Tag Archive for: KSA

Planning a Better, Faster Recovery from the Next Storm

8/3/24 – Yesterday was a start. Kingwood residents and political leaders met in several areas hard hit by Hurricane Beryl to discuss ways to improve recovery efforts. The idea: to start a dialog about steps that Houston Public Works, CenterPoint, community leaders, and residents can take together to reduce disruptions from future flooding and power outages.

Connectedness of Issues and Domino Effects

The recovery discussions took place on streets still clogged with debris that were near power line corridors, greenbelt trails, a school and two sewage “lift stations.”

Centerpoint representative addresses group including Houston City Council Members Fred Flickinger (center) and Twila Carter (right); State Rep. Charles Cunningham (upper right); and Dee Price, KSA President (striped shirt).

Lift stations pump sewage uphill to treatment plants. When treatment plants are downhill, gravity does the work – a much more reliable solution. Without power, or when flooded, sewage from the lift stations can back up into people’s homes and overflow.

The City of Houston has hundreds of such lift stations. And during Beryl, Houston Public works shuttled backup generators back and forth between them. They tried to buy enough time to keep the lift stations from backing up and overflowing.

Unfortunately, the shuttling didn’t work in parts of Woodstream Village. There, residents talked about backed up sewage flowing from homes into streets and then Lake Houston.

Chris Kalman, Woodstream resident, talked about how problems are becoming progressively worse. “Centerpoint was awfully quiet when asked about repeated power outages in this area going on 18-plus years now. No real answer.”

The solution, according to a Public Works spokesperson Greg Eyerly, is to buy more generators. But that could take years in a city struggling with other urgent budget issues. And recovery can’t wait.

Cambio (left), State Rep. Cunningham (center) and Eyerly (right) discussing lift stations in Woodstream.

Preventing/Reducing Outages

Related recovery discussions about preventing or reducing power outages took place throughout the morning. According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s final 2004 report on Utility Vegetation Management, “tree touches” are generally cited as the single largest cause of electric power outages. They occur when trees, or portions of trees, grow or fall into overhead power lines.

In Kingwood, trees have grown up under or around power lines in many places. In fact, many residents have commented that if not for recent Beryl-related trimming, they would’t even have known power lines were there.

Trees touching power lines near Deerwood Elementary where group first gathered yesterday. Power to nearby residents was out for 9.5 days after Beryl.

Unfortunately, from a recovery/electric reliability point of view, Kingwood is in a region that experiences frequent high winds and heavy rainfall. The heavy rainfall supports fast growth of tall trees. And frequent high winds push those trees into power lines.

So another major focus of recovery discussions included:

  • CenterPoint vegetation management practices, especially maintenance intervals (which they avoided disclosing)
  • Trees that fall from trail association property onto CenterPoint power lines
  • Removal of debris that can clog storm sewers
  • Who is responsible for what
  • How one group’s performance or lack thereof can affect electric reliability and related issues for others.

Need for a New Approach Involving Trail and Community Associations

At-Large City Council Member Twila Carter said, “CenterPoint must have a collective conversation, resulting in a plan with KSA, the HOAs and Trail Associations to address maintenance. The thoughts of “In the past, that’s the way we’ve always done it,” or “the way it’s always been” no longer work for this community. We need to address the community as it is today, not how it was planned 50 years ago.”

District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger said, “A meeting between the trail associations and CenterPoint will make a significant difference. It was the best thing to come out of today.”

Flickinger was referring to a discussion with Dee Price, KSA President. Price agreed to set up a meeting with Kingwood trail associations, community associations, CenterPoint and the council members.

Flickinger continued, “There has to be significantly more aggressive vegetation management in the future.”

Kaaren Cambio, Dan Crenshaw’s assistant, explained how the homeowner and trail associations around Lake Conroe regularly inspect resident properties for trees and branches that threaten power lines. She said they send letters to residents requiring them to take down such trees or trim them back.

CenterPoint can trim back limbs and trees that encroach on their easements. But CenterPoint cannot take down trees on private property. That includes trail association property. So recovery needs to be a cooperative effort.

