hydrograph timing surveys
    • Require “No net fill in current mapped 500-year floodplain”
    • Require minimum finished floor elevations of new structures above the 500-year flood elevation
  • Protect wetlands
  • Stiffen penalties for discharging sewage into waterways and ditches.

In addition, the state should:

  • Require local governments to preserve records and comply with TPIA/FOIA requests.
  • Prohibit “insider” business deals between elected/appointed officials and developers.

In regard to insider business deals, one of the Colony Ridge developers who controls the local MMD proposed giving a contract for almost $10 million to a paving company controlled by his family. I’m told the final figure actually approved was closer to $15 million. Shouldn’t the developer be responsible for that?

Why We Need Action

Everybody is downstream from somebody else. Or they will be someday. The purpose of the legislature is to develop rules that enable us all to live safely together. Colony Ridge issues affect people both upstream and downstream.

Downstream Impact

Downstream residents have had to pay tens of millions of dollars for dredging sediment in the San Jacinto River. Much of that sediment was contributed by Colony Ridge.

That sediment also contributed to flooding thousands of homes when it blocked the river.

Finally, the City of Houston is spending $1.77 billion dollars to build a water treatment plant that removes sediment and other pollutants coming into Lake Houston from Colony Ridge and places like it. And we spent another $381 million on the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project to bring in water from the Trinity River.

So, we are spending more than $2.1 billion to bring in and clean up water that Colony Ridge is polluting. Stop the treadmill! Please!

Upstream Issues

Colony Ridge and Plum Grove residents have suffered, too. In addition to the drainage issues described in previous posts, here is a list of other infrastructure issues that a Colony Ridge property owner sent me:

  • Emergency evacuation routes limited and congested. Few ways in or out.
  • No street lights in most of the development.
  • No sidewalks
  • Kids are waiting for school buses on unlit street corners 
  • Aggressive dogs attack people when walking in the streets 
  • Minimal fire hydrants for our area
  • Cement plants in our neighborhood spew silica dust for miles without TCEQ or EPA permits
  • No school zone lights for school in Santa Fe 
  • Kids have no safe place to play outside due to unlawful discharge of firearms
  • Major traffic congestion; situation deteriorating 
  • Ambulances have trouble getting into area and back out to a hospital
  • Many missing street signs for traffic control (stop, yield, school zone, etc.)

Both Developer and Legislature Under a Microscope

It will be interesting to see whether the legislature actually does anything substantive about the infrastructure issues in Colony Ridge or whether they just deport a few people, declare a symbolic victory and continue accepting donations from the developer. Let’s be positive for now. Who thought things would ever get this far?!!!

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/9/2023

2232 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.

Karma Strikes Again: Colony Ridge Drainage Systems Severely Eroding

October 8, 2023 – Karma is fast catching up with the corner-cutting Colony Ridge developer in Liberty County. Drainage infrastructure that doesn’t meet Liberty County regulations is fast eroding.

And tomorrow, a special session of the Texas legislature will start investigating the embattled development. The special session will focus on crime, infrastructure, illegal immigration, and more.

To offset negative publicity, the developer invited legislators to meet at his development last week and tour it.

But just before the meeting, Liberty County deputies, a narcotics unit, and SWAT team responded to an abduction at gunpoint. They also launched a manhunt for two escaped suspects in the sprawling development, which is now 50% larger than Manhattan.

On the day of the developer’s meeting, the main entrance to the development flooded. Badly. Ditches designed to keep roads clear in a 5-year storm overflowed during a 1-year rain.

The next day when the storm clouds cleared, an aerial survey showed that Colony Ridge drainage channels and stormwater detention basins were badly damaged.

Had the developer simply followed Liberty County regulations, he could have reduced or avoided the costly damage.

Missing Erosion Controls

Section 50 of Liberty County’s Subdivision and Development regulations specifies requirements for construction of drainage ditches and stormwater detention basins.

The County emphasizes the need to control erosion and sedimentation. It warns these twin threats can have very serious effects on stormwater ditches and basins. Specifically, they can:

  • Cause slope failures
  • Reduce the efficiency of drainage channels
  • Clog drainage culverts
  • Reduce channel capacity
  • Reduce maintainability of drainage facilities
  • Increase maintenance costs
  • Require more frequent repairs
  • Increase turbidity
  • Impair water quality.

To counter these problems, the regulations say…

“Interceptor structures and backslope swale systems are required to prevent sheet flows from eroding the side slopes of open channels and detention facilities.”

