Flickinger Archives - Reduce Flooding

Lake Houston Gates Project Reaches 30% Design Benchmark

2/6/26 – The project to add more gates to the Lake Houston Dam has reached the 30% design benchmark, according to Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger. The 30% milestone is widely regarded among engineers as the point where the design becomes real enough that you can start working out the final details, including costs, geotechnical work, and permitting.

The plan calls for adding 11 new tainter gates to the eastern, earthen portion of the dam. They could release 78,000 cubic feet per second – as much as Lake Conroe released at the peak of Hurricane Harvey.

site of proposed gates for Lake Houston on east side of dam — *Eastern portion of Lake Houston Dam/Spillway where gates would go.*

Flickinger added that the design team is already engaging with regulatory agencies, including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE-Galveston), and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), to discuss project details and streamline permitting review schedules.

Significance of 30% Benchmark

The 30% completion benchmark is a widely recognized milestone in engineering and infrastructure project development. It marks the transition from conceptual planning into a sufficiently defined design that supports credible cost, schedule, and constructability judgments.

Decision-makers quote it because it is the earliest point at which a project begins to behave like a real, executable asset rather than a rough idea.

While definitions vary slightly by agency, 30% usually falls at the end of preliminary engineering (PE) or schematic design.

Typical deliverables include:

Horizontal and vertical alignments
Right-of-way footprint
Identification of utility conflicts
Substantial completion of hydrology and hydraulics models
Definition of drainage pathways
Identification of jurisdictional constraints (e.g., wetlands)
Likely permitting strategy
Elimination of potential fatal flaws
Engineer’s opinion of probable costs (much tighter than possible before 30%)

In this case, according to one engineer who previously worked on the project, they would also include pre- and post inundation maps and identification of the extent of areas benefitted.

First Defensible Go/No-Go Decision Gate

Why does the 30% point get quoted so often? According to ChatGPT, it’s the first defensible “go/no go” gate. Before 30%, optimism drives a project. At 30%, physics drive it.

At the 30% point, uncomfortable truths surface and cost escalation becomes visible.

Uncertainty gives way to measurable reality
Optimism encounters hydrology, soil, and gravity
Financial exposure becomes calculable
Scope reality emerges

In professional terms, it is the first point of engineering credibility. Before 30%, you deal with selection risk (Do we have the right idea?). After 30%, project managers deal with execution risk. For instance:

Will regulators approve it?
Will available funding meet Benefit/Cost requirements?
How will it affect downstream residents?
Will it meet needs outlined in the SJRA’s Joint Reservoir Operations Study, which is still incomplete.
How will construction of new gates dovetail with dam repairs?

Flickinger Already Met with Mayor About Next Steps

The City still hasn’t released details of its 30% plans for the gates.

However, City Council Member Fred Flickinger said, “Now we know how much more money we need to find to get this project done.” He has already talked to the Mayor’s staff about going to Austin to get it.

There’s still a long way to go. But we have reached a significant milestone and, according to Flickinger, all energies are headed in the right direction.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/6/26

3083 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Natural Disasters Don’t Care About Partisanship. Neither Does Mayor Whitmire.

1/26/26 – Progressives are wrong to critique local leaders for working across the political aisle on flooding: an Op-ed about partisanship originally published in the Houston Chronicle Opinion Section.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire (l) with Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey coordinating first responders after severe flooding in Kingwood. (Personal image substituted for copyrighted Chronicle image.)

For eight years, I have hosted the website ReduceFlooding.com, which focuses on the need to reduce flooding in Houston. Pretty straightforward.

This also means I spend plenty of time interacting with government officials at all levels.

People form governments to solve the big problems that individuals can’t. That is especially true for local governments. Municipalities provide police and fire protection, build and maintain water and sewer systems, manage garbage, repair streets and do all of the critical and unglamorous work of making a city run. That includes flood mitigation.

