Woodridge Village Excavation Approaching Atlas-14 Requirement

Harris County Flood Control District’s (HCFCD) Woodridge Village Excavation and Removal contract with Sprint Sand & Clay continues progressing nicely. The volume excavated last month shows a continued rebound in activity after a dip last year when the housing market slowed.

As of the end of April, Sprint has completed approximately 23% of its 500,000-cubic-yard contract. More important, excavation could meet Atlas-14 detention requirements by the end of 2023.

Sprint excavated an estimated 11,000 cubic yards in April – more than double the monthly minimum. That brings the total to date to approximately 115,000 cubic yards.

Photos Reveal Excavation in New Direction

Here’s what the status of Woodridge Village excavation looked like on 5/1/2023. For the last year, Sprint has focused on lengthening the basin. Now it is focusing on widening it, too. Note the work taking place in the upper left quadrant of the photo below.

Looking northeast.
Looking southwest toward Kingwood Park High School.
Looking east at current area of excavation.

Typically, HCFCD gives E&R contractors some general boundaries and says, “Start digging.” Sprint makes its money by selling the dirt on the open market. There’s virtually no cost to taxpayers. And usually the bigger the hole in the ground, the better. So, according to a former flood control executive, if Sprint goes beyond 500,000 cubic yards, no one will complain. It reduces flood risk free of charge.

But where is all this headed and why?

Past, Current and Future Capacities

When Perry Homes sold the Woodridge Village property to HCFCD in 2021, it had five stormwater detention basins with a total storage capacity of 271 acre feet. But because Montgomery County issued construction permits based on pre-Atlas-14 requirements, the development was approximately 42% short of meeting current Harris County standards.

Partially as a result of insufficient stormwater detention capacity, up to 600 homes downstream in Kingwood flooded twice in 2019.

After HCFCD bought the property, it hired Sprint to get a head start on Woodridge Village excavation of additional detention capacity while it worked out exact plans for a regional detention basin and Taylor Gully.

Sprint has excavated approximately 71 acre feet so far. That brings the current detention capacity to 342 acre feet.

But HCFCD will ultimately need approximately 385 acre feet of stormwater detention capacity to meet Atlas-14 requirements and it hopes to build even more as a safety hedge against future needs should they increase.

If Sprint excavates the entire 500,000 cubic yards in its contract, that would bring the total stormwater detention capacity up to 580 acre feet. In tabular form, the steps look like this:

Acre Feet of Stormwater Detention% of Ultimate
Site Had When Purchased from Perry Homes27147%
Has as of 5/1/2334259%
Atlas 14 Requires38566%
If Sprint Excavates All 500K Cubic Feet580100%
Calculations based on original construction plans, HCFCD monthly reports, Atlas-14 Requirements and Sprint contract.

Calculations in the last column assume that Sprint excavates all 500,000 cubic yards. But Sprint’s contract calls for excavating UP TO 500,000 cubic yards.

A lot of flexibility exists for both parties in an E&R contract. If the demand for dirt dries up and excavation slows, HCFCD and Sprint could modify the E&R contract to complete a smaller detention basin sooner. But I assume it would still meet Atlas 14 requirements at a minimum.

Based on April performance, Sprint is currently excavating approximately 6 acre feet per month.

If demand for dirt holds, excavation should reach Atlas-14 requirements near the end of 2023.

Still Much More Work to Do

But simply excavating the dirt isn’t the end of the job. Harris County still needs to slope the sides, plant grass, and tie the new basin into the site’s existing stormwater-detention-basin network.

An engineering team is currently working on drawing up final construction plans. Simultaneously, they are looking at how Woodridge Village excavation will impact Taylor Gully needs.

At the moment, no one knows exactly how this project will end. There are simply too many variables. The site could contain one giant stormwater detention basin or several smaller ones.

HCFCD often employs a phased approach with large projects, such as Woodridge/Taylor Gully. Consider for instance, Willow Water Hole on South Post Oak at Highway 90. Or the Lauder Basin on Greens Bayou south of Beltway 8 North.

A phased approach enables residents to start reaping partial benefits sooner, with an eye toward maximizing future risk reduction as circumstances and funding allow.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/2/2023

2072 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 1329 since Imelda

Hurricane Hunter Expo at Ellington Draws Crowd

To kick off National Hurricane Preparedness week, the U.S. government sent two hurricane hunter aircraft to Ellington Field today. It was a rare opportunity for the public to interact with crews and support staff, and to tour some impressive displays of technology. See pics below.

Hurricane Hunter Aircraft on Display at Ellington Field

WP-3D – “Orion” by Lockheed. Introduced in 1976. the W stands for Weather. Operated by 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the U.S. Air Force Reserves.

The versatile WP-3D – “Orion” turboprop aircraft is equipped with a variety of scientific instruments, radars, and recording systems for both in-situ and remote sensing measurements of the atmosphere, the earth, and its environment. Orion aircraft collects low-altitude data to fill gaps in data not available from ground-based radar or satellite imagery.

A crew member described the aircraft as a flying MRI machine that can see into the heart of storms.

WC-130J – “Hercules”, also by Lockheed is larger and heavier.

