Harris County Shuts Down Fill Operation in Cedar Bayou Floodplain

2/25/26 – According to Precinct 3 Director of Engineering Eric Heppen, P.E., PMP, Harris County has issued a cease-and-desist order to the owner of property in the Cedar Bayou floodplain where TXDoT contractors were depositing dirt excavated from the Luce Bayou watershed.

Dirt excavated in upper left was being trucked to Cedar Bayou floodplain in massive quantities.
floodplain fill
One of two truck lines at excavation site. Approximately 20 dump trucks were filling up at detention basin under construction adjacent to FM2100.
From there, a parade of the trucks deposited it in the Cedar Bayou Floodplain before making another round trip.

Precinct 3 Project Manager Jason Hains said trucks stopped depositing the fill yesterday afternoon, 2/24/25. Nearby residents say they did not see trucks entering or leaving the property today.

TXDoT Comment

One reader, Chris Summers, who complained directly to TXDoT received this reply this afternoon from TXDoT’s North Harris Assistant Area Engineer Nyemb Nyemb, PE. Mr. Nyemb said, “Our construction and environmental teams are looking into it now. We also have a meeting with Harris County tomorrow and will address this matter with them directly. TXDoT contractors are required to comply with all applicable floodplain and environmental regulations, and any confirmed violations will be corrected.”

Summers, who reported the illegal dumping, said, “TXDoT may not have known where their fill dirt was going, but should have.”

Violation of Harris County Floodplain Regulations

The fill operation violated Harris County Floodplain Regulations adopted by Commissioners Court in 2019 in response to Hurricane Harvey. During Harvey, almost half of the Harris County homes flooded were outside of any known floodplain. In part, that’s because of the cumulative impact of such unauthorized dumping during almost twenty years since Tropical Storm Allison in 2001. And that’s a large part of the reason why Section 4.07(e) now says:

“Any reduction in floodplain storage or conveyance capacity within the 0.2 percent or 500‐year floodplain must be offset with a hydraulically equivalent (one‐to‐one) volume of mitigation sufficient to offset the reduction. The reduction may result from development or the placement of fill within the 0.2% floodplain or 500‐year floodplain.”

“Such mitigation shall be within the same watershed and shall be provided on the same property or within the same hydrologic sub‐watershed or at an alternate site meeting the approval of the County Engineer. A full hydrological and hydraulic analysis must be submitted to support a request for mitigation outside the boundaries of the property being developed. This requirement does not apply to Coastal Areas where floodplain fill mitigation is not an issue.”

What Property Owner Must Do

According to both Heppen and Hains, the owner of the property in the floodplain must:

  • Stop accepting fill
  • Come up with a plan to remove fill already deposited there.

That’s going to be a big order. The fill reached treetop level in places and covered approximately six acres.

Reportedly, the owner did not plan to build anything on the dirt, but planned to sell it. He referred to the dirt as “temporary.”

But Heppen emphasized that that still did not relieve the owner of the need to develop a mitigation plan, which he did not do. Nor did it relieve him of the burden of acquiring a permit, which he did not have.

Loss of Floodplain Storage Incremental and Cumulative

Heppen emphasized that the loss of floodplain storage is incremental and cumulative.

He referred to the displacement of floodwaters. For every cubic yard you place in the floodway, that’s one less cubic yard for the storage of floodwaters.

“That’s why it’s prohibited,” Heppen said. “If enough people do it, eventually you erase the safety margin above the floodplain for surrounding homes.”

Heppen thanked readers for bringing this to the County’s attention and for filing complaints.

Could State Criminalize Such Behavior?

Heppen also said that the county may work with the state next year to pass a law against such fill activity. The thought: to make such dumping a criminal, not a civil offense. That changes the whole “What if I get caught?” equation. Instead of a slap-on-the-wrist fine, a criminal record might disqualify someone from getting future jobs.

Passing such a law would surely be an uphill battle. But that also speaks to the widespread nature of the problem.

One other engineer I talked to suggested, “The problem is going on all over Harris County.” Another said, “It puts everyone at risk.”

If You See Such Dumping…

If you see a recurrence of such dumping here or anywhere in Harris County, please report it to me. I’ll help document it and get it to the proper authorities.

They prohibit the addition of fill to floodplains without 1:1 compensatory mitigation in the same floodplain, and preferably on the same property. 

It’s OK for people to excavate a pond or detention basin on their property, and use the excavated dirt to elevate other parts of their property. The golden rule: Just don’t bring fill INTO a Harris County floodplain.”

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/25/26

3102 Days since Harvey

Editorial: The Flood-Mitigation Treadmill

2/22/2026 – After researching more than 3,000 articles about flooding since Hurricane Harvey, I’ve concluded that we’re on a flood-mitigation treadmill. In other words, we run like crazy and do not get very far. Even worse, we can’t get off the treadmill.

Most of those 3,000 articles can be divided into two groups: things that increase flood risk and things that decrease it. Preventing things that increase flood risk typically costs one-fourth to one-seventh the cost of decreasing risk after a flood.

So, why are we stuck on this endless flood-mitigation treadmill? Why do we prefer expensive, after-the-fact solutions. And why don’t we actively enforce regulations already on the books that proactively reduce flood risk and prevent damage at a far lower cost?

Before we get to the reasons, first we must understand that flood risk is not static. Every little change to the landscape affects it.

Flood-Risk Changing Constantly

Flood-risk changes in barely visible increments, gradually over time. But all of those changes are incremental. And flooding happens infrequently. So, most people don’t wake up to the increased flood risk until it’s too late. At that point, the fixes have astronomical price tags. Two high-level examples:

  • Rivers can become clogged with sediment from mining and construction. That reduces their capacity to handle high-water events safely. Dredging can offset that increased risk, but has cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
  • Sometimes, upstream developments don’t sufficiently control their runoff. That makes flood peaks build higher and faster downstream. To offset those increased peaks, we must often widen channels downstream. And that may require buyouts that take decades more.

