3/3/25 – A Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) spokesperson reports that the District finished picking up Hurricane Beryl debris at numerous locations along Bens Branch in Kingwood on February 27, 2025.
Hurricane Beryl struck the Houston area on July 8, 2024, with winds gusting up to 83 MPH at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Sustained winds exceeded tropical storm strength for approximately six hours in the Lake Houston Area. Wet grounds over a large part of the area from well above average spring and early summer rainfall led to widespread downing of trees.
The storm damage came on top of a derecho earlier in the year that created chaos.
HCFCD claims the piles were not theirs but couldn’t say who they belonged to. However, local leaders who monitored cleanup efforts disagreed.
But Eric Heppen, Harris County Precinct 3’s Director of Engineering, said, “We’re past that now. We’re just going to pick up the piles.” Thank you, Commissioner Ramsey. And thank you, HCFCD.
Some piles, such as those along Bens Branch opposite Bear Branch Elementary on Tree Lane, became highly visible eyesores. They also became temptations for young boys eager to show off their mountain-climbing skills.
The pictures below show what remained of the Tree Lane piles today.
Nothing.Piles gone!
Thanks to Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey for breaking the logjam (pun intended) over who was responsible for the Beryl debris and arranging for the pickup.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/3/25
2743 Days since Hurricane Harveyand 238 since Beryl
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250226-DSC_1834.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2025-03-03 22:03:342025-03-03 23:14:34HCFCD Finishes Removing Beryl Debris from Bens Branch
3/1/25 – At the 2/27/25 Harris County Special Commissioners Court meeting, commissioners spent more than an hour discussing the need for a 2018 Flood-Bond update to help deal with a potential billion-dollar funding shortfall.
Previous Flood Control District department heads published a flood-bond update monthly. But the frequency has fallen to annually under the current department head as activity slowed and inflation soared.
Harris County Commissioners Court 69 minute discussion on need for bond update.
Commissioners Openly Concede Funding Shortfall
Against that backdrop, Commissioners and the County Judge openly conceded that all promised bond projects will not get done because of a lack of money. That’s despite assurances on the Flood Control District website that all will get done.
However, discussion made it clear that commissioners worry whether projects in their precincts will end up on the chopping block. They also worry whether the Flood Control District has followed the Equity Prioritization Frameworks adopted by Commissioners Court.
Reasons for Concerns
The request for an update came as commissioners fretted about the potential cancellation of projects associated with $1.1 billion allocated to Harris County from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) via the Texas General Land Office.
Earlier in the meeting , Commissioners had voted on financial strategies designed to limit the County’s financial exposure in case HUD funding fell through. (See previous post about Item 11),
Thirty-five percent inflation in the non-residential construction sector since the beginning of the bond has also affected the Flood Control District’s purchasing power.
Finally, an unexplained four-year slowdown in activity at the Flood Control District also has commissioners concerned. The slowdown continually decreases purchasing power over time by delaying projects as inflation builds.
Already, the current activity level in dollars adjusted for inflation is lower than before voters passed the 2018 bond.
Analysis of data from HCFCD and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
See below.
HCFCD spending in 2024 roughly equaled 2017 spending after adjustment for inflation.
To complicate matters, the Flood Control District’s website “Active Projects” Page no longer works and hasn’t for months. The District blames it on a problem with their geographic information systems. That affects an interactive map.
But the page also featured a text-based list of active projects and their locations. That has also disappeared with no explanation. And a Harris County source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told me Flood Control has not made an effort to fix the page/map.
Getting up-to-date information out of the Flood Control District has definitely become more difficult. And not just for journalists. Clearly that has commissioners worried, too.
Commissioners Grill HCFCD Head for More Than Hour
Commissioners could have conveyed the update request in a simple memo. Instead they vented their frustrations for one hour and nine minutes. At one point, Adrian Garcia even accused fellow Democrat Rodney Ellis of filibustering!
Commissioners feared many projects would not be completed. Each explained why he/she wasn’t getting a fair share.
