Tag Archive for: Ramsey

Two Lake Houston Floodplain-Fill Investigations Launched

8/24/26 at 5PM – After quick-thinking residents spotted TXDoT contractors dumping fill in the Lake Houston floodplain on Friday night, August 21, local authorities leaped into action and stopped the operation by mid-day on Saturday, August 22, 2026.

On Sunday, August 23, a silt fence was installed improperly on the property. And today, Monday, August 24, Houston Public Works launched an investigation. Here’s the latest.

Flickinger Visit Stops Dumping

Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger visited the dump site on Saturday.

Floodplain fill reduces stormwater-storage volume during floods. That increases flood risk for others. As a consequence, City regulations prohibited such fill in 2018.

Landowners can move dirt within the floodplain. But they cannot bring dirt INTO the floodplain from outside of it. That reduces stormwater storage.

Shortly after Flickinger’s visit, neighbors reported that the TXDoT contractors stopped their fill operation, and that the landowner would likely be forced to pay a fine and remove the fill dirt.

Google Earth Pro satellite image of floodplain being filled. See red oval.

Ineffective Silt Fence

After Saturday’s post pointed out that there was no silt fence around the fill, the next day, someone installed a laughably ineffective silt fence. It didn’t even reach the ground. So, so rain could easily wash silt under the bottom edge of the fence.

Note gap below fence. Photo taken Sunday 8/23/26.

Best practices for silt fence installation recommend burying the bottom edge of the fabric at least six inches in a trench on the uphill side of fence supports, then back-filling the trench. See the diagram below, compiled by ChatGPT.

Note inset illustration on bottom right.

City Investigation Issues Red Tags

Houston Public Works investigators visited the site this morning. At 5PM today, they issued this statement, “The Floodplain Management Office inspection team issued red tags on the affected parcels this morning and contacted the trucking contractor. As of this afternoon, one of the onsite red tags was not found when we returned. We’ll continue to follow up.”

Public Works says it will issue a more detailed report tomorrow morning and has requested TXDoT’s cooperation in stopping the floodplain filling.

TXDoT Response to County Investigation Request

Meanwhile, Harris County Precinct 3 also asked TXDoT to look into recurring problems like this. TXDoT contractors are excavating the dirt from a large detention basin four miles north as mitigation for the FM2100 expansion project.

Eric Heppen, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey’s head engineer, shared this statement from Nyemb Nyemb, P.E., North Harris Assistant Area Engineer for TXDoT.

Nyemb said, “We recognize that this has been a recurring concern and will be meeting with the contractor as soon as possible to address the matter and reinforce compliance with all applicable requirements.”

“If it is determined that material was improperly dumped in this area, the contractor will be required to remove it and restore the site.”

Nyemb Nyemb PE, TXDoT manager for North Harris County

Nyemb continued, “Failure to comply with project requirements and corrective measures could result in project enforcement actions. The TxDOT project team will work and  investigate the reported activity and take appropriate action if any project-related material is found to have been placed without the required approvals, authorizations, or permits.”

Unfortunately, we’ve heard that before from Mr. Nyemb.

Who Owns the Floodplain Property Being Filled?

Harris County Appraisal District Records show that Lake Houston Lighthouse, L.L.C. owns it. However, Texas Secretary of State records show that the LLC last filed a required Public Information Report in 2022 and went through a tax forfeiture in February 2024. So presumably, the individual owners lack a corporate veil to protect them from liability.

Both of the LLC’s managing members list their address at a single residence on Page Lane – the street immediately south of the channel shown above.

How to Stop Floodplain Fill

Engineers tell me such activity goes on all over Harris County. How can we stop it? Previously, there was talk about criminalizing such behavior. Currently, it is a civil offense.

Heppen said that the county may work with the state in the next session to pass a law against such fill activity. Making it a criminal offense changes the whole “What if I get caught?” equation. Instead of a slap-on-the-wrist fine, a criminal record might disqualify someone from getting future jobs or permits.

If we want to reduce damage in the next flood, we must do more than pay lip service to floodplain preservation.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/24/26

3282 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.

Clear-Span Bridge Replaces Low-Water Crossing over Bens Branch

8/19/26 – Today, the Bear Branch Trail Association (BBTA) replaced the old low-water crossing over Bens Branch behind Bear Branch Elementary School with a new clear-span bridge.