The WC-130J is a high-wing, medium-range aircraft used in several weather reconnaissance missions throughout the year. The Air Force configured this plane to penetrate tropical disturbances and storms, hurricanes and winter storms. It is equipped with meteorological instruments and radar to obtain data on the current development, movement, size and intensity of these systems.

The aircraft carries a minimum crew of five: pilot, co-pilot, navigator, aerial reconnaissance weather officer and weather reconnaissance loadmaster. The crew collects and reports weather data as often as every minute.

Members of the public look at the impressive number of missions this hurricane hunter has flown.

Dropsonde Demo

Tube through which instrument sensors called “sondes” are dropped from WC130 into hurricanes.

In flight, the aircraft drops sondes about every 15 minutes, according to one manufacturer. “Dropsondes play a very important role in the data collection during field projects. They provide data of a near-vertical profile of very remote regions that could otherwise not be be studied. The dropsonde provides actual readings of the atmosphere as it travels downward. Because the device is in contact with the medium that it is measuring, this type of sensing is also called in-situ sensing.” They measure temperature, wind speed, wind direction, moisture, location, atmospheric pressure and more.

Emergency Management Participants

Also present were representatives from NOAA, the National Hurricane Center, the National Weather Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Coast Guard, the US Air Force, Harris County Flood Control District, the City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management, the Red Cross, USAA, and more.

They passed out everything from disaster preparedness guides to hurricane guides, emergency document bags, cloud charts, and stress balls! Good times and sunburns were had by all!

Additional Preparedness Resources

From Houston, the tour moves east to New Orleans, and Mississippi before making two stops in Florida.

In addition to the list of preparedness links I posted yesterday, the handouts today reminded me that I should have posted:

The last guide goes beyond hurricanes and covers everything from chemical spills to active shooter incidents.

They’re all worth exploring. But don’t wait until a hurricane is bearing down to explore them. The sites will likely be crowded, the internet down, and response times slow. Also keep in mind that in an emergency, you may need to conserve battery power in your mobile devices. After Hurricane Ike in 2008, parts of the Lake Houston Area lost power for weeks.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/1/2023

2071 Days since Hurricane Harvey

National Hurricane Preparedness Week Starts Today

National Hurricane Preparedness Week starts today, Sunday April 30 and runs through May 6, 2023.

Helpful Resources

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) offers numerous resources to help you:

The National Hurricane Center website also offers a treasure trove of educational resources for professionals, citizens, and students of all ages.

And just in case you’re a weather geek, don’t miss this page from the National Weather Service on hurricane safety tips and weather resources.

If you live near the Texas coast, you’re in the second most hurricane-prone state in the country (second only to Florida).

Below is an abbreviated table from NOAA that shows the states hit by the most hurricanes in various categories between 1851 and 2020.

RankStateCategory 1Category 2Category 3Category 4Category 5Major hurricanesAll hurricanes
–Entire Atlantic & Gulf Coast123866226492301
1Florida47362411237120
2Texas291612701964
3Louisiana242013411862
4North Carolina3219610758
5South Carolina179230531
Scroll left/right to see full chart.

The peak of hurricane season is in September, but they can strike any time of year. All it takes is one to ruin your life if you’re not prepared.

peak of hurricane season

Start Sooner Rather than Later

So prepare now. There’s no better time than National Hurricane Preparedness Week.

Remember, homeowners insurance does not cover flooding. It usually takes 30 days for flood insurance to go into effect. And hurricane season is just a month away.

The time to stock up on emergency supplies is not when there’s a run on batteries, backups, and bottled water.

If you’re new to the Gulf Coast, it’s especially important to educate yourself. Storms can cut off evacuation routes, disrupt water and sewer, knock out electricity for weeks, create impossibly long lines at gas stations, and more.

Inland areas like Lake Houston don’t face much of a threat from storm surge. But we are susceptible to wind damage, fallen trees, riverine flooding, and street flooding.

Having interviewed dozens of flood victims, I can promise you. Invariably, the three things they most regret are NOT:

  • Preparing early enough.
  • Having flood insurance.
  • Putting valuables such as legal documents, family photo albums, and family bibles on high shelves.

If you’re new to the area, explore the links above and develop a checklist. Even if you’re a veteran of major storms, a little brushing up never hurts.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/30/23

2070 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Amendment to H.B. 1540 Could Force Changes in SJRA Management

H.B. 1540 passed in the Texas House on Friday, April 28, 2023. The bill concerns recommendations from the Sunset Advisory Commission affecting the board of the SJRA.

However, Representative Will Metcalf from Conroe offered a last-minute amendment from the House floor that would effectively fire Jace Houston, the SJRA’s general manager, who reports to the board. The amendment has the potential to upset the delicate balance between upstream and downstream interests mandated by the Governor after Harvey.

The senate version of the bill does not include Metcalf’s amendment. So, this fight isn’t over yet.

Let me cover the bill, the amendment, and implications in that order.

Key Provisions of H.B. 1540

The House analysis summarizes key provisions of H.B. 1540. It revises provisions governing SJRA. It implements – across-the-board – all Sunset Advisory Commission policy recommendations relating to the following:

  • Gubernatorial designation of the presiding officer of SJRA’s board of directors;
  • Specific grounds for removal of a board member;
  • Board member training;
  • Separation of the board’s policy-making responsibilities and the staff’s management responsibilities;
  • Maintenance of complaint information; and
  • Public testimony at board meetings.