Ellis Request
Rodney Ellis worried whether the District was following his Equity Prioritization Framework. He requested that the update include:
Prioritization scores for each project.
A clear demonstration of how the bond prioritization framework is being implemented and tracked
An explanation of the prioritization of planning, design, constructing and funding of flood-bond projects.
Financial analysis showing all completed projects and sub-projects.
Lists of all:
Projects and sub-projects under construction and awaiting funding.
Committed partnership agreements.
Signed Inter-local Agreements (ILAs).
ILA commitments still in discussion.
Remaining available funds.
He emphasized that he “didn’t want to wait until all the money is gone.” He added…
“I know there’s not enough money to do all the projects we talked about and everybody else knows it. I’m just crazy enough to say it in public.”
Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis
Ramsey Concerns
Tom Ramsey worried about $257 million in subdivision drainage projects taken out of his budget. He pointed out that he has 2-3X the number of road miles to maintain compared to other precincts. Yet he has the smallest percentage of the total budget.
Ramsey concluded, “Come back in a way that we can live up to the commitment that we made to the voters in 2018. Right now, we’re struggling to make that happen.”
Garcia Concerns
Adrian Garcia complained about heavy trucks tearing up the roads in his highly industrialized precinct. He also worried about getting enough dollars to complete projects in his precinct.
Briones Concerns
Lesley Briones also worried about getting a fair share of dollars for projects in her precinct. Most of it leaned Republican before redistricting. Without saying it, she implied that the area had been penalized for the way it leaned politicly. She added, “I personally will not feel comfortable going out for a future bond if we haven’t delivered on the 2018 bond.”
Hidalgo: “Is There a Billion Dollars Sitting Somewhere?”
Judge Lina Hidalgo said she remained committed to “lifting up folks that had historically been left behind.” Then she asked, “Has that been achieved to any degree? To what extent have we achieved that?”
“We know we don’t have enough money. What are we going to do, folks?”
Lina Hidalgo, Harris County Judge, during discussion of Item 164 on 2/27/25.
She then discussed pausing non-equity projects and redirecting money to equity projects.
“The other option … go to the voters. I’m not hearing an appetite for that, so I just don’t understand how we solve this without additional money. So my final question, ‘Is there $1 billion sitting somewhere?'”
“It would just be sad to find out that the [projects] not completed rank higher on prioritization.”
Equity Wins Again
In the end, Commissioners Court requested a recommendation from the Director of Flood Control that would maximize the goal of finishing projects according to the equity prioritization framework, with highest scoring projects finishing first.
Flood Control agreed to present the analysis on May 22. This has the potential to slow Flood Control’s work even more.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/2/25
2742 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CC-2.27.25.jpg?fit=1100%2C554&ssl=15541100adminadmin2025-03-02 18:20:322025-03-03 11:01:39Harris County Commissioners Demand Flood-Bond Project Update
Between Pearl Harbor and the surrender of Japan, 1349 days elapsed. But more than twice that number of days have elapsed since Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
Battleship Arizona, December 7, 1941. Photo courtesy of National Park Service.
At 1349 Days after Harvey, I wrote a post entitled “It’s Official: Harvey Flood Mitigation Is Taking Longer than World War II.” The bittersweet post expressed disappointment about the lack of progress … tempered with hope for the future. But sadly, many of the observations I made then are true today. We still:
Are dredging the mouth of the San Jacinto West Fork, which backed water up into thousands of homes and businesses.
Are fighting with each other over which neighborhoods get their flood-mitigation projects started first.
Have not turned one shovel of dirt at any of the upstream sites identified for stormwater detention in the San Jacinto River Basin Master Drainage Plan.
Bush provided numerous recommendations to cut red tape. But sadly, few, if any, have been implemented.
Failure to Prepare is Preparing to Fail
During the last Harris County Commissioner’s Court Meeting, we witnessed Commissioners struggling with this slow-motion disaster that has become a second disaster in itself.
They even spent a full hour requesting an update from HCFCD on the status of bond projects. Those updates used to be a regular monthly report.