Chris Bloch, a member of the BBTA board, wrote that “Today is a significant day in Kingwood Flood Mitigation.  The old low-water crossing over Bens Branch is gone. We have replaced it with a new clear-span bridge. The Bear Branch Trail Association will dedicate this new bridge to the memory of Stan Sarman, who helped develop Kingwood’s drainage system.” See below.

This and other photos by Chris Bloch. New bridge installed today.
In comparison, previous bridge restricted conveyance by 20X.

Original Built by Foster Lumber Company

Foster Lumber Company originally built the old low-water crossing, so its logging trucks could cross Bens Branch. When Sarman first came out to do survey work for Friendswood Development, the only access through the Livable Forest was old logging roads. This low-water crossing was the original Tree Lane logging road.  

“Stan drove over the old crossing when he laid out future roads and utilities,” said Bloch. “People may have wondered why this low-water crossing was so wide. But the logging trucks needed the width. Hamblen Road, Kingwood Drive, and Northpark also had logging-truck roads.”

One culvert bridge remains across Bens Branch. It’s in the median of Northpark between Hidden Pines and Glade Valley Drives south of the St. Martha cathedral. And it frequently contributes to Northpark flooding.

Old Bridge No Longer Adequate

The old low-water crossing near Bear Branch Elementary represented a major restriction to the flow of Bens Branch through Kingwood, according to Bloch, an engineer. “The three culverts were adequate before Kingwood was developed. But as more development took place, increasing the impermeable surface also increased water flows in Bens Branch.  

Old crossing during a heavy rain

Debris caught in the three culverts during heavy rains further restricted evacuation of floodwaters. Bloch says that Kids in Action, St. Martha’s Elementary School, plus parts of North Woodland Hills and Bear Branch Villages all suffered flood damage because of the old low-water crossing.

Old low-water crossing catching debris from heavy rain

Delayed by Funding, But Harris County Precinct 3 Helps

The Kingwood Area Drainage Study called for removal of the structure. However, the Flood Control District said they did not have funding for it. The structure was also not on property owned by the District.

Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey provided the funds out of his budget for the removal of the old crossing  The Bear Branch Trail Association provided funding to purchase and install the new bridge.  The total cost of the flood-mitigation project exceeded $300,000.

The flow area under the new bridge is more than 20 times that of the old low-water crossing.  

Chris Bloch

“In addition to mitigating upstream flooding, installation of the new bridge improves the safety of school children and other trail walkers who cross Bens Branch,” said Bloch.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/19/2026, based on information provided by Chris Bloch

3277 Days since Harvey

Editorial: Getting HCFCD Back on Track

7/6/2026 – Last month, Dr. Tina Petersen, former head of Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), resigned under pressure. For this post, I’d like to focus on what HCFCD needs to do to get back on track. Toward that end, I interviewed more than a dozen people knowledgeable about HCFCD and its operations. Many spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The Petersen controversy had to do with the potential loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding because of project delays.

HCFCD now has a new head: Marcus Stuckett, formerly Director of Engineering at HCFCD. Stuckett worked his way up through the organization, then left for several years while Petersen headed the department and is now returning. Here is what many would advise.

Refocus on Core Mission

One said, “Tina Pearson was running public relations campaigns and trying to play politics. The Flood Control District is a planning, engineering and construction organization. And that’s it. Period. We need to refocus on execution and delivering results.”

Other sources echoed this sentiment but phrased it as “Getting back to basics.”

For example, one source mentioned Taylor Gully in Kingwood. Five years and two months ago, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved $10.1 million to widen and deepen Taylor Gully.

But according to Amy Crouser, an HCFCD spokesperson, the District is still waiting for “TWDB to approve the channel work.” Then she added, “City of Houston is working on getting this approval.”

Fill Gaps in the Org Chart

One source told me that there are still many highly qualified and motivated people at HCFCD. However, others bemoaned the brain drain that has reportedly created gaps in org charts. The gaps disrupt or delay decision making. They also cost institutional knowledge and project continuity.

For instance, one group head has been scheduled to retire for a long time. But reportedly, Petersen did not seek a replacement. A lack of overlap will make it harder for a new hire to get up to speed.

Re-Instill Sense of Urgency and Ownership

Virtually everyone I talked to mentioned the need to re-instill a sense of urgency and project ownership. Delays under the previous director cost some projects years. For instance, the Preliminary Engineering Report for the Kingwood Diversion Ditch project was scheduled to take 300 days, but took more than 1,400.

Design work for the project will finally go on the Commissioner’s Court agenda for August this year, exactly nine years after 13 people died along Bens Branch. (The Diversion Ditch takes water out of Bens Branch, hence its name.)

