NOAA’s new Atlas 15 precipitation-frequency estimates will soon replace recently introduced Atlas 14 estimates – even before the Atlas 14 estimates have been fully adopted and integrated into local regulations.
About Precipitation-Frequency Estimates
Engineers use precipitation-frequency estimates to design, plan and manage infrastructure under Federal, State and local regulations. For instance, to ensure homes are built X feet above the 100-year floodplain, engineers must “know” how much rain will fall in a 100-year storm. Predicting that is one of NOAA’s jobs.
However, haphazard adoption of the new estimates has created a patchwork quilt of regulations across Texas and the U.S. One of the dirty, little secrets in the flood mitigation business is that many jurisdictions fail to adopt the new estimates and update their regulations accordingly. It’s costly, time-consuming, and raises the bar for developers.
So, many jurisdictions continue to use lower estimates to help attract development.
But designing infrastructure around artificially low rainfall estimates can lead to insufficient mitigation that increases flood risk for everyone.
Some Estimates Now in Effect Go Back 60 Years
In 2018, NOAA introduced Atlas 14 precipitation-frequency estimates for Texas. They replaced earlier estimates published by NOAA as early as the 1960s. Some parts of the Houston region still use those earlier estimates today.
Atlas 14 estimates superseded those published in:
Weather Bureau Technical Paper No. 40, Rainfall Frequency Atlas of the United States for Durations from 30 Minutes to 24 Hours and Return Periods from 1 to 100 Years (Hershfield, 1961)
Weather Bureau Technical Paper No. 49, Two- to Ten-Day Precipitation for Return Periods of 2 to 100 Years in the Contiguous United States (Miller, 1964).
Newest Estimates Will Incorporate Climate Change
Compared to those, Atlas 14 estimates are more accurate. They incorporate data from newer technologies and more data collected over longer periods. Atlas 14 totals increased 30-40% for the Lake Houston Area.
The Atlas 15 estimates are just getting underway and have not yet been developed. NOAA expects to release them in 2027.
NOAA claims its Atlas-15 update will improve precipitation-frequency estimates by leveraging non-stationary climate estimates. Previous estimates, such as Atlas 14, have assumed a stationary climate.
In statistics, “non-stationary” means the underlying environment changes, say due to some strong trend or seasonality. Many people believe climate is changing and hence the desire to build that into the new precipitation-frequency estimates.
National Funding, New Updates Every 10 Years
Historically, NOAA precipitation-frequency estimates have been funded by states and other users, on a cost-reimbursable basis. However, that is changing.
Moving forward, the Federal government will fund precipitation-frequency updates. Under the Floods Act, signed into law in December 2022, NOAA will update precipitation-frequency estimates every 10 years.
Goals include:
Updating standards
Incorporating climate change
For the entire country.
Voluntary, Local Participation
But there’s a dirty little secret that not many people know about. Nothing forces individual cities, counties or states to adopt the estimates and work them into their regulations.
That’s a big job. And an expensive one. So, not all jurisdictions do it. Many areas surrounding Houston still plan infrastructure using data developed 60 years ago.
If you plan on less rain, channels can be narrower and stormwater-detention basins smaller. But residents are not protected as much as they should be.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/5/2023 based on information from NOAA.
2198 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-05-at-3.14.21-PM.png?fit=1686%2C846&ssl=18461686adminadmin2023-09-05 16:12:162023-09-05 16:12:17Here Come New Precipitation-Frequency Estimates…Again
It’s easy to forget flooding in the middle of a drought. But we should never forget that Texas ranks #2 in states with the most flood damage. This and other statistics below demonstrate why we shouldn’t become complacent.
Debris pile from Imelda flood in Elm Grove Village (Kingwood).
Different Measures, Similar Rankings
Many ways exist to rank flood-prone areas and Texas ranks high on most of them.
Most hurricanes? Out of the 300 hurricanes that made landfall in the US since 1851, Texas ranks #2 after Florida with 66 hitting the Lone Star state – 22% of the U.S. total.
Percentage of state’s total population living in floodplains? Texas ties for 10th according to a 2017 study. But a 2023 TWDB study shows that 20% of Texans now live in floodplains; that would tie us for 3rd if nothing else changed.
Most disaster declarations? Texas ranks #2 when considering all types.
Flood deaths? Texas ranks #1. Two hundred people died between 2010 and 2022. Over a longer period of time, 1959-2014, the state had over 850 flood deaths.
As bad as the Texas statistics are, Harris County’s are even worse.