Failure to prepare for flooding that you know will come is an invitation to heartbreak and misery. When the next flood happens, the damage will be self-inflicted.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/1/25
2741 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210507-Arizona.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=18011200adminadmin2025-03-01 18:14:212025-03-01 18:52:31We Won World War II in Half the Time That It’s Taking to Start Harvey Flood-Mitigation Projects
2/28/25 – Today, the Texas General Land Office (GLO) released the status of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster-relief and flood-mitigation applications from Harris County’s Flood Control District and Housing & Community Development Department.
The grant applications cover almost $1.1 billion dollars in aid for Harris County relating to Hurricane Harvey alone, which the GLO manages for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Today’s updates cover the status of more than 60 projects. A little more than half have already been approved. Twenty-one are still in review. And eight still have not been submitted yet.
Separately, yesterday Harris County Commissioners adopted three resolutions to limit financial exposure during the Federal grant funding freeze.
Let’s look at the disaster-relief and flood-mitigation applications first, then the issue of financial exposure.
HCFCD Disaster Relief Projects
Of the 11 disaster relief projects published by Flood Control, the GLO has already approved 10. Flood Control has not yet submitted the application for the Genoa Red Bluff Regional Stormwater Detention Basin.
All projects in this list total approximately $269 million.
Provided by GLO on 2/28/25
For descriptions of each project above, click here.
HCFCD Flood-Mitigation Projects
HCFCD is submitting 18 projects in the flood-mitigation category. Of those, the GLO has started reviewing 16. HCFCD has yet to submit two.
The 16 projects submitted to date total approximately $510 million out of $541,847,826 allocated for this category.
Only one project below – Taylor Gully/Woodridge – is in the Kingwood Area.
For a printable PDF of these two lists, click here.
County Making Contingency Plans for Federal Grant Funding Freeze
A large portion of the Special Harris County Commissioners Court Meeting yesterday concerned planning for uncertainties regarding the federal grant funding freeze. Specifically on the agenda:
Item 11 tried to limit the County’s financial exposure in case projects were started, but promised funding did not come through on the back end.
Item 164 requested HCFCD to provide an update on every 2018 flood-bond project (completed, in progress, and not yet started). Commissioners requested dollars expended to date by life cycle stages, locations and subprojects. They also requested a listing of how all projects scored and ranked on the County’s Equity Prioritization Framework.
Those two items alone consumed two hours.
Re: Item 11, Commissioners adopted three motions unanimously:
Motion 1 directed OMB to maintain a maximum monthly average of $100 million in outstanding receivables relating to federal grants and to update commissioners court monthly on balances.
Motion 2 directed OCA, OMB, the County’s Strategic Planning Committee, and impacted departments to make recommendations for dealing with at-risk, federally funded programs.
Motion 3 allowed payment of grant-funded invoices if federal funding is available.
The motions govern management of invoice payments related to grants and establish protocols for prioritizing grant programs.
The commissioners want to prevent a significant impact on cash flow and future budget cycles. Their plan includes setting aside general funds and cooperating with the Strategic Planning Committee to identify priority grants.
Additionally, there are strategies to identify at-risk grants, limit financial exposure, and ensure that ongoing expenditures are more closely aligned with the likelihood of reimbursement.
Motion 3 would only allow payment of project/program related invoices if reimbursement seems likely.
The measures apply to all federal grants, not just those listed above. For instance, ARPA funding expires next year and will affect many county employees.
The county averages about $70 million in liabilities every month related to payment of grant invoices (for which the Federal government later reimburses the county). The $100 million limit in Motion 1 reflects an amount that the county cannot afford if the Feds withhold payment.
For the time being, everyone is proceeding as though the funding appropriated by Congress will come through.
Most of those I interviewed for this article believe the President does not have the authority to override laws passed by Congress with executive orders. However, Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) budget cuts could have the impact of hamstringing other departments, such as HUD.
