The pictures below show the way the ditch near Walnut Lane was and how it looks today.
Kingwood Diversion Ditch south of Walnut Lane in 2009. Giant slabs of the slope were starting to break way and were swept downstream.It got worse after that.Notice distance to power lines in background and compare with last photo.HCFCD Diversion Ditch repairs in Kingwood in early June 2020.The “after shot.” How it looked on 6/27/2020And here’s how it looks from the air. Walnut Lane Bridge on left. Photo taken 6/16/2020.Compare how much closer the erosion eventually got to the power lines in this photo with the first photo above.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/29/2020
1035 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20200616-RJR_4501.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-06-29 10:01:092020-06-29 10:03:59HCFCD Finishes Repair of Kingwood Diversion Ditch At Walnut Lane
Last week, while driving through Forest Cove, I noticed construction activity and Harris County Flood Control District signs at the Kingwood Diversion Ditch near Walnut Lane. The area downstream from the bridge has some of the worst erosion of any ditch in Kingwood.
Area Now Under Repair As It Looked in 2009
Kingwood Diversion Ditch in 2009. Looking south from Walnut Lane. Forest Cove on right.
Erosion was bad for years and only got worse during major storms in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Massive slabs of the banks broke off in chunks, threatening trails and adjacent homes.
Since the picture above in 2009, the ditch has eroded both down and outward to increase its conveyance as new subdivisions upstream scabbed off of Kingwood’s infrastructure.
Pictures of Work in Progress Today
Oh, what a difference a decade makes! Note the exposed storm drains in the pictures below that you cannot see in the picture above.
Looking south from Walnut Lane Bridge.Exposed, elevated and crushed storm drains due to erosion.
The erosion left storm drains elevated and exposed to the ravages of floodwaters. Some were crushed, causing water to back up into streets and drainage ditches during heavy rains.
The area that collapsed circa 2009 above is the same area shown under construction today.
The velocity of water through this ditch during floods has earned it the nickname “Kingwood Rapids” from white-water enthusiasts.
Storm drains left exposed and elevated as the ditch widened and deepened itself to accommodate upstream development such as Woodridge Forest.HCFCD works to restore and stabilize banks, and repair damaged storm drains.Crumpled drains being removed by excavator.
How the Diversion Ditch Got Its Name
The Kingwood Diversion Ditch got its name when Friendswood realized that Ben’s Branch could not hold all the water being brought to it by adjacent subdivisions.
So Friendswood literally built a ditch that diverts a portion of the water coming down Ben’s Branch from Montgomery County just above Northpark Drive.
The point of diversion. Believe it or not, that’s Ben’s Branch flowing from bottom to top. As Ben’s Branch squeezes down, it forces water into the diversion ditch, which splits off to the right, just south of the new St. Martha’s Catholic Church.From there, the ditch goes under Northpark Drive, past Woodland Hills, and south to the river.
Two days ago, Harris County Commissioner’s voted to heap another demand on the Perry Homes’ Woodridge Village purchase offer. Even though they had already sent a formal offer to Perry last week! Now, before Commissioners cut a check for $14 million to Perry Homes, they want the City of Houston to contribute up to half the construction costs of a regional detention basin, not just half the purchase price of the land. So the City’s costs went from half of $14 million to half of (potentially) $44 million. In other words, they tripled.
Despite the hiccup, however, construction crews at Woodridge Village are back in high gear. After a short rain delay, they continue to excavate all three detention ponds on the northern section.
Martin Provides Text of County’s Original Offer to Perry
“If the parties are unable to execute a mutually agreeable earnest money contract within 75 days after the date of this letter then this offer will be considered withdrawn and void.”
“If this proposed transaction is successful, the City and District (HCFCD) will work together to secure partnership funding from others to include, but not be limited to, the state and federal government in order to build the maximum flood risk reduction benefits at this site.”
The 75-day limit may be ambitious now that the City has to come up with more land (in lieu of cash) – and transfer it to the county before the deal becomes effective. (See below.)
And if other levels of government get involved, such as the State and Federal governments, that could create more delays. It took approximately 950 days to get all levels of government to the point where preliminary engineering could begin on more gates for the Lake Houston Dam. And it will take at least another three years to complete the project, assuming FEMA approves construction.