In general, after people finally recognize the need for mitigation, we must:

  • Build the case for fixes
  • Estimate their cost
  • Compare costs and benefits
  • Build political consensus across local, county, state and federal governments
  • Get an act of Congress passed and signed by the President
  • Win scarce grants
  • Get bids
  • Mobilize contractors.

And that’s all before we even begin to address the risk created by:

  • Someone upstream who decided to game the system for profit
  • Regulators who didn’t enforce regulations
  • Maintenance deferred for decades or perpetually ignored.

Staggering Costs

The costs can be staggering:

  • In Harris County, we passed a $2.5 billion flood bond in 2018. Some estimated the real need at $60 billion. That’s why we spend so much time seeking matching funds at the federal level, such as the hundreds of millions of dollars that Rep. Dan Crenshaw helped secure for dredging.
  • The 2024 Texas State Flood Plan showed that six million Texans live in floodplains – about one in five of us. The cost of mitigating their flood risk totals $54.5 billion. But so far, we’ve only allocated $1.4 billion to the job.
  • At the Federal level, we spend an average of about $10 billion per year on flooding. But that amount can vary radically when we get hit with massive storms like Harvey or Helene. Harvey caused $125 billion in damages in Harris County alone.

Losing Ground

Between floods, we seem to forget their destructive power. So, we keep building in floodplains and wetlands which just exacerbates the problem. For example:

  • The Signorelli Company (a real-estate developer) fought for 10 years all the way to the Texas Supreme Court for the right to build in the East Fork floodplain.
  • Ron Holley Development also wants to build homes in the floodplain of the East Fork, not far from Signorelli
  • Scarborough is trying to develop thousands of homes on 5,300 acres near the confluence of the San Jacinto West Fork with Spring and Cypress Creeks, one of the worst areas for flooding in the region.
  • Colony Ridge didn’t exist 15 years ago and is now 50% larger than Manhattan. Evidence suggests the developer didn’t sufficiently detain runoff. Plus much of the development was built over wetlands.

We also keep dumping more fill in floodplains, floodways, and streams that creates a bathtub effect. There’s simply less room for floodwater.

  • In Spring, contractors building a new high school pumped sludge directly into Spring Creek.
  • TXDoT contractors are dumping dirt excavated from the FM2100 expansion project into the floodplain of Cedar Bayou near Huffman ISD schools.
  • Arrest warrants have been issued for the owner of land near Savelle and Sorters-McClellan Roads for putting massive amounts of fill in the floodplain and floodway of the San Jacinto West Fork. That’s right across the river from the Scarborough property.
floodplain fill
Cedar Bayou floodplain fill by TXDoT contractor. I saw a dozen trucks dump their loads in 20 minutes. Will we pay to move it twice?
Illegal fill in West Fork floodway and floodplain. Who will remove it? Owner has vanished.

Such abuses are typically committed by people who ignore the law to make a buck. Regulators should have prevented such abuses. But they rarely do; that encourages more abuses. And that forces us to deal with correcting them after the fact.

Eight and a half years after Harvey, it seems we are into full-on willful blindness.

Why We Take the Expensive Route

Collectively, we tend to spend on visible crises. That’s easier than root-cause modification.

Crying babies and devastated families deserve our help. But enforcing regulations and fining people on a construction site? That’s politically dangerous.

And that, in a sentence, explains why Americans continue to spend billions each year to fix preventable flooding.We have a systemic tendency to:

  1. Respond vigorously to visible crises
  2. Underinvest in politically difficult structural reforms
  3. Externalize downstream remediation costs while privatizing upstream profits.

Until we grapple with this issue, we will never get off the flood-mitigation treadmill.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/24/2026

3101 Days since 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.

Cedar Bayou Floodplain-Fill Operation Shifts into Higher Gear

2/23/26 – Harris County Engineering and the County Attorney appear to have stopped enforcing floodplain regulations. On February 5, 2026, I photographed TXDoT contractors excavating dirt to form a giant detention basin adjacent to the FM2100 expansion project in Huffman. From there, they trucked the dirt to a farm north of Huffman Eastgate Road, where they dumped it inside of the Cedar Bayou 100-year floodplain.

Despite violating county regulations, the floodplain fill operation has shifted into a higher gear. See details and pictures below.

Path of fill
TXDoT contractors are moving fill from upper left to lower center of this satellite photo near Hargrave High School (lower right).

Here’s what that means in terms of floodplains.

Dirt is moving from outside the floodplain to inside it and from one watershed to another.

When I reported the dumping in early February, the County told me that it violated floodplain regs. The regs became effective July 9, 2019 shortly after Harvey. They prohibit the addition of fill to floodplains without 1:1 compensatory mitigation in the same floodplain, and preferably on the same property. I reprinted the relevant text below verbatim. To see the entire document, click here.

Section 4.07(e) on Page 45

“Any reduction in floodplain storage or conveyance capacity within the 0.2 percent or 500‐year floodplain must be offset with a hydraulically equivalent (one‐to‐one) volume of mitigation sufficient to offset the reduction. The reduction may result from development or the placement of fill within the 0.2% floodplain or 500‐year floodplain.”

“Such mitigation shall be within the same watershed and shall be provided on the same property or within the same hydrologic sub‐watershed or at an alternate site meeting the approval of the County Engineer. A full hydrological and hydraulic analysis must be submitted to support a request for mitigation outside the boundaries of the property being developed. This requirement does not apply to Coastal Areas where floodplain fill mitigation is not an issue.”

According to the Harris County sources, the contractors don’t have a permit. And to get one they will have to perform mitigation as described above.