For instance, I talked to two government officials on the condition of anonymity who discussed rumors of staffing cuts greater than 80% at HUD. That could affect reimbursement for tens of billion of dollars in CDBG funds nationwide, because the Department might not have the personnel to process reimbursements.
That could affect most of the disaster-relief and flood-mitigation applications above. But more on that at a future date when and if the rumors become real.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/28/25
2740 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/HCFCD-Mit-e1740797936379.png?fit=1100%2C718&ssl=17181100adminadmin2025-02-28 21:09:202025-02-28 22:45:13GLO Releases Status of Disaster-Relief, Flood-Mitigation Applications
2/25/25 – Today, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) began picking up remaining Hurricane Beryl Debris from Bens Branch in Kingwood. The cleanup effort began on Tree Lane across from Bear Branch Elementary. More than 600 children in grades K-5 attend school there.
The delayed cleanup effort illustrates the need for community leaders and Flood Control to work more closely together and document cleanup efforts, especially after disasters.
The Fog of Disaster
Beryl left a mess all across the Houston area. The massive cleanup effort involved HCFCD, the City of Houston, FEMA, private contractors, CenterPoint and more working months with little sleep. Responsibilities were inevitably bound to get mixed up on occasion and this was one of them.
HCFCD denies the piles of Beryl debris from Bens Branch were theirs, despite the protestations of local leaders who monitored cleanup efforts.
But Eric Heppen, Harris County Precinct 3’s Director of Engineering, said, “We’re past that now. We’re just going to pick up the piles.” Thank you, Commissioner Ramsey. And thank you, HCFCD.
I’m sure that will be a relief to parents who worried about the temptation the piles represented to young boys eager to test their climbing skills. One of the piles crews worked on today easily exceeded six feet in height.
Chris Bloch, a Bear Branch Trail Association (BBTA) board member, led the fight to get HCFCD to clean up piles at ten locations strung out along the forested portion of Bens Branch, which runs through the center of Kingwood.
Thirteen residents who lived near the stream died as a result of flooding during Hurricane Harvey. Ever since then, residents and the BBTA board have been hyper-vigilant about anything that could back water up in the stream. So, it is good to get this behind us.
Remainder of Piles Should Be Gone by Friday
Jessica Lazo, a HCFCD spokesperson for Precinct 3, said that HCFCD crews should remove the remainder of the debris by this Friday, 2/28/25.
The City removed two piles along Cedar Knolls last week. HCFCD will remove the rest.
First load of two piles near Bens Branch (seen in the background at top of frame) along Tree Lane.The right equipment makes it look so easy...…but its not.Note vines and smaller branches mixed with sections of tree trunks.
The photo above shows HCFCD working on the second load of Beryl debris from Bens Branch. After the first, the crew had to drive to the other side of the county to drop off the debris for recycling. According to an employee I interviewed onsite during the operation, few places at this time can handle mixed loads like this. By mixed, he meant large-diameter tree trunks and smaller branches.
So this could be a lengthy process. I’ll let you know when they complete the job.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/25/25
2737 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250225-DJI_20250225122804_0007_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-02-25 16:13:052025-02-25 16:46:43HCFCD Picking Up Last of Beryl Debris from Bens Branch
1/29/25 – $863 million in HUD funds sit in limbo tonight. Just last Friday, Harris County Flood Control (HCFCD) finally presented its long-awaited list of flood-mitigation and disaster-relief projects to Commissioners Court. They totaled that amount.
But by Monday, a series of presidential executive orders targeting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs put the future of those projects in jeopardy.
Thousands of homes flooded in Kingwood during Harvey, but after 7.5 years, HCFCD has not constructed one flood mitigation project in the community.
Everyone Scrambles to Understand OMB Memo and Its Impact
On Monday, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced that it paused funding for trillions of dollars in grants. Reportedly, the pause affected many HUD programs.
The OMB memo said that Federal agencies “must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance.”
On Tuesday, the New York Times reported, “The Trump administration’s order … prompted confusion across state capitols and local government offices, leaving them at a loss on how to even calculate its impact.”
