It was about a year ago that New Caney ISD cleared land for its third high school between Sorters-McClellan Road and US 59 south of Kingwood Drive. Today, the site is a beehive of activity. Construction crews have erected walls that will eventually define the shape of High School #3. I took the pictured below on 5/26/2021.
New Caney ISD Campus #3 on Sorters McClellan Road south of Kingwood Drive.
The New Caney ISD says that as of May 2021, “The site work at Comprehensive High School #3 includes storm drainage which is 95 percent complete. The sanitary sewer is 85 percent complete. The electrical is 98 percent complete and the water is 90 percent complete. The concrete slab on the building is 85 percent complete. The form and pour tilt-up panels are 95 percent complete. The erect panels are 80 percent complete and the structural steel is five percent complete.”
New Caney ISD’s enrollment grew 31 percent between 2011 and 2016. That ranked NCISD first in the greater Houston area and fourth in the state for percentage enrollment growth. Eventually, the high school will hold 2,250 students. However, the school will open with only 1,350 in August 2022.
FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer shows that the extent of the floodplain in this area roughly parallels Sorter’s McClellan Road. The high school property falls roughly within the red circle.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/29/2021
1369 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210526-RJR_8088.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2021-05-29 15:38:242021-05-29 15:43:16New Caney High School #3 Taking Shape
South of Kingwood’s HCA Medical Center, contractors have made slow but steady progress on the site for New Caney High School #3 between Sorters-McClellan Road and US59. I reported last November that they were pouring concrete. They still are. But there’s a lot more of it on the ground of the 80+ acre site. About half of the site is now covered with gray concrete. However, the most striking feature is the intensely green detention pond. The grass lining it looks more like a thick blanket of neon green faux fur.
Photos Taken on 3/19/2021
Looking east across the southern part of the site at the large detention pond. Grass in such ponds reduces erosion. The erosion can clog ditches, streams and rivers; and contribute to flooding.US59 cuts through the top of the frame. For orientation, note the Lowes Store in the upper left.Looking south toward the San Jacinto River, which is out of sight above the top of the frame. Sorters-McClellan Road cuts through the upper right of the frame. Approximately half the site is now covered in concrete. Playing fields will eventually occupy the area to the left.Looking NE from the northernmost part of the site. US59 cuts diagonally through the upper right of the frame. Note HCA Medical Center and Insperity in the distance at Kingwood Drive.Artists rendering of New Caney High School #3, looking east. The main entrance of the school will face Sorters-McClellan Road; the playing fields will face US59.General plan for New Caney High School #3. North is to the left.
New Caney ISD’s enrollment grew 31 percent between 2011 and 2016. That ranked NCISD first in the greater Houston area and fourth in the state for percentage enrollment growth. Eventually, the high school will hold 2,250 students. However, the school will open with only 1,350.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/20210319-DJI_0344.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=19001200adminadmin2021-03-25 14:12:262021-03-25 14:12:31Construction Update: New Caney High School #3 Site Going Green and Gray
In June, I posted about how New Caney ISD was clearing approximately 50-60 acres of land between Sorters-McClellan Road south of the HCA Kingwood Medical Center for a new high school. Now, contractors are starting to pour concrete and drill piers to support the 337,000 square-foot, three-story building with a central courtyard. Aerial photos show their progress.
Detention Pond Now Substantially Complete
It was only last September when contractors started excavating a large and deep detention pond along the southern perimeter of the site. They used the dirt to build up and level the building pads.
Looking north from the center of the site. Note the Medical Center building in the upper right.Looking south from the center of the site toward the 59 bridge in the background.Note holes for pierswhich will support columns to hold the weight of the building.Looking west toward Sorters McClellan road from the center of the site.Note the additional holes for piers .Looking at the east end of the detention pond, over the car dealerships that front on US59.Looking in the opposite direction toward the west end of the detention pond.
General plan for New Caney High School #3
Artist rendering of building. Main entrance will face Sorters McClellan road.
New Caney ISD’s enrollment grew 31 percent between 2011 and 2016. That ranked NCISD first in the greater Houston area and fourth in the state for percentage enrollment growth. Eventually, the high school will hold 2,250 students. However, the school will open with only 1,350.