Empower Employees to Make Decisions

“Empower folks to make decisions,” said one source. “Project managers and the people doing the day to day are trying very, very hard to push projects forward. The biggest issue sometimes is HCFCD’s own processes where, “Okay, we finished this stage. Now it has to go up to leadership for review and approval.”

But getting to the next stage was often problematic. Many cited Petersen’s penchant for perfectionism, consensus-style management, risk avoidance, and indecisiveness. That combination delayed projects, sometimes for years. Said another way, the organization had a bad case of paralysis through analysis.

Such managers can prefer “delays over decisions.” Stuckett must ask, “How can we make this work?” Not, “Why might this be a problem?”

Address Delays Caused by Other County Departments

Numerous sources cited delays caused by other county departments, namely Purchasing and the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity (DEEO).

Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, PE admitted that DEEO had issues. He mentioned that that department head was also replaced.

“If Purchasing or DEEO are impacting our ability to get something done, we need to know about it. Then, we can work together to eliminate delays,” said Ramsey.

Return to a Metrics-Driven Approach

After Petersen took office in 2022, Bond Updates became less frequent as project progress slowed. The lack of reliable metrics made it more difficult for Commissioners, funding partners and the public to gauge progress.

When Commissioner Ramsey, the Commissioners Court, and the Texas GLO finally demanded metrics that showed the true status of projects, the depth of HCFCD’s problems became all too apparent.

“Work the Details”

Commissioner Ramsey, a veteran engineer, said, “There’s no magic formula. We have to work the details – daily – on where each project is. Some are far along. And some are just about to get started. Are we working the schedule? Is there anything we can do to mitigate problems associated with it?”

Ramsey advised, “Federal paperwork is necessary and complicated. So, be sure that you’re working the paperwork, too. All of these issues are manageable. We just have to get organized.”

Focus on CDBG

With $322 million of US Department of Housing and Urban Development CDBG Grants (Community Development Block Grants) projects facing a deadline of 2/28/27 – less than eight months away – obviously the immediate focus needs to be on those.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/6/2026

3233 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.

Ramsey Addresses Kingwood Group as Tropical Storm Forms Offshore

6/17/26 – Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey PE addressed the Kingwood Executive Group this morning about flooding and infrastructure as the season’s first tropical storm formed less than a hundred miles away from Houston. Local business owners comprise the group. Many had flooded badly during Hurricane Harvey.

Kingwood Executive Group
Kingwood Executive Group with Ramsey and State Rep. Charles Cunningham in blue blazers, center/front row.

They came eager to learn more about the status of flood-mitigation efforts in the area, turmoil at the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), and a new, 5,300-acre proposed floodplain development just upstream from Kingwood. And true to form, Ramsey addressed each issue head on. But first…

Tropical Storm Arthur

Ironically, just as Tropical Storm Arthur formed, the rain started to end in the Lake Houston Area. That’s because of the lopsided nature of Arthur. See the infrared water-vapor satellite image below. Most of the rain is falling offshore and to the east of Galveston Bay.

Image from National Hurricane Center posted at 10:31 AM CDT.

NHC expects Arthur to dump torrential rains on East Texas and Louisiana as it moves inland – up to 20 inches in places. Freeport received 9 inches this morning. However, totals dropped off farther inland with much of SE Harris County receiving only 2-4 inches. My rain gage in Kingwood recorded less than a half inch between midnight and 11 AM.

Arthur has affected primarily coastal counties as it tracked NE parallel to the coast. It should make landfall near High Island late this afternoon or early this evening.

Arthur formed a timely and ironic backdrop for a speech about flooding to many whose homes and businesses flooded severely.

Ramsey’s Priorities

Ramsey began his talk to the Executive Group with a story about his focus compared to others on Commissioners Court. “My job is to, number one, take care of infrastructure,” he said. “That’s what I get most of my calls on. Most people don’t call me about my policies. They call me on, ‘When are you going to fix something?’ My colleagues, on the other hand, are focused more on social programs.”

Ramsey puzzling over the budget priorities of some other commissioners

Replacement of HCFCD Director

Ramsey then segued to the resignation of HCFCD Executive Director Dr. Tina Petersen last week. “It may have been some concern to people, but it was a necessary thing if we’re going to do what we need to get done.”

He then added, “We will appoint a new director next week. And it will be an engineer, not a politician. An engineer who can deliver projects, not hold press conferences and tell you what you want to hear. It will be someone that actually understands what it takes to get projects delivered.” 

