Tag Archive for: HCFCD

Final San Jacinto River Basin Master Drainage Study Released Today, Recommendations Revealed

This afternoon, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA), Montgomery County, and City of Houston released final results of the massive San Jacinto River Master Drainage Plan (SJMDP) study which began in April 2019.

It will take weeks to digest all this information. It consists of:

That’s more than 3,600 pages, EXCLUDING the zipped materials.

Executive Summary Summarized

The executive summary includes a heat map of historically flooded areas, estimated structural damage costs in the next 50 years, and projected population growth during the same period. Not surprisingly, the three fasted growing areas (West Fork, Spring Creek and Cypress Creek) also show the most projected damage.

The summary then proceeds to flood-damage-reduction strategies. They include:

  • Detention Basins
  • Channel Improvements
  • Floodplain Preservation
  • Buyouts
  • Flood Warning Improvements
  • Floodplain Re-mapping
  • Policy updates
  • Formation of a vision group
  • Flood Response Improvements (Evacuation planning, protection of critical facilities such as hospitals, etc.)

The exec summary also lists the top sixteen project priorities, estimates their costs, outlines possible sources of funding, and lays out next steps.

Project Location Map
Project rankings. Note: Rankings do not necessarily coincide with numbers on map above.

“Benching” in reference to the Kingwood Area involves lowering the floodplain near the West Fork to increase flood capacity. This link shows how a similar project in California worked.

The proposed projects will provide tangible benefits, including reduction in the number of at-risk structures for a range of storms as shown in Figure 1.10 below.

With these projects in place, the level of a 100-year flood at I-69 and the West Fork could be reduced by 5.94 feet, Likewise, where Caney Creek meets the East Fork, the 100-year flood would be reduced by 2.82 feet.

Next Steps

That’s good news indeed for everyone who lives in the San Jacinto Watershed. With this information now in hand, we now can quantify the benefits of projects, priorities them, and get on with the hard work of actual mitigation.

More news to follow.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/30/2020

1219 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Houston City Council Unanimously Approves Motion to Purchase Woodridge Village from Perry Homes

This morning, Houston City Council unanimously approved the purchase of Perry Homes’ 268-acre Woodridge Village tract in Montgomery County.

The 268 acres of Woodridge Village could soon become public property to be used for stormwater detention, parks and wastewater treatment.

The ordinance that passed also included approval of an Interlocal Agreement between the City and Harris County Flood Control (HCFCD) that will govern the use and maintenance of the property as well as the terms of its purchase and development. See below.

As this deal wound its way through city and county political systems for the last 20 months, it morphed several times.

Terms of Deal that City Approved This Morning

Here’s what the City Council approved this morning:

  • Total purchase price = $14,019,316.00.
  • Of that, the City will contribute $4,021,500.00 in cash.
  • And of that, $3,830,000.00 will go toward sole ownership of 73 acres within the 268 acres that the City will use to build a new wastewater treatment plant.
  • The two parties will co-own, co-develop and co-maintain the rest of the property to be used for stormwater detention and parks.
  • The parties will split the cost of the remaining property 50:50 which will be jointly owned, developed, operated and maintained.
  • For its portion of the remaining cost, the City will donate property worth approximately $5,150,000 to HCFCD that the County can then use for flood control projects in areas of the City that flood.
  • The City will also, at a minimum, match Harris County’s detention and fill mitigation requirements.
  • The City will adopt and enforce NOAA’s new higher Atlas-14 Precipitation Frequency standards within the City and in the City’s extra-territorial jurisdiction.
  • The City agreed to require a minimum detention rate of 0.55 acre-feet per acre.
  • All this must happen within 120 days.
  • If the sale falls through, nothing in the terms of the agreement obligates the seller to perform additional flood mitigation.

County Must Now Approve on December 15

Harris County Commissioners Court must still approve the Interlocal Agreement in its December 15 meeting before it becomes effective.

Woodridge Village contributed to flooding hundreds of homes in Elm Grove Village and North Kingwood Forest twice last year, because of insufficient detention.

No Mention of Lawsuits

Nothing in the terms of the sale or interlocal agreement mentions the hundreds of lawsuits that arose out of that flooding. They should not be affected.