The bill also provides for the transition to the new training requirements for current board members. Significantly, it also adds an additional member to SJRA’s board of directors, decreases the length of a member’s term from six years to four years, and provides for the transition to this new membership and term length.

H.B. 1540 would require at least four of the seven SJRA board members to reside in Montgomery County.

H.B. 1540 requires SJRA’s board of directors to develop and implement a comprehensive policy that provides a structure for public engagement in advance of major actions and projects. The policy must include a clear and detailed description of how SJRA will seek to actively engage stakeholders, including the possible use of the following:

  • Advisory committees;
  • Community panels;
  • Town hall meetings;
  • Surveys;
  • Other strategies on a recurring basis.

General-Manager Amendment

After the bill was voted out of the House Natural Resources Committee, Representative Metcalf offered an amendment on the House floor that surprised Committee Chair Tracy King.

Rep. Will Metcalf
Rep. Metcalf from Conroe

The terse amendment requires that the board appoint a new SJRA General Manager within 30 days who hasn’t been employed by the SJRA as general manager within the last six months. It’s a dagger in Jace Houston’s back.

Chairman King spoke against the amendment, but in the end voted for the bill. King stated that the amendment tried to usurp the Governor’s authority. He pointed out that the Governor appoints the board and that the board hires the general manager. The legislature should not get in the middle of that, he said.

Why Try to Fire Houston?

During Metcalf’s testimony, he complained bitterly about SJRA’s:

  • Water rates
  • Groundwater reduction plan
  • Water treatment plant
  • Insistence that the City of Conroe uphold its SJRA contract
  • Seasonal-lowering policy of Lake Conroe that protects downstream residents
  • Battles with the Lonestar Groundwater Conservation District over subsidence.

As SJRA General Manager, Jace Houston has played a prominent role in all these controversies.

Let’s Go to the Videotape!

If you want to watch how this debate unfolded, here’s a link to the Texas House proceedings on H.B. 1540 and Metcalf’s amendment.

  • Discussion starts around 2:27:15.
  • Rep. Metcalf introduces his amendment at 2:28:20.
  • Chairman King raises a point of order against the amendment at 2:29:10. He says the amendment is not germane to the subject of the bill. Then there’s a long break in the action while they confer on the point of order.
  • At 2:41:10, discussion resumes. King has withdrawn his point of order and rises to speak in opposition to the amendment. Metcalf follows him. Then they hold a vote. The bill passes with the amendment.
  • At 2:47:50, discussion moves to the next bill.

Amended Bill Overwhelmingly Passes, But…

The House bill passed with 145 Yeas, 2 Nays, and 1 Present but not voting. However…

Four days earlier, on 4/24/23, the Senate passed S.B. 2586, an identical companion bill (minus the Metcalf amendment). It’s now in King’s House Natural Resources Committee.

That means the bill could go to a conference committee to iron out the difference and find a compromise. Then the House, Senate or both will have to vote on it again. Exactly one month remains in this session.

In the meantime, you can bet heavy-duty politicking will happen in Austin.

What’s Next? 

Does the Senate have the appetite to engage in a local water war this late in session? 

Will Senator Brandon Creighton whose district now includes Lake Conroe intervene?

Will Jace Houston fight to stay? Or will he throw in the towel? 

Is Metcalf trying to scare the SJRA into concessions?

Will the Governor weigh in? Stay tuned.  

San Jacinto River Basin

The San Jacinto river basin encompasses more than 5,000 square miles and 6.4 million people in 11 counties.

Yet Representative Metcalf seems concerned with only a small portion of them. Montgomery County has a tenth of that population in only a 1,000 square miles. And Metcalf represents only part of Montgomery County and a third of its population. Yet Mr. Metcalf seems to want to manage the SJRA for the benefit of 1 out of every 30 people in the watershed.

Last session, he introduced a bill that would have prohibited any downstream representation on the SJRA board. Luckily, it failed.

The San Jacinto river basin is much larger than Conroe, Metcalf, and his district.

That point seems to have eluded everyone who voted for Metcalf’s amendment. I hope calmer minds prevail.

Had this vote happened after Harvey, I think few would have defended the SJRA or Jace Houston. But since then, I have seen a concerted effort to find balance between upstream and downstream interests, as the Governor directed.

Metcalf’s amendment could potentially tilt the balance back upstream, the way it was before Harvey. We just don’t know. The uncertainty worries me. Will we be saying goodbye to lake lowering and hello to more subsidence?

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/29/2023

2069 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.

HCFCD Incorporates $3 Billion of Studies, Projects into State Flood Plan

On Tuesday, 4/25/23, Harris County Commissioners gave Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) approval to incorporate almost $3 billion worth of studies and projects into the first State Flood Plan. The approval will make the studies and projects eligible for future funding from the State Flood Infrastructure Fund.

The San Jacinto Region 6 Flood Planning Group will first incorporate the requests into its regional flood plan. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) will then compile a master list of projects throughout the state and rank order them.

TWDB is working toward a September 1, 2024, deadline

Being in the new state flood plan will now be a prerequisite for applying for Texas Flood Infrastructure Fund grants and loans. If you’re not in the plan, you will not even be eligible to submit an application until the next revision of the flood plan. That could take another five years. So this is a good and timely move by HCFCD.