Between 1978 and 2021, Harris County led all counties in the the entire countryfor NFIP claims filed (171,300), about 44% of the total claims for all of Texas.
It’s important to look at many different measures, because no one measure conveys the full picture. For instance:
Number of hurricanes also reflects miles of subtropical shoreline.
The sheer size and population of Texas make it rank high on many measures. Said another way, we are a big target.
The high clay content of our soils discourages infiltration and encourages runoff of rainfall.
Dollar losses may depend as much as on affluence or population density in floodplains as the severity of flooding.
Dollar losses in Texas also reflect old building codes in many locations.
And then there’s the huge number of mobile homes in Texas. They are notoriously susceptible to high winds, like those often associated with hurricanes.
Their placement also makes them more vulnerable to flooding than other types of housing. A study by Headwaters Economics found that one in seven mobile homes is located in an area with high flood risk, compared to one in 10 for all other housing types.
Texas, a Leader in…
Texas leads the nation in many things: oil, gas, cotton, job creation, economic expansion and more. Unfortunately, we’re also a leader in flooding.
That’s enough to make a dent in the state’s budget, but not the problem. Perhaps we need to re-examine our priorities.
Posted by Bob Rehak on September 4, 2023, Labor Day
2197 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Elm-Grove-9.19_71.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500adminadmin2023-09-04 17:02:452023-09-04 17:02:47Texas Ranks #2 in States with Most Flood Damage
When looking at buying property, your flood risk depends on at least ten factors. Unfortunately, people rarely consider most of them. Even if they do, they may not now how to assess them.
Harvey Flood. Photo by Sally Geis.
So, here’s a list of key factors that can increase or decrease your flood risk. I’ve also included examples and ways to explore their impact on your property or the property you’re considering buying:
Geography and Topography: The natural landscape of an area plays a significant role in its flood susceptibility. Flat, low-lying areas, river valleys, coastal regions, and areas near lakes or other bodies of water are more prone to flooding because water naturally collects in these locations. To investigate a particular area, check out resources such as the USGS National Map and FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer.
Proximity to Water Bodies: Areas near rivers, lakes, oceans, and other water bodies are at a higher risk of flooding. Riverine flooding, coastal flooding, and flash flooding can all occur in these regions. See any map or web sites such as RiskFactor.com.
Rainfall and Precipitation Patterns: Areas that receive heavy or prolonged rainfall are more likely to experience flooding. Rainfall can lead to flash floods, riverine flooding, and urban flooding when drainage systems are overwhelmed. In Texas, generally the farther east and closer to the coast you go, the more rainfall increases. To see the likelihood of precipitation in any given area, check out NOAA’s Atlas-14 site then investigate local infrastructure standards to see if they meet Atlas-14 standards or something less (prior). Also understand that NOAA is revising Atlas-14 already to incorporate impacts of climate change (see Atlas-15).
Climate and Weather Events: Areas prone to hurricanes, tropical storms, or other severe weather events are at risk of storm surges, heavy rainfall, and coastal flooding. Here are several sites that can help you find reliable climate data.
Human Development: Urbanization and land development can increase flood risk. Paved surfaces and buildings can reduce natural drainage and increase runoff, overwhelming drainage systems. Harris County has proposed minimum drainage standards for areas draining into Harris County, but not all surrounding areas have adopted these standards yet.
Deforestation and Land Use Changes: Changes in land use, such as deforestation or the construction of roads and buildings, can alter natural water flow patterns and increase flood risk. Think you’re protected? Unfortunately for homeowners, many wetlands are now being destroyed. The EPA and Army Corps amended the definition of protected “waters of the United States” in light of the decision in Sackett v. EPA in May. It narrowed the scope of the Clean Water Act and the EPA’s power to regulate waterways and wetlands.
Infrastructure and Drainage Systems: The condition and capacity of drainage systems, including stormwater sewers and levees, can affect an area’s flood vulnerability. Inadequate or poorly maintained infrastructure can lead to flooding. After Harvey, Harris County Flood Control embarked on an ambitious expansion of flood-mitigation infrastructure, but recently spending has fallen. More in some areas than others. So stay alert to what’s happening in your area.
Historical Flooding: Areas with a history of flooding are often at continued risk, as past floods can indicate a region’s susceptibility to future events. In Harris County, MAAPnext provides an excellent series of historical flood maps to help you understand your flood risk.
Land-Use Planning and Floodplain Management: Effective land-use planning, zoning regulations, and floodplain management can help mitigate flood risk by restricting construction in flood-prone areas and implementing flood control measures. There’s no zoning in Houston and little in surrounding areas. We do have floodplain management regulations. When purchasing property, always look upstream to see if those regulations are effectively enforced.