Pace of Development To Depend on Speed of Funding

The Parties (City and County) agreed to jointly fund the cost of designing and constructing flood mitigation facilities on the Land and to work cooperatively to secure funding. They targeted completion of the project within five years.

Both Parties agree the Land can stay in its current condition until funds are jointly secured to build the project, which may be built in phases based upon available funding.

Any Project on the Land will involve gravity detention. In other words, no pumps will be involved. Perry Homes has already constructed approximately 60% of the required detention.

Stormwater Detention To Be Based on Current Needs

The amount of the Stormwater Detention allotted to each Party will be based on its pro rata share of costs contributed to the Project. The Parties agree that the Stormwater Detention shall only be used for mitigation of existing flood risks, and not to mitigate the flooding risks of any new developments that arise after the execution of this Agreement.

Martin Thanks Turner for Being Mayor for “All the People”

Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin sponsored the ordinance that council approved this morning and worked to align support. Mayor Turner supported the agreement despite the fact that the majority of Kingwood voted for his opponent in the last mayoral election. In his presentation, Martin specifically commented on that and thanked the Mayor. He said that Turner promised after the election that he wanted to be mayor for all the people. Martin said this was proof that he was good to his word.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/9/2020

1198 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 447 since Imelda

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.

City Quietly Cleaning Out Culverts Under Kingwood Drive Thanks to Local Activist

Chris Bloch, an engineer and Kingwood resident, has become a flood-control activist in his retirement. I often run into Chris inspecting ditches, streams and culverts for blockages and collapsed outfalls. Chris also works with the Bear Branch Trail Association which owns property along many of the channels and streams cutting through Kings Forest, Bear Branch, and Hunters Ridge.

Activist Extraordinaire

For the last several months, Chris has focused intensely on blocked channels that contributed to the flooding of 110 homes in Kings Forest during Harvey. Where the channels cross under Kingwood Drive, three had become almost totally blocked by vegetation and silt. That contributed to backing water up into homes. See below.

Ditch at Shady Run and Kingwood Drive before clean-out. Photo courtesy of Chris Bloch.

Chris meticulously photographed the problems, began researching which entities were responsible for which portions of the channels, and in the case above, contacted the City of Houston. The City has responsibility for the medians and sides of Kingwood Drive and other streets. His persistence paid off.

In October, the City began cleaning out the ditch near Shady Run and Kingwood Drive.

Vacuum truck photographed at same location on 10/3/2020

Here’s what that part of the channel looks like today.

Same ditch after clean-out. Photo courtesy of Chris Bloch.

End-to-End Inspections

Chris is tenacious, tireless, and wide ranging. He looks at ditches from end to end. In this case, he’s also trying to get the Flood Control District to escalate clean-out of the ditch south of Kingwood Drive. Reduced conveyance through that reach could also have contributed to flooding in Kingwood Lakes.

Bloch says he has also identified twenty storm-drain outfalls that need repair. “It doesn’t make any difference if the storm sewers are clear if the water in them can’t get to ditches and streams,” he says.

You Be an Activist, Too

Activists like Chris make Kingwood the great place it is. They help identify local problems for government and make the case for addressing them.

As you hike through our greenbelts and along channels, keep your eyes open for developing problems:

  • Collapsed outfalls into ditches
  • Eroded banks
  • Vegetation and silt blocking culverts
  • Developing sinkholes
  • Fallen trees damming streams

Be an activist like Chris. Take pictures and report them to the appropriate authorities. That will usually be the City or Flood Control.

You, too, can make a difference.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/15/2020

1174 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Delta Tracking East; Back up to Cat 3, But Houston Out of Cone

As of 4 PM Thursday, Delta has restrengthened into a category 3 hurricane with winds of 115 mph. One day before Delta makes landfall, it now appears that once again, the Lake Houston Area will miss the brunt of a vicious storm. Unfortunately, for the poor folks in Louisiana, it appears that Delta will take the same track that Laura did last month and ravage them once again.

At its 4 PM Thursday update, the National Hurricane Center shows Delta in the middle of the Gulf and headed toward Louisiana with maximum sustained winds near 115 mph.

Warnings from Sargent, TX East

Folks east of High Island, TX remain under a hurricane warning. Those between Sargent, TX and High Island are under a tropical storm warning. A storm surge warning remains in effect for everyone between High Island and Mississippi.