Recently, however, partisans have been politicizing local governments by insisting elected officials become involved with issues over which they have little, if any, control. They confuse virtue with partisan purity.

Here in Houston, the most notable examples are the progressive attacks on Mayor John Whitmire.

I have followed the Chronicle’s coverage of extremists within the mayor’s own Democratic Party. They criticize him for not adequately towing the party line. My understanding is that his cardinal sin was attending a fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Republican.

As someone who has written extensively about flood issues since Hurricane Harvey, I can tell you that Crenshaw has helped bring hundreds of millions of dollars in flood-mitigation assistance to the Houston area, including $47 Million for additional flood gates for the Lake Houston Dam, more than $100 million for San Jacinto River dredging, $80 million for Community Project Funding Grants to date, and approximately $50 million for Kingwood High School Flood Barrier. Crenshaw also played a pivotal role in securing $25 million federal dollars for the North Shepherd-Durham renovation project..

I fail to see the sin in working across the partisan divide to improve the lives of Houstonians. I have no problem with our mayor attending any event for any elected official of either party if it will help us get the critical funding that Houston needs to improve infrastructure and control flooding. Floodwater does not discriminate based on party affiliation. It destroys the homes and lives of Democrats and Republicans alike.

Before Whitmire was first elected mayor, he asked me to educate him about local flood issues in Kingwood. Then he asked me to set up meetings with flood victims and community leaders so he could learn firsthand about their needs. It didn’t matter whether they were Republicans or Democrats — they were human beings who needed help.

For the partisan extremists, however, purity is more important than solving citizen’s everyday problems. Their mantra has become “Whose colors are you wearing?” Blind obedience to the political party is more important than working together toward common goals that make communities better places to live.

And it’s about more than campaign events.

For instance, on a cold and blustery Saturday morning earlier this month, I saw a refreshing example of what it looks like when local politicians put partisan purity aside: Whitmire himself working shoulder to shoulder with more than a hundred volunteers to improve public safety in Kingwood. For this lifelong Democrat, it didn’t matter that Kingwood is Republican-friendly territory. What mattered was coming together to solve the problem of runaway vines taking over the median of Kingwood Drive. The vines were choking trees, spilling into the roadway, crowding traffic, limiting visibility, and creating a public safety hazard.

Kingwood residents have long recognized the vines as a nuisance. They dodge them every day on their way to and from work. To help control them, District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger has organized a series of trim-fests called “Median Madness.”

Vines had become especially troublesome in front of Kingwood High School – home to thousands of inexperienced teenage drivers. So, on that Saturday morning, more than a hundred volunteers showed up for “Median Madness: Round 5” to attack the vines in front of the high school. Most of the volunteers were students from the high school itself.

No one wore a red shirt or a blue shirt. No clothing shouted political slogans. Everyone came with work gloves and work boots. To make their community a better, safer, more beautiful place to live and work. For the benefit of everyone — regardless of political affiliation.

And when the camera crews left and the press was finished covering the Median Madness event, the mayor didn’t leave with them. He stayed to help clear the vines and improve traffic safety — in blue jeans and work boots with lopping shears – like everyone else.

Like I said: critical and unglamorous work.

In doing so, Whitmire set an example of what public service should be. He put politics aside and worked with residents for the good of the community – young and old, male and female, Democrats and Republicans. He communicated an unspoken message about the importance of public service for scores of high school students.

I have seen this practice repeatedly with Whitmire. He focuses on issues that actually improve residents’ lives. He sees past the debilitating, divisive national dialog undermining trust in government. Even if it means toiling in miserable weather for hours on a Saturday morning.

In the end, our steady 76-year-old mayor taught everyone at Median Madness perhaps the most important lesson of all without saying it outright. He showed that we have more to gain by working together than fighting each other. Public safety requires cooperation not competition. And that’s a pretty important lesson.

It’s a lesson the progressive activists in Whitmire’s own party still need to learn.