Chris Bloch, a long-time Bear Branch Trail Association (BBTA) Board Member, was not at the meeting, but observed, “The number of trees and limbs that fell during Beryl was easily 2X+ what we had during Ike. I attribute this to two summers of drought which stressed the trees and then an exceptionally wet spring.”

Costs of Burying Power Lines Not Clear

Flickinger also said, “I’m pushing for more underground electrical lines. I want to see the analysis of the costs. I know it’s expensive, but I believe we are paying for it incrementally every time there is a storm.” Flickinger cited lost wages, the cost of backup generators, debris cleanup, and more.

CenterPoint responded that the costs of burying wires are location specific and the costs of repairing underground cables, when cut, are much higher. However, CenterPoint offered no specifics about the cost of burying power lines in Kingwood.

Impacts on the Elderly and Ill

Cambio also talked extensively about the impact of power outages on hospitals plus nursing and retirement homes.

Many operate in multi-story buildings. Elderly in wheel chairs rely on elevators. But without power, they are trapped. They can’t get up or down stairs to get to doctors. Nor do they have power for dialysis, breathing machines, etc.

Kingwood Hospital had a backup generator. But, reportedly, it was insufficient to power the entire facility.

Cambio recommended changes to state law, requiring hospitals, nursing homes and retirement homes to have sufficient backup-generator power to operate elevators and air conditioning.

The only problem: According to Chris Coulter of Texas Power Agents, such backup generators require regular maintenance. They also require oil and fuel, such as gasoline, which may be hard to find during widespread power outages. After Beryl, the lines I found at functioning gasoline stations stretched for more than a half mile.

Voluntary Best Management Practices May Not Be Enough

I asked Coulter, who was not at yesterday’s roving recovery meeting, for recommendations about how to improve electric reliability.

He immediately focused on vegetation management and tied the growth of vegetation over time with the increasing frequency of power outages.

The FERC report cited above says that utility vegetation management programs represent one of the largest recurring maintenance expenses for electric utility companies in North America.

Coulter jokingly characterized companies like CenterPoint as “tree trimming companies that happen to distribute power.”

“The odds are that every single electric customer in the US and Canada has, at one time or another, experienced a sustained electric outage as a direct result of a tree and power line conflict.”

FERC Report on Utility Vegetation Management, Page 6.

FERC and NERC Guidlines

This FERC report is well written and easy to understand. It makes dozens of common-sense recommendations to improve electric reliability. I recommend it.

Coulter also referred me to NERC, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. NERC describes itself as “… an international regulatory authority whose mission is to assure the effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the grid.”

Coulter said that NERC rules recognize different sizes of lines in regard to vegetation management requirements. Heavy fines apply if vegetation is ignored around lines that carry more than 100 kV.

However, lines that carry less power often get neglected – something that hampers recovery.

Coulter said that many of his Kingwood customers told him about seeing several such lines for the first time after Beryl. They didn’t even know the lines were there because they were so badly overgrown!

Said Coulter, “The NERC rules are very specific about frequency and minimum vegetation clearance distances for larger transmission (above 100 kV). Fines are steep so the utilities pay close attention and abide by the rules. However, Kingwood has a large spiderweb of distribution lines that are below that bright-line designation.”

Perhaps the fines need to apply to smaller power lines.

Next Step: Broaden the Discussion

Dee Price is reaching out to trail and community associations to set up a meeting about vegetation management. It will also involve our elected representatives, CenterPoint and Houston Public Works.

At a minimum, I came away from yesterday’s discussions with a feeling that we need to:

  • Raise awareness of vegetation management issues within the community
  • Handle those on private property that could affect electric lines by ourselves
  • Report problems on or near CenterPoint easements that they may not be aware of.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/3/24

2531 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 26 since Beryl

May Floods Destroyed Popular Trail in East End Park

May floods destroyed the popular “Overlook” hiking trail with spectacular river views in Kingwood’s East End Park.

The northern perimeter of East End Park is on the cutbank side of the San Jacinto East Fork where it joins Caney and Peach Creeks.

According to the National Park Service, “As water flows around these curves, the outer edge of water is moving faster than the inner. This creates an erosional surface on the outer edge (a cut bank) and a depostional surface on the inner edge (a point bar).”

You can see these forces at work in East End Park. For students interested in earth sciences, a simple stroll in the park can turn into a memorable learning exercise.