Then late Tuesday afternoon, a federal judge temporarily blocked part of the Trump administration’s grant freeze.
After the flurry of concerns raised Tuesday, dozens of media outlets reported around noon today (Wednesday) that OMB had rescinded the pause order.
Rescission of the Rescission
But less than two hours later, The Hill quoted White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as saying, “This is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze. It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo. … The President’s executive orders on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented.”
Before the rescission of the rescission, I talked to official sources at the local, state and federal levels.
A Flood Control District spokesperson thinks that the $863 million is not in jeopardy. She said that everyone is moving forward as though the money were still committed.
The Texas General Land Office (GLO) also feels the chances of the money being pulled back are slim. GLO hopes that any changes made in Washington would improve efficiency in the grant process.
While we sort this out, we should remember that the $863 million in HUD funds come with some very tight deadlines. Not one of the three sources above knew yet whether those deadlines would be extended because of a pause in funding federal grant applications. So uncertainty reigns.
I watched Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis rant about how “Kingwood was getting all the damn money.” Yet Kingwood has received only $230 in capital improvement construction funds while the Brays Bayou Watershed where Mr. Ellis lives has received $206,576,424 between Harvey and the end of 2024 … all in the name of equity. That’s almost a million times more.
But denying aid to predominantly white neighborhoods may have backfired on Mr. Ellis. Only 50% of the HUD money had to benefit LMI residents. But like others who benefitted from DEI initiatives across the country, Ellis kept pushing for more.
He insisted on 70% while excluding projects in predominantly white and middle class areas. And that has fueled resentment among people who received virtually nothing for their taxes.
Of course, Ellis alone didn’t generate a backlash that catapulted Trump into the White House. He had plenty of help nationwide from others pushing the DEI envelope as he did.
And now Trump is delivering on campaign promises – terminating people, policies and programs relating to DEI.
Fairness for All Needed, Not Winner-Take-All Mentality
Perhaps had politicians like Ellis treated everyone fairly and not pushed their advantage so egregiously, we wouldn’t be in this mess. We need a “fairness for all” mentality that replaces the “winner take all” mentality currently pervading our politics.
Long before Abraham Lincoln said in 1858 that “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” Jesus used the phrase. He said in the Gospel of Matthew 12:25, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.”
Surely, there’s a way to divvy up the HUD money that benefits all the residents of Harris County. Withholding it all simply penalizes everyone.
In the meantime, we potentially have $863 million in limbo doing no one any good.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/29/2025
2710 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/20170830-IMG_9552-e1738208930459.jpg?fit=1100%2C825&ssl=18251100adminadmin2025-01-29 23:25:142025-01-30 09:40:37HUD’s $863 Million in Limbo Tonight
1/25/25 – Yesterday, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) released two lists ofprojects proposed for $863 million in funding.
The lists correspond to Community Development Block Grants for Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) and Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) programs from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). The Texas General Land Office (GLO) administers the funds at the state level.
Per HUD rules, at least 50% of the funding for all projects taken together must benefit Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) citizens. However, HCFCD is working towards a goal of 70% mandated by Harris County Commissioners Court.
Differences Between DR and MIT Funds
Of the total $863 million awarded, $322 million will go to Disaster Recovery programs and $541 million will go to Mitigation programs.
CDBG-DR dollars fund areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey. CDBG-DR projects must be completed by May 31, 2026.
CDBG-MIT dollars fund projects that mitigate future disasters and flooding. They must finish by March 31, 2028.
You can review one-page summaries of each recommended project on these pages:
HCFCD’s release of the lists yesterday opened public comment, which closes at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, February 24, 2025.
Email comments to CDBG@hcfcd.hctx.net or mail them to Harris County Flood Control District, ATTN: CDBG Communications, 9900 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77092.
Only One Project in Lake Houston Area
HCFCD has proposed one project in the Lake Houston Area out of all this money: Taylor Gully Channel Improvements/Woodridge Village Stormwater Detention Basin. HCFCD estimates the project at $33 million. It will serve a population that’s 26% LMI.