While it’s nice to see growth, from a flooding perspective, it’s also scary. One can only hope the engineers specified enough drainage capacity for the detention pond.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/14/2020
1173 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/20201113-DJI_0185.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=19001200adminadmin2020-11-14 11:44:562020-11-14 11:45:00Pouring Concrete for New Caney ISD High School #3
For the last few months, New Caney ISD has been clearing an approximately 60-acre site between Sorters-McClellan Road and US59 south of the Kingwood Medical Center. But only now have they started work on the detention pond. The site, formerly a par-3 golf course, will become home to the School District’s third high school.
Detention Pond Work Finally Underway
In the last few days, contractors have finally started excavating a planned detention pond at the southern end of the site. They appear to be using the dirt to build up the northern part of the site where the high school and playing fields will go. This two-part operation is a procedure called “cut and fill” in the industry.
Neighboring residents feared a repeat of Woodridge Village, as contractors clearcut the site without installing detention.
A storm, such as Imelda last year, could have accelerated sheet flow from the site and flooded them. However, so far, no major storms have hit the area this year. Everyone has lucked out to date.
However, clearing a site of this size and excavating the detention last increases risk. That increased risk argues for the City to adopt building code regulations that minimize the time between clearing and excavation of detention ponds.
It can be done. Some builders excavate ponds immediately and store the dirt in huge piles to redistribute after the rest of the site is cleared.
Pictures from 4 Corners of Site
Here are some pictures taken Friday, September 11. They show the operation in progress from the four corners of the site.
Looking west. South is to the left. The big pit being excavated in the middle of the picture will be the retention pond for the high school complex.Note the loaded truck heading off to the right (north).Looking south from the northeastern corner of the site toward the San Jacinto River, Humble and Deerbook Mall in the background.Looking SE from the NW corner of the site, you can see how dramatically this site slopes toward the upper right. That’s Sorters Road on the right.From the SW corner of the site looking NE toward Insperity and the Kingwood Medical Center, you can see excavated dirt being hauled to the upper portions of the site to build it up. US59 cuts diagonally through the upper right of the frame.
Project Scope
To put the size of this site in perspective, the New Caney ISD high school #3 is approximately:
Twice as big as the HCA Kingwood Medical Center site
Three times larger than Insperity’s complex
Six times larger than the Lowes site across US59.
It will contain the school, athletic fields, parking lots and the detention pond.
General plan for New Caney High School #3
The area west of the site along Sorters Road will be expanded to accommodate traffic. Even though the site is in Montgomery County, it sits entirely within the City of Houston. The City has handled all permitting for the project.
The District’s 2018 Bond Fund will pay for the project so it should not affect taxes, according to a Houston Chronicle article.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/14/2020
1112 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 361 since Imelda
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/20200911-RJR_0914.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-09-14 14:38:032020-09-14 14:44:35Development Watch: Detention Pond for New Caney ISD High School Number 3 Finally Started
The New Caney ISD has removed a long swath of trees that separated Sorters-McClellan Road from the site of its new high school south of the Kingwood Medical Center. Removal of the trees – beforethe construction of the detention pond for the site – removes the last barrier between sheet flow and residents downhill.
Similarities to Woodridge Village
Clearcutting creates a condition similar to that of Woodridge Village. Woodridge contributed to flooding Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest twice last year after Perry Homes cleared the site before installing all the required detention. With nothing to retain runoff in a major storm, water could inundate Sorters Road and the homes on the opposite side of it in McClellan Circle.
This once again raises the question of whether contractors follow best practices for construction.
The site is in both Montgomery County and the City of Houston. But Montgomery County claims the City took the lead in permitting this site. MoCo claims it does not even have any drainage plans.
Looking south along Sorters Road at the site of New Caney ISD High School #3. Land slopes from left to right and foreground to background. Recently, contractors removed all trees next to the road. A large detention pond is supposed to be installed next to the tree line at the far end of the site. See below.