Looking N from over East End Park. Note how river makes a 90 degree turn. River flows toward right.

Note how a giant sand bar has built up on far side of river, inside the curve in the photo above.

However, it’s a different story when you get out over the water and look back at the south shore of the river bordering the park. No expansive, white-sand beaches beckoning boaters, picnickers and sunbathers on the East End Park side!

Tangled roots, downed trees, washed-out trail, destroyed bench (lower right) on East End Park’s Overlook Trail

Note that tree with a clearing behind it in the middle of the photo above and compare the photo below.

The washed-out trail suffered considerable erosion during Hurricane Harvey. At that time, an alternate trail was built farther back from the river. Now it, too, looks like it will require replacement.

“I Know There Used to Be a Trail Here Somewhere!”

Here’s how the same scene looked from the ground. Note the same tree in the middle of the photo below.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Charles Campbell

Poor pooch. How confusing! All the familiar smells and sights are gone.

The bench has a lot of leg room now and an unobstructed beach view. But don’t use it as a water slide. At least one teen died trying to swim to the beach on the opposite shore. Photo courtesy of Dr. Charles Campbell

Before the Storm

The Kingwood Service Association will have to spend money making this area safe and usable again. Before the storm, it was one of the prettiest parts of East End Park.

east end park poster
Two of the photos in this poster were taken from the washed out trail: Blue Water (middle left) and pelicans (bottom center).

Mother Nature Can Be Difficult At Times

Unfortunately, East End Park repairs will pile on top of repairs to River Grove Park. The mouth of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch has silted in at River Grove, severely limiting the use of the boat launch there. The water is up about a foot since I took pictures of the new sand bar there a couple weeks ago.

However, a few small boats have churned a narrow channel through the sand with their props. I talked to the owner of a john boat this morning. The shallow draft of his boat meant that he could get through/over the sand bar, whereas larger ski boats could not.

Note sand churned up by the prop of the john boat at River Grove boat launch. That indicates how shallow the water is.

He virtually had the river to himself. And liked it that way. But the river won’t stay that way for long.

Either the boat launch area will be dredged. Or the mouth of the diversion ditch will be cut off by another sand wall the way it was in 2017.

Remember to register your opinion about what to do with the River Grove boat launch with your Homeowner Association board before the HOA’s vote on options later this summer or fall.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/11/24

2478 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.

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Future of River Grove Boat Launch Discussed at KSA Meeting

6/7/24 – Last night, the Kingwood Service Association (KSA) Parks Committee discussed the future of its River Grove boat launch. As reported previously on ReduceFlooding.com, the boat launch has become seriously blocked by sand and other sediment coming downriver during the May floods, primarily from the West Fork San Jacinto.

After floods in January, boaters complained of difficulty navigating through the sediment to the river. So KSA commissioned a sonar study. It showed that approximately 11,500 cubic yards of sediment needed to be dredged to open the channel. The cost approached $800,000…without any contingency funds built in.

KSA’s board authorized the Parks Committee to spend the money at its April Board Meeting. However, board members also requested the Parks Committee to explore ways to lower the cost first.

During that exploration, May floods deposited even more sand. To avoid surprise overages, a dredging subcommittee asked the low bidder to do another sonar survey. The new survey indicated that the amount of sand needing removal increased about 50 percent.

Budget-Busting Costs

The cost – without any contingency funds for overages – represents 49% of KSA’s current Capital Assets Reserve Fund balance. And that prompted many tough questions from the Parks Committee. Especially since boat dock usage represents only a small part of KSA’s responsibilities. And because a relatively small percentage of Kingwood residents use the boat docks.

Through June 5, KSA has issued 837 boat trailer stickers. Compare that to 23,842 regular vehicle stickers. Only 3.5% of the vehicles using Kingwood parks use the boat launch.

Meanwhile East End Park needs extensive trail restoration after the last storm. And KSA is about to renovate the entry at Kingwood Drive and US59.

Note, however, that the mouth of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch (at the boat docks) also plays a role in flooding. The ditch drains the western third of Kingwood. And when it became blocked during Harvey, hundreds of homes behind the blockage flooded.