Warnings mean that conditions are expected within the warning area, usually within 36 hours.

Projected Track; Tropical Storm Force Winds Extend Out 160 miles

Forecast models are now strongly in agreement on the projected track. That still doesn’t mean the Lake Houston Area is in the clear. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 160 miles, according to Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner.

Here’s what Weather Live predicts the footprint of the storm will look like Friday morning at 7 AM. That blue dot represents Kingwood.

Lake Houston Area Impacts

NHC now predicts we have a 60-70% chance of experiencing tropical-storm-force winds.

They most likely will arrive tomorrow morning around 8 A.M. Delta is moving NNW at around 15 miles per hour. According to Lindner, “Tropical storm force winds will be possible in the TS warning area, although this will be heavily dependent on the expansion of the wind field. Chambers and southern Liberty Counties have the greater risk of sustained tropical storm force winds. We could see sustained tropical storm force winds in and around Galveston Bay on Friday and over southeast Harris, Galveston, and coastal Brazoria Counties.

NHC predicts the storm will weaken into a tropical depression within 36 hours after coming ashore.

Expected Rainfall

The eastern part of Houston could see anywhere between one and four inches of rain, with the higher totals farther east. Louisiana will likely see 6-10 inches.

Still, there is only a marginal (<5%) to slight (<10%) risk of flash flooding.

Storm Surge Warnings

One of the most serious threats: storm surge. NHC predicts water up to 11 feet above ground in the area around Vermillion Bay.

Posted By Bob Rehak on 10/8/2020 at 5:15 PM based on data from NHC and HCFCD

1136 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 385 Days after Imelda

Hurricane Delta Watch from High Island to Grand Isle; Tropical Storm Watch for Galveston Bay

1 P.M. Wednesday, October 7, 2020 – As of 1 P.M. Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center issued three watches affecting the Houston region in conjunction with Hurricane Delta:

  • Hurricane watch from High Island TX to Grand Isle, LA
  • Tropical Storm watch from San Luis Pass to High Island including all of Galveston Bay
  •  Storm surge watch from High Island, TX to the Alabama/Florida Border

Watches mean conditions could develop in the area, most often within the next 48 hours.

Source: National Hurricane Center

Swells will build into the 15-20ft range offshore on Thursday into Friday and 7-12 feet near the coast. This will result in wave run-up on the Gulf facing beaches and likely some degree of coastal flooding at the typical vulnerable locations.

Cone Still Includes Parts of East Texas

The National Hurricane Center indicates Hurricane Delta has now passed over the Yucatan. It weakened over land, but should strengthen again into a major Hurricane over warm waters in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Delta will move northwest today and then shift north on Thursday, according to NHC. By Friday morning, most of the central Gulf Coast will feel Delta in the form of higher winds, tides and storm surge.

While the cone of uncertainty associated with Hurricane Delta has consistently focused east of the Houston Area, it’s important to understand that ANYWHERE in the cone has an equal chance of being directly hit. And Houston is still near the western side of the cone.

Houston Most Likely Will Be on Dry Side

Luckily, Houston should be on the dry side of this storm. So we will likely not receive flooding rains, as least as far inland as the Lake Houston Area. The graphic below from the National Weather Service shows most of the predicted rainfall will happen east of us.

Jeff Lindner, Harris County Meteorology, says, “Rainfall will generally average less than 2 inches east of I-45 in some outer squalls on the west side of Delta.”

Wind is Primary Threat in Lake Houston Area

The NHC has adjusted its intensity forecast downward for Delta. However, it should still regain major hurricane status. The wind field will likely grow in size as the storm approaches the northern Gulf coast. That will increase the storm surge and wind threats. At this time, the NHC forecasts that the Lake Houston Area has a 40-50% chance of experiencing tropical-storm-force winds.

The most likely arrival time of those winds is Friday morning.

Don’t plan a picnic under the old oak tree for Friday.

Jeff Lindner, Harris County Meteorologist says, “Squalls on the western side of the circulation of Delta will begin to move onshore and into the area on Thursday afternoon and continue into Friday along with gusty winds. Tropical storm force winds may be possible over the SE and E parts of the area, especially Chambers, Galveston, Liberty, and southeast Harris Counties. But this will depend on the overall expansion of the wind field of Delta on Thursday and Friday.”