Few things affect a property’s value more dramatically than flooding.
Yet flood risk can change over time – for better or worse. So buyer beware. Or buyer be wet.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/3/2023 with some help from ChatGPT
2196 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/2021/09/20170829-IMG_5756.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2023-09-03 13:37:262023-09-03 13:39:18Factors that Affect Flood Risk and How to Assess Them
Harper Brothers Construction has encountered another unexpected problem in the Northpark Drive expansion project. While attempting to place 5’x7′ culvert in the median, it uncovered a water line much closer to the surface than it should have been. While developing a solution with the City of Houston, crews will continue to focus on other areas of the project so as not to create excessive delays.
Those areas include:
A new water main near 494 and the UP railroad tracks
Clearing land for the new Northpark entry to Kingwood at 59.
For background detail and photos, see below.
Pics of Water-Line Conflict
This week, Harper Brothers discovered a water main where it should not have been. The contractor proposed water-line workarounds to the City, but the City has not yet agreed to a solution. The issue has to do with a water main running under Northpark to the new Parkwood Baptist Church east of Russell-Palmer. See the pictures below, courtesy of the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA).
Workers discover a surprise. Water line under Northpark not where it was supposed to be.Water line should have been buried several feet deeper.One workaround could require burying a parallel line deep enough to allow placement of culvert over the top of it.
Harper Brothers Construction suggested another workaround – splicing in a U-shaped pipe that would leave enough room for the culvert it is burying in the median.
But until the City and LHRA agree on a solution Harper Brothers may have to skip past the obstruction and then go back at a later date to fill in the gap.
Second New Water Main Farther West
In the meantime, crews have already started prepping for placement of another water line that parallels Northpark closer to Loop 494. See picture below near Public Storage.
Looking SE. Note area being cleared in foreground for new water main and feeder roads next to bridge.
While Northpark will expand inward for most of its length, the feeder road next to the new bridge over 494 and the railroad tracks will expand outward. And because the City doesn’t like to run water mains under a roadway, contractors must also relocate this water main. It’s a much bigger job because it feeds numerous businesses, not just one church.
LHRA actually had to purchase additional land for this portion of the project – enough to accommodate a two-lane feeder road on each side of the bridge.
In the photo above, you can see Harper Brothers prepping land for the new water main and feeder lanes.
Plans for New Entry
The contractor will also soon start clearing the triangular area on the north side of Northpark at 59. Note construction materials stockpiled in the foreground of the photo below. Most, but not all of this area, will become a decorative pond that’s actually a stormwater detention basin in disguise. The pond will hold approximately 11 acre feet of stormwater in the space between the top of the permanent water level and ground level.
A second pond on the south side of Northpark will provide a similar amount of stormwater storage to compensate for the increase in impervious cover caused by road widening.
But not all the trees will go away. TxDoT requires that any trees removed must be replaced with trees of an identical diameter.
Site of first detention pond. Pond will be framed by trees that remain between Northpark and shopping center on right.Some trees will be relocated to the open areacurrently behind the grove.
Other trees will be relocated nearby, for instance, around the south pond which is more sparsely populated with trees.
South pond will have more room for transplanted trees around it.
In addition, the ponds when complete will have sidewalks and landscaping around them. TxDoT, LHRA and the Kingwood Service Association worked collaboratively on the designs for two years. A well will serve the area and feed an irrigation system to help ensure new plantings survive and thrive.
Here’s what the finished ponds and landscaping should look like.
CenterPoint Promises to Stake Out Problems Week of 9/3/23
Last week, we talked about 11 conflicts with CenterPoint along the Northpark Drive expansion project. CenterPoint has promised LHRA that it will send crews to “stake out” the problems next week. That is the first step in resolving conflicts.
Some of the CenterPoint conflictsthat have culvert placement stalled.
It’s always something in construction! Stay tuned for next week’s exciting episode of “As Northpark Expands.”
For a look ahead at the next three weeks of construction activity, click here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/2/23
2195 Days since Hurricane Harveyand 10 days before the peak of hurricane season
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Pond-Video.jpg?fit=1100%2C617&ssl=16171100adminadmin2023-09-02 07:17:372023-09-02 07:20:33New Design for Northpark Entry, Construction Schedule Update
As I passed the beautiful new Kingwood Middle School (KMS) last weekend, it struck me. Despite many heavy rains during construction that lasted almost three years, neighbors never reported flooding.