Options KSA Considered

Here is a slight revision of the River Grove boat launch presentation that the KSA Parks Committee reviewed last night. The revisions reflect changes discussed in the meeting.

To make it easier to understand, I’ve also shown the individual pages below with some background information.

The title slide shows sediment buildup at the mouth of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch in River Grove. Not only does it affect boating, if sediment continues to build, it could eventually back water up into homes as it did during Harvey.

River Grove Boat Launch
Image taken after May floods when lake was down slightly for gate repairs at dam.

The next section of the presentation covered developments since the last Parks Committee meeting.

River Grove Boat Launch

After the first sonar survey of the River Grove Boat Launch in February, the Dredging Subcommittee authorized a second survey to quantify the amount of additional sediment deposited by May storms and the cost impact…even as it looked for ways to reduce costs.

KSA Boat Launch
The cost of the second survey was necessary to be considered for FEMA debris removal/flood mitigation funds. You must prove that the money requested came from the storm covered by a disaster declaration. This became a huge issue with the Mouth Bar after Harvey.

The amount of sediment requiring removal increased 50% during May. The low bidder proposed hydraulic as opposed to mechanical dredging which is much faster. And the sediment would go to a property owner on the south shore of the river, instead of being trucked away.

KSA Boat Launch
By paying the landowner directly, KSA avoids markup on disposal costs.

The slide below shows an estimate of the revised costs and the current balance in KSA’s capital assets reserve fund. The River Grove Boat Launch dredging would consume 49% of KSA’s fund balance. Even though more sand is being dredged, the ability to pump the sand across the river helped to keep direct dredging costs close to the first estimate.

River Grove Boat Launch

What to Do? Options Considered

With all that as background, the next slides present additional dimensions of the problem. The photo below shows the confluence of Spring Creek (left) and the West Fork (right) at US59. Sediment is now coming downriver from the West Fork after flowing through a mile-long sand pit.

River Grove Boat Launch

The photo above helps explain the sediment build up at the River Grove Boat Launch: 5+ feet in places at the mouth of the Diversion Ditch and an average of 1.5 feet across the entire dredging area.

The dredging-company representative said he’d never seen anything like it in that short of a period.

And a retired Army Corps representative who helped lead the Emergency West Fork Dredging Project after Harvey said, “After we completed our survey of the area, we predicted sedimentation will be a perpetual problem at this location.”

Hydrologists call the photo below a “difference map. The colors represent the difference between the first and second surveys. It shows the build up between mid-February and mid-May outside the River Grove Boat Launch. The red, orange and yellow areas show the greatest build up. Blue and green show the lesser areas.

Note the options listed on the left. They set up a discussion of the pros and cons for each alternative.

River Grove Boat Launch

Pros and Cons of Options

For the sake of brevity, I’ll let you read the pros and cons from the visuals in the following slides. They are fairly self explanatory.

In the first option, KSA would seek help with dredging costs. This became a possibility when the Governor and President issued disaster declarations for this area last month. Suddenly, federal money became available for debris removal and flood mitigation. The sand deposits might qualify under either.

Council Members Fred Flickinger and Twila Carter have already reviewed the pre/post surveys and forwarded them to the City’s Chief Resilience Officer, Stephen Costello, for help with developing an application.

River Grove Boat Launch

However, the outcome won’t be known for a while. So, if that option fails, KSA could make the decision to dredge one more time using its own money. But if a hurricane should come along and fill the sand back in, then KSA would wipe out its capital asset reserves fund. Hence the emphasis on “ONE” below.

River Grove Boat Launch

Another option the Parks Committee agreed to explore was asking the City to dredge. The City is strapped for cash right now, but if the City could get funds from FEMA to cover the removal, it might be possible. That’s because the City already has a dredge in the river for a separate project between Kings Point and FM1960.

If FEMA covered the sand deposited after the first survey, perhaps a cost-sharing arrangement could be worked out with the City for the rest.

After all, the City owns the lake and the lake is developing a sediment problem. The City also has responsibility for maintaining the outfalls of the ditches around the lake.

River Grove Boat Launch

While discussing ways to reduce dredging costs, KSA’s low bidder suggested long-term ways to make periodic dredging more affordable and sustainable.

This is not an immediate answer to the problem, but could be considered as a follow-on option if one of the others becomes possible.