Bob Rehak is the host of ReduceFlooding.com and Precinct 3 representative to the Harris County Community Flood Resilience Task Force.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/26/26

3072 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Plat Variance for Swamp Development Deferred by Planning Commission

1/20/26 at 3:30 PM – Consideration of a plat variance for a swamp development scheduled for a vote by the Houston Planning Commission on 1/22/26 has been delayed until at least 2/5. Houston City Council member Fred Flickinger requested the deferral at 12:25 PM today.

Shortly after 3PM, I received confirmation from both Dustin Hodges, Flickinger’s Chief of Staff, and Vonn Tran, Director of Houston’s Planning and Development Department, that the variance request by Roman Arrow, LLC will be delayed as requested by Flickinger.

So, if you were planning to go downtown to protest the development at this Thursday’s meeting, save your time. Hopefully, we will learn more about the developer’s plans before the 2/5 meeting. You can attend then.

About the Development

Roman Arrow, aka Romerica, has proposed building two luxury hotels and 120 villas/condos up to 8,600 square feet each in and around the swamps between Kingwood Lakes and the Barrington, just east of Woodland Hills Drive in Kingwood.

*Solid green areas represent wetlands. Source: National Wetlands Inventory. Roman Arrow land is outlined in red. They propose development in two phases.*

Home of future half billion dollar hotel complex — *View from current entry road during a month that received two inches of rain.*

Romerica Roman Arrow land is virtually all in the hundred year floodplain (aqua). Although when new flood maps are released the floodway of the West Fork (cross hatched area at bottom) will likely expand north.

For more information about the proposed development see the their high-level plans and variance application:

Phase One includes a 297,600-square-foot Fairmont Hotel with 400 rooms and 90 condominium residences.
Phase Two includes another 226,085-square-foot hotel with 37 8,611-square-foot villas, each on one third acre lots.
Variance Request

For even more information, consult yesterday’s post.

Media relations at the Fairmont chain has not returned phone calls or emails to verify their supposed involvement in the Kingwood development.

Refusal to Comply with FOIA Request

I have requested the drainage impact analysis submitted to and approved by Houston Public Works. However, Houston Public Works says that it belongs to the developer, so they have requested a ruling from the Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on whether they can release it.

My point of view is that once Houston Public Works approved it, the approval and anything the approval was based on became public information and should be produced forthwith. Attorney General reviews usually take 45 days.

Other government agencies, such as Liberty County and Montgomery County routinely produce such studies in response to Freedom of Information Act Requests. Houston must have its own policy. And that policy merits review in my opinion. It makes a mockery of any pretext to transparency.

Having said that, I know many people in the City who would produce it in a minute if something weren’t holding them back.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/20/2026

3066 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.

Frankenvines Meet Their Match: Median Madness Round 5 Report

1/10/26 – The impenetrable tangle of Frankenvines in front of Kingwood High School met its match today. Mayor John Whitmire joined Houston City Council Members Fred Flickinger and Twila Carter, City Parks Department workers, and an army of more than a hundred volunteers to tackle the thorny problem.

Young and old, men and women, they all teamed up for Median Madness Round 5. To help beautify the heart of Kingwood, improve traffic visibility … and have fun!

People Working Together to Improve Their Community

Today’s event focused on Kingwood Drive between Bens Branch and Valley Manor.

After a briefing in the KHS parking lot…

*Council Member Flickinger with the poster delivered the “Safety Moment”*

…the team members donned their work gloves, grabbed their lopping shears and got down to work. Within minutes, the group spread out and went into attack mode.

Brush piles reached shoulder height in practically no time.

*Chris Bloch of Trees for Kingwood helped organize the event.*

The pictures below show the energy and enthusiasm evident everywhere during the day.