Too often, I hear of construction projects that alter drainage and flood neighbors. But Humble ISD seemed to consider that problem from the start and took appropriate measures to prevent it. The District even built a temporary stormwater detention basin before tearing down the old KMS. It protected the neighborhood during demolition and construction before the new permanent basin was completed.
The result is a magnificent architectural gem – a showcase for the entire community – without drama, stress or destruction.
Pictures Taken 8/27/23
Main entrance of new KMSThe KMS building now occupies the space of the old athletic fields and the athletic fields occupy the space of the old building.Note grass on the sides of the stormwater retention basin. The basin will reduce the risk of street flooding in the surrounding neighborhood.
The current drought has the football-field grass struggling. But somehow, the grass on the sides of the detention basin seems well established. The vegetation on the slopes reduces erosion which could clog the inflow/outflow pipes.
For Photographic History of Project
For photos showing the history of Kingwood Middle School demolition and re-construction, see below.
Thanks to the Humble ISD, its board and contractors for a job well done.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/1/23
2194 days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230827-DJI_0415.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2023-09-01 09:32:212023-09-01 09:33:14Celebrating Completion of new KMS Without Flooding
August 30, 2023 – Yesterday evening, multiple news organizations reported wildfires burning near Colony Ridge in Liberty County.
Yet large parts of Colony Ridge, the fastest growing part of the county, have few fire hydrants. Some areas have none at all. And in the areas that have them, fire hydrant spacing is 2-5X greater than codes specify, while pressure is reportedly half of what codes require. And according to some sources interviewed for this article, many hydrants allegedly don’t work.
All this increases residents’ fire risk and insurance rates – if they can even get fire insurance. Some say they can’t.
Former Plum Grove Mayor, LeeAnn Penton-Walker says she and Colony Ridge residents have been trying to alert the county judge, commissioners, engineer and fire marshal to the dangers since 2015.
Fire Safety Top of Mind as Drought Deepens
Meanwhile, fire safety is at the top of everyone’s mind as the current drought deepens amid relentless heat. A burn ban remains in effect across the region. The National Weather Service has posted red-flag warnings for today. A combination of very dry vegetation, low humidity and gusty winds could easily spark fires.
Note critical fire danger in Liberty County (center).
Jeff Lindner, Harris County’s meteorologist, says that numerous fires started around the region yesterday and we have similar conditions today. “Fires especially in pine canopies continue to exhibit extensive growth rates and fast forward motion with long lasting crown runs. Increasingly larger fires are requiring large amounts of resources for an extended period of time,” says Lindner.
Recent Pictures Show Vast Areas with Apparently No Hydrants
On August 12, as I flew over Colony Ridge in Liberty County, the scarcity of fire hydrants struck me. I did not see any. However, the Liberty County fire marshal told me that the developer was trying to bring the development up to code. I knew the development had at least a handful of hydrants from a story I did three years ago. But Colony Ridge has virtually doubled in size since then.
Below are four pictures from areas recently built out. Many lots in these areas have already been sold and occupied. So you should see fire hydrants. But I couldn’t, even when magnifying high-res versions of the images on a large screen.
These photos are representative of thousands of shots I have taken from helicopters over Colony Ridge.
Areas With Fire Hydrants Do Not Meet Code Requirement
I asked the county fire marshal for a list of hydrant locations, but he could not supply me with one. So I spent a full day criss-crossing the area and burning a tank of gasoline looking for them. I located 59. See the satellite images below.
In the first, note how hydrants are clustered in rows and columns. Also note how large parts of the development have none. That verifies what I saw from the air.
Southern part of Colony Ridge. Yellow pins mark location of hydrants.
In the satellite image above, for instance, note the:
Broad empty swath across the bottom
Another broad swath on the east running north to south
An empty area in the middle
Another empty area at the top.
The next satellite image shows eight fire hydrants in the most populated portion of the northern part of Colony Ridge.
Portion of the northern part of Colony Ridge
Altogether, Colony Ridge covers more than 30 square miles. It has almost doubled in size in the last two years. If my count is accurate, it now has only about two fire hydrants per square mile.
What Fire Codes Require
Even though the Liberty County Fire Marshal’s web page does not list a fire code, Bill Hergemueller, the fire marshal, said that the county follows 2018 IFC (International Fire Code) regulations. That code specifies maximum spacing of 500 feet, but Hergemueller said the county allows 600 feet. However…
On any given east-west street above, the fire hydrant spacing averaged more than 3000 feet. That’s more than half a mile!
Measurements taken in Google Earth
Fire hydrants on north-south streets have an average spacing of 1300 feet.
So considering both directions, the average spacing exceeds code requirements by 2-5X.