Example: the dredging company suggested building a jetty to deflect floodwaters out into the river instead of letting them curl into the gap between the islands.

They also suggested building low underwater rock walls that could catch sand scooting along the riverbed. This could trap sediment behind the walls. And that could help minimize the area needing dredging in the future. Hopefully, that could also make dredging more affordable and sustainable in the future.

However, the permitting and construction costs for those measures would be in addition to any dredging done now.

River Grove Boat Launch

Some people on the parks committee felt the jetty might work in small floods, but not in larger ones like we just had.

KSA also considered an option to just close the boat dock. However, after discussion, a compromise became clear: just limit its use.

This would let families with smaller watercraft, such as canoes, kayaks and paddle boards, continue to use the facilities if they could portage over the developing sand bar. Large boats would have to seek other places to launch.

River Grove Boat Launch

Next Steps and Timetable for Decision

The Parks Committee agreed that the options needed to be shared with HOAs and residents. Hopefully, after debate, public comment, and more exploration of the options, consensus may develop around one of the options. The community can then make a decision in the fall when people return from summer vacations about both short- and long-range plans for the River Grove boat launch.

River Grove Boat Launch

Make Your Feelings Known

If you live in Kingwood, please share this post with friends and neighbors. And make sure you register your opinion with your homeowner association officers.

Even though most residents don’t use the boat launch, many people might like to have the option. And that option could affect home values. For instance, imagine if a potential buyer for your home someday owned a boat.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/7/2024

2474 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.

KSA Replacing River Grove Boat-Launch Pier

The Kingwood Service Association pier at the River Grove Park Boat Launch has reached the end of its service life and is being replaced.

The pier, which had grown old, sustained damage during recent floods. The planks had so much give in them, that I often wondered if they would hold me.

It’s Finally Time

After Harvey, though, KSA had so much work to do in the park – removing sand, replacing pavement, fixing fields, restoring restrooms, and dredging in front of the boardwalk – that replacement of the pier just had to wait, according to Dee Price, KSA president.

Earlier this year, KSA had a professional engineer draw up specs and then it solicited bids. “The winning bid was affordable and the contractor is doing excellent work,” said Price.

I would second that from everything I saw today at the park. Both the wood and workmanship appear top notch. This will make an excellent addition to the park.

Pics of New Pier Under Construction

Driving new piles to extend the pier. The four poles stabilize the boat while the pile driver in the center does its work.
From this angle, you can more easily see how the pile driver slides forward and backward on rails to ensure alignment of supports.
From ground level, you can see how substantial the wood is.

Expected Completion Soon

Price says she expects the work to be done this week or next, depending on weather. The launch remains open in the meantime, but is blocked periodically for short periods by the pile driver as you see here.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/2/2021

1526 Days after Hurricane Harvey

HCFCD Completes Removal of Another 10,000 Cubic Yards From Bens Branch

Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) contractors have completed removal of virtually another 10,000 cubic yards of sediment that had accumulated in Bens Branch between Rocky Woods Drive and Kingwood Drive. While a little cleanup work and equipment removal remains, we can call this job “well done.”

Scope of Work Completed

HCFCD widened and deepened half mile stretch of the creek/ditch. Flood Control also re-sloped the banks, straightened the flow lines, replaced backslope interceptor drains, restored the original conveyance of the ditch, and replanted grass.

Tens of Millions in Nearby Damages during Harvey

During Harvey, dozens of homes flooded along both sides of this channelized stream. So did Kingwood High School and the old H-E-B shopping center north of Kingwood Drive. The shopping center is still mostly vacant because of flood damage. And the Humble ISD spent $70 million to restore Kingwood High School which flooded to the second floor.

Approximately 1000 Truckloads of Sediment Removed

Given that your average dump truck holds about 10 cubic yards, contractors removed about a 1000 truckloads of sediment during this phase of the Bens Branch project.

While the truck traffic got intense at times, contractors finished months ahead of schedule. They originally scheduled completion for early July.

Before/After Photo Essay

The first photo below was taken in January before the start of the project. I shot the rest on April 16.