For More Information

For the most up-to-date forecasts on Hurricane Delta, check the National Hurricane Center.

For detailed local weather forecasts, check the National Weather Service.

Posted by Bob Rehak at 2 PM on Wednesday 10/7/2020 based on information from HCFCD, NWS and NHC

1135 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 384 since Imelda

Save the Date: Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis

Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) will hold a Virtual Community-Engagement Meeting for the Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis project: 10/20 at 6:30 PM.

Study Purpose

The purpose: to inform residents about the status of the project and share findings to date.

The Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis focuses on “evaluating the existing drainage level of service for the 32.3-mile open channel network within the greater Kingwood area and identifying the drainage infrastructure which will improve the network’s level of service.” 

What That Means

The San Jacinto River Master Drainage Study examined the major streams around Kingwood. But this study examined every stream and ditch within Kingwood. From Taylor Gully, Ben’s Branch and the Diversion Ditch on down to the smallest ones.

When originally constructed, engineers designed ditches to convey a 100-year rain without flooding homes or businesses. However, over time, many have filled in with sediment – often so gradually, the process is invisible. Such ditches may need cleaning out. See below.

Ditch between Valley Manor and Twin Grove where it goes under Kingwood Drive. Capacity dramatically reduced by sedimentation and vegetation. Photo courtesy of Chris Bloch.

Also, new upstream development, such as Woodridge Forest and Woodridge Village, may be contributing additional stormwater to ditches during heavy rains. So those ditches may need expansion.

Instead of being able to safely convey a 100-year rain, ditches now might only be able to convey, for example, a 25- or 50-year rain because of such factors.

“Identifying drainage infrastructure which will improve the network’s level of service” means “figuring out what it will take to make them safely convey a 100-year rain again.”

Partially Funded by Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority

The Flood Control District has entered an interlocal agreement with the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (TIRZ 10) to partially fund this drainage study. Bonds approved by Harris County voters on August 25, 2018, have funded the rest.

Public Participation Important

Community engagement is an important component of the Bond Program. You live here. You know where the problems are and how high water gets. Your participation is necessary to ensure your safety. Speak up now BEFORE HCFCD begins implementing the program.

If you know of a problem HCFCD is not addressing, you need to tell them.

The virtual Community-Engagement Meeting will be held on: 

  • Tuesday, October 20, 2020 
  • 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
  • Join online at PublicInput.com/Kingwood
  • Or by phone at 855-925-2801 with Meeting Code: 9541

Meeting Format and Other Details

The meeting will begin with a brief presentation to share project updates, followed by a moderated Q&A session with Flood Control District team members. 

You can submit questions and comments throughout the presentation. Any comments not addressed during the Q&A session will receive a response after the event.

A recorded version of the meeting will be available on the Flood Control District’s website and YouTube channel after the event. 

Meeting accommodations can be made for those with disabilities. If needed, please contact 346-286-4152 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.

The Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis Technical Report Executive Summary will be available online prior to the October 20, 2020, Community Engagement Meeting at www.hcfcd.org/F14.

For questions, please contact the Flood Control District at 346-286-4000, or fill out the comment form online at www.hcfcd.org/F14.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/7/2020

1135 Days after Hurricane Harvey

Final HCFCD Report on Tropical Storm Beta Finds Only 25-30 Homes Flooded

The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) issued its first and final report on Tropical Storm Beta today. The 24-page report found that only 25-30 homes in Harris County flooded from the storm, none in the Lake Houston Area. In most places, streams and bayous remained well within their banks. The report also says that HCFCD flood-reduction projects along Braes and Sims Bayous prevented the flooding of 930 structures. The combination of low rainfall intensities, frequent breaks in heavy rainfall, and dry grounds going into the event likely helped reduce the number of homes flooded, according to the report.

Understanding the Uniqueness of Storms

As with all such HCFCD reports, this one presents a treasure trove of statistics, graphs, charts and illustrations. Taken together, they help you understand the uniqueness of individual storms and how to compare them to each other.