Agenda Item 136 Contained 136 Requests

Harris County Commissioners Court Agenda Item #136 read, “Request for approval of the Flood Control District’s Flood Management Evaluations and Flood Mitigation Projects to be included in the Amended San Jacinto Regional Flood Plan, for incorporation into the Texas State Flood Plan.”

The backup states: “All identified FMEs and FMPs in the Regional Flood Plan will be incorporated into the State Flood Plan, which once adopted by the State of Texas, will enable the Flood Management Evaluations and Flood Mitigation Projects to become eligible for future TWDB Flood Infrastructure Funding.”

Here is the list of the 136 evaluations and projects added to the state flood plan. The categories include:

  • 102 “evaluations” totaling $43,150,000. Flood Management Evaluations (FMEs) include such things as surveys, studies, preliminary engineering reports, etc.
  • 34 projects totaling $2,928,966,000. Flood Management Projects (FMPs) include construction, which explains the much larger number.

All projects are technically in the San Jacinto watershed (see map below). However, Harris County breaks projects down even further by sub-watersheds. It calls one the San Jacinto, which creates some confusion. For clarity, HCFCD’s San Jacinto sub-watershed includes the East and West Forks, Lake Houston, and the main stem of the river down to Galveston Bay. HCFCD also recognizes 22 other sub-watersheds. All were included to some degree in the list of projects.

Of the 34 construction projects, HCFCD included two in the San Jacinto sub-watershed totaling $128.8 million out of the $2,928,966,000, or 4.4% of the total. They are the Kingwood Diversion Ditch ($82.3 million) and Taylor Gully ($46.5 million).

Deadlines Looming

The deadline for incorporating FMEs and FMPs into region flood plans is May 14, 2023. The 15 Regional Flood Planning Groups (RFPG) will submit their amended regional flood plans to TWDB by July 10, 2023. The TWDB must combine the approved regional flood plans into a single state flood plan and deliver it to the Legislature by September 1, 2024.

To keep with the bottom-up approach of the regional flood planning program, TWDB has elected to utilize only RFPG-reported data for ranking.

How TWDB Will Rank Items

TWDB has proposed a scoring matrix to rank FMEs and FMPs throughout the state. The criteria differ for the two categories. Proposed criteria in the:

  • FME category include flood-reduction benefits such as the number of structures, people, critical infrastructure, acres, miles of roadway removed from the floodplain, and cost projections.
  • FMP category also weighs factors such as social vulnerability; environmental benefits; flood severity; life and safety; and operations and maintenance costs.

Note, however, that the legislature may change the criteria. One flood expert said legislators are evaluating the fairness of the benefit/cost ratio, for instance.

The TWDB website contains this note. “While inclusion in the state flood plan is a requirement for eligibility for future FIF project funding, the associated rankings are not intended for allocating state funding. Future funding decisions will occur through a separate TWDB process if and when funds are appropriated by the Texas Legislature. How the state flood plan project ranking may be considered in future flood project funding prioritization and allocation processes remains to be determined although it is anticipated that the state flood plan ranking will be at least one of the considerations.”

Harris County’s prioritization framework includes many of the same factors proposed by TWDB. But the County’s weights vary radically. For instance, TWDB gives 2.5% weight to social vulnerability and Harris County gives social vulnerability 20% – eight times more. However, only TWDB criteria will affect the final statewide rankings.

Initial Funds No Longer Available

Texas initially funded the Flood Infrastructure Fund with $770 million after voters passed Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment, in 2019. All of that money has either been distributed or committed.

Future projects will require a new infusion of cash from the state legislature. TWDB declined to say what that might be. However, an interested “legislature watcher” said appropriations ranging from $300 to $700 million have been discussed to cover projects throughout the state. He suspects the final total will be a compromise somewhere in the middle of that range.

Alternative Sources of Funding

Obviously, $300 million statewide won’t cover a $3 billion ask from Harris County, not to mention projects elsewhere.

So I asked HCFCD if it was pursuing alternative sources of funding for some of these projects. HCFCD answered “yes.”

A spokesperson said, “The Flood Control District is actively working to identify funding opportunities through grants, loans and other funding mechanisms, including for some projects included on the Region 6 Regional Flood Planning Group list. Including these projects on the State Flood Plan list serves to demonstrate the need for flood mitigation projects in the region, as well as to allow for future funding opportunities.” 

Harris County Vs. Regional Projects

TWDB established 15 regional flood planning groups. Each represents a major river basin in Texas. Region 6 represents all or parts of 11 counties drained by the San Jacinto. See below.

The list of projects submitted by Harris County focused overwhelmingly on projects inside Harris county, though a few do have components that spill over county lines.

HCFCD and the San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group have both tried to reach out to municipalities, neighboring counties and MUDs throughout the entire watershed. But many reportedly don’t have experts skilled in filling out the lengthy TWDB applications. Many also don’t have the seed money to attract matching funds for flood projects. Whether that disadvantages people at the edges of the county and beyond remains to be seen. It could take years to tell.