Bens Branch at Rocky Woods in January 2021 before start of clean-out project.
Bens Branch at Rocky Woods after completion of project on April 16, 2021. The greenish tinge on the slopes is hydro mulch. Hydro mulch is grass seed embedded in a gelatin which can be sprayed on the slopes. Nutrients in the gelatin help ensure that grass will begin to grow in the least amount of time possible, hopefully before heavy rains can erode the slopes.
In fact, new grass shoots are already poking out of this ground. This new drain at Laurel Garden replaces one that had collapsed and become almost totally blocked. The average service life of galvanized corrugated metal pipe is up to 40 years.
New entrance to drain behind maintenance road on side of ditch.
Note the warning. Waste dumped in these drains blocks them and contributes to neighborhood flooding. Even if waste does not block the drain, it can wind up in Lake Houston or Galveston Bay.
Looking back upstream toward the new drain at Laurel Garden.
This shot dramatizes the proximity of Kingwood High School to the ditch. Looking downstream. Notice Lake Houston in the background in the upper left.
Looking upstream from Town Center
Looking downstream from the middle of the Bens Branch project toward Town Center.
Only removal of the temporary crossing and three pieces of equipment (lower left) remain. Every building in the background flooded during Harvey.

No More Bens Branch Projects Scheduled At This Time

This was the fourth and final phase of Bens Branch restoration. Previous projects addressed Bens Branch from:

HCFCD says it has no plans at this time to address the portion from the Y to the West Fork near Kings Harbor.

No one can guarantee that this work will prevent a future flood, but it will certainly make one less likely.

Thanks to the women and men of HCFCD and their contractors who kept the Bens Branch project moving through the pandemic. And to the US Department of Agriculture’s National Resources Conservation Service which provided partial funding.

Thanks also to the Bear Branch Trail Association, Kingwood Service Association and Kings Forest CA. All helped provide access to the project area across their property.

Onward to other projects such as Woodridge Village Detention, Taylor Gully restoration, and Diversion Ditch expansion. More on those in future posts.

Posted by Bob Rehak on April 17, 2021

1328 Days since Hurricane Harvey

East End Park from the Air: A Wetlands Success Story

One of the most beautiful parts of Kingwood also helps protect the area from flooding: East End Park. If you’ve never seen it, you should. The park comprises 158 acres and contains about five miles of nature trails. With the help of boardwalks, the trails wind through wetlands that form the perimeter of the park.

Those wetlands help slow runoff during storms. And the park itself puts distance and elevation between the East Fork of the San Jacinto and the nearest homes.

Park Almost Became Another Subdivision During 1980s

The park was not always destined to become a park. Originally Friendswood Development wanted to build another subdivision where the park is now. As Friendswood cut streets in nearby Kings Point, they dumped the extra dirt in what is now the park’s giant meadow. That’s why it’s so much higher than surrounding wetlands.

These meadows comprise approximately 45 acres of tall grass, an abundant food source for migrating birds.
Looking south. The East Fork San Jacinto is on the left. Sand damage from Harvey and Imelda at Eagle Point is in the foreground. Birdhouses once 10-feet up on trees are now at ankle height.
Looking west from the north side of the park on the left. The East Fork (out of frame to the right) and Caney Creek converge at East End Park’s Eagle Point. Also to the right is the 5000-acre Lake Houston Nature Park.
Looking south again. The East Fork on the left empties into Lake Houston in background. Trails border the river within the trees.

But in 1988, the EPA issued a cease and desist order because they were jeopardizing the wetlands. Blocked from further development, Friendswood tried to turn a problem into an amenity that could add value to homebuyers. The company donated the land to the Kingwood Service Association to own and operate as a park for the benefit of all Kingwood residents.

Development as Nature Park in 2000s

Not much happened with the park for about a decade. Then KSA, with the help of volunteer groups, like the Boy Scouts, started building a small trail network, mostly on the north side of the park.

Around 2000, KSA debated the future of the remainder of the park. Should they turn it into more sports fields? Or keep it a nature park? The nature park faction won out. And for the next fifteen years, KSA slowly built new trails and improved old ones as money became available.

Birder’s Wonderland

The Lake Houston Nature Club has documented approximately 150 species of birds in the park, some threatened or endangered. In season, birders seem everywhere. Migrating birds munch on the abundant tall grass which seems to go to seed just in time for the migration.