Pace of Fill Activity Doubles Compared to Feb. 5 Post

I saw a dozen trucks enter the dump site within a 20-minute period today. That’s roughly double the pace I observed on 2/5/26. I took all the pictures below after lunch today.

Cedar Bayou Floodplain Fill Operation by TXDoT. As three trucks were leaving site, more were entering.
They would open a hatch in the belly of the bed and spread their fill while driving in a circle to return to the excavation site without stopping.
It was a constant parade. As one truck left, another would enter. I counted a dozen trucks in 20 minutes.
The dump site lies near the Luce Inter-Basin Transfer Canal (lower left).
Note fill reaching treetop level at the rear of the property. Portable lights let the operation continue after dark according to nearby residents.

Photos Taken Minutes Later at Excavation Site

A little more than 3 miles to the northwest, up FM2100, the pace of fill activity was even more evident. Today, I saw two lines of trucks waiting for fill at the excavation site.

First of two lines at the excavation site had eight trucks lined up loading or leaving for the dump site.
The second line had nine trucks lined up.

Where Has Enforcement Gone?

Operations this big can’t be overlooked by accident. Sources familiar with Harris County Engineering say they still review plans and issue permits, but they rarely, if ever, check on compliance under the current administration. And the County Attorney rarely prosecutes these cases; he’s running for a new job.

So, the source says, people in both offices collect paychecks, but rarely bother to work. I mention this, because it’s an election year and we have a chance to change that.

Why Adding Floodplain Fill is Prohibited

It seems as though the current administration has already forgotten why county commissioners revised the regulations in 2019. Almost half the 154,170 homes that flooded during Harvey in Harris County were outside mapped floodplains. That was largely a function of a) fill added to floodplains combined with b) hopelessly out-of-date flood maps.

As one of the most seasoned engineers in the region told me, the “bathtub effect” was real. “Put enough fill in the floodplain and it will displace water, flooding someone else’s property.” He also said, “The fill can also disrupt flow patterns, forcing floodwater onto neighbor’s property.”

He cited the case of one family nearby that floods constantly now because of fill added to a neighbor’s property. But he sees issues like this all over the region.

Coming Next

More on that and similar cases tomorrow when I talk about the expensive “Flood-Mitigation Treadmill.” Most people don’t realize how expensive correcting problems like the one above are compared to preventing them in the first place. Sometimes it’s hard for mitigation to keep up with the people constricting floodplains. Don’t miss it.

Harris County did not return phone calls or emails today in response to enquiries about the floodplain fill shown above.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/23/26

3100 Days since 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.

Arrest Warrants Issued in Floodway, Floodplain Fill Case

2/21/26 – A person believed responsible for illegally placing massive amounts of fill in the floodway and floodplain of the San Jacinto West Fork near the intersection of Savelle and Sorters-McClellan Roads has yet to pay fines or remove the fill. He has also failed to appear at multiple hearings on the case, resulting in warrants being issued for his arrest.

New Aerial Photos Show Fill Not Yet Removed

Aerial photos taken on 2/20/26 show the site has not changed since Houston Public Works and the Houston Police raided it in December and caught several large trucks dumping their loads. Heavy equipment has been removed, but the fill has not.

Looking N at most of site. Savelle Rd. on right. Sorters in top right. Public road now gated (red circle).

Yesterday, the gate was locked. High, solid fences blocked views of the property from the roads. And a gate now blocks the entrance to a public street on the south side of the property.

Response from City About Status

District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger’s Chief of Staff Dustin Hodges responded as follows to my inquiry as to the status of enforcement actions against the owners. I have reprinted it verbatim below.

“Here’s the latest I received from Floodplain Management on the Savell Rd property.”

“We have continued to monitor the site on a weekly basis and have issued citations to Mr. Rene Martinez each week. I have not had any further communication with Mr. Martinez since our last meeting on December 19, 2025.

“Mr. Martinez has failed to appear at his scheduled arraignment dates, resulting in two warrants being issued for his arrest and three failures to appear.

“I have sent certified notices to both Mr. Martinez and the property owner of 139 Lakeside Street, whom I believe may also be involved in the illegal fill dirt activity. Additionally, the residents of 139 Lakeside Street have installed a gate across the public roadway, which has blocked our access to the site.

“We will continue our efforts to bring the property into compliance and welcome any assistance from the Houston Police Department or the City of Houston Legal Department that can be provided to help resolve this matter.“

History of Issue

I first posted about this issue in December after a citizen sent me a tip about unusual truck traffic at the site. The very next day, Houston Public Works and the Houston Police Department raided the site. They found multiple violations and caught several trucks dumping their loads.

Harris County Flood Warning System records show that this location had the highest flooding in the county during Hurricane Harvey – a whopping 27 feet above the normal water level.

Filling floodplains and floodways is dangerous because it constricts and displaces floodwaters, flooding properties somewhere else, such as Costco and Main Event on the other side of the river.

What Regulations Say

And that’s why City of Houston regulations prohibit bringing fill dirt into floodways and floodplains. Chapter 19 Div. 2 Sec. 19.34 states:

  • No fill may be added to a 100-year floodplain.
  • Any loss of floodplain-storage volume must be mitigated onsite.

Floodways enjoy even more protection. Chapter 19 Div. 3 Sec. 19.43(a-b3) states:

  • “No floodplain development permit shall be issued for a development to be located in any floodway…” 
  • “The development will not impede the flow of floodwaters.”
  • “The development will not result in an adverse effect on the conveyance capacity during the occurrence of the base flood.”

The City says the property owner(s) did not have a permit to place the fill.

Note height of fill. It’s as high as many small trees.
Immediately N of filled property. Note how swampy the area is. West Fork at top of frame.
Looking S toward US59 bridge over West Fork and its confluence with Spring Creek.
Looking NE. Note height of fill which stretches all the way to the West Fork (left).