Conditions Must be Met Before Deal
Time is crucial because Commissioners made it clear Tuesday night that they want to see the City meet conditions on the sale before writing a check. They are not taking the City’s word that the City will fulfill its end of the bargain at some unspecified point in the future. They worry that could take 20 years. This was yet another crucial change in the offer that will require more time.
The County wants the money or land upfront so that it can begin work immediately and limit its potential liability.
Martin Insists Conditions are “No Problem”
Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin insists that the City has no problem with updating drainage and floodplain regulations related to Atlas 14. Nor, he insists, will the City have a problem coming up with land in lieu of cash. However, the City Council has not yet approved either.
“It’s not necessary to take up any issue with this through a City Council vote as there is no Interlocal Agreement to vote on,” says Martin. “Until Harris County Flood Control sends us an Interlocal Agreement to vote on, we don’t take action. We understand HCFC is working on this document as we have daily communication with them.”
Perry Plows Ahead
Meanwhile, Perry contractors continue to excavate detention ponds. Here’s where things stand as of this afternoon.
N1 Pond – Contractors are excavating in a northerly direction to connect the tail of N1 to the main body of the pond.
N2 Pond – Contractors continue to expand and deepen it.
N3 Pond – Contractors are extending it south to where it connects to Taylor Gully. They’re also sloping edges.
Contractors excavating the N3 pond on the northeastern border of Woodridge. Photo taken 4/21/2020 by Jeff Miller.Miller estimates that, weather permitting, they may finish excavating N3 early next month.Of course, it will take longer than that to make the pond fully functional.Contractors excavating the N1 pond in the northwestern corner of Woodridge Village.General layout of detention ponds on Perry Homes’ property.
In addition, contractors are:
Lining more of Taylor Gully with concrete
Getting ready to connect N1 and N2
Using dirt excavated from ponds to raise other areas.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/21/2020with thanks to Jeff Miller for reporting and photography
996 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/20200521-RJR_3015.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-05-21 21:46:382020-05-21 22:06:15Detention Pond Work Continues at Woodridge Village Despite Change in County Purchase Offer
Harris County Flood Control District has quietly started repairs to two more Kingwood Drainage Ditches. The first is G103-33-01, the ditch between Fosters Mill and Kings Point that enters the river near the mouth bar at Scenic Shores. The second is the Kingwood Diversion Ditch, G-103-38-00. It runs down the west side of Woodland Hills, crosses Kingwood Drive by the fire station, then descends to the lake between Trailwood Village and Forest Cove.
Work In Progress as of Monday 5/11/2020
Erosion on the ditch between Fosters Mill and Kings Point that enters Lake Houston near the mouth bar (background) undergoes repair.Turbulence downstream of weirs, bottom left, commonly results in erosion.Here’s what the erosion looked like before repairs started. Picture taken in 2018 courtesy of HCFCD.Close up of eroded drain pipe near weir.
Work on Diversion Ditch Expected to Start This Week
According to Beth Walters of Harris County Flood Control, work on the Diversion Ditch should start this week. Below are several pictures taken of severe erosion that threatens homes and trails.
Looking west at Property in Deer Ridge Estates threatened by erosion of Kingwood Diversion Ditch. Looking west. Picture taken Jan. 2019.Looking south at the Kingwood Diversion Ditch erosion just south of Walnut Lane. This area is a perennial problem. Photo taken in 2009.Kayakers have dubbed this area the Kingwood rapids. During floods, it offers the only white water experience in Kingwood.
Ditch maintenance includes erosion repairs, silt buildup removal, mowing, de-snagging (removing downed trees), and removing collapsed drainpipes.
Erosion in Kingwood Diversion Ditch near fire station on Kingwood Drive.
Additional details are not yet available on the length of time repairs will take.
Aerial photos taken on April 21, 2020 show that Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) finished its Rogers Gully project in the Walden area of Lake Houston south of FM1960. However, a significant mouth bar remains in the portion of the ditch owned by the City of Houston.
Looking west from shoreline of Lake Houston. Harris County Flood Control excavated accumulated sediment earlier this year in the visible portions of Rogers Gully.Looking east from same position, shows work still remains in the City-owned portion of Rogers Gully.