Liberty County Subdivision and Development Regulations, Page 100

The diagram below explains how they work.

backslope interceptor design

The regulations also specify design requirements for these structures and other erosion control measures. Altogether, Colony Ridge apparently violated requirements for:

  • Backslope interceptor and swale systems
  • Bermuda grass on side slopes of channels and ditches
  • Erosion controls around outfall pipes
  • Geo-textile bedding under rip rap
  • Pilot channels at the bottom of detention basins
  • Maintenance strips
  • Storage of excavated dirt
  • Side-slope angles

Not all locations in Colony Ridge exhibit all problems. Regardless, karma was swift. Thursday’s 1-year rain severely eroded the side slopes of channels and basins. Eroded sediment also started filling in new ditches and basins.

Repairs and compliance – if attempted – will be costly and time consuming.

Karma Hurts Residents Upstream and Down

While critics might rejoice at the karma, others will pay the price. The developer’s practices increase flood risk for people in Colony Ridge as well as those downstream.

  • In the development, erosion threatens property.
  • Downstream, sediment reduces the conveyance of streams, increasing flood risk.

TCEQ has warned the developer about his construction practices before. But many dubious practices continue. See photos below.

The first two are NASA satellite images from Google Earth. I shot the rest on 10/6/23 with one exception.

Threat to Colony Ridge Residents

When a three-mile ditch down the center of Colony Ridge was completed, it was about 120 feet wide at the yellow line.

August 2017

Today, it’s 76 feet wider.

Residents on EACH side lost 38 feet of their back yards.

This ditch has steadily widened since its construction. Without backslope interceptor swales or grass to reduce erosion, millions of cubic feet of dirt swept downstream from this single ditch.

Then, when the water slowed at the headwaters of Lake Houston, the sediment dropped out of suspension, reducing the conveyance of the East Fork San Jacinto.

Here are several shots showing what that erosion damage looks like up close from a helicopter.

The ravine forms more ravines.
No room for a maintenance road here.
Or here.

Virtually every ditch in Colony Ridge has erosion and compliance problems. Here’s another one.

No maintenance road. No backslope interceptor swales. No grass on sides of ditch. Note: home on right has no back fence. What happened to it?
Note piles of dirt stored where they can erode back down into ditches.

Even detention basins in the newer sections of Colony Ridge have erosion problems. Again, most don’t have grass on the side slopes. Nor do they have backslope interceptor swales. Many, like the one below, don’t have room for maintenance roads.

Note the erosion threat already to these recently placed mobile homes in a newer section of Colony Ridge.
Erosion will soon threaten one of the new roads in Colony Ridge. Regs specify that rip rap like you see here should have had a geo-textile lining under it to reduce erosion.
Erosion washed sediment into new basin. Also note how erosion is starting to block the outfall at the lower right.
No backslope swales here. Not much Bermuda grass either. Regs say “side slopes shall be no steeper than 3 horizontal to 1 vertical (3:1).”
No grass or backslope interceptor system here. No pilot channels either.
Note piles of excavated dirt stacked on both sides of road, eroding back into ditches.

As all those ditches and basins gradually fill in, they will add to future flood risk.

But repairing such issues will be a big, costly challenge – one that the developer has ignored for years.

Threat to Downstream Residents

All this erosion also contributes to downstream flooding and likely violates Section 11.086 of the Texas water code. It states that “No person may divert … the natural flow of surface waters in this state … in a manner that damages the property of another…”

Where does all that eroded sediment eventually go? To Lake Houston, of course.

East Fork San Jacinto downstream from Colony Ridge on Thursday 10/5/23 – same day as shots above.

The river slows down where it meets the headwaters of Lake Houston. That causes sediment to drop out of suspension.

Harris County, City of Houston and the State just finished a major dredging effort on the East Fork that cost the public tens of millions of dollars.

Before dredging, it looked like this.

East Fork Mouth Bar after Imelda and before dredging. This bar grew 4,000 feet between Harvey and Imelda.

But the cost is only part of the issue. Reduction in the river’s conveyance contributed to the flooding of thousands of nearby homes during Harvey and Imelda.

Harris County Commissioners Court May Address Issues on Tuesday

Drainage is a public-safety issue. And it’s not the only one caused by the developer’s disregard for regulations.

  • Colony Ridge has filled in wetlands.
  • TCEQ has also documented problems with the Colony Ridge sewage system that led to a 48,000 gallons of fecal matter escaping into Lake Houston, the source of drinking water for 2 million people.
  • Colony Ridge does not have enough fire hydrants or water pressure to comply with the Liberty County fire code.

Harris County Commissioners Court may discuss these problems on Tuesday at the request of Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, PE. See Item 406 on the Agenda.