At this point, we do not yet know where the fill came from or whether the owner(s) have the ability to remove it. More news to follow. Harris County Appraisal District Records show that the area being filled belongs to at least two couples, who have acquired multiple properties within it.

Harris County Appraisal District Map of general area with fill.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/21/2026

3098 Days since 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.

Save the Date: SJRA Joint Reservoir Operations Meeting March 5

2/20/2026 – The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) will hold a public input meeting at the Humble Civic Center on March 5 from 6-8 PM to discuss its Joint Reservoir Operations Study. According to Matt Barrett PE, SJRA’s Water Resources and Flood Management Division Manager, “one of the main objectives of the study is to determine if there are any benefits to pre-releases from Lake Conroe and Lake Houston.”

Timing Affected by Lake Houston Gates Engineering

SJRA first applied for a grant to study synchronizing releases from the two dams back in 2020. However, the project to add crest gates to the Lake Houston Dam hit a setback when the City could not find any contractors willing to bid on the project. The issue had to do with the potential liability associated with working on a 70-year-old concrete structure already badly in need of repair.

gates for Lake Houston and Conroe
Old Lake Houston gates (l) are being replaced by new gates in the earthen eastern portion of the dam (not shown here), so that Lake Houston releases can keep up with what Lake Conroe Gates (r) released during Harvey – 79,000 CFS.

With the crest-gate proposal dead, the City went to Plan B. They are now studying tainter gates for the earthen eastern portion of the dam.

Lake Houston Dam
Gates like Conroe’s will now go in the bottom portion of the image above.

The second study recently reached a milestone. Engineering is now 30% complete. That’s widely regarded as the point where a project becomes real enough to make valid estimates about feasibility, costs, timelines and more.

Said Barrett, “We wanted to make sure we understood the future condition at Lake Houston before we pulled the trigger on our analysis.” 

Main Objective of Joint Operations Study

Now that engineers have a better idea of what the new gates on Lake Houston’s Dam can do, it’s possible to see whether any benefits accrue from trying to synchronize pre-releases with Lake Conroe. A pre-release from Lake Conroe only makes sense when storms reach there first, i.e., from the north. A pre-release from Conroe when a storm approaches from the south could doubly flood the Lake Houston Area.

The major goal of this study is to determine how effective pre-releases really are. Barrett must also ensure pre-releases don’t negatively impact water supply.

Second Objective: Flow-Forecasting Tool

The study will also develop a flow-forecasting tool for Lake Houston. Barrett says it will help provide more information on anticipated volumes of stormwater coming into Lake Houston during storm events. “We will look at the entire basin,” he said, “to predict flows. So, that could be a very helpful tool.”

Results Will Inform Lake Houston Gate-Operations Policy

Barrett added, “Our intention was originally to develop the gate operations policy for Lake Houston – for the new gates that they’re looking to install. But that’s now being done as part of their gates project. So, in this study, we’re just supporting them with relevant data that comes out of our study. We’ll support development of their gate policy. But it will not be dictated by this project.”

“The study will also consider the travel time of water between Lake Conroe and Lake Houston, a factor that’s crucial in evaluation of pre-releases,” said Barrett. That’s crucial to understand if coordination of pre-releases is necessary.

Benefit Area

The study will potentially benefit the area between Lake Conroe and Lake Houston as well as the people around each lake.

Will pre-releases lower flood risk? “That’s what we want to find out,” said Barrett.

“I hope whatever the results are that they’ll be trusted. And that people will accept what the engineering says, whichever direction it happens to go,” said Barrett.

Meet the Experts

On March 5, Lake Houston Area Residents will have an opportunity to meet representatives from the SJRA, Coastal Water Authority, City of Houston, Humble, and the consultant, Black & Veatch Engineering.

“Pre-release has had a lot of interest over the years,” said Barrett. “So, I think it’s good for us to answer the question once and for all. Is it effective and is it something that provides benefits?”

Mark Your Calendar

  • Humble Civic Center
  • March 5 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
  • 8233 Will Clayton Pkwy, Humble, TX 77338

Experience of Other River Basins

This is not an unusual problem. Most rivers have multiple dams. For instance, multiple dams on the lower Colorado River help keep Austin from flooding.

There’s a well-established body of work showing that coordinating operations across multiple reservoirs can produce measurable flood-mitigation benefits. However, hydrology, travel times, and downstream constraints must align.

The big win is usually shaving peak flow by avoiding “release stacking” (upstream releases arriving downstream at the same time as local inflows, i.e., from the East Fork or Spring and Cypress Creeks).

Other engineers in other watersheds have seen flood-mitigation benefits when their studies identified operating rules that:

  • Prevented release “coincidence” – We must avoid upstream releases arriving at the same time as peak local inflows from other uncontrolled tributaries
  • Used forecasts intelligently – Pre-release only works when forecast confidence and downstream capacity justify it
  • Respected downstream constraints – Don’t exceed channel limits.

Make-or-break technical questions for the San Jacinto Watershed will likely include:

  • Travel time for water between Lake Conroe and Lake Houston and how that changes with different base flows.
  • Downstream constraints such as local rainfall in the Lake Houston watershed
  • Forecast confidence and decision triggers – When will forecasts be reliable enough to justify pre-release without wasting water supply or making flooding worse.
  • What will the study optimize for? Peak flood stage at specific gages? Total damages? Avoiding emergency spillway use? Protecting evacuation routes? Something else?

Bring your questions to the Civic Center. The engineers will have a presentation at 6:30 but be available to talk before and after that.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/20/26

3097 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Need for Watershed-Wide Solutions to Ensure Flood Resilience

2/19/26 – Texas 2036 and the American Flood Coalition hosted an informative seminar on 2/17/26. It emphasized lessons learned from other states that help ensure flood resilience. One of the dominant themes of the day was the need for watershed-wide flood solutions. Without watershed-wide solutions, upstream communities can create the conditions of their own future flooding while putting downstream communities on an expensive flood-mitigation treadmill.