Project Did Not Extend to Lake Houston
The channel repair project extended from Trophy Place to approximately 1,400 feet downstream. Matt Zeve, Deputy Executive Director of HCFCD, said “We had worked this location a year ago, and the sediment accumulated in this spot again very quickly, so we had to come back.”
However, he added, “We won’t be getting the mouth bar.” The mouth bar is yet another one of the jurisdictional issues that plague homeowners around Lake Houston. The map below shows the HCFCD right-of-way in yellow. City of Houston (COH) is the red (actually COH owns all of the lake area even though it doesn’t show up on the map).
HCFCD excavated the yellow portion of Rogers Gully.
Zeve also said, “The mouth bar will have to be handled by another dredging contract that will come after the COH executes the $30 million program.” The $30 million program refers to the Huberty Amendment to SB500 passed during the last legislature.
The April photo of the mouth bar above was taken after a large rain when the lake level was up slightly. When the level is down, here is what the problem looks like.
The Rogers Gully mouth bar still appears to have the potential to back water up and contribute to neighborhood flooding.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/10/2020
985 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 234 after Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/20200421-RJR_1184.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-05-10 14:27:342020-05-10 14:29:32HCFCD Finishes Clean-Out of Its Portion of Rogers Gully; But Mouth Bar Remains
Much of Romerica’s land lies between the Barrington in foreground and San Jacinto River in background. All 283 homes in Barrington flooded during Harvey.
Of the ten concerns listed in a letter to the permit applicant, only one had to do with flooding. And that came from Harris County Flood Control, not the City. Nine other concerns had to do with street spacing and layouts or labelling.
Half of Land in Floodway
Half of Orchard Seeded Ranches is in the floodway (below red line) of the San Jacinto West Fork. That line will shift north on new flood maps.
Half of the land lies in the floodway of the West Fork. The other half lies in the hundred-year floodplain. The development would be built on the same property that Romerica tried to get approved last year. The company wanted to build a series of high rises and 5,000 condominiums. That proposal drew a record 770 letters of protest to the Army Corps. Despite all that…
The Planning Commission document indicates that the City Engineer had no comments on the proposal.
Only Harris County Flood Control Raises Serious Objections
Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) recommended deferral of any approvals until the master drainage plan for the development is reviewed. HCFCD also said, “This area has historically been prone to flooding with numerous home buyouts immediately to the west. The Flood Control District, City of Houston, Montgomery County, and San Jacinto River Authority are working on a planning study to reduce flood risk in this area.”
Part of that plan will include new flood surveys. They will likely show the floodway expanding to take in an even greater percentage of Romerica’s property.
Gear Up for Another Lengthy Fight
It should not take the developer much time to address City’s concerns. It’s unclear at this time whether the City will heed the HCFCD’s concerns.
As a result, this controversy could wind up back in the hands of the Army Corps and/or the US Fish and Wildlife Service again. Last year, the Fish and Wildlife Service wrote an uncharacteristically frank recommendation to the Corps, urging the Corps to deny Romerica’s permit. Their reasoning had to do with the value of wetlands on the property and the presence of American Bald Eagles, a protected species.
Bald eagle photographed adjacent to Romerica property in February, 2020.
In the meantime, the developer may realize that it still faces an uphill struggle even with City approval. Perhaps they will come to their senses and sell this land to a group or groups that wish to preserve it as green space for flood control and recreation.
Light pole by westernmost Romerica property as Harvey receded. Photo by Jim Balcom.
As if to underscore the value of that proposition, the Bayou City Initiative today announced a virtual meeting to discuss the difficulty of mass evacuations and sheltering during the hurricane season as the COVID crisis continues. Remember that most of this land was under 20+ feet of water during Harvey.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/5/2020
980 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/20191104-RJR_4025-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-05-05 18:27:402020-05-05 18:46:04Planning Commission Concerns About Romerica Land Seem More Procedural than Flood-Related
In a meeting today, the Houston Planning Commission deferred automatic approval of the general plan for Orchard Seeded Ranches by taking the item off the consent agenda. The Commission then asked the developer to consult with the City Engineer; the Planning and Development Department; and Harris County Flood Control before bringing further requests back to the Commission.
Taking the item off today’s consent agenda should send a strong signal to the developer that rough waters lie ahead. Any proposal will likely be debated publicly when/if the developer returns.