But again, most streets have absolutely no fire hydrants. That makes the distances to fire hydrants far greater! A Houston fire captain told me that his trucks carried at most 500 feet of fire hose.
To service areas such as Colony Ridge, volunteer fire departments use tanker trucks. They fill their tanks at a hydrant and then shuttle to the fire until it is extinguished.
In fairness, Hergemueller also pointed out that parts of the development are still expanding and that the IFC regs were adopted after Colony Ridge started developing in 2013.
Codes Largely Agree
Most national standards call for one fire hydrant every 200-500 feet depending on the type of development.
The 2018 IFC regulations used by Liberty County specify 200- to 500-foot spacing between fire hydrants, with a few exceptions, i.e., in areas where buildings have sprinkler systems.
National Fire Protection Association standards specify that for detached one- and two-family dwellings “fire hydrants shall be within five hundred (500′) feet… The maximum distance between fire hydrants shall not exceed 800 ft.”
Texas’ Local Government Code 233.061-C gives Liberty County the right to enforce its fire code retroactively. In other words, the county could force the developer to upgrade his infrastructure to meet current code requirements.
In addition to violating fire-hydrant spacing requirements, Colony Ridge has another problem: existing water mains may not have enough pressure to douse fires before they get out of control.
The IFC code requires a minimum 1000 gallons per minute. But Colony Ridge water mains reportedly only deliver 500 gallons per minute.
Alternatives to Hydrants Also Missing
A “fire-code standards” expert I talked to in another county said that in rural areas, the alternatives to hydrants include on-site infrastructure such as water storage tanks and ponds that firefighters could use as sources of water. However, Colony Ridge does not appear to have those. In fact, the developer has drained many of the ponds to build homes over them.
So volunteers fill a tanker truck at one of the working hydrants, drive to the fire, pump their water, and refill as necessary until a blaze is extinguished. The standards expert told me that is a common practice in rural areas.
But Colony Ridge is rapidly becoming “un-rural.” In fact, Colony Ridge is likely larger than the three largest cities in Liberty County put together, though it is difficult to say for sure because of the large number of undocumented aliens.
Colony Ridge now occupies an area that is one-third of the area inside Houston’s 610 loop. Can you imagine an area that size with only 59 fire hydrants? To put that number in perspective, I live in the City of Houston and have 9 hydrants – on my block!
Problems Retrofitting Older Areas with Hydrants
An engineer consulted for this article said that once streets are in, it’s difficult retrofitting neighborhoods with hydrants and larger water mains. Not impossible, but difficult. It requires tunneling under streets and driveways, and that rapidly becomes expensive. That’s why most developers put utilities in before they pave.
Who Will Pay for Water?
During my hydrant inventory, I noticed that most Colony Ridge fire hydrants contained this sign. It says, “Fire hydrant use requires registered meter with Quadvest. For emergencies, usage must be reported to Quadvest. Unlawful use prohibited and punishable by law.” Then it lists Quadvest’s address and phone number.
This fire hydrant gets so much use, they leave the covers off.Or is that a signal it doesn’t work?
It appears that someone will be charged for the water coming out of this hydrant. However, it’s not clear whether that will be fire victims, volunteer fire fighters, the municipal utility district or water-rate payers. At press time, sources had not returned phone calls to clarify who would pay.
Calls for Service Up as Colony Ridge Expands in Drought
By August 21, according to a Facebook Post, the Plum Grove VFD had already received 855 calls for service compared to 1,111 in all of last year. So, three per day last year. And so far, 3.7 per day this year. That’s a lot of demand on volunteers! One wonders how it affects their regular jobs.
Growth has no doubt played a role in the increase. So has the drought and an increase in wildfires.
Without hydrant spacing that meets fire codes, unsuspecting residents face extra risk and higher insurance costs – if they can even get insurance.
Burned to the ground in Colony Ridge. Remnants of an American dream.
If any responsible parties would like to respond to this post, I will make space available.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/28/2023
2189 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/2023/08/20230828-Screenshot-2023-08-28-at-9.50.25-AM.jpg?fit=1100%2C780&ssl=17801100adminadmin2023-08-30 15:02:052023-08-31 10:33:38As Wildfire Weather Sets In, Fastest Growing Area in Liberty County Fails to Meet Fire-Code Requirements
Harvey was a near week-long event. So it’s hard to pinpoint an exact day for the anniversary. But I chose to start the clock ticking from the day floodwaters arrived at my doorstep – August 29, 2017, 2191 days ago.