About the Sponsors

The mission of Texas 2036 is to enable Texans to make policy decisions through accessible data, long-term planning and statewide engagement. Its goal is to make Texas the best place to live and work. 2036 refers to Texas’ upcoming bicentennial year.

The American Flood Coalition (AFC) is a bipartisan, member-driven coalition working at all levels of government to scale innovative solutions to the country’s toughest flood-adaptation challenges.

A Watershed-Based Approach to Flooding

Dr. Ruth Akintoye kicked off the first presentation with a reminder that the new Texas State Flood Plan is organized along watershed boundaries. And not just sub-watersheds, but entire river basins. That’s because floodwater does not respect jurisdictional boundaries.

A watershed based approach to flooding.
On left: map showing the 15 river basins in Texas. On right, diagram of how rain can fall in one part of a watershed and flood other parts where it did not even rain. Watersheds are large areas that drain to single points.

“This requires communities to collaborate regionally and also to coordinate with the state,” said Akintoya.

Akintoya gave a shout-out to more than 50 Texans for their leadership on flooding issues and securing more than $4 billion to fund flood and water projects across the state. She singled out Congressman Dan Crenshaw by name.

Crenshaw AFC slide
Texas Members of the American Flood Coalition. (Crenshaw Top Row/Middle)

As a group, they’re trying to bring a 360-degree view of flooding to everyone in the state. “Texas is already a leader in how states approach flood resilience,” said Akintoya. “Yet we all know that resilience is not static and it never fully gets checked off.”

Benefits of a Watershed-Wide Approach

Throughout the seminar, speakers kept referring to the benefits of a watershed-wide approach to flood resilience. They include:

  • Comprehensive solutions where the pieces work better together
  • Saving money through various techniques
  • Better flood prediction
  • Increased coordination when pursuing funding from partners at various levels of government.
High-level benefits of a watershed wide flood-mitigation approach

Florida’s Always-Ready Long-Range Plan

Former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, Chris Sprowls, amplified those thoughts. He talked about the passage of Florida’s landmark “Always Ready” legislation. AFC called it “the nation’s most comprehensive state-level flood resilience and adaptation initiative.”

The initiative positioned Florida as a leader in preparing communities for rising flood risks. The Florida Plan looks 30 years into the future. Sprowls talked about similarities between Texas and Florida. Namely, both are hubs for domestic migration.

“People are coming to find a better life for their families and a pathway to prosperity. But the downside of that is that we have to plan further into the future,” said Sprowls.

“In Florida,” said Sprowls, “we think about water from a watershed perspective.” In the past, “we weren’t doing the planning and making the investments really needed to keep our communities safe.”

New Texas Flood Plan Based on River-Basin-Wide Approach

Former executive director of the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), Jeff walker, talked about the river-basin-wide approach in the first Texas State Flood Plan. The total cost of recommendations was $51 billion. “But to give some perspective, the losses associated with Hurricane Harvey were over $125 billion. That’s from one storm,” he said.

One of the first things Texas learned, said Walker, was that “a large, large majority of the flood maps were out of date.”

“The FEMA maps did not give a full picture of the risk or pinpoint mitigation measures,” he added.”Except for the larger metropolitan areas, most cities and counties do not have a good picture of flood risks. As you can imagine, many cities need technical assistance to help them identify such risk.”

Even worse, Walker said, “Many entities cannot access funds because they do not have a good plan for how to use them. And there is not a good mechanism for flood funding at the city level – especially small cities – because they do not have a source of [matching] funds for such projects.”

Walker believes one of the biggest impacts of the State Flood Plan is that state, local, and watershed-level districts are finally engaging with one another about projects. “It’s not happening in little silos anymore,” he said. He believes that “gives one dollar the power of two.”

“There are more than 1,200 flood managers in Texas, and some of them hold 3 or 4 hats.”

Jeff Walker, Former Exec. Dir., TWDB

He referred to mayors and city managers responsible for flood projects “they don’t know how to do.” A river-basin-wide flood-control district would put that expertise at their disposal.

Fast Growth Argues For Wider Outlook

Florida’s Sprowls fielded many of the questions during Q&A. Several questions addressed fast growth. “It’s really important to fold vulnerabilities into future development plans,” he said. “As population grows and economic development booms in new areas, you need to understand how risk scales relevant to that development. And you can make smart choices to mitigate that risk.”

Texas State Rep. Dennis Paul sponsored such a bill in 2025 to expand Harris County Flood Control District’s geographic scope, but it never made it out of the Natural Resources Committee. Rep. Paul reportedly plans to introduce it again in 2027.

As awareness grows about the benefits of flood-control districts that cover entire river basins, he may have better luck next time. It’s important. The state flood plan shows that the San Jacinto Basin (Region 6) has the largest flood-mitigation needs in the state…by a wide margin.

From Jeff Walker’s presentation. San Jacinto needs (Region 6 in center) approach $8 billion.

See the entire hour-long seminar on the Texas 2036 website.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/19/26

3096 Days since Hurricane Harvey

 

Endorsing Marty Lancton for County Judge in Republican Primary

2/18/26 – In the Republican primary for Harris County Judge, I’m endorsing Marty Lancton. There are many good candidates on the Republican slate. I’ve been to several forums and heard them all speak. And I’ve talked personally with most.

I first met Lancton at Amadeus over lunch five months ago. And I’ve had numerous meetings and communications with him ever since. I endorse him for many reasons.