The developer alleges that racism motivates criticism of his Hispanic development. But racism does not explain flooding, feces and fire.

The failure of a developer to follow regulations shouldn’t pit Liberty County against Harris County, rich against poor, or Democrats against Republicans.

We all suffer equally. We all face increased risk. And Colony Ridge is one issue where we should all find common cause.

I hope that Commissioners Courts in both counties support the legislature’s investigation into Colony Ridge. I also pray that both Counties can work together to protect all residents.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/8/23

2231 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.

Colony Ridge Karma: Area Floods While Developer Hosts Lawmakers

Colony Ridge taught the world about karma on Thursday, October 5, 2023. The development’s main entrance flooded during a meeting of legislators. The purpose of the meeting: to convince legislators that the development wasn’t as bad as media reports.

In eastern religions, karma is when a person’s actions decide his/her future. Think of cause and effect. Sometimes people get what they deserve.

The closed-door meeting and private tour for elected representatives happened in advance of a special session of the legislature that begins next Monday.

The main entrance to the development flooded during or immediately after the meeting. So did areas downstream in Plum Grove. The parking lot of an elementary school flooded so badly that Cleveland ISD had to reschedule an open house. I doubt flooded areas were on the tour.

Drainage Not Meeting Regulations

All this happened during a 1- to 2-year storm that dumped less than four inches of rain in a 12-hour period.

The gage at the San Jacinto East Fork and FM2090 received 3.8 inches of rain. According to Atlas 14, that falls almost exactly in the middle of totals for 1- to 2-year storms and is within the confidence interval of each.

However, the Liberty County subdivision regulations specify that resdiential street drains should be able to carry runoff from a 5-year storm (See page 132, Section 50, C1Ai). It also states, “Major thoroughfares should accommodate five-year peak runoff rates with a minimum ten-foot dry travel lane and 25-year peak runoff rates without overtopping curbs.” Regardless of how you classify the streets below…

Thursday’s rainfall should not have covered these streets if Colony Ridge had built roads, channels and stormwater detention basins to Liberty County standards.

But look at the pictures that residents sent me that day.

colony ridge karma
Photo supplied by reader showing Colony Ridge main entrance during storm on Thursday, October 5, while developer schmoozed lawmakers elsewhere.
FM1010 at Orange Branch downstream from Colony Ridge in Plum Grove during same storm.

Insufficiently mitigated drainage that causes flooding is a huge public safety issue. However, it certainly doesn’t get the attention it deserves short of a major disaster, such as Hurricane Harvey. Harvey wiped out the FM1010 bridge over Rocky Branch due to excessive, uncontrolled runoff from Colony Ridge. The bridge has not been repaired to this day.

FM1010, the main north-south artery between Huffman and Cleveland

That’s a huge public safety issue in itself. The legislature should address it. FM1010 is a major evacuation route.

But according to KHOU, lawmakers who attended the developer’s PR counter-offensive didn’t see anything wrong with Colony Ridge.

Karma Part II: High-Profile Crime

Ironically, in addition to flooding, a high-profile crime happened shortly before the meeting with lawmakers. A young man was kidnapped at gunpoint by three armed teens in Colony Ridge. That triggered a response by police, Texas Rangers and the Liberty County SWAT team. They captured one suspect and launched a manhunt for the other two.

Subsequently, the Liberty County Vindicator reported that a coalition of lawmakers citing rampant crime and a possible drug-cartel presence are urging the state to put the embattled Colony Ridge development under government conservatorship.

According to the Vindicator, the Texas House Appropriations, County Affairs, Public Health, and Criminal Jurisprudence committees proposed establishing funding for a Texas Department of Public Safety substation to multiply law enforcement presence in Colony Ridge. Colony Ridge remains unincorporated despite being the largest settlement in Liberty County.

Political/Media Brawl

The sudden surge in media attention surrounding Colony Ridge problems has generated its own media attention. The developer called his critics racists. Both the Associated Press and Houston Chronicle have rushed to his defense. They implied that Colony Ridge problems are overblown and that the developer is providing a path to homeownership for low-income Hispanics.

However, the stories ignored the developer’s usurious interest rates and couldn’t even get the age of the development correct. The lead sentence in the Chronicle article (which borrows heavily from the AP article) begins with “For two decades, Colony Ridge has been an escape for low income…” [Emphasis added.]

Satellite images in Google Earth show that the first Colony Ridge homes started appearing in October 2014 – nine years ago, not 20.

In the upcoming special session, I hope we can focus on real issues that affect human beings, such as flooding, and not just trade barbs. We need to get past the misinformation and political spin to solutions.