*He traded his business suit and gavel for blue jeans and lopping shears*, *joking that this kept him “grounded.”*

*City Parks Department workers cut vines with chain saws on poles as volunteers pulled them down and piled them.*

*The Mayor and Council Member Carter (left) work with Bloch to pull down a major vine.*

*Fred Flickingers granddaughter joined Council Member Carter (center) and Danell Fields (right) to battle two mighty vines.*

*Council Member Carter with Council Member Flickinger’s granddaughter, Abigail Durham.*

Thank You!

Thanks go to Mayor Whitmire, Council Member Flickinger, Council Member Carter, the Kingwood Young Men’s Service League, Trees for Kingwood, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Greenbelt Guardians and a host of individual volunteers. You all came together on a blustery Saturday morning to make a huge difference for your community.

You exemplify the best of Kingwood, Houston, and Texas. Thank you!

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/10/26

3056 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Save the Date: Median Madness Round 4 Scheduled for November 15

11/6/25 – Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger has scheduled another round of Median Madness for November 15. The focus this time will be a stretch of Northpark near the Kroger at the intersection with West Lake Houston Parkway.

Median Madness events not only beautify Kingwood medians, they improve traffic safety by improving visibility and removing roadway incursions.

Carrying On a Tradition of Community Involvement

The Median Madness initiatives bring together volunteers of all ages, city departments, and community partners for clean-up and beautification efforts. The first three events have been resounding successes.

The November 15 event will make up for one last May that had to be rescheduled because of rain.

How to Sign Up

Flickinger invites residents to join in continuing these efforts to keep District E beautiful. Those interested in volunteering can contact the District E office at districte@houstontx.gov to get involved.

Said Flickinger, “Your teamwork and commitment continue to make a tremendous impact on our community medians and the overall appearance of our city.”

Thank You to All Supporters

Flickinger also thanked the Houston Police Department, Houston Parks and Recreation Department, the Houston Toolbank, Council Member Julian Ramirez and generous sponsors for helping to make this upcoming event a success in the spirit of past events.

Sponsors for this event include Chick-Fil-A, Trees for Kingwood and Houston Parks and Recreation.

Read more about the community’s efforts and see photos from the last event here:

Median Madness Volunteers Made a Huge Difference Again.

And Don’t Forget…

Please bring water, gloves, and shears. And wear closed-toed shoes. All ages are welcome, but those under 16 should be accompanied by an adult.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/6/25

2991 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Median Madness Volunteers Made a Huge Difference … Again

10/19/2025 – Yesterday, dozens of volunteers from across Kingwood joined together to make a huge difference in Median Madness Round 3. Young and old, male and female, Republicans and Democrats, they all worked side by side. For the good of their community, they attacked a stretch of Northpark Drive where vines and tree limbs had encroached on the roadway, reducing visibility and interfering with traffic.

An HPD officer described the problems. Drivers trying to cross Northpark had problems seeing oncoming traffic without pulling out into the road. Also, large trucks using the inside lane of Northpark next to the median would often swerve into the other lane to avoid overhanging limbs that would scratch their vehicles. The sudden swerves endangered traffic in the outside lane. But that’s no longer a problem. At least in this area near Woodland Hills Drive.

How Area Looks AFTER Clean Up Effort

Thanks to the volunteers and the help of the City workers who gave up their Saturday morning, visibility has radically improved. So have the aesthetics of Northpark Drive!

*“After” photo taken on Sunday 10/19/25. Note the broad cleared area next to traffic.* *Quite an improvement!*

Team That Made the Difference

*Approximately three dozen volunteers joined members of the City’s Parks and Recreation Department, and City Council Members Fred Flickinger and Julian Ramirez (far right) for the effort.*

After a brief orientation, they spread out along Northpark. Some trimmed back vegetation while the others piled up the limbs and vines for disposal. I don’t have the names of all those who participated. But we should all thank them for their efforts.

Team Goes Into Attack Mode

It was a miracle to watch as the pictures below show. Everyone did what needed doing. With a smile. After the orientation, they immediately assaulted the offending limbs and vines with a passion. (See pictures below.)