Frequent Breaks in Storm Prevented More Severe Flooding

Tropical Storm Beta could have been much worse. The report says, “While Beta did produce heavy rainfall over the county, there were frequent breaks in the training rain bands.”

Overall rainfall intensities were generally in the 1.0-2.0 inch per hour range.

HCFCD final report on tropical storm beta

Most storm drains in the City of Houston are designed to handle 2″ per hour. The report continued, “The lower rainfall rates along with breaks in heavy rainfall allowed most creeks and bayous and internal drainage systems to effectively carry storm water capacities with limited flooding.”

2- to 10-Year Rains in Most Harder-Hit Areas

In most of the harder-hit areas, the storm dropped between 2- and 10-year rains. Those included Clear Creek, Brays Bayou, Keegans Bayou, Willow Waterhole, Buffalo Bayou, White Oak Bayou and Cypress Creek. One place along Sims Bayou recorded a 50-year rain. All other Harris County watersheds had generally less than a 50% (2-yr) rainfall exceedance probability, says the report. Those rainfall exceedance probabilities correspond to new Atlas-14 rates adopted after Harvey.

Intense Short-Duration Rains Cause Most Street Flooding

House flooding in Harris County correlates strongly to the intensity of short duration rainfall rates. In Tropical Storm Beta, short duration rainfall rates generally fell below intensities that lead to widespread and significant house flooding from:

  • Overwhelming capacity of primary drainage systems or…
  • Exceeding capacities of bayous and creeks.

The following chart compares the maximum rainfall amounts recorded in Harris County from Tropical Storm Imelda, Hurricane Harvey, Tropical Storm Allison, and Tropical Storm Beta for various time periods.

From page 3 of HCFCD’s Final Report on Tropical Storm Beta.

The chart above compares the maximum rainfall amounts recorded in Harris County from Tropical Storm Imelda, Hurricane Harvey, Tropical Storm Allison, and Tropical Storm Beta for various time periods.

For the 1-hr rainfall rate, Beta was nearly 50% lower than Imelda, Allison, and Harvey and nearly 8-10 inches lower for the 3-hr rainfall rates.

HCFCD Final Report on Beta

Beta Rates Lower than Other Recent Major Storms

As the chart above shows, rainfall rates associated with Tropical Storm Beta fell significantly below other recent tropical storms that impacted Harris County. The lower rainfall rates were likely a function of a dry air mass wrapping into the circulation, and a general lack of organized and persistent thunderstorm activity.

Beta’s short duration rainfall rates remained slow enough that drainage systems could remain effective. Additionally, dry grounds leading into the event allowed the first few inches of rainfall to be absorbed, helping to reduce run-off.

Jeff Lindner, Harris County Meteorologist

Dramatic NW to SE Rainfall Gradient

The maximum rainfall over 48 hours shows a dramatic gradient aligning from northwest to southeast. As you can see from the iso-map below, people in the Lake Houston Area received less than a third of the rainfall that people received on the southwest side of Houston.

To see the entire 24-page report, click here. For easy future reference, this report can also be found under the Major Storms Tab on the Reports page.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/5/2020 based on information from Harris County Flood Control

1133 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 382 after Imelda

Lake Houston Area Could Be in Beta’s Crosshairs Tonight

The center of Beta is currently near Bay City and moving ENE. For the next 24 hours, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts maximum winds at 30 mph.

If any readers in the Lake Houston Area felt left out by Beta, tonight could be your night. According to the NHC, Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner and Space City Weather, models continue to show that a heavy band of rainfall will begin to develop over the next few hours across the northern portions of Harris County.

Beta Tuesday Evening
Beta Tuesday evening at 5PM, courtesy of RadarScope. The bands are moving from SE to NW. But the forward motion of the storm is perpendicular, from SW to NE. That could push new feeder bands into the Lake Houston Area later tonight.

Current Radar Trends Show Storm Moving Toward Northeast Harris County

“Current radar trends show what may be the start of this banding feature from Downtown Houston to Jersey Village to Waller where a broken band of heavy to excessive rainfall is forming,” said Lindner at 4pm today.

He continued, “Models show this band continuing well into the evening and overnight hours across much of northern and northeastern Harris County into Liberty County. Training of heavy rainfall is likely with this banding along with flash flooding.”