Flood Bond Update

After emphasizing the need to speed up project delivery, Ramsey gave a brief update on the 2018 Flood Bond. The $2.5 billion approved by voters attracted another $2.7 billion in matching funds for a total of $5.2 billion available. But the county has only spent about $1.5 billion of that since 2018.

“So, we have a lot to do,” said Ramsey. “Probably another $3+ billion in the next four years. You better have someone who understands construction, who can deal with the things that happen during construction. My concern is that the easiest part is done. Design work is the easy part. Go actually build $3.5 billion worth of improvements! That’s a huge deal.”

Kingwood Flood-Mitigation Projects

Ramsey noted that the Taylor Gully/Woodridge project has started construction, but that the Kingwood Diversion Ditch project is still being studied. He wants to put the pedal to the metal on that one too. HCFCD spent 4 years doing a preliminary engineering review on the Diversion Ditch that was supposed to have taken 300 days. The latest Flood Bond Update shows the project may start construction in 2030, after HCFCD completes another study.

“You must have other projects queued up ready for construction,” Ramsey said. “I don’t know that we have all the money lined out for that construction, but you have to get the design work done. I’d rather have a whole lot of projects sitting on the shelf ready to build, than sit around and wait for someone to decide for us what the priorities are.”

Scarborough Floodplain Development

Ramsey next addressed the proposed 5,300-acre development north of Harris County in the floodplain at the confluence of the West Fork of the San Jacinto River and Spring Creek. He called it “A really bad idea.”

“Some ill-advised folks are trying to do some development there.” Ramsey suggested instead that the area should become a park. “What a great park that 5,000 acres would make for this entire area. What a great location for significant flood mitigation for the entire county!”

He emphasized that every drop of rain falling north and west of the confluence funnels past Kingwood. “Sometimes we lose sight of that,” he said.

More than 7,500 flood-weary residents from surrounding areas have signed a petition against the development.

Lake Houston Dam Gates Funding, Other Issues

Ramsey spent much of the rest of his time discussing a series of related issues, their connections, and finding funding for them.

In regard to adding more floodgates to the Lake Houston Dam, he noted potential significant cost escalation. That led to a discussion of partnership funding, surplus toll-road income, and using money for pressing state-mandated obligations versus other issues that have no constitutional mandate.

Before becoming commissioner in 2020, Ramsey began his engineering career 50 years ago designing drainage systems in the Porter/New Caney area. So, he is thoroughly versed on infrastructure issues in the Lake Houston Area and is fighting to make us safer.

The timing of his talk as Arthur was forming in the Gulf provided an irony worthy of a Hollywood movie!

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/17/2026

3214 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Showdown Over Slowdown at HCFCD

6/8/2026 – In their 6/11/2026 meeting, Harris County Commissioners will revisit the future employment of Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) Executive Director Dr. Tina Petersen, PhD, PE. The immediate issue: slippage of 11 CDBG-DR projects that could cost the county $322 million if they miss their deadlines on February 28, 2027.

Roughly 84% of the time for those has elapsed with less than 4% of their budgets expended.

GLO Data as of 6/3/26

Despite deadlines only a little more than eight months away, the projects typically take 1-2 years to construct.

HCFCD also expects to miss deadlines on 13 of 18 CDBG Mitigation Projects (CDBG-MIT) worth another $362.7 million dollars. But that deadline is 3/31/28.

Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey PE has sounded the alarm for months about this problem. So, has the Texas General Land Office (GLO), which administers HUD funds in Texas.

Predictably, the parties involved are offering their own versions of how we reached this point. Dueling press releases today differed starkly.

The GLO says HCFCD promised it “shovel-ready” projects.

On the other hand, HCFCD calls them “complex, large-scale flood risk reduction projects under strict federal timelines, evolving program requirements, construction market pressures, and funding structures that were not originally designed for this level of accelerated delivery.”

Unusual 5-Part GLO Press Release

The GLO issued a five-part press release, unusual in its detail. There was:

  1. The press release itself
  2. An open letter to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo
  3. Photographs of 11 projects supposedly under construction, only three of which were actually moving dirt.
  4. Timeline of critical events during the life of the CDBG-DR Program (the one with the most pressing deadline).
  5. A list of “Failures” by HCFCD.

The GLO press release summarized the letter to Hidalgo. It quoted GLO Commissioner Dawn Buckingham as saying Harris County needed “Shovels, Not Scapegoats.”