*Professionals from Houston Parks and Recreation handled work high in the trees with special equipment.*..

…*while the volunteers with lopping shears handled the rest.*

*People just did whatever needed doing.*

*Humble ISD* *board member Elizabeth Shaw (center with long dark hair)*

*No one consistently carried bigger loads than City Council Member Julian Ramirez (At-Large Position #1).*

*There is Ramirez again in the background, hefting another heavy load.*

*Addie Vincent came representing a group called the Greenbelt Guardians. They patrol Kingwood trails to pick up trash, report downed trees and keep trails clear.*

*Council Member Flickinger (center) with Greenbelt Guardians* *Addie Vincent (l) and Blaise Paw*lak (r).

It was gratifying to see the next generation of Kingwood residents taking as much pride as their parents did in keeping Kingwood beautiful.

*Debra Knebel of Hunters Ridge (l) and another happy volunteer.* *Knebel is also a board member of the Bear Branch Trail Association.*

*Houston Parks and Recreation Department employee Janet Curtis* *strikes a happy pose as her debris pile became taller than she is.*

About the Greenbelt Guardians

According to Knebel, the Greenbelt Guardians are students from Kingwood High School, who volunteer to work on greenbelt beautification projects. They clear greenbelts and pick up debris for the various community and trail associations in Kingwood.

The Greenbelt Guardians are available to meet with the community and trail associations to discuss volunteer opportunities.

The leaders of the organization are Broderick Rosello, Blaise Pawlak, and Addie Vincent at Kingwood High School.

Reach out to them if you have time to give. They have an Instagram account: @kw.greenbelt.guardians.

Special Thanks

Thanks to everyone who turned out for Round 3 of Median Madness. You made a huge difference! And you are an inspiration!

Special thanks to Council Member Fred Flickinger for sponsoring the event and to his Deputy Chief of Staff Demari Perez for helping to organize and promote it.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/19/25

2973 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Median Madness Round 3 Coming October 18

10/9/25 – Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger has scheduled another Median Madness event for Saturday October 18 from 8:30 to noon along Northpark Drive between Forest Bluff and Bassingham Drives.

Join District E, Trees for Kingwood and Houston Parks for a community cleanup of the medians in Kingwood!

It will involve picking up trash and trimming underbrush along the curb line to enhance aesthetics and safety.

To ensure your safety, the inside lanes of Northpark Drive will be closed for parking and cleanup.

The work area stretches from slightly east of Woodland Hills Drive for two blocks. See below.

Sign Up Now

Please confirm your attendance by signing up now. Once registered, you’ll receive an email with a waiver and helpful tips to prepare for the event. Be sure to complete the waiver and bring a printed copy with you on the day of Median Madness, October 18th.

What to Bring, Wear

And please remember to bring water, gloves, and wear closed-toe shoes. Tools will be available for use, but organizers encourage you to bring your own tools if possible. All ages are welcome, though those under 16 should be accompanied by an adult.

Long-Range Weather Forecast Beautiful

Previous Median Madness events focused on Kingwood Drive. One scheduled last Spring for Northpark was cancelled because of weather. But the long-range forecast for the 18th indicates the weather should be sunny and seventy.

The Power of People Working Together to Improve Their Community

The first two Median Madness events drew huge crowds of volunteers from all over Kingwood who had had enough of unsightly vines encroaching on traffic and narrowing lanes. Their efforts can still be seen today.

Vine cleanup on Kingwood drive and the power of people working together — *Kingwood Drive Median Madness event in November 2024.*

Despite the hard work and sweat, you saw nothing but smiles as volunteers worked side by side and tore into the vines. So mark your calendars for Saturday, October 18.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/9/25

2963 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Flickinger Explains Vote on Disaster-Recovery Funds

9/2/2025 – The following is reprinted from Houston District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger’s newsletter. It relates to the purchase of backup generators to keep critical city facilities such as sewage treatment plants, running when power goes out during storms. This issue has plagued the Lake Houston Area. Some of the money below will still go toward generators, just not as much.