However, HCFCD says that at this time, “We are not aware of any major projects outside of Harris County that were not included on the State Flood Plan list. ”  

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/28/23

2068 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Placement Area #1 Gets New Life

After Hurricane Harvey, when the Army Corps established its San Jacinto West Fork dredging program, the Corps used an old sand pit off Hamblen Blvd. East in Humble to store the spoils.

Before, During, After, Now Photos

“Before” satellite photo from 2015. Note middle, greenish pond on right where road curves.
File photo from February 2020 showing same pond, mostly filled. Townsend curve in foreground.
After dredging in 2021, the pond was completely filled.

A regular reader emailed me about a large volume of truck activity in the area recently. So I went there today to see what I could see. The pond was half empty again. The mystery deepened. Were they taking dirt out or putting it in?

Half empty pit photographed on 4/26/23.

Trucks Filling Pond Again, Not Emptying It

Closer inspection showed that dozens of dump trucks were depositing dirt. That deepened the mystery even more. How did the pond get half empty with trucks dumping more dirt into it?

Also photographed 4/26/23. Trucks offloading dirt and bulldozer spreading it into remainder of pond.

A gentleman drove up and engaged me in conversation as I was landing my drone. He introduced himself as the owner of the property and said that a private contractor bought the dirt left by the Corps, thus emptying the pit again.

No Intent to Build Here

I asked if he intended to build on the newly filled area and he said “no.” I also pumped him for information about where the dirt was coming from, but didn’t get anything definitive.

When I took these photos, it was the end of the workday. Trucks were scattering in all directions. The City did not immediately return calls or emails about next steps in its dredging program, if that’s where the dirt came from.

The good news for now: it appears we won’t have more building in the floodplain in this area. More news to follow when I get it.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/26/23 with thanks for the heads up from Eric Hayes

2066 Days since Hurricane Harvey

GLO Releases Texas Coastal Resiliency Master Plan

Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D. released the 2023 Texas Coastal Resiliency Master Plan (TCRMP) last month. It proposes a framework that addresses coastal hazards as well as investments that protect natural and man-made coastal environments.  The plan includes 52 Tier 1 priority projects in the Houston/Galveston area including 4 in Harris County.

121 Projects along 367 Miles of Coastline

The beautifully written and art-directed 356-page plan recommends a total of 121 projects prioritized as Tier 1 by the Texas General Land Office (GLO). In developing the plan, the GLO collaborated closely with a Technical Advisory Committee to mitigate issues that negatively impact the Texas coast. 

“Protecting our 367 miles of Texas coastline is vital to our state’s economy,” said Commissioner Buckingham. “The Texas Coastal Resiliency Master Plan provides a strategic path in prioritizing projects. It will ensure long-term resilience of our diverse coastal ecosystems and protect coastal resources for future generations. I want to thank the hundreds of members of the Technical Advisory Committee for the expertise and leadership they contributed to this comprehensive process.”

The Texas Coastal Resiliency Master Plan will help protect both coastal infrastructure and natural resources.

The plan’s recommended strategies and projects target areas in need of better protection and restoration.

Texas General Land Office

Plan Updated Every Four Years Addresses Variety of Threats

GLO updates the Coast Resiliency Master Plan every four years. It uses the most current storm surge and sea-level-rise models to illustrate the need and benefit of recommended projects. A list of high-priority coastal resiliency initiatives and projects was developed to address risks such as:

  • Storm surge
  • Inland flooding
  • Shoreline change
  • Degraded water quality and more.

Separate From, Yet Complementary to, Corps’ Plan

The TCRMP is separate from, yet complementary to, ongoing federal coastal protection efforts led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

Federal efforts include the Coastal Texas Program and Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Program, which focus on implementation of the Coastal Barrier System and other storm risk reduction projects.

The TCRMP provides a priority list of projects that could be funded through other federal, state, and local sources to work towards restoration and protection of areas not currently covered directly by the work of USACE.

While the TCRMP does not provide or guarantee funding to projects, it is designed to demonstrate funding need and cost estimates for proposed projects. Project initiatives range in status from conceptual to in progress, so actual costs may vary once implementation begins.

Technical Advisory Committee Helps Produce Broad Range of Materials

The Technical Advisory Committee included hundreds of:

  • Coastal planners
  • Community leaders and decision-makers
  • Coastal scientists and engineers
  • Ports and navigation professionals’
  • Technical experts
  • Resource agency and regulatory staff members
  • Other key stakeholders.

They assessed coastal vulnerabilities with cutting-edge science and data analysis to determine the vulnerability of natural systems to hazards such as floods, storms, and storm surge.

For more information, visit: www.glo.texas.gov/crmp. Components of the Texas Coastal Resiliency Master Plan include:

Story Map Provides Excellent Graphical Introduction

The Story Map gives you an excellent overview of the plan in an easy-to-digest graphical format.

Note the high level of extreme and imminent hazards along the upper Texas Coast. This area includes Galveston Bay.

Brown areas are in extreme danger. Red areas are under imminent threat.

Many of the recommended projects are in this area, including projects at Anahuac and McFadden National Wildlife Refuges.

To address the dangers, the report includes many different types of projects/solutions.

Recommendations span the gamut of green to gray.