Tomorrow: Karma Part III

Tomorrow, I will publish a photo essay that shows Colony Ridge last Friday. Come back for Karma Part III. During Thursday’s rainfall, erosion damaged months of work on ditches and stormwater detention basins, also not built to Liberty County or industry standards.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/7/23

2230 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.

New York Post Publishes Gripping Exposé on Colony Ridge

Dana Kennedy of the New York Post published a 2,500-word exposé on Colony Ridge titled “Murders, cartels, squalor: Inside ‘colony’ near Houston accused of being ‘haven for illegal aliens.’”

Kennedy spent weeks researching and writing the article. She interviewed the developer as well as residents, neighbors, local officials and law enforcement. Her story includes 27 photos and a 10-minute video – rare for a daily newspaper. If you really want to get a feeling for Colony Ridge and its impact on surrounding areas, Kennedy’s article is a great place to start.

Summary Of Exposé

She delves into the development’s housing, population, criminal activity, drug cartels, roving dogs, gang activity, access issues and how it has become a magnet for illegal immigration.

In short, she covers why Governor Greg Abbott is making it part of a special legislative session that he called for next Monday. And why Texas’s 25 House Republicans have unanimously called for an investigation.

Kennedy then segues into how the developer markets the property to Hispanics, i.e., with owner financing, small down payments, and interest rates up to 15%. She also details the high foreclosure rates and the revolving door at the county courthouse that allows the developer to resell the same property multiple times.

From there, she turns her attention to the impacts on surrounding communities – homes flooded, FM1010 washed out, endless traffic snarls, a severed human hand that a dog dragged home, and plummeting property values. She lets disenchanted purchasers and neighbors tell their stories in their own words.

Developers Claim of Racism Disputed

The developer blames the criticism on racism among the locals. Former Plum Grove Mayor Lee Ann Penton-Walker disputes that. “We don’t have the infrastructure to take on all these new people. Hell, Houston doesn’t. New York doesn’t. Look what your mayor’s been saying lately. Is Eric Adams a racist?”

The developer’s claim of racism belies the fact that most of the criticism in the story came from Hispanics.

Kennedy ends her expose with some quotes from me about conditions “hazardous to human health.” They referred to TCEQ reports documenting sewage spills and poorly mitigated drainage.

How the Other Half Lives

All told, it’s a gripping story and a solid piece of journalism. It reminded me of the work done by a pioneering photojournalist in New York named Jacob Riis. He documented living conditions in New York City slums during the 1880s. Riis published a book called “How the Other Half Lives.” It served as a basis for future muckraking journalism by exposing the slums in New York to the City’s upper and middle classes.

I hope Kennedy’s work for the Post has a similar impact and brings Colony Ridge to national attention. Even more, I hope it brings about some much needed change.

Just hours after the Post published Kennedy’s story, the developers launched a PR counter-offensive. They hosted a tour of Colony Ridge for state legislators who will begin their investigation into the controversial development next week during their special session.

The address below probably won’t be on the PR tour.

Remnants of an American dream, thanks in part to the scarcity of fire hydrants in Colony Ridge.

For more about Colony Ridge drainage and related infrastructure issues, see these posts.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/5/2023

2228 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.

Woodridge Village Excavation Slows

During September, Sprint Sand & Clay excavated another 5,698 cubic yards of material from Woodridge Village, down slightly from the previous month. However, that brought the total to date up to 150,724 cubic yards – a nice milestone.

Attempted development of the property contributed to the flooding of neighboring properties twice in 2019 during May and September.

Background of Project

Sprint’s excavation will create a sixth stormwater detention basin on the former Perry Homes property purchased by Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) and the City of Houston in 2021.

Sprint began excavation in January of 2022 under an Excavation and Removal Contract (E&R). The E&R contract gives Sprint the right to remove up to 500,000 cubic yards of material for just $1,000. Sprint then makes its money back by selling the dirt at market rates.

Where Things Stand

To date, here’s where things stand in relation to possible goals:

Acre Feet of Stormwater Detention% of Atlas-14 Requirement% of Ultimate
Site Had When Purchased from Perry Homes27170%47%
Has as of 10/3/23364.494.6%62.8%
Atlas 14 Requires385100%66%
If Sprint Excavates All 500K Cubic Yards580150%100%
As of 10/3/23

The rate of excavation slowed in September compared to August. During August Sprint excavated 10,353 cubic yards – almost twice as much.

E&R contracts often fluctuate like this depending on home- and road-building activity nearby. Regardless, Sprint still exceeded its contract’s monthly minimum of 5,000 cubic yards.