The project overview says, “This project will improve the stormwater conveyance in Taylor Gully and increase the volume of detained stormwater with the construction of the Woodridge stormwater detention basin. The stormwater detention basin will be constructed on undeveloped land the Flood Control District owns and adjacent to three existing stormwater detention basins. This part of the project will be completed before the channel conveyance improvements on Taylor Gully start.”
Taylor Gully starts in MoCo on the Woodridge Village Property and runs through the northern part of Kingwood to the East Fork. Hundreds of families flooded twice in 2019 in this area after Perry Homes clearcut the Woodridge Property.
Shortly after purchasing the Woodridge property in 2021, HCFCD got a head start on the detention basin portion of the project when it entered an excavation and removal contract with Sprint Sand and Clay. But the contract ended and work stopped when HCFCD decided to apply for the HUD grant. Under HUD rules, work cannot continue while a grant application is being evaluated. That left a gaping, disconnected hole in the ground.
Start of Woodridge Village stormwater detention basin as of October 25, 2024. When complete, it will extend to small grove of trees near top of frameand the diagonal channel that bisects the property. See map above.
Other Mitigation Projects
See the other Projects in the screen captures below.
Notice that the Kingwood Diversion Ditch did not make either list. HCFCD’s Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis named it one of the two most important projects in the Kingwood Area, which suffered the worst flood in the county during Harvey.
Regardless, I look forward to seeing the Woodridge detention basin resume construction.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/25/25
2706 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20241025-DJI_20241025151123_0019_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-01-25 16:49:262025-08-30 16:46:16HCFCD Recommends Projects for $863 Million in HUD Funding
1/11/25 – On July 15, 2020, Neel-Schaffer Engineering delivered the Kingwood Area Drainage Study to sponsors Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), City of Houston and Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10.
HCFCD held a community meeting to discuss the results. The District delivered a 24-page high-level summary to the community at the time. However, I have now obtained the full two-volume, 620-page report and posted it on the Reports Page of ReduceFlooding.com under the Harris County Flood Control District Tab.
There were so many graphics in Volume 1, that I had to split it up into three parts to avoid the 32-meg file-size limitation of my web server. Warning: all parts comprise more than 50 megs.
But those maps contain a wealth of detail not available in the high level summary. For instance, they show floodplains down to the individual house level, the level of service for different stream segments, and which structures would flood in different mitigation scenarios and rainfall intensities.
The report focused on areas where structures would flood in less than a 100-year rainfall.
Full Reports of Follow-Up Studies Still Not Available
I posted about the high-level findings back in 2020. To refresh your memory, the report studied a large number of drainage features in Kingwood and concluded that mitigation of the Taylor Gully and the Kingwood Diversion Ditch were the two most important.
HCFCD recommended that the two projects: G103-38-00 (Kingwood Diversion Ditch) and G103-80-03.1B (Taylor Gully) move to the next phase: engineering design. Additionally, HCFCD recommended the Taylor Gully project be reanalyzed to determine how the use of Woodridge Village for detention could modify the recommended plan.
However, HCFCD has not released the full report on either. The District says it intends to present the full report on the Diversion Ditch to Commissioners Court on February 6th and may release it after that.
In the meantime, the maps in the Kingwood Area Drainage Study may be the best guide to flood risk in the area for realtors and those considering buying a home.
MAAPnext and FEMA still haven’t released the preliminary results of a massive floodplain update they have been working on since Harvey.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/11/25
2692 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KW-Area-Drainage-Sudy-Map-Kingwood-Center.jpg?fit=1100%2C594&ssl=15941100adminadmin2025-01-11 19:16:032025-01-11 19:27:17Full Kingwood Area Drainage Study Now Available Online
1/10/25 – Sometimes it seems transparency issues with Harris County government just never cease. For instance…
You go to the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) website to look for “active construction projects” in your area. But the “Active Construction Projects” page is not working. And it hasn’t worked for months.