See the Texas Coastal Resiliency Master Plan for descriptions of the actual recommended projects and their locations. Thirteen recommendations involve multiple regions. See the links below for more information on each.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/24/2023 based on information provided by the Texas General Land Office

2064 Days since Hurricane Harvey

San Jacinto Flood-Mitigation Spending Down 81% in One Quarter

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did. On 4/20/23, I reported about a drastic slowdown in the rate of Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) spending. Data obtained via a FOIA request indicate that with a few exceptions the slowdown has affected watersheds across the county.

Two thirds saw a decline in flood-mitigation spending last quarter. But the decline in the San Jacinto Watershed, which had the eighth most flood damage in Harris County in the last quarter century, was particularly steep.

The San Jacinto watershed decreased from $1.614 million in the fourth quarter of 2022 to $306,000 last quarter – an 81% decline in one quarter!

Admittedly, that’s over a very small base to start with. But that in itself is a testament to how little flood-mitigation activity there is in Harris County’s largest watershed at this time.

4Q22 to 1Q23 Changes

Comparing the last quarter of 2022 with the first quarter of 2023 shows that spending increased in only eight watersheds: Greens, Luce, White Oak, Armand, Goose Creek, Barker, Vince, and Spring Creek. Spring increased only from $24,000 to $37,000 in the first quarter.

Arranged in order of 4Q22 spending.

Increases totaled only $6.1 million. They were offset by $16.4 million in decreases, for a net spending decline of more than $10 million. Spending totaled only $38 million for the quarter.

San Jacinto Ranking Slips

Below, you can see how each watershed ranked solely on the basis of first-quarter spending.

Watersheds ordered by 1Q23 spending

The San Jacinto watershed slipped to 17th place in 1Q23 (down from 14th when the ranking includes spending going back to 2000).

Spending by watershed since 2000
From 1/1/2000 to 3/31/2023. Data supplied by HCFCD in response to FOIA request.

San Jac had ranked as high as 7th in post-Harvey spending back in mid-2021.

HCFCD construction in the San Jacinto watershed has seen multiyear delays in start dates while other areas received higher priority based on factors unrelated to flooding.

So-called “equity policies” instituted by a majority of Harris County Commissioners starting in 2019 have punished San Jacinto residents. That’s because the watershed contains only 31% low-to-moderate income (LMI) residents and the area is predominantly white. Under the County’s current policy…

“Socially vulnerable” areas with higher percentages of minorities and LMI residents get priority, even if they have less severe flooding.

Damage No Longer a Factor in Allocation

For instance, in five major storms since 2000 (Allison, Tax Day, Memorial Day, Harvey and Imelda), the San Jacinto Watershed had the eighth largest number of damaged structures. It also ranked fourth in the percentage of the population affected by flooding (see below).

When looking at flood incidents as a % of population, the San Jacinto has fourth highest % in Harris County.

Clearly, Hunting and Halls Bayous need all the help they can get. So do Greens and the San Jacinto Watershed. But the San Jac is getting little. Despite the percentage of residents who have flooded. Not to mention that 40% of all businesses in the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce also flooded.

If I hear County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Commissioner Rodney Ellis or Commissioner Adrian Garcia talk about “worst first” one more time, I’m going to send them “GET REAL” cards. What rationale do they offer for ignoring the watershed with the deepest flooding – the San Jacinto?

worst first
Feet above flood stage at 33 gages on misc. bayous in Harris County during Harvey.

Here’s what that 20+ feet of floodwater looked like.

San Jacinto West Fork at I-69 during Harvey

If Judge Hidalgo, Commissioner Ellis and Commissioner Garcia want to see “social vulnerability,” I challenge them to visit Kingwood Village Estates, a complex 1.2 miles from the San Jacinto West Fork that caters to seniors.

Residents trying to escape as Harvey's floodwaters rose
Twelve seniors ages 65 to 95 from Kingwood Village Estates died as a result of Harvey.

I doubt Hidalgo, Ellis and Garcia will take me up on that challenge. So, in the meantime, we need to accelerate flood-mitigation spending – across the board. HCFCD spent just $38 million in the first quarter in the entire county. That’s very close to the spending rate before the 2018 flood bond.

We need to determine the reasons new projects are not starting in a timely way. We’re only 25% of the way through the flood bond. We have plenty of pressing projects waiting.

Policies, procedures, practices and people that subject anyone anywhere to higher-than-necessary flood risk longer than necessary need to change. More on that in a future post.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/22/23

2062 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.

Buy Emergency Supplies Tax Free From April 22 – 24, 2023

If you need emergency supplies, you can save the sales tax on them this weekend.

According to the Texas Comptroller’s Office, this year’s tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, April 22, and ends at midnight on Monday, April 24.

So, take an inventory and prepare yourself now for hurricane season. You can purchase certain emergency preparation supplies tax free during the sales tax holiday.

There is no limit on the number of qualifying items you can purchase. But there are some price limitations.

Qualifying Items

These emergency preparation supplies qualify for tax exemption if purchased for a sales price:

  • Less than $3000
    • Portable generators.
  • Less than $300
  • Less than $75
    • Axes.
    • Batteries, single or multipack (AAA cell, AA cell, C cell, D cell, 6 volt or 9 volt).
    • Can openers – nonelectric.
    • Carbon monoxide detectors.
    • Coolers and ice chests for food storage – nonelectric.
    • Fire extinguishers.
    • First aid kits (including these suggested items – PDF).
    • Fuel containers.
    • Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits.
    • Hatchets.
    • Ice products – reusable and artificial.
    • Light sources – portable self-powered (including battery operated).
      • Examples of items include: candles, flashlights and lanterns.
    • Mobile telephone batteries and mobile telephone chargers.
    • Radios – portable self-powered (including battery operated) – includes two-way and weather band radios.
    • Smoke detectors.
    • Tarps and other plastic sheeting.