History of Project
Last year, Romerica filed a permit application to build 5,000 condos and several high-rises up to 50 stories tall on 331 acres near the floodway of the San Jacinto West Fork. After a record number of people and groups filed protests with the Army Corps of Engineers, the Corps withdrew the application. But now the developer is back – with a different name – Orchard Seeded Ranches. However, Harris County Appraisal District indicates that the same people still own the land.
For orientation, the developed area in the middle is the Barrington. The line down the west side is Woodland Hills Drive. And the river at the bottom is the West Fork.
Filing a “general plan” like this is the first step in developing property. The developer has not yet submitted detailed plats showing construction details.
Virtually Entire Development in Floodway or Floodplain
About half of the Orchard Seeded Ranches lies in the floodway of the San Jacinto West Fork. FEMA defines floodways as the main current of a river during a flood. In the map below, that includes everything beneath the red line.
Purple area = Orchard Seeded Ranches. Red line = extent of floodway north of San Jacinto West Fork.Virtually half of subdivision would be in floodway.
Virtually all of the purple area above the red line lies in the floodplain. FEMA defines a floodplain as “storage” for water during a flood. That means water covers the land without moving rapidly.
I created the map above by combining the area to be developed with the FEMA flood map below.
Every part of the proposed development contains wetlands to some extent.
Note how the areas around the Barrington and River Grove Park are filled with wetlands (green areas). From US Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Mapper.Active bald eagle nest adjacent to development. Photo courtesy of Emily Murphy.
US Fish and Wildlife documented another eagle’s nest on the developer’s property. And the Balcom family, which lives near the western edge of the developer’s property, regularly photographs eagles from their balcony.
What’s in a Name
The name sounds as if the development would be lower density than the 50-story high-rises previously planned. But you never know. In the development business, names often have more evocative than literal significance. Look at the Houston Heights. Bridgeland (on the prairie). Mount Houston. You get the idea.
Community Considerations
Whatever the development is, when and if the developer returns to the Planning Commission, we should not forget that:
When floodplain maps are redrawn using Atlas-14 data, that floodway will likely expand significantly.
High water during Harvey at Balcom house on River Bend reached the second story.
A Less Risky, Less Costly Alternative
All of these factors will increase the risk and cost of any development.
Light pole near River Bend in North Shore as Harvey receded. Note the “wet marks” several feet up on pole. Photo by Jim Balcom.
The safest, sanest course for the developer – before putting more money at risk –would be to meet with community representatives about:
Purchasing this land
Putting a conservation easement on it
Letting it revert to nature and turning it into park land
Harris County Flood Control District has $175 million allocated in the flood bond for partnership projects with “Municipalities, Authorities, and Other Districts in Harris County.” See item Z100-00-00-MUNI.
That money could help purchase such property and turn it into green space forever. KSA, the Lake Houston Chamber, civic leaders and residents should get behind that idea. Judging by the response to Romerica’s last offering, it’s clear that residents would much rather see this area turned into parks than see the San Jacinto turn it into blight.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo conducting virtual discussion of the purchase of Woodridge Village Property.
In another marathon session that lasted more than 12 hours Tuesday, Harris County Commissioners finally approved a deal to purchase Perry Homes/Figure Four Partners’ Woodridge Village Property for $14 million. Woodridge contributed to flooding Elm Grove Village twice last year.
Two Conditions Still on Deal
The offer will be made to Perry Homes immediately. However, it will be with the understanding that the City of Houston must:
Adopt Atlas 14 rainfall standards, including within its extra territorial jurisdiction.
Deed $7 million worth of other land (unrelated to this deal) to the Harris County Flood Control District to help complete other flood mitigation projects.
If the City fulfills the conditions, the Perry land would be used to create regional flood-control detention.
Commissioner Cagle Optimistic
Immediately after the meeting, Commissioner Jack Cagle spoke with City of Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin who also serves as City Council Member for Elm Grove/Kingwood. According to aids, Cagle was optimistic that the City could meet the conditions.
The County treasurer doesn’t yet have permission to write a check, but this is progress.