In the park, I’ve spotted everything from painted buntings to majestic bald eagles. In fact, part of the park is named Eagle Point because of the frequent eagle sightings there.

Healing Power of Nature

Shortly after KSA put in the Eagle Point Trail, I encountered a man sitting in the same place on the river bank day after day. I asked him what his attraction was to that particular place. He said that it helped him heal. I asked if he wanted to explain that. He said he was undergoing treatment for cancer and the the beauty gave him the will to go on living. I suspect he’s not the only one who has found sustenance in nature there.

One often sees families walking with young children there. I also suspect kids learn to translate the love they feel from parents on such walks into a lifelong love of nature.

Living Lessons

Sadly both Harvey and Imelda completely inundated the park. Eagle Point became covered with 10-15 feet of sand which killed many of the trees there and filled in some of the wetlands. Regardless, the park remains a natural gem and a living lesson about the cycles of nature.

The pictures below show some of the natural beauty. To get to the park, take Kingwood Drive east until you run out of road. You can see the park entrance from the parking lot.

East End Park poster.
Sunrise over Lake Houston from Kingwood’s East End Park at Otter Point. By Dr. Charles Campbell.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/8/2020

1168 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 416 since Imelda

The Remarkable Restoration of River Grove Park After Harvey

Yesterday, Dee Price, Kingwood Service Association (KSA) President, gave a presentation about the restoration of River Grove Park after Hurricane Harvey to the Lake Houston Chamber’s BizCom meeting.

The storm deposited so much sand in this park, there were times when I doubted it could be restored. The park’s comeback is a remarkable tribute to a handful of dedicated volunteers and contractors (led by Dee Price and Bruce Casto), with big assists from the people of Kingwood, the Army Corps of Engineers and Kayden Industries.

Here are the slides and text from Price’s presentation to the BizCom meeting. The presentation also includes information about KSA, which newcomers may find helpful.

Dee Price BizCom Presentation on River Grove Park

Good Morning. I’m going to spend a few minutes talking about the recovery of Kingwood’s River Grove Park from the impact of Hurricane Harvey. But first let me give you a brief overview of the Kingwood Service Association aka KSA.

KSA is a Texas non-profit corporation that was chartered in September 1976 by the Kingwood developer. Its stated purpose is to provide for community, civic, and social welfare in the Kingwood area and to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the Kingwood area residents.

Carrying out this purpose has evolved over the years as Kingwood became part of the City of Houston.

Representing 32 community and commercial associations throughout Kingwood, KSA has continued to be a focal point in working community-wide issues that impact multiple villages in Kingwood.

KSA owns, operates, and maintains the five major parks in Kingwood. It also maintains the two major entries into Kingwood at Kingwood Drive and North Park Drive. KSA actually owns the entrance area on Kingwood Drive on which the ponds are located.

Like many areas in Kingwood, River Grove Park was heavily impacted by Hurricane Harvey. A huge amount of sand was deposited in the park. In addition, many of the park facilities suffered a significant amount of damage. The pictures on the slide above illustrate the amount of damage suffered.

It took a significant amount of effort to recover from the damage caused by the hurricane. First, we had to remove 364 truckloads of sand. We had to drill a new well, pressure wash all of the park facilities, and repair the damage to the facilities. We also had to restore the sports fields closest to the river that had been inundated by sand deposits.

The final step of dredging the portion of the river along the park’s perimeter had to be put on hold until the US Army Corps of Engineers completed their project to dredge the San Jacinto River. The Corps removed the big sand bar formed during Harvey that was blocking access to the river from River Grove Park. This was a big help to KSA and very much appreciated.

Once the Corps was finished with their dredging project, KSA was able to proceed on its project to dredge the area along its boardwalk and boat ramp. The picture shows that a large amount of sand was deposited in the area by Harvey.

Since the dredging had been put on hold for 3 years, vegetation took hold on the sand and had to be removed before the dredging itself could begin.

Once the vegetation was removed the removal of the sand could proceed. Ultimately, the project removed 10,000 cubic yards of sand, dewatered the sand on-site using a dewatering machine, and then hauled off the sand to an approved location.