Note: Several over-the-counter self-care items, such as antibacterial hand sanitizer, soap, spray and wipes, are always exempt from sales tax if they are labeled with a “Drug Facts” panel in accordance with federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations.

If you’ve ever been stuck with an electric can open after days without power, you know why manual can openers will be tax free this weekend.

Non-Qualified

These supplies do not qualify for tax exemption:

  • Medical masks and face masks.
  • Cleaning supplies, such as disinfectants and bleach wipes.
  • Gloves, including leather, fabric, latex and types used in healthcare.
  • Toilet paper.
  • Batteries for automobiles, boats and other motorized vehicles.
  • Camping stoves.
  • Camping supplies.
  • Chainsaws.
  • Plywood.
  • Extension ladders.
  • Stepladders.
  • Tents.
  • Repair or replacement parts for emergency preparation supplies.
  • Services performed on, or related to, emergency preparation supplies.

About Online Purchases, Telephone Orders

During the holiday you can buy qualifying emergency preparation supplies in-store, online, by telephone, mail, custom order, or any other means. The sale of the item must take place between the hours and days listed above.

The purchase date is easy to determine when the purchase is made in-store but becomes more complicated with remote purchases.

The purchaser must have given the consideration for the item during the period even if the item may not be delivered until after the period is over.

For example, if a purchaser enters their credit card information in an online shopping website on Monday, April 25, 2022, at 5:00 p.m.to purchase a qualifying generator, but the generator will not be shipped until Friday, April 29, 2022, and will not arrive until Tuesday, May 3, the purchase will still qualify for the exemption. However, if the charge to credit card is declined by the payment processor at 11:00 p.m. on Monday, April 25, 2022, and the purchaser does not resubmit payment until Tuesday, April 26, the purchase is taxable.

Shipping Charges May Disqualify Tax Savings if Over Limit

Delivery, shipping, handling and transportation charges are part of the sales price. Consider these charges when determining whether an emergency preparation supply can be purchased tax free during the holiday.

For example, you purchase a rescue ladder for $299 with a $10 delivery charge, for a total sales price of $309. Because the total sales price of the ladder is more than $300, tax is due on the entire $309 sales price.

Sales Tax Holiday Refund Requests

If a retailer charges you sales tax on qualifying items during the sales tax holiday, simply ask the seller for a refund of the tax paid.

The seller can either grant the refund or provide you with Form 00-985, Assignment of Right to Refund (PDF) that allows you to file the refund claim directly with the Comptroller’s office.

Should you have additional questions about refund requests, please contact us at 800-531-5441, ext. 34545, or visit the Texas Comptroller’s Sales Tax Refunds web page for further details on filing a refund claim or call 800-252-5555.

Suggested Emergency Kit Contents

Your emergency preparedness supplies should include items most relevant to your family’s specific needs. To help customize your kit list, use this Build-a-Kit checklist PDF (provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services).

Each family’s needs will differ, but FEMA recommends these 10 basic items to include in your emergency prep supplies:

  • Several days’ supply of food and water (for family/pets)  
  • Flashlight (with extra batteries)
  • Whistle (for rescue workers to hear you)
  • Dust mask (in case dirty/contaminated air)
  • Local maps (in case no access to internet)
  • Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
  • Manual can opener
  • First Aid Kit
  • Games/activities for kids
  • Wrench or pliers/other tools and equipment relevant to your needs

Note: not all of these may qualify for tax savings this weekend.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/21/2023 based on information from Comptroller.Texas.Gov

2061 Days since Hurricane Harvey

HCFCD Flood-Mitigation Spending Plummets

Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) flood-mitigation spending has plummeted. Data obtained via a FOIA request shows a precipitous falloff too prolonged and too steep to attribute to hiccups on individual projects.

The historical graphs below show annualized spending projections for 2023 based on first quarter spending (i.e., multiplied by four). HCFCD says that the first quarter of 2023 “has been slower than we want to see. But using Q1 spending as a proxy for the entire year is not a meaningful projection.”

However, spending decreased from $59 million in the first quarter of 2022 to $38 million in first quarter 2023 – a 36% drop. Likewise, looking at key spending components year over year:

  • Right-of-way (ROW) acquisition fell 87%
  • Partner spending fell 74%
  • Construction spending fell 34%.

Those decreases follow other substantial decreases in the preceding two years.

It’s impossible to tell exactly what will happen in the rest of 2023. But given recent trends and acknowledging the uncertainty, it appears likely that we’re headed for the third straight year of declining flood-mitigation activity.

The Falloff in Historical Perspective

If my annualized projection is in the ballpark, spending will fall this year to its lowest level since the passage of the 2018 Flood Bond. Almost five years after the passage of the bond, many projects should be moving into the expensive construction phase. So, total spending should be increasing, not decreasing. But spending is:

  • Half of what it was during the first full year of the bond in 2019.
  • About a third of what it was at the peak of bond spending in 2020.
  • Roughly equal to spending during 2017, the year before the bond vote. 
Includes all stages of all HCFCD projects.