Proven Leadership Experience in a Political Environment

Lancton is head of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association and VP of the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters. As such, he has represented more than 20,000 fire fighters and paramedics statewide in Austin for many years, as well as 4,000 of those working in Houston.

Lancton lobbied for seven years to reach a deal with the City on firefighter pay.

If elected, Lancton would have to represent the County when dealing with Austin and Houston City Hall. He already knows the players and political landscape well. He has lobbied in both places for years and understands how to get things done.

In forging consensus, he listens and seeks common ground. I’ve already seen it firsthand.

In my opinion…

He’s sorely needed in today’s polarized, name-calling, overheated, burn-your-opponent-to-the-ground, and stomp-on-their-ashes political environment.

Already Helping Lake Houston Area

Lancton also stands out when it comes to understanding the needs of the Lake Houston Area – especially the flood-mitigation needs.

Lancton Rescue Boat During Harvey
Rescue boat piloted by Lancton during Hurricane Harvey evacuation

Before retirement, I owned a business. And I quickly learned to promote people who were already doing the job they wanted to get. Lancton has impressed me in that regard. He has already reached out to his Austin contacts to help with flooding issues in the Lake Houston Area.

Saving Lives During Shock and Awe of Mother Nature

Moreover, as a first responder, he has witnessed firsthand how winds, rain and floods can destroy homes and lives.

Lancton's squad during derecho
Lancton’s squad rescuing residents whose home was crushed by giant tree during the 2024 derecho

He has evacuated victims on his back and in lifeboats. It’s one thing to understand problems intellectually and another to feel the shock-and-awe of Mother Nature for days on end as you repeatedly put your own life on the line to help fellow human beings you never met.

Lancton accepting flag for family of fallen firefighter
Lancton accepting flag to convey to family of fallen firefighter.

In a similar vein, candidate Lancton has waded neck deep into the political fray. It takes extraordinary courage and character to expose oneself to that these days…again to help fellow human beings he has never met.

Electable

If elected Harris County Judge, Lancton would be accountable to all county residents, whether they identify as Democrats or Republicans. In that regard, Lancton has a history of working across the aisle to build consensus and get results.

Among Republican candidates, he uniquely stands out on that score. He is a lifelong Republican, endorsed by Governor Greg Abbott. Yet the firefighters union also elected him as its leader.

While that may raise questions for some, I see it as a plus.

He can draw support from both sides of the aisle in a way that perhaps other candidates cannot. And that makes him electable in the general election still nine months away.

Meeting The Challenges Ahead

Harris County has enormous challenges ahead. Flood mitigation. Improving public safety. Fixing infrastructure. Cutting wasteful spending to reduce property taxes. Improving service delivery. And restoring trust in government … to name just a few.

Lancton has the experience, temperament, and energy to take on these tasks. I already voted for him and hope you do, too.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/18/26

3095 Days since Hurricane Harvey

How to Recognize Political Deception from Trolls, Bots and Engagement Farms

2/17/26 – Early voting starts today. I hope everyone votes. Electing people who address the problems of their constituents is essential. But sometimes, it’s hard to recognize who those people are because of political deception using trolls, bots and “engagement farms.” These invisible influencers can:

  • Undermine our understanding of issues
  • Alter our perception of reality, much like a drug would
  • Rob us of the power to make informed decisions
  • Trick us into voting against our own self-interest.

How? By flooding social media with false information disguised as comments from legitimate users, they make it appear as though there is a groundswell of opposition to a particular candidate.

My First Clue

Several weeks ago, I posted what I thought was an innocent story about Congressman Dan Crenshaw. It detailed how a Federal grant he secured for improvements to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch kept the project from being killed by Democrats in Harris County Commissioners Court.

Out of nowhere, the post was flooded with off-topic comments criticizing Crenshaw and promoting Steve Toth. Toth is running against Crenshaw in the new Texas Congressional District 2.

My post never mentioned Toth. But comments on the post ripped apart Crenshaw, a war hero who has dedicated his life to public service and improving public safety.

Toth’s trolls were as relentless as a pack of rabid jackals. I spent hours trying to respond to their inane comments before I gave up … exhausted. Since then, I’ve been investigating what happened. It goes way beyond the childish defacing of an opponents election signs … which Toth also does.

Photo taken today outside polling location. In Texas, this is criminal, with fines up to $2,000 and up to 30 days in jail.

Online, bots and trolls can be programmed to bomb posts and pages with scripted comments that wear down humans and crowd out legitimate discussion. They often work together to create the impression of widespread discontent about political opponents. This can influence people who may not follow politics closely. They sense the majority has concerns about a candidate. So, they vote for his/her opponent.

Engagement Farms

I also learned about “engagement farms.” Engagement farms coordinate employees who control multiple accounts and are directed to:

  • Comment
  • Dislike
  • Share
  • Gang up on others
  • Attack opponents
  • Artificially inflate visibility.

They are often paid by the volume of interactions. ChatGPT cites publicly advertised engagement-farm service rates ranging from $50 to $300 per 1000 comments. Now you know why trolls often use one word comments such as “Hogwash”!

Unlike bots, engagement farms generate authentic human interaction. That makes detecting them harder. But they all use similar techniques to slime an opponent’s reputation.