Before/After Pictures For September

The first two photos below show the extent of excavation at the beginning and end of September.

Woodridge Village E&R activity
Looking NE from SW Corner. Beginning of September.
End of September 2023

I see no dramatic changes. They did, however, nibble away at the edges in the top left corner, where the tire tracks lead to. Here’s a closeup of that area.

NW limit of excavation as of September 30, 2023
Reverse angle looking SW. Notice removal of surface layer in the lower right.
Entry view, 9/30/23

Rain always slows construction activity and it may have played a role here. The pool of water above was one third this size at the start of the month.

5,698 cubic yards of material for September equals 3.5 acre feet. At that rate, the detention basin will not reach Atlas-14 requirements for another 5-6 months. It appears unlikely at this point that Sprint will meet Atlas-14 requirements by the end of the year – unless Sprint really sprints.

No Engineering Report Yet

At the start of the project, HCFCD planned to go beyond Atlas 14 to accommodate possible future increases in rainfall requirements and upstream growth. That would provide an extra margin of safety for people in the area.

HCFCD still has not released the final engineering report yet for Woodridge Village and Taylor Gully. So we don’t know yet how large this detention basin will be, i.e., beyond Atlas 14.

That final engineering report will also determine the final shape of the basin and its connectivity to other drainage on the site.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/3/23

2226 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Contractors Clearing South Side of Northpark Entry at US59

October 2, 2023 – Contractors finished clearing the north side of Kingwood’s Northpark entry last week. Now they have shifted their focus to the south side to make room for two stormwater retention basins that will double as decorative lakes.

TxDoT requires the basins to catch extra runoff caused by widening of the road.

Photos Show Progress of Northpark Entry Construction

The focus of the project’s landscape architects now is saving as many trees as possible. I took the photos below with one exception on 9/30/23.

Looking west. Trees remaining on the south (left) side of Northpark have been marked for transplantation. Excavation of pond on north (right) side should begin in mid-October.

In the photo below, note the rings around the remaining trees on the south side.

Those rings help retain water and nutrients being given to the trees to enhance their chances of surviving transplantation.
Looking E. Note how row of trees on the left screen the entry from the busy shopping center behind them. Also notice how the right side does not have a similar row of trees.

Landscape architects will relocate most of the remaining trees on the right/south side of Northpark to create a backdrop for the new pond. Some trees will remain in front of the pond. See the latest plan below.

Northpark entry plan

Handling Overflow from Ponds during Heavy Rains

To avoid flooding the Northpark entry area, contractors will channel overflow from the ponds west to Bens Branch and the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.

Looking east. Note clearing on the left/north side of Northpark to lay the new stormwater line that will carry overflow from the ponds to the east.
Looking west toward 59. The stormwater line will go behind Public Storage (upper left) and carry water toward the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and Bens Branch.
Northpark Drive expansion;
Route for excess water. Circle shows location of photo above this one.

Status from Diversion Ditch to 494

Looking east from Russell-Palmer to Kingwood Diversion Ditch. Virtually all of the ditch has been replaced by box culvert.
A coffer dam remains around an out-of-place water line that needs to be lowered.

Re-engineering of the water line has begun in concert with the City of Houston.

Farther east where culverts have already been placed, you can start to see how Northpark will be widened inward toward the center to create two extra lanes of traffic.
Looking west from Russell-Palmer, contractors are still waiting for Centerpoint to move a gas line out of the median to the side of the road.

Until Centerpoint moves that gas line, contractors will focus on other parts of the project, such as the entry.

Saving Money While Saving Trees

At their monthly meeting last Thursday, Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ board members discussed the escalating cost of relocating trees. Costs increased as trees grew between the original estimate and today.

After the meeting, Ralph De Leon, the project manager, met with contractors, the landscape architect and project designer. They developed a new plan to help hold down costs.

Previously, some trees were to be moved twice, first to a temporary holding location on the north side of Northpark and then back to their final spot on the south side. Why? Contractors needed to build up land behind the pond on the south side of Northpark before transplanting the trees.

The new plan calls for building up the land before moving ANY trees. That will eliminate the cost of the double move. It will also reduce traffic disruption. Tree moving equipment will no longer have to cross Northpark.

Main Goals of Northpark Project

Overall, the main goals of the Northpark project include:

  • Widening the road to reduce delays caused by increased traffic
  • Building a bridge over the UP railroad tracks to eliminate traffic blockages
  • Creating a reliable, all-weather evacuation route for Kingwood

For More Information

For previous posts about Northpark construction, see the following:

Also visit the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 Project pages at https://lakehoustonra.com.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/2/23

2225 Days since Hurricane Harvey