“In August, City Council approved the submission of a plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for how the City will allocate nearly $315 million in federal disaster recovery funds from the Derecho storm and Hurricane Beryl last year. Council Members Huffman, Peck, and I co-authored a joint op-ed explaining our vote against the proposed plan. We submitted this to the Houston Chronicle for publishing, but they refused to do so. You can read what we wrote below:

Why We Voted Against the $100 Million Home Repair Amendment

As Houston City Council Members, our responsibility is to make decisions that improve the quality of life and safety of Houstonians in the most responsible and fiscally prudent way possible. That’s why, when faced with a $315 million disaster recovery action plan, we could not support an amendment that would have redirected $50 million away from critical disaster recovery tools and into additional home repair funding.

The amendment proposed raising home repair funding from $50 million to $100 million, split evenly between single-family and multi-family homes. While the intention was noble, the extra dollars would have come from the budget set aside for generators at essential city facilities. These generators power community centers, sewage lift stations, and police and fire stations—places that become lifelines when disaster strikes.

We are deeply sympathetic to Houstonians whose homes were damaged by storms. But we voted no for three key reasons:

Generators Are Vital for Disaster Recovery

When the power goes out, safety risks increase dramatically. Community centers must be able to provide shelter, and first responders need reliable facilities to do their jobs. We must continue to make sure that our water and wastewater plants have electricity to provide these services as well.

A University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs survey found that 88% of registered voters in Harris County are concerned about outages lasting more than a day this summer. That is not an abstract fear—it is based on lived experience. For the first time, we have an opportunity to obtain generators, and cutting the funding jeopardizes public safety at the very moment Houstonians need it most.

The Home Repair Program is Inefficient

Currently, the program doesn’t just fix storm damage—it often rebuilds entire homes. Instead of only fixing storm damage, the City pays for repairs needed in the rest of the house, whether the damage was due to a storm or not. What might begin as a small roof repair can become a complete home rebuild. This drives the average cost per home to about $200,000, per Mayor Whitmire’s office.

For $50 million in single family home repairs, that would mean that we are only able to assist approximately 250 homes. In a city of 2.3 million people, while incredibly impactful to the small number of people receiving the benefit, it is negligible for the rest of the population. With smarter policies, we could stretch these dollars further and help more people. Until those changes are made, pouring in more money only perpetuates inefficiency.

Furthermore, the multi-family housing aspect of this program is even more problematic. Multi-family housing essentially means apartment complexes. While we must make sure that people have safe places to live, apartment complexes are businesses that almost without exception should have had insurance for protection.

Businesses are crucial to our economy, and apartments are no exception; however, paying to essentially remodel an apartment complex with this money does not help prepare anyone for future storms.

The Actual Need is Unclear

Damage estimates are made immediately after storms, but we are now more than a year out from the derecho and Hurricane Beryl. Many homeowners and multi-family owners have already completed repairs. Based on past storm data, the final need may be much lower than $100 million.

The City of Houston still has $40 million in home repair funding from Winter Storm Uri that Houstonians can access for home damages that must be addressed as well. Scaling up to manage a program of this size could require additional staff and new systems—raising the risk of falling short on federal requirements and jeopardizing future HUD funding.

We have already seen this exact scenario play out in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Although we know Mayor Whitmire and his administration will handle this process with care and accuracy, we do not know yet the scale on which we would need to increase this program in order meet the demands.

We continue to support Mayor Whitmire’s commitment towards disaster recovery and response, and he and his team have done a phenomenal job in recent storms to make sure that Houstonians were cared for. He faced a difficult task in shaping this action plan, and we commend him for listening to residents who called for home repair assistance.