How to Recognize When You’re Arguing with a Troll, Bot or Engagement Farm

Below, I use the word “troll” to apply to all three categories. Their tactics and goals are similar. Their hallmarks include:

  • Intentional provocation (not just disagreement):
    • They post inflammatory, extreme or deliberately offensive claims to trigger outrage
    • When others try to respond constructively, they steer toward conflict
    • They seek antagonism
    • Comments amplify conflict rather than resolve it
    • Trolls label someone as corrupt, inept, or bad without evidence.
  • Bad-faith argumentation:
    • Ignoring responses
    • Misrepresenting others’ positions to make them easier to attack
    • Moving the goal posts once counter-evidence appears
    • Trying to muddy the analysis
    • Nitpicking technicalities to derail substantive discussion
    • No amount of evidence ever convinces a troll.
  • Circular discussions
  • Anonymity and disposable identities:
    • Trolls often operate from new accounts with no or little history in them
    • The accounts have no or minimal personal information
    • These allow lying without jeopardizing the reputation of the troll
    • If blocked, new fake accounts quickly replace old fake accounts.
  • Derailing topic threads into unrelated controversies
  • Hijacking legitimate discussion with ideological provocation
  • Repeating previously debunked claims to restart conflict
  • Rapid “pile on” behavior indicates coordinated activity
  • Minimal debate among those piling on
  • Unlike someone who simply vents, trolls typically:
    • Re-engage repeatedly after pushback
    • Continue, even when ignored, to escalate intensity and reignite arguments
    • Seek visibility, not persuasion
    • Take extreme, minority positions to provoke conflict
    • Cast doubt without proving allegations
    • Spew misinformation
    • Cite obscure blogs or misleading statistics
    • Present partial truths without context
    • Mix legitimate data with distortions.
  • Claiming false affiliations (I’m a lifelong Republican, but that guy…)
  • Pretending to be local when they may be overseas
  • Selective skepticism:
    • They apply high evidentiary standards to opponents, but…
    • Accept vague, anecdotal evidence that supports their side
    • Ignore contradictory facts.
  • Coordinated behavior:
    • Multiple accounts repeat similar phrases
    • Synchronized messaging
    • Identical sentence structures
    • Specific rhetorical constructions, such as:
      • Unusual word choices
      • Semantic duplication, even when wording changes slightly
      • Copy-pasted paragraphs with minor edits
      • The same metaphors, accusations and claims without citations or context (He’s a RINO!)
      • Reused rhetoric
      • Name-calling
  • High outward aggression, low inward disagreement.

Why It Matters

Trolls use intentional, bad-faith provocation to disrupt legitimate discourse or elicit emotional reactions. Trolls want to mislead. Their disruption denies people the information they need to make voting decisions based on facts.

Political trolling also increases polarization and creates public distrust of government. People begin to think, “All politicians are corrupt.”

Taking Trolling to Next Level

“Engagement Farms” pay people to perform online tasks that influence your behavior. They began a decade or so ago by paying people to submit fake product reviews. In politics today, they are used to:

  • Damage and harass opponents
  • Simulate grassroots outrage
  • Influence undecideds.

Engagement farm attacks:

  • Feel personal
  • Appear socially validated
  • Create a strong perception of widespread consensus.

They seek to make you doubt. In the end, unless you really know the contestants first hand, you may follow an imaginary crowd. They make it hard to discern fact from fiction. And that is happening in the Crenshaw/Toth race.

Exploiting a Regulatory Gap

Social media comment-based attacks often avoid regulations on traditional advertising. For instance, they don’t require disclosure of the sponsor. This regulatory gap is significant.

Super PACs can often legally spend unlimited, untraceable amounts on engagement farm services.

While hiding behind the First Amendment, they wear down and exhaust humans trying to interact legitimately.

Bob Rehak

In the digital age, they amplify digital discontent like hecklers at a political rally. Enforcement actions against them are rare, difficult to prove and occur long after the election is over…if ever.

I personally believe nothing coming from the Toth camp. I’ve caught them in too many lies. I have endorsed Crenshaw, a man I have known for eight years and who has delivered hundreds of millions of flood-mitigation dollars for the Lake Houston Area.

Caution: Disclaimer

Campaign supporters acting individually may use some of the tactics outlined above. Some may even support Steve Toth without pay.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/17/26

3094 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.

Vote for Crenshaw in Congressional District 2 Republican Primary

2/14/26 – The Republican primary in the newly redrawn Congressional District 2 (CD2) pits U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw against State Rep. Steve Toth.

Crenshaw is running for his fifth term in Washington. Toth is running for his first, although Toth has served five terms in the Texas House representing a portion of southern Montgomery County.

I endorse Crenshaw for several reasons, not the least of which is his experience and seniority in Washington. That has enabled him to bring home hundreds of millions of dollars in flood-mitigation funds for CD-2.

From a flood-mitigation perspective, Crenshaw equals “proven results.”

Bob Rehak
Dan Crenshaw (center) reviewing flood damage along Harris/MoCo line.

Crenshaw (black shirt) saw first hand why Elm Grove flooded. Then he got mitigation dollars to help the victims.

Crenshaw Delivers Results, Not Spin

Crenshaw isn’t just saying flood-mitigation is important to get your vote. He has repeatedly delivered dollars to reduce flood risk. He has authored and passed legislation that has funded upstream detention, dredging and additional gates for the Lake Houston Dam – exactly what he promised in 2018.

  • Upstream detention reduces stormwater coming into the Lake Houston Area during floods
  • Dredging increases the conveyance of rivers and streams so they don’t overflow into your living room
  • More floodgates will allow faster lowering of lake levels before storms to create more storage capacity in the lake. They will also lower lake levels faster during storms to help keep floodwaters at manageable levels.

Flood mitigation requires doing the hard work of crafting support for such measures among colleagues in the legislature..

Saying you’re FOR something is simple. Delivering results is much harder.

And Crenshaw has delivered consistently. Seniority and relationships count for something in Congress. Crenshaw’s opponent has neither.

Crenshaw’s Opponent Consistently Voted Against Flood Mitigation

Even worse, Crenshaw’s opponent consistently voted AGAINST measures that would have helped protect the Lake Houston Area.

Mr. Toth voted AGAINST:

Toth Doesn’t Study Issues

Mr. Toth has tried to justify his vote on the dredging district by spreading misinformation. He claims that flood control is the sole reason the Legislature established the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) and that SJRA should be responsible for dredging.