You wanted to know what HCFCD had done for you before voting on a 63% tax increase they requested. But the latest document posted in the download section of their website is from 2020 – more than four years ago.
Screen capture from HCFCD.org on 1/10/25 at 6:30PM showed last update to Document section was in 2020.
You lead a flood coalition representing hundreds of thousands of people and seeking to participate in public online meetings about flood control. You repeatedly ask for notice of the meetings, but get none.
You file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request for a preliminary engineering report that HCFCD wants public comments on. But they refuse to give it to you and protest the request to the State Attorney General.
All of these scenarios are real. And current.
The Deeper You Dig, the More You Suspect
What are they trying to hide? Do they really want public input? Are they trying to cover up embarrassing incompetence? Government waste? Is this a case of bureaucratic laziness? Or do they just not want to deal with a public that might dare to disagree.
Two things are certain. The harder you push, the more they talk about how transparent they are. And the penchant for secrecy undermines trust in Harris County Government.
Let’s dissect just one of the examples above – the FOIA request.
Details on Kingwood Diversion Ditch FOIA Request
After Hurricane Harvey, Harris County Flood Control District commissioned a Kingwood Area Drainage Study. Commissioners approved it on August 13, 2019.
HCFCD held a Community Engagement Meeting to discuss the study on October 20, 2020. It found 85% of the storm water runoff from Montgomery County went into the natural channel of Bens Branch rather than being diverted into the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.
The Drainage Study also found the Bens Branch drainage channel has less than a 2-year level of service. This translates to a greater than 50% chance of structural flooding in any given year.
Looking E at where Kingwood Diversion Ditch (horizontal) splits off from Bens Branch (vertical) just north of Northpark Drive (out of frame to right).
The Drainage Study recommended increasing the conveyance capacity of the Diversion Ditch and completely blocking flow from Montgomery County into the natural channel of Bens Branch through Kingwood. The Study listed improvement of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and Taylor Gully as the two top priorities to avoid future flooding in Kingwood.
Excessive flow entering the natural channel of Bens Branch is the root cause of the erosion of the Bens Branch channel. The Diversion Ditch is supposed to siphon water out of Bens Branch, but it’s obviously not working as planned,
After release of the Kingwood Drainage Study, Harris County Commissioners authorized a preliminary engineering study for improvement of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch. Neel-Schaffer, Inc. received the contract on June 29, 2021. The value was $437,685 and specifications called for the report to be issued in 300 days.
Excessive Delays
However, HCFCD held a Virtual Community Engagement Meeting on March 7th, 2024, to discuss the results of this study. This was 982 days after the contract – more than three times the duration specified.
The stated purpose of the meeting was to obtain questions and solicit public comment.
To formulate reasonable questions and comments, Chris Bloch, a retired Kingwood engineer and flood fighter, filed a FOIA request on March 6th to obtain the full report. But HCFCD denied his request.
HCFCD said the report was still in draft form and had the County Attorney send a letter to The Texas Attorney General objecting to disclosure of some of the information included in the Preliminary Engineering Report.
The Attorney General allowed HCFCD to keep the draft secret. But public comments on the secret report were due on March 20, 2024, two weeks after the meeting that presented only high-level findings.
Bloch’s beef? “As an engineer familiar with Kingwood drainage conditions, it is impossible to make reasonable questions or comments on a Study which cannot be seen.” He concluded, “It is clear, the priority of improving Kingwood Drainage does not seem to have any urgency.”
Block wrote me on December 14, 2024 about his ordeal. That was:
283 days after the close of public comments
1,264 days after the contract for the Preliminary Engineering Report was authorized
1,516 days after the Kingwood Drainage Study Community Engagement Meeting.
Block says he requested a meeting with Flood Control personnel responsible for the report, but they did not respond. He still hasn’t received the report.
Ray of Light
There is a ray of light, however. 1318 days after the study was commissioned, HCFCD says they have plans to finally review it with Harris County Commissioners Court on February 6, 2025. HCFCD indicates they may give the report to Bloch after that … if commissioners approve it.