Commissioner Cagle made the motion. Commissioner Garcia seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
Money for the purchase would come out of Flood Control District bond funds allocated for drainage improvements in the San Jacinto watershed.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Lina.jpg?fit=1200%2C749&ssl=17491200adminadmin2020-04-28 23:07:502020-04-29 05:01:12County Approves Elm Grove Deal with Two Conditions
Harris County Flood Control District’s (HCFCD) work on Ben’s Branch has been one of the bright spots in flood mitigation since Hurricane Harvey. The channel is now wide open, bulldozers are neatening up the banks, and crews are hydromulching this morning.
What Is Hydromulch?
Hydromulch (or hydraulic mulch seeding, hydro-mulching, hydraseeding) is a planting process that uses a slurry of seed, mulch, and fertilizer. It is often used as an erosion control technique on construction sites, as an alternative to dry seed. The “gel” accelerates the growth of grass by providing enough moisture and nutrients for the seeds to germinate even in dry weather.
Progress Photos
Paul Campbell of Towncenter Apartments caught this shot outside his apartment this morning.
Hydromulching the banks of Ben’s Branch on 4/25/2020. Photo courtesy of Paul Campbell.Looking northwest over Ben’s Branch toward YMCA soccer fields (upper left). This and photos below taken 4/21/2020.Looking west up Ben’s Branch toward Kingwood Greens and Kingwood Country Club Forest Course across West Lake Houston Parkway.YMCA soccer fields in upper left.Reverse shot of the wide-open Ben’s Branch Channel looking east toward YMCA across West Lake Houston Parkway.
Hydromulching is usually the last step in channel repairs. Planting grass reduces erosion. Without it, rain would simply carry silt back into the channel.
Like New Again
Many thanks to the hard-working folks of the Harris County Flood Control district and their contractors.
In the last year, they have removed approximately 80,000 cubic yards of silt from the area between Kingwood Drive and the YMCA. Despite setbacks during Tropical Storm Imelda. Conveyance should now be restored to what it was in the mid-1990s.
Ben’s Branch hasn’t looked this good in decades. And residents will be much safer from flooding in future storms.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/25/2020 with thanks to Paul Campbelland HCFCD
Pop quiz: In the last 100 years in Harris County, Texas, were you more likely to get flooded in the first or second half of the year? And the answer is…second half. But surprisingly, it’s a close tie. Looking at the data, also revealed that a major flood happened every 2.5 years on average.
Harris County Flood Control District keeps a list of major floods. It actually goes back further than 1920. However, the pre-1920 records don’t reliably record the month of the flood, so I limited the sample to 100 years for the purpose of this quiz.
HCFCD shows 38 events through 2016. For my count, I added Hurricane Harvey (2017) and Tropical Storm Imelda (2019). Both happened since the last HCFCD chart update. And both produced major flooding in Harris County. That brought the total to 40 events.
22 of 40 Events Happened in Second Half of Year
Of the 40 major floods in 100 years, 18 happened from January through June; 22 from July through December.
That means you’re almost as likely to get flooded in the spring as you are by a tropical event in the summer or fall.
23 of 40 Events Happened During Hurricane Season
However, if you phrased the question as, “How many major floods happened during hurricane season?” you would get a slightly different answer. Seventeen of the 40 did not and 23 did.
That’s because:
June falls in BOTH spring and hurricane season. Note that two floods, Audrey in 1957 and Allison in 2001, both occurred in June.
In 1935 a major flood occurred during December, which is outside of hurricane season.
Major Flood Intervals Average 2.5 Years
The other major, mind-bending, slap-you-in-the-head statistic that comes out of this quiz concerns frequency. Forty events in 100 years represents a 40% chance of a major flood happening in any given year.
The average interval of major flood events: 2.5 years. The shortest interval: one month in 1929, 1989 and 2016. The longest interval: eight years between 1961 and 1969.
If those statistics don’t make you a believer in flood insurance, I don’t know what will. It should also make you a believer in flood control and drainage districts if you live in a southeast Texas county, such as Montgomery, that doesn’t have one.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/17/2020 based on HCFCD data
962 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Flood-History-1200dpi.png?fit=1200%2C681&ssl=16811200adminadmin2020-04-17 13:46:202020-04-17 14:10:35Quiz: In Southeast Texas, Do Floods Happen More Often in First or Second Half of Year?