Looking east at West Fork Flooding over Townsen Blvd. during Harvey
Since then, I have investigated why we flooded (beyond the heavy rainfall) and how to prevent similar catastrophes in the future. The causes include:
Unpredictability of storms
Development in risky places
Construction practices
Sand mining
Political complications
Short memories
Let me explain each briefly.
Unpredictability of Storms
The only way to predict the future is by looking at the past. But the future often surprises us. Unfortunately, we base engineering on yesterday’s storms, not tomorrow’s. Engineering bigger safety margins into our flood control systems is too costly. Especially when you try to do it retroactively.
Development in Risky Places
We build too close to rivers. In swamps. Over wetlands. On fault lines. Why? Simple. Money. There’s always an engineer somewhere willing to render a favorable report about the safety of doing so with certain precautions. But again, they are looking at the past, not the future. And they write lengthy reports that defy comprehension by ordinary homebuyers.
The developers and their trade associations also lobby regulators and politicians to keep requirements loose. Every dubious project falls into that gray area called “acceptable risk.” And it can take years or decades to incorporate known flood risks from storms like Harvey into regulations that govern development. That gives everyone with property in risky places plenty of time to develop it.
Clearing for Madera. 2022 photo of development at FM1314 and 242. Parts of development are in 10-year floodplain.
Construction Practices
Why build stormwater detention basins and ditches as big as you should? Why install silt fences? Why plant grass in them to reduce erosion if nobody is inspecting them? All that costs money. But it also sends extra silt downstream. And when the extra water comes on top of it, there’s nowhere for the water to go but into people’s homes.
Eroding ditch in Colony Ridge due to lack of erosion control measures such as backslope interceptor systems and grass.
Sand Mining
To produce marketable sand, mines must wash small particles of clay out of it. Miners then direct the wastewater to settling ponds. But that wastewater builds up. And soon it must be released. Some mines pump it over the sides of dikes. Some just open up their dikes. The result: accelerated deposition of sediment, again blocking rivers and streams.
Confluence of Spring Creek and West Fork. TCEQ found that Liberty Mines discharged 56 million gallons of white waste water into the West Fork.
The construction of dikes also makes them susceptible to rupture during floods. They are thin, tall, made out of sand, next to rivers, and often unvegetated. Floodwaters can push them in, scoop up silt, and carry it downstream.
Triple PG sand mine draining industrial wastewater into Caney Creek and Lake Houston.
Political Complications
Political leaders deal with dozens of problems a day. A storm like Harvey gets their attention. Six years later, in the middle of a drought, not so much. Flood control spending has dropped precipitously. And what little spending remains has focused on low-to-moderate income areas, not the areas with the most flood damage.
As of end of 2023Q1. Data obtained via FOIA Request.Based on same data, this shows a totally different rank ordering that ignores impact on communities.
Would it surprise you to learn that halfway through a ten year flood bond, we’ve spent only about 30% of the money? That six years after Harvey, we’re just now seeing the outline of the state’s first flood plan? That sprawling upstream developments pay little attention to sediment control? That many jurisdictions still haven’t adopted minimum drainage regulations?
Short Memories
For the most part, homeowners have restored their property using insurance payments, public assistance, and/or their kids college funds.
Now they want to worry about their kids’ prom dresses, birthday parties, the next vacation and a new car they can’t afford. They just assume that the Flood Bond they approved after Harvey is being spent wisely to protect them. Most don’t even remember what the money was supposed to be spent on.
Photo by Camille Pagel. Her children are helping to gut the kitchen instead of going to school after the Harvey flood.
So it might surprise them to learn that not one capital improvement construction project in the Lake Houston area has yet been approved. It would also surprise them to learn that after spending millions of dollars on studies, their flood risk remains and that the economics of upstream development (see sand mining and construction practices above) continue to increase that risk.
Higher Priorities Replace Flood Mitigation
Now we have crime, election chaos, impeachment spectacles and Trump mug shots to divert our attention. But we will grow weary of these, too. And then the rains will return. People will flood. And we will wonder, “Why didn’t that get fixed?”
Posted by Bob Rehak on August 29, 2023
2191 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.
CenterPoint delays have forced a change in Northpark Drive expansion plans.
Contractors working on the Northpark Drive expansion project in Kingwood have installed culvert as far west as they can until CenterPoint begins eliminating 11 conflicts. According to Ralph De Leon, Northpark project manager for the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (LHRA), CenterPoint was to have begun eliminating the conflicts on August 1. Four weeks later, CenterPoint hasn’t yet started.