Additional rainfall of 4-7 inches will be possible over the northern portions of Harris County into Liberty County and possibly southern Montgomery County with isolated totals of 10-12 inches possible.

JEFF LINDNER, HARRIS COUNTY METEOROLOGIST

(Update At 9:10 PM) The radar image above looked like this and heavy rain had started in Kingwood.

Source: RadarScope

However, in the upper San Jacinto Watershed, the expected rainfall amounts will likely produce flooding only on Cypress and Little Cypress Creeks.

In other parts of Houston, the following streams could flood:

  • Greens Bayou
  • Halls Bayou
  • Hunting Bayou
  • White Oak Bayou tributaries
  • Cedar Bayou
  • Gum Gully
  • Langham Creek
  • Horsepen Creek
  • South Mayde Creek
  • Bear Creek

The largest threat at this point is street flooding. So move your cars out of the street tonight.

West Fork Still At Normal Level

At 4PM CDT Tuesday, the West Fork San Jacinto at US59 is still nearly seven feet from coming out of its banks.

Source: Harris County Flood Warning System. The normal level of Lake Houston at this gage is 42.4 feet.

Flood Warning System Shows Effects of Heavy Training

The high rainfall gradient across Harris County should the effects of heavy training by Beta’s feeder bands during the last 48 hours. Places under the bands received 12 to 14 inches of rains. Meanwhile, the Lake Houston Area received only around an inch so far.

Beta’s heaviest rainfall until now focused on SW Harris County. Figures shown represent last 48 hours. Source: Harris County Flood Warning System. Note 13.44 inches on HW288!

Worst Likely Over for SW Harris County

Some heavy rainfall is still possible in already hard-hit southern and southwestern Harris County. However, where and potentially how much may fall in that area is uncertain.

Beta Continuing to Weaken

High-resolution visible satellite imagery, surface observations, and NOAA Doppler weather radar data from San Antonio and Houston, Texas, indicate that Beta has continued to weaken.

Cloud tops only extend up to 25,000- 30,000 ft, mainly near and northeast of the center. However, they are quite prodigious rain-producers. Rainfall totals of 13-14 inches having been measured across portions of the Houston metropolitan area thus far.

The Future of Beta

Since Beta should remain inland throughout the forecast period, the cyclone is not expected to regain tropical storm status. Beta should degenerate into a remnant low within 36 hours and dissipate over Mississippi or Alabama in 96 hours, if not sooner.

At 4 p.m. Tuesday, September 22, 2020, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued its last update on Beta.

Said Space City Weather, “The good news is that this mess will begin to clear our of here by Wednesday morning, if not sooner for some areas. The bad news is that we’ve got to get through later today and tonight.”

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/22/2020 based on data from HCFCD, NHC and Space City Weather

1120 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 369 since Imelda

Woodridge Village Purchase Back on Commissioners Court Agenda – With All Conditions Addressed

The purchase of Woodridge Village from Perry Homes’ subsidiary Figure Four Partners is back on the agenda for Harris County Commissioners Court next Tuesday. All conditions previously imposed on the deal by Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis have been addressed this time.

Part of the 268-acre Woodridge Village being considered for purchase as a flood control facility. If purchased, HCFCD would greatly expand the flood detention capacity. While Perry Homes has virtually finished construction of their planned detention ponds, those are still about 40% short of Atlas-14 requirements.

This time, the County Attorney will present the proposal, not Flood Control or the County Engineer’s office. See item 14 G below.

Agenda Item 14-G

14. County Attorney

            g.    Request that Commissioners Court authorize the Real Property Division manager or assistant division manager to sign an earnest money contract with Figure Four Partners, Ltd., for the purchase of two tracts of land containing approximately 267.35 acres in Montgomery County for the Woodridge Village stormwater detention basin in the amount of $14,019,316, approximately $5,100,770 below the appraised value, with purchase of the property being contingent upon certain conditions and commitments.

For more explanation of the agenda item, see the letter below or click this link for a hi-res printable pdf.

Reportedly, the agenda item moved to the county attorney this time because the purchase of the property is a legal issue.

Any projects done on the property after the purchase will fall into the domains of Flood Control or Engineering.

From the letter above, it appears the county has an opportunity to purchase the land below the market appraisal – a rarity.