His decision to shift $50 million toward repairs—when the original plan had none—was a fair and thoughtful compromise. At this stage, however, $100 million does not advance our goal of preparing Houston for disasters. Given the choice of repairing 250 homes and an indeterminable number of private apartment complexes versus addressing needs for 2.3 million people, we chose the latter.

We remain committed to supporting Houstonians in times of crisis. But we must do it in a way that is sustainable, efficient, and does not undermine other critical recovery tools.”

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/2/25 based on CoH Council Member Flickinger’s September Newsletter

2926 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Flickinger Provides Updates on Lake Houston Gates, Dredging District

6/18/25 – While speaking to the Kingwood Executive Group this morning, Houston District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger reassured members that the project to add more flood gates to the Lake Houston Dam was on track. He said that the engineering and environmental survey work should be completed by the end of this year as previously promised.

*Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger addressing members of Kingwood Executive Group today.*

However, he also cautioned that a potential cost increase might skew the critical Benefit/Cost Ratio (BCR) used to evaluate grant applications.

In an update on a related drainage issue, Flickinger explained how important the passage of Rep. Charles Cunningham’s Lake Houston Dredging District bill was for the Lake Houston area. Specifically, he talked about how dredging done to date reduced predicted peaks in the May 2024 flood by more than 2 feet and kept water from entering homes throughout Kingwood and the Lake Houston Area.

Latest on Gates Project

After Hurricane Harvey, many people focused on the addition of more flood gates to the Lake Houston Dam could reduce lake levels and flooding by letting water out faster before and during major storms.

Lake Conroe’s dam can release water 15 times faster than the gates on Lake Houston’s dam.

The gates on Lake Houston’s dam release water so slowly that the City must begin releasing water days before a storm to create significant extra storage capacity in the lake.

With a lead time measured in days, forecasts can change before storms arrive. But with a higher release capacity, dam operators could wait until they were certain a storm would hit before opening the gates.

Flickinger stated that the engineering for the additional gates should be at least 90 percent complete by the end of 2025.

“At that point in time,” said Flickinger, “they’ll be able to get accurate BCRs. And they’re already working on the environmental study. Black & Veatch is handling that.”

Community meetings within the next 4 to 5 months will give the public a chance for input.

Construction Still Predicted to Start in 2028, Completion in 2029

“I think they’ll be able to start construction in 2028 and complete the project in 2029,” said Flickinger. “Nothing’s really changed with the dates in the last six months.”

Early indications are that the project could need another $35 million. Flickinger said, “That could delay the project a little bit if they don’t get the BCR they need. But we got it one time; I think we’ll get it a second.”

Flickinger was referring to when Dave Martin, his predecessor convinced FEMA to include social benefits in the calculation of the BCR. Typically, benefits must exceed costs before FEMA or any other group will award a grant.

Since Flickinger took office, the plan for the gates has significantly changed. The original plan was to construct crest gates on the concrete portion of the spillway. However, because of the risk involved, the City could not find a contractor willing to bid on that job.

The new plan is to add tainter gates to the earthen portion of the dam. The project basically turned into a “start over.”

Kudos to Crenshaw and Cunningham

In his talk today, Flickinger also addressed dredging – past, present and future.

He thanked US Rep. Dan Crenshaw and State Rep. Charles Cunningham. “We’re dredging out on the lake today,” said Flickinger. “That’s part of the money that Congressman Crenshaw got for us. We’re moving 800,000 cubic yards of sediment. And that makes a huge difference,” said Flickinger, before lauding HB1532, Rep. Charles Cunningham’s bill that will create a permanent dredging district on Lake Houston.

The Computer Model that Missed and the Legislation that Didn’t

To underscore the importance of dredging, Flickinger explained how computer models missed predictions for the timing and crest of the May 2024 floods in the Lake Houston Area … at a time when water was already lapping at the foundations of thousands of homes.

“The expectation was that the water would crest two feet higher than it did. But they missed it because their model did not include all the dredging that had been done over the last several years. They missed by about two feet and a day. The river was supposed to crest two feet higher and one day later,” said Flickinger.