Center Ditch Work Paused; Two New Areas of Focus
The CenterPoint delay is forcing LHRA contractors to change their plans. Specifically:
Work in the drainage ditch between east and westbound lanes will pause temporarily.
Contractors will move their crews west and begin working on:
Stormwater retention basins at the corner of Northpark and I-69.
Contractors have already prepositioned equipment and materials for the Ditch One portion of the project behind Duncan Donuts and the stormwater retention basins at I-69. However, as of Sunday morning, 8/27/23, work has not yet begun on either area.
Overview showing route of supplementary drainage (Ditch One) from I-69 to to Diversion Ditch and Ben’s Branch.
Photos Taken Sunday August 27, 2023
The pictures below show where contractors will now focus until CenterPoint mobilizes.
Workers have begun pre-positioning equipment and materials behind Duncan Donuts next to Public Storage to begin working on Ditch One.Ditch One will carry stormwater north (left) of Northpark from the wet-bottom retention ponds that will be built at I-69.Looking west along Northpark. Both groves of trees in the foreground will become stormwater retention basins.
Stormwater retention basins willaccommodate the extra runoff from the expanded roadway. Culvert under the roadway will connect the two basins and let them drain toward the east into Ditch One.
Looking east at north grove in foreground. Note culvert and pipe being prepositioned inside tree line.
When finished, the twin ponds should resemble the entry ponds at Kingwood Drive.
Where Work Will Pause Temporarily
Meanwhile, farther east, work on replacing the drainage ditch with 5’x7′ culvert has paused.
Looking west along Northpark. Drainage work in the center ditch has paused at JiffyLube until CenterPoint resolves its conflicts.Looking back east. The 5’x7′ box culverts have already been buried. Eventually two new lanes of traffic will go over them, one in each direction.
LHRA Posts Revised Schedule
LHRA has already posted a revised schedule on its website with a three-week lookahead so that you can plan your schedule to avoid construction.
LHRA has also posted construction drawings; drainage studies; and photos and videos that show the progress of work.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/27/23
2189 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/20230827-DJI_0364.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2023-08-27 10:53:012023-08-27 20:02:00CenterPoint Delays Force Change in Plans on Northpark Drive Expansion
Montgomery County has just finished an Upper Taylor Gully clean out that will restore the conveyance in the channel which had become totally blocked.
The new commissioner in Montgomery County Precinct 4, Matt Gray, has adopted a much more active and collaborative role in flood mitigation than his predecessor.
Commissioner Gray’s crews inspected Taylor Gully above the Harris/Montgomery County line and found it totally blocked in places from accumulated erosion and littered with illegally dumped trash.
Gray then dispatched more workers to remove blockages. As a result, residents on both sides of the county line will sleep a little better if and when the next hurricane or tropical storm strikes.
The area they addressed is Woodridge Village, the same area where Harris County Flood Control is working with Sprint Sand and Gravel to double the existing detention basin capacity.
While Harris County Flood Control and the City of Houston own the area around the main ditch, Montgomery County owns the yellow areas (see below).
Pictures below were taken near the blue dot in the center. Montgomery County owns area in yellow.HCFCD and City of Houston own the blue area.
Pictures of Cleanup, Clean Out Effort
Kennedy Williams with Commissioner Gray’s office provided the pictures below. The effort began with inmates removing several truckloads of old illegally dumped tires, trash and signs.
Prisoners removing old tiresThen crews mowed banksof the outfall ditch.Finally, an excavator and front-end loader removed accumulated sedimentNote how high the dirt line was. Sediment completely blocked the 36-inch outfall pipe.
A Timely, Valuable Job
The Upper Taylor Gully cleanup and clean-out efforts are timely for several reasons. We are:
Approaching the peak of hurricane season on September 10th.
At the fourth anniversary of the Elm Grove floods that damaged up to 600 homes twice in 2019 – between May 7th and Tropical Storm Imelda.
Watching an area of low pressure move into the Gulf that has a 90% chance of turning into a tropical storm or hurricane in the next 48 hours.
While the National Hurricane Center projects that it will miss Houston to the east, the projected impact area has been shifting west in the last 24 hours.
Gray’s effort will help restore conveyance of the Upper Taylor Gully channel to its design specs. It will also help reduce flood risk for hundreds of families should another flood strike the area.
Thank you, Commissioner Gray!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/26/2023
2188 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 1437 since Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/20230825-Taylor-Gully-Outfall.jpg?fit=1100%2C825&ssl=18251100adminadmin2023-08-26 15:28:012023-08-26 15:28:02Upper Taylor Gully Clean Out by MoCo Precinct 4
This is a bit off topic for a flood blog, but it affects tens of thousands of readers. Late yesterday, after multiple heat records were broken across the region, the City of Houston announced water-use restrictions going into effect Sunday, August 27, 2023. Let me address the heat first, water restrictions second. Then I’ll discuss rain chances and the tropics.