@SteveTothTX, X, 10/11/25

Actually, the SJRA’s enabling legislation listed 19 reasons for its creation. Most have to do with water supply. In fact, flood control is mentioned only within the context of building dams for water supply. The enabling legislation never mentions dredging.

Toth’s Voting Record and Tactics

If you really want to see what Toth stands FOR, see what he voted AGAINST. Toth voted against free speech, food banks, cybersecurity, conservation, grid reliability, open meetings, transparency, ethics, border security, fraud protections, and disclosure of campaign finance information. He even voted AGAINST bills to protect victims of family abuse and sex trafficking. His voting records in 2021 and 2023 were shocking. And in 2025, he reached new lows.

He even called me dishonest for simply reporting his official voting record from the Texas Legislature Online website. Watch out. Disagree with him and he’ll sic his rabid pack of paid trolls on you, too!

Reasonable Republicans Must Vote in Primary

Toth leads a group of Montgomery County extremists who are so far right they border on anarchists. But they all vote in primaries. And that’s precisely why it’s important for reasonable Republicans who care about public safety to vote in this primary.

Given the composition of the new CD2, the real election starts this week. I’m voting for Crenshaw and I hope you do, too, with your friends, neighbors and relatives. Before it’s too late.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/15/26

3092 Days since 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.

Quick Action by Resident Halts Spring Creek Environmental Abuse

2/13/26 – Three days ago, Jennifer Stewart, one of my readers, was riding her bike up the Spring Creek Greenway when she witnessed a river of sludge pouring out of a construction site. It was going straight into the creek at a high rate of speed. She immediately contacted me and within the hour I had taken dozens of drone photos documenting the environmental abuse.

Within a couple more hours, I notified Harris County Flood Control. The next morning, I posted about the illegal discharge and how to report it to the proper authorities. Many readers complained to the TCEQ, Harris County Flood Control, Harris County Engineering, and Harris County Pollution Control.

Today, I returned to the site to see if the contractors were still pumping sludge into the creek. I’m happy to say that they were NOT. County environmental investigators had quickly issued citations to Spring ISD, its contractors and environmental consultant.. The County gave them until 2/14/26 to bring their site into compliance with federal, state and county environmental regulations – or else they will receive more citations.

Today, instead of pumping more sludge into Spring Creek, the contractors were installing pollution-prevention measures that should have been in place all along. For instance:

  • Riprap (rock used to protect channel embankments) that reduces erosion
  • Silt fences that filter sediment out of water escaping from construction sites
  • Rock gabions (baskets filled with rocks), also designed to filter runoff.

Who knows how long the contractors would have continued circumventing best management practices had it not been for Stewart who: a) recognized the violations, b) documented them, and c) reported them quickly? Thank you, Jennifer!

Magnitude of Sediment-Pollution Problem

Sediment pollution is widely regarded by hydrologists and water-quality regulators as the single largest pollutant by volume in U.S. surface waters. It is not always toxic, but it is often the most structurally damaging because it alters channel geometry, reduces floodwater storage, and transports contaminants.

Sediment Discharges Amplify Other Threats

Sediment discharges contribute to the loss of hydraulic conveyance of rivers and streams. When that happens, channel cross-sections shrink and floodwaters rise.

According to ChatGPT, a 10–20% loss of conveyance area can raise flood elevations dramatically. Some estimate the increase could exceed Atlas-14 rainfall increases of about 30% in this area. Also…

Rainfall is episodic. But sediment is cumulative.

Sediment ranks at the top of long-term flood threats for the Lake Houston Area because it:

  • Increases dredging dependence
  • Is difficult to regulate retroactively.

It also buries spawning beds for fish and kills aquatic vegetation that filters water.

Importance of Reporting Violations

Regulatory agencies depend on the help of an educated public to report problems promptly when they see them.

Emily Woodell, a spokesperson for Harris County Flood Control District, had this to say about the Spring Creek construction site. “We sent our teams out there and they are working with the Harris County Engineering Department (HCED) on the effort. HCED is actually the entity with regulatory authority, and they issued a citation to the developer.” 

“We always want to hear about these kinds of issues. The best way to submit them is via our Citizen Service Center on our website. The requests go straight to our Fast Action Service Teams to investigate and take the appropriate action. It takes all of us being the eyes and ears on the ground, and we truly appreciate every report.”

Pictures Taken February 10, 2026

Compare the pictures taken on February 10 to the ones farther below (taken today). Today’s show installation of pollution-prevention measures and a dramatic improvement in water quality. But first the “problem” shots.

Construction site sediment pollution
Construction site of Spring ISD’s new high school emptying sludge straight into Spring Creek
Construction site sediment pollution
Sludge migrating down Spring Creek
Construction site sediment pollution
Unchecked runoff from the site was channeled and pumped directly into Spring Creek
Construction site sediment pollution
No silt fences to check the flow of mud
Construction site sediment pollution
Contractors were actively pumping sludge from the detention basin
Construction site sediment pollution
Wider shot shows what they were pumping into the source of your drinking water

Photos Taken 2/13/26

Note the dramatic changes in pictures taken today.

After investigation and citation, discharge stopped.
Sediment remains from previous discharge, but water is running much clearer.
Pump remains by bulldozer in foreground, but is not pumping. Note the riprap at the top of frame to the right of the dump truck where pumped water will discharge into the small channel leading to the creek. The riprap will reduce headward erosion.
Beyond the riprap, note the silt fences and what appear to be gabions in the channel leading to the creek to further filter discharged water.
They still have a lot of muck to pump. We’ll all be watching to see what happens next.

ABC13’s Brianna Willis also covered this story. Spring ISD told her (not on camera) that they take environmental compliance seriously.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/13/2026

3090 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.