As a result of the drop in flood-mitigation spending, families in large parts of the county will remain exposed to high flood risks longer than necessary.

So why the drop? Let’s start by looking at the major buckets of money.

Right of Way Acquisition and Construction Account for 79% of All Spending

Historically, ROW comprises 34% of all project spending since 2000, while construction comprises 45%. All other phases combined contribute only 21% to total costs.

Total spending between 1/1/2000 and 3/31/2023 by project lifecycle stage.

Right-of-Way Acquisition

The drop in total spending appears tied to a drop in right-of-way acquisition, including buyouts.

Before HCFCD can widen channels and build detention basins, it must own the property. So it’s a leading indicator.

But right-of-way (ROW) acquisition spending has fallen from a recent peak of $172 million in 2020 to an annualized rate of about $5 million this year. That’s a 34X decrease.

After reviewing the graph above, HCFCD responded that it purchased many properties for future projects upfront in the bond program. While true, it’s also true that many projects still require right-of-way acquisitions.

A District spokesperson also pointed to the time since Harvey. “It has been several years since our region’s last major flood event, and owner participation in the buyout program has declined. In our experience, owners are most motivated to sell their flood-prone property soon after a flood event.”

Certainly, buyout difficulty increases after people repair their homes.

But the county faces organizational challenges as well that go beyond HCFCD.

  • Harris County reportedly severed its relationship with a private firm that managed flood buyouts for decades and has not hired a replacement.
  • The Harris County Real Property Division, a part of the Engineering Department, now handles buyouts, but appears to be broken, like many other Harris County Departments. (See Brain Drain in Harris County Government.) According to people familiar with the turnover, the county has reportedly replaced seasoned professionals with political hires.
  • Commissioner Adrian Garcia reportedly hates buyouts and Garcia controls the Engineering Department.

Drop in Grants, Partner Spending

Another factor has been a decrease in grants and partner spending. It dropped 74% from $20.6 million in Q1 2022 to $5.4 million in Q1 2023.

Decreases seem to be persistent. The graph below shows partner spending by month since the start of the flood bond through the end of last year.

Grants by month since start of flood bond in 2018
Data supplied by HCFCD in response to separate FOIA request.

In at least one high-profile case, $750 million in partner funding was delayed two years when Harris County Commissioners Court had the Community Services Department – NOT HCFCD – prepare a plan for spending U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Harvey flood-mitigation funds.

Harris County first learned that the Texas General Land Office (GLO), which manages HUD money in Texas, was recommending the $750 million allocation in May 2021. But Community Services won’t hold a conference soliciting projects until May 2023. And the GLO doesn’t expect a project list for approval from Community Services until June 2023 at the earliest.

HCFCD already had a list of projects ready that met HUD criteria in May 2021. HCFCD could have used all of that $750 million and then some. But with the political interference, HCFCD will now get less than half that amount for flood mitigation – $326.25 million.

HCFCD hopes to turn the decline in partner spending around. Their spokesperson said, “Looking ahead, we have worked with our federal, state and local partners to secure additional project funding opportunities, including opportunities through CDBG-MIT, CDBG-DR, FEMA, EPA, and others. This increase in funding will help to spur spending as well, especially given the timelines associated with several of the funding opportunities and partnerships.”

I pray they’re successful with that. But even if HCFCD can ramp up partner spending, sources cite several other problems.

Constant Changes in Direction

Before 2019, flood damage largely drove which watersheds received funding. But in 2019, Harris County Commissioners, led by Precinct One Commissioner Rodney Ellis, passed an Equity Prioritization Plan. That plan has been revised constantly since then.

HCFCD claims that no projects have been cancelled or paused because of prioritization changes. That’s true. Once started, HCFCD works projects to completion. But the revisions do contribute to delays in starting projects.

It’s impossible to calculate exactly how much the revisions have slowed the total spending rate. However, former HCFCD employees have complained about wasted time and effort. “Why prioritize projects once when you can do it three or four times!”

Another former employee gave a more specific example, “The changes cause confusion and additional work as projects must be re-scored each time. A project may be just about ready to go to Commissioners Court for approval, then the criteria change so it might get pulled until it’s rescored. Then, Commissioners may ask additional questions about where that project now ranks among others. And those conversations take time. So it may take several court meetings which could take a month or more before an item can go back to Court for approval.”

No one seems very excited about such issues now. But I suspect they’ll demand answers after the next flood.

What Else Accounts for the Decrease?

In fairness, an HCFCD spokesperson pointed out that after Hurricane Harvey, emergency repairs accounted for a large portion of spending. Those exaggerated the peaks in the bar graphs above and made the drop-offs look steeper than they otherwise might. However, HCFCD did not quantify how much it spent on emergency repairs.

Posted by Bob Rehak on April 20, 2023

2060 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.

Footnote: an attentive reader might notice some variation between previously reported spending and the numbers reported here. HCFCD has transferred subdivision drainage improvement expenses to Harris County Engineering. The transfers involve both current and historical spending, so year over year totals are still comparable for other categories.