Heat Records Shattered Across Houston Region
Yesterday, the Houston area experienced another unrelenting afternoon of scorching temperatures. Many areas reached the mid- to upper-100’s with a few areas into the low 110’s.
Afternoon daily temperature records were shattered at many sites – many by several degrees.
Jeff Lindner, Harris County Meteorologist
High Temperatures on Thursday, 8/24/23
BUSH IAH: 109 (tied the all time record high, broke daily record high of 105 from 1980)
Huntsville: 111 (shattered record high of 102 from 2011…daily record high broken by 9 degrees)
College Station: 111 (broke record high of 107 from 2010)
Hobby: 107 (broke record high of 100 from 1980)
Conroe: 108 (broke record high of 105 from 1922…101 year old record)
Brenham: 107 (broke record high of 106 from 1980)
Sugar Land: 107 (broke record high of 101 from 2011)
Wharton: 106 (shattered the record high of 99 from 1911…112 year old record)
Cleveland: 109 (broke record high of 104 from 1980)
Crockett: 109 (broke record high of 106 from 2011)
CoH Water-Use Restrictions
According to a City of Houston press release, Houston has entered Stage Two of the City’s Drought Contingency Plan. Due to intense heat and a significant drop in annual rainfall. Effective August 27, 2023, mandatory water-use restrictions will go into effect. They apply to the entire City:
Limit outdoor watering to twice a week between the hours of 7PM and 5AM
Sundays and Thursdays for single-family residential customers with even-numbered addresses
Saturdays and Wednesdays for single-family residential customers with odd-numbered addresses
Tuesdays and Fridays for all other customers
Any outdoor water use that results in city water leaving your property (i.e., draining onto adjacent property, or streets or gutters) is unlawful.
Violations of watering times will get you a written warning for the first violation. Any subsequent violations are subject to a fine up to $2,000 for each occurrence; see Section 54.001 of the Texas Local Government Code.
Easy Ways to Conserve Water
Here are some easy ways to conserve water:
Check and repair water leaks, including dripping faucets and running toilets.
Check sprinkler heads to make sure water is not spraying into the street or directly into a storm drain and/or gutters.
Avoid washing sidewalks, patio furniture or cars. If you must wash your car, use a car wash. Most car washes use recycled water.
Run dishwashers and clothes washers only when full.
Take shorter showers.
Install a rain barrel and use it for outdoor watering.
Turn off the water when you are not using it (e.g., while brushing teeth or shaving).
For more water-saving tips, visit www.givewaterabreak.org.
Rain Chances
The high-pressure ridge parked over us for the last two months is giving a little bit of ground. Yesterday, thunderstorms finally overcame subsidence in the super-heated afternoon air mass. The gage at the West Lake Houston Parkway bridge recorded 0.44 inches of rain. Despite several downed trees, people cheered because of our deep drought.
According to Jeff Lindner, Harris County Meteorologist, as high pressure moves west, weak disturbances may approach the area from the east and northeast.
Combined with high temperatures in the low- to mid-100’s, scattered thunderstorms will be possible.
Wildfire Risk Remains
Thunderstorms come with the threat for lightning-induced wildfires. One such fire started yesterday in the Humble area. Lightning strikes will be possible each day and strong gusty winds can quickly fan fires.
Additionally, wind direction and speeds can quickly change near and around thunderstorms creating very hazardous conditions for ground crews. Multiple fires caused by a single thunderstorm can quickly overwhelm local resources. So use extra caution. Burn bans remain in effect.
Western Caribbean Sea
An area of low pressure has crossed Central America into the western Caribbean Sea. It should move north toward Florida. As of this morning, the National Hurricane Center gave it a 70% chance of formation during the next 7 days.
However, it remains unclear where exactly any surface low will form and how it may interact with the surrounding landmasses. Additionally, there may be wind shear to contend with in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. At this time, models predict varying intensity as the storm moves north.
Currently, this system does not pose a threat to Texas. But watch for winds that could enhance our local fire weather.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/25/2023based on information from Jeff Lindner, Harris County Meteorologist, and City of Houston
2187 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/two_atl_7d0-4.png?fit=900%2C665&ssl=1665900adminadmin2023-08-25 11:14:582023-08-25 11:24:44Heat Records and Water-Use Restrictions