Do you have a similar story about government transparency? Please send it to me using the contact form of this website.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/10/25 using information from Chris Bloch
2691 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20220322-DJI_0041.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2025-01-10 20:40:542025-01-11 11:55:23Transparency Issues Undermining Trust in Harris County Government
1/5/2025 – At a Community Resilience Flood Task Force Meeting in December last year, the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) announced that it would be kicking off a new feasibility study in Q1 2025 designed to make half of Harris County SAFER from flooding.
SAFER stands for Solutions for Advancing Flood Mitigation, Equity, and Resilience. The study area includes 11 of Harris County’s 23 watersheds.
HCFCD issued this statement about the study.
Overview of Study from HCFCD
The SAFER Study has the potential to address one of the most impactful threats to the Houston/Harris County region: severe storm events that cause catastrophic flooding.
This study will look broadly across the county and consider not only the effectiveness of large-scale flood mitigation projects within strategic locations, but also how they will function collectively as a system to provide flood mitigation, and the associated benefits, across broad regions of the county.
With the SAFER Study, the Flood Control District will be seeking to:
Identify substantial, wide-ranging flood mitigation across the region rather than depending solely on smaller, incremental projects that address the needs slowly.
Conduct the study in a way that allows the Flood Control District to identify flood risk reduction projects that could be cost-shared with the Federal government and constructed in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
Identify project recommendations based on comprehensive benefits, which include social effects and environmental quality, as well as regional and national economic impacts.
Identify opportunities to integrate nature-based solutions.
The study area spans across eleven (11) watersheds within Harris County, including:
Brays Bayou
Buffalo Bayou
Clear Creek
Cypress Creek
Greens Bayou
Halls Bayou
Hunting Bayou
Little Cypress Creek
Sims Bayou
White Oak Bayou
Vince Bayou
The goals of this study effort are to reduce flood risks and strengthen resiliency within Harris County, to be grounded in the principles of equity, to pursue larger transformational solutions with broad benefits, and to better prepare the region to withstand both the flood risks of today and those of the foreseeable future.
The SAFER Study will evaluate traditional flood mitigation measures, such as increasing channel capacity and construction of new stormwater detention basins, as well as new options including large-scale stormwater tunnels, and non-structural measures.
The study will consider social, economic, and environmental benefits and impacts while evaluating flood mitigation effectiveness.
While the Flood Control District will be leading the study, we will be following federal laws, regulations, and guidance applicable for feasibility studies of water resources development projects, such as the SAFER Study.
We will be working with USACE for input throughout the study process to ensure recommendations are developed that follow USACE policy and guidelines.
We anticipate initiating the SAFER Study during the first quarter of 2025.
Saving the Worst Flooding for Last
Twelve watersheds are not included in the study. Among them are two that had the worst flooding in the county during Hurricane Harvey: the San Jacinto and Spring Creek Watersheds.
Chart showing feet above flood stage of 33 gages of misc. bayous in Harris County during Harvey.
So much for the oft repeated promise to fix the worst flooding first. HCFCD did not explain why it is including only half the watersheds.
From Hurricane Harvey through Q3 2024, HCFCD spent $1,444,838,886 on mitigation and maintenance in all of the county’s 23 watersheds, excluding county-wide projects.
Of that total, the 11 watersheds included in the SAFER study have received $1,132,471,139. That’s 78% of the total.
The 12 watersheds excluded from the SAFER study have received only 22% of all HCFCD spending.
Data supplied to ReduceFlooding.com in response to a FOIA request.
Here’s how the forgotten majority looks in a pie chart.
More than half of the watersheds have received less than a quarter of all HCFCD spending since Harvey.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/5/25
2686 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SAFER-spending-e1736129367744.png?fit=1100%2C650&ssl=16501100adminadmin2025-01-05 20:08:452025-01-05 20:38:37HCFCD Kicking Off Study to Make Half of Harris County SAFER