The project took 3 months to complete including working during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. The boat ramp, which was closed in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey, was re-opened in April 2020 and has been heavily used since that time.

The last slide is a picture of the park after the first stage of recovery had been completed and the park was re-opened in March 2018. That concludes my discussion. Thank you very much.

The spirit and tenacity of volunteers in Kingwood are one of the things that make this such a great place to live.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/7/2020 with thanks to Dee Price, KSA, the KSA Parks Committee, Bruce Casto, Kayden Industries, the Army Corps of Engineers and people of Kingwood

1074 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Houston Planning Commission defers approval of “Orchard Seeded Ranches”

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.

Location of Property

The property is identical to the property Romerica tried to develop as The Herons of Kingwood last year. The General Plan below was downloaded from the City of Houston’s PlatTracker website.

plat of orchard seeded ranches
General Plan of Orchard Seeded Ranches in Kingwood filed on 4/20/2020. For high-resolution, printable PDF, click here.

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.

From FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer. Orchard Seeded Ranches is in middle. Virtually the entire project lies in floodway (crosshatched) or 100-year floodplain (aqua).

Wetlands Issues Also Abound

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 on Kingwood Country Club Property adjacent to Romerica's planned high rise marina.
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:

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.
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.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/30/2020

975 Days after Hurricane Harvey

River Grove Boat Launch Reopens

The River Grove Park boat launch has finally reopened. Hurricane Harvey sanded it in two and half years ago.

These were among the first boaters at River Grove after the opening. Further downstream, the river was crowded with personal watercraft.
Jet skis near Romerica property downstream from River Grove.
South of Kingwood Country Club, I spotted four more boats.

Here’s the history of the project to reopen River Grove.

Remember, River Grove is restricted to people with KSA stickers. River Grove is a private, not a public park. It’s restricted to Kingwood residents whose villages belong to KSA.

Hope you enjoy the great outdoors. The reopening of the boat launch has been a long time coming.

Just remember to be careful. There’s plenty of room for you and your boat out there on Lake Houston to practice social distancing…as you see in these photos.

Also remember that barges and dredges are still moving up and down the river. They can’t maneuver like you. So keep your distance.

Barges offloading spoils from mouth bar directly across river from River Grove Park.

Safety first, last and always.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/22/2020

967 Days after Hurricane Harvey

River Grove Dredging Completion Delayed at Least 2 Weeks

Dredging of the River Grove Park boat launch and lagoon have been set back at least two weeks. Originally, KSA estimated that the job could finish as early as the end of March. According to KSA President Dee Price, that was an estimate from the contractor, Kayden Industries, not a contract requirement.

Lower Lake Level Required Even Smaller Dredge

According to Price, Kayden ran into a problem when the City unexpectedly lowered the level of Lake Houston about two feet. “The reduction in the water level grounded the dredging barge that they were using,” said Price. “To keep moving forward, they removed the first dredge and brought in a smaller one.”

Original dredge now sidelined. Sand stockpile in parking lot is being removed by truck to a location in Humble out of the floodplain.
New dredge is even smaller than last one but can operate in shallower water.
About one third of the lagoon in front of the boardwalk remains. Note how vegetation is already regrowing on exposed sediment.
This afternoon, the new dredge operated by the discharge pipe.
The dredge pumps water and sediment into this giant machine that resembles an oil field “shaker.” It separates solids from liquids. The solids drop out. They are then carried to the edge of the boat dock where they dry further before being hauled off.
Water minus sediment over a certain size is then returned to the river.

Contractor Will Finish Job With Smaller Dredge

“The water level is back up now,” said Price. “Kayden thinks they can finish the job using the smaller dredge, but it will take a little longer.”

With the corona virus restrictions, there is now very little activity at the park. Reminder: children should NOT use the playground equipment to help restrict the spread of the virus. Soccer leagues have also been affected. Only a handful of people were using the park this afternoon.

After Dredging

The sand pile is still blocking the boat launch. It and Kayden’s equipment will be removed from the park when dredging completes in a couple more weeks.

At that point, KSA intends to repair the asphalt damage from the heavy equipment. KSA will also replace the speed bumps with speed humps to accommodate boat trailers. All that could take till May.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/27/2020

941 Days after Hurricane Harvey