Building Pad Site Complete But No Detention Pond Yet
As of July 20, 2020, New Caney ISD had this to say about the project. “The site has been cleared and rough grading is at 90 percent completion.” Contractors have completed the building pad and will start installing the concrete piers concurrent with the underground storm and sanitary systems.
General plan for New Caney High School #3. North is left, east is up.Detention pond should be at far end of the photo above.
This approximately 50-60 acre site slopes toward the corner in the upper right by 10 to 15 feet depending on where you start.Sources: Google Earth Pro and USGS National Map Viewer.USGS National Map Viewer still shows old par 3 golf course on which the new high school will be built.
This is a 5% slope compared to the 1.8% slope on Woodridge Village.
Comparing Google Earth Elevation Profiles
The steepness of the slope accelerates runoff in the absence of features to slow it down.
Current State of Site
Here are some more shots showing the current state of construction on the site.
Looking NW toward the Eagle Sorters Sand Mine in the top left.Looking NE toward HCA Kingwood Medical Center and Insperity.Looking SE toward retail establishments that front US59, barely visible in the top left of the frame.
There seem to be some berms in the corners of the property. They may slow down sheet flow in a large storm. But the berms are absent over the large area in the center where the high school building itself will go.
Peak of Hurricane Season 5 Weeks Away
Let’s hope they get the detention in before the next big storm. No one wants a repeat of Woodridge.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/4/2020
1071 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/2020/08/20200803-DJI_0295-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=19001200adminadmin2020-08-04 19:04:222020-08-04 19:17:18New Caney ISD Clearcutting Site of High School #3 Before Installing Detention
New Caney ISD is planning to build a new comprehensive high school on a roughly 50-acre site between US59 and Sorters-McClellan Road, where a par-3 golf course used to be. The land is south of HCA Kingwood Medical Center and behind several car dealerships that face US59.
New Caney ISD High School #3, still unnamed, will be built where the par 3 golf course used to be in the center of the image above.
Photos of Site and Layout
The site for this high school is roughly 5-acres larger than Kingwood High School’s site. Clearing and grading of the land has already started. See pictures below.
Looking NE. Land for Future New Caney ISD High School #3Looking East. Looking South. Detention pond will go at the far end of this part of the site.
Importance of Detention Pond
A Bid Bulletin described the total project as a 337,000 square-foot, 3-story building with tilt-wall construction and a detention pond.
A building that large, with parking lots, and rubber grass on its playing fields would make make detention ponds critical.
Site Plan for New Caney HS #3 shows detention pond on south side of property (right) and taking up approximately 10% of the property.For a higher resolution PDF, click here.
Plans show that the retention pond will be located along the southern border of the property. The land naturally slopes to there.
Although width and length are not noted on this drawing, it appears to take up about ten percent of the site and have a depth of 6.66 feet. If those are accurate assumptions, that would mean the pond provides 33.3 acre feet of detention for a 50 acre site.
That equals .666 acre feet of detention per acre. The City of Houston requires .5 feet per acre for sites of this size.
But a white paper by the Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium points out that many factors can influence the amount of detention needed to offset development. Those factors include the amount of impervious cover, the soil type and more. They can change the rate needed for protection of downstream residents more than 10X. There is not one-size-fits-all.
Until we learn more about the specifics of this site and project, we can’t know whether this plan provides enough detention. But this certainly is an encouraging start.
Community Impact newspaper reported earlier this year that the high school will open in August, 2022. The project will be built in two phases.
Artists renderings of the campus show a sleek, modern, open, light-filled design.
Aerial image shows high school will be built around an open courtyard giving more classrooms access to more sunlight.Rendering from New Caney ISD.
Artists rendering of lobby of New Caney HS #3 from New Caney ISD.
Front Elevation of the new high school from New Caney ISD.
For those new to the area, two independent school districts serve the Kingwood area. The Humble ISD serves the vast majority of the area. The New Caney ISD serves the parts outside of Harris County on the north and west.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/17/2020
1023 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-17-at-4.02.13-PM.jpg?fit=1200%2C946&ssl=19461200adminadmin2020-06-17 18:04:412020-06-17 18:04:53Development Watchlist: New Caney ISD Prepping Land for High School #3 in Kingwood