Previous Conditions Specified in Letter

The purchase will be contingent on Flood Control and the City of Houston entering an Inter-Local Agreement within 120 days of the execution of an earnest money contract. The earnest money contract will also require several commitments by the City. Commitments include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. City will contribute land to the county equal to one-half of the purchase price for flood damage reduction projects.
  2. City and the Flood Control District will equally share costs associated with the basin’s development AND post-development maintenance. The deed will show both the City and District as co-owners of the two tracts of land.
  3. City will adopt updated detention and fill mitigation requirements that, at a minimum, match Harris County regulations and Atlas 14 requirements – BOTH inside the City AND within the City’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Will Ellis Add New Conditions?

The subject of Woodridge has come up at Commissioners Court at least five times in the last six months. Each time, Precinct One Commissioner Rodney Ellis has used the occasion to add new conditions to the deal. All of his conditions, however, have been addressed in the letter above from Robert Soard, the First Assistant County Attorney.

Will Ellis say “Good enough” this time? Or will he throw more obstacles in the path of a purchase? Tune in to the next exciting episode of Harris County Commissioners Court. Tuesday, September 15, at 10AM.

If you would like to speak to the commissioners on this topic, you need to sign up no later than 8 a.m. on the day of the Commissioners Court meeting at https://appearancerequest.harriscountytx.gov/. 

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/13/2020

1111 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 360 since Imelda

HCFCD to Begin Next Phase of Ben’s Branch Clean Out in October

Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) and its contractors met today with representatives of Kings Forest, the Bear Branch Trail Association and Kingwood Service Association to discuss the next phase of the Ben’s Branch clean out. On the south, the project lies entirely within the Creekwood Nature Area between Kingwood High School and the old H-E-B shopping center. Rocky Woods Drive forms the northern extent of the project. This will extend northward the work already completed south of Kingwood Drive.

Project extent outlined in red. Kingwood High School is at bottom center; Town Center on right; Kings Forest on left and Bear Branch at top of frame.

Maintenance Objective: Restore Conveyance

The objective: to restore conveyance of Ben’s Branch and reduce potential for flooding in Kings Forest, Bear Branch, the Kingwood High School, and Kingwood Town Center.

The ground these men are standing on is all deposited sediment that needs removal to restore conveyance. The original channel bank is the higher slope behind them. The other side has a similar problem.

Sediment has restricted the flow of the channel gradually during the last three decades. It now contributes to flooding.

Tucked into the tree line on either side of Bens Branch, you can see the maintenance roads that formed the top of the original banks.

During Harvey, many homes on both sides of the stream flooded. Many also flooded again during Imelda.

Walking along the creek today, the first thing one notices is a craggy channel with sides that seem to have slumped into the stream. Flood control surveys, however, show that is not the case. The channel filled with sediment. Then the stream eroded down again through the accumulated sediment.

Continual cycles of deposition and erosion have clogged, deformed and narrowed the creek.

Approximately 15,000 Cubic Yards of Sediment To Be Removed

Getting the channel back to its original state will require removal of approximately 15,000 cubic yards of sediment. However, engineers have not yet determined the exact number.

The scope of work will include replacement of damaged drain pipes that carry water to the ditch.

The job is still in its planning stages. Actual dirt work should begin sometime in October.

Funded with Help from USDA NRCS

A grant from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will help HCFCD fund the project. Contractors will haul the excavated dirt to nearby TCEQ-approved landfill sites outside of the .02% annual chance (500-year) flood plain.

Looking north. The project will NOT extend into the natural portion of Ben’s Branch at the top of the frame, near Rocky Woods Drive. It will affect only the man-made portion of the channel.

Downstream, the project will stop at Kingwood Drive. Note below how the channel under the Kingwood Drive bridge is virtually twice as large as the channel in the foreground.

Looking south over Ben’s Branch toward Kingwood Drive and the portion of Ben’s Branch restored earlier this year. Note how constricted the channel in the foreground is.

When complete, this project should make the channel north of Kingwood Drive as wide as it is south of Kingwood Drive. It’s all about getting the channel back to its designed carrying capacity.

An exact timetable for the project is not yet available, but it will take several months.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/4/2020

1102 Days after Hurricane Harvey