“But all the dredging allowed the water to flow into the lake and over the dam faster than what they thought it would. So the dredging is a huge deal.”

HB1532, the bill to create a Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District, finally passed in this year’s session of the state legislature – after three previous tries.

“Sediment comes into the river and the lake 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Flickinger. “And unless we do something about that, it’s going to be a huge problem.”

Even though Cunningham got the dredging district over the goal line this year, Flickinger was quick to acknowledge assists from Senators Paul Bettencourt, Brandon Creighton and Mayes Middleton who helped push it through the Senate.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/18/2025

2850 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Flickinger Issues Updates on Multiple Lake Houston Dam Issues

3/8/25 – Houston District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger’s March newsletter contained updates on several Lake Houston Dam projects.

Floodgate Update

Adding more and bigger floodgates to the Lake Houston Dam will let the City lower lake levels faster in advance of major storms to reduce flood risk.

According to Flickinger, Phase II of the Lake Houston Dam Spillway Improvement Project is well underway. This phase focuses adding eleven new tainter gates. Together, they will increase discharge capacity by 79,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). And that matches the peak release rate of Lake Conroe during Harvey.

*Looking west across Lake Houston Dam. The current plan to add more floodgates focuses on the earthen embankment in the foreground.*

Engineering firm Black & Veatch has completed the 30% design plans. Also field activities, such as ground surveys, bathymetric surveys and geotechnical soil borings are underway. Environmental investigations including wetlands assessments, endangered species studies, and archaeological site evaluations begin next week.

In parallel, engineers are working with regulatory agencies. They include the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), United States Army Corps of Engineers, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Together, they hope to streamline permitting.

The Coastal Water Authority (CWA) also met with TCEQ in December. CWA continues to work closely with the Corps and TPWD to speed approvals.

Future Lake Houston Dam Replacement Study

Recognizing the long-term needs of the region, planning is also underway for a larger project to replace the existing 75-year-old Lake Houston Dam. CWA has engaged Black & Veatch to initiate a high-level Lake Houston Dam Replacement Study in 2025.

Lake Houston Dam Repair Project – Immediate

In addition to expansion and long-term replacement planning, immediate repairs are being implemented through the $10 million Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Project, made possible with the support of Congressman Dan Crenshaw. This project includes:

Grouting voids below and around the dam structure
Repairing spalled concrete on spillway buttress walls

“Spalled concrete” refers to a condition where concrete begins to crack, chip, or flake away from its surface. This can expose the aggregate or reinforcing steel underneath.

Essentially, it’s a form of concrete deterioration where pieces of the surface break off, leaving pitted areas. Spalling can weaken the structural integrity of concrete and lead to further damage if left unaddressed.

CWA is finalizing the scope and fee for additional field investigations and engineering design work. These efforts will define the exact repair locations and methodologies for construction. The engineering should take six to eight months. And construction should last another six to nine months after that.

Lake Levels Lowered for Fieldwork

Houston Public Works has lowered Lake Houston to approximately 41.0 feet. Lake Houston has a normal pool elevation of 42.4 feet.

The lower level will keep water from going over the spillway, so that another CWA engineering firm, Freese & Nichols, can perform surveys of the concrete hearth structure on the downstream side of the spillway.

*Lake Level has been lowered so engineers can survey the concrete on the downstream side of the 3,100 foot spillway in the foreground.*

After completion of the surveys during the week of March 14th, the levels in Lake Houston will naturally return to 42.4 feet, through rain events.

Flickinger says the District E office remains actively involved in this project. His team participates in bi-weekly coordination meetings to ensure progress continues efficiently and transparently.

Property owners along the lake should secure all belongings located at the shoreline, boat docks, and piers. Be prepared for changing lake levels, as advance notice may not be possible.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/8/25

2748 Days since Hurricane Harvey

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