The press release also said that, “We have grave concerns about Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) not meeting its benchmarks…” It went on to say that if the county didn’t change its business processes…

“…there is likely zero chance of successfully meeting the grant timeline established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.”

Dawn Buckingham, GLO Commissioner

Buckingham stated that the GLO spent more than $5 million of its own grant funding to teach HCFCD about grant requirements and provide technical support with grant applications. The GLO claims its team conducted more than 750 meetings “to provide staff support to Harris County to ensure these projects are completed on time in accordance with the federal deadline, yet there are still too few shovels in the ground.”

Commissioner Buckingham concludes her letter by saying, “It’s time to … finish the job. Shovels, not scapegoats.”

Click here for the:

Later in the day, GLO also provided an update on reimbursable expenditures to date associated with CDBG-DR and MIT projects.

Page 15 of 18 shows that with roughly 84% of time elapsed, HCFCD has spent only about 3.9% of available DR funds.

Page 11 of 18 shows that HCFCD has spent only 4.4% of available MIT funds.

HCFCD Paints Rosy Picture Despite Obstacles

The GLO press release this morning emphasized that in 2023 projects were supposed to have been shovel ready. HCFCD’s press release this afternoon never mentions “shovel ready.” Instead it paints a nightmare picture of impossible complexity before claiming it has, ta da, a “plan” to solve the problem.

HCFCD will unveil its new “plan” to commissioners on Thursday. According to HCFCD, it “protects federal funding, maintains and strengthens our commitment to communities, and ensures residents receive the flood risk reduction benefits these programs were designed to deliver.”

HCFCD had planned a press conference tomorrow to explain the plan to reporters, but cancelled it late today.

Proposed Solution

While details of the plan have not yet been divulged, in principle, GLO and HCFCD agree on the following outline. It involves:

1) Putting all CDBG-DR and -MIT projects in one giant “budget bucket,” including some funds still at Harris County Housing and Community Development.

2) Billing everything possible from that giant bucket against the DR budget before the 2/28/27 deadline.

3) Billing the rest against the MIT budget, which has a 3/31/28 deadline.

This approach at least kicks the can down the road past the next election. However, Buckingham cautions that the 2/28/27 deadline is firm. Without taking a position on Petersen’s employment, GLO does warn that HCFCD and the County need to move much faster.

Thursday’s Decision on Petersen

GLO’s list of Harris County “failures” is unambiguous. Ramsey can elaborate on them at length and provide examples. Despite extensive support provided by GLO, they include:

  • Missed deadlines
  • Reprioritizing projects repeatedly
  • Submitting incomplete or inaccurate documentation that failed to adhere to federal grant regulations
  • Failing to respond to GLO requests regarding federal grant processes
  • Significant employee turnover and loss of experienced staff capacity
  • Failure to achieve timely engineering design, environmental clearance, procurement, vendor contracting and construction starts…

HCFCD’s own spending data shows that its slowdown cuts across project phases, types of projects, and funding sources. The graph below shows all 2018 bond spending. You can see that problems go far beyond CDBG, GLO and HUD.

The downturn you see coincides with Petersen’s appointment to manage HCFCD.

HCFCD 2026 Q1 spending
HCFCD spending over time. Petersen took over in 2022 after Democrats started pushing out the previous management team in 2021.

Changing Horses in Midstream

Petersen supporters argue that it could be dangerous to change horses in midstream, especially now that the immediate crisis seems to be solved with the “one big bucket” plan.

But her opponents argue that staying with the status quo carries the larger risk. They argue that poor performance during a crisis may be a reason for change, not a reason against it.

In my opinion, the real question is not whether you’re midstream, but whether the current horse is still the best one to get you across.

Fox26’s Greg Groogan interviewed GLO commissioner Dr. Dawn Buckingham. After recounting a litany of concerns about HCFCD’s performance under Petersen, he asked, “Commissioner, you are … a Doctor. This patient looks sick. Is that a fair assessment?”

Buckingham answered, “This patient is in the middle of a code and about to die.”

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/8/2026 and updated with Fox link on 6/9/26

3205 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.

Natural Disasters Don’t Care About Partisanship. Neither Does Mayor Whitmire. 

1/26/26 – Progressives are wrong to critique local leaders for working across the political aisle on flooding: an Op-ed about partisanship originally published in the Houston Chronicle Opinion Section.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire (l) with Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey coordinating first responders after severe flooding in Kingwood. (Personal image substituted for copyrighted Chronicle image.)

For eight years, I have hosted the website ReduceFlooding.com, which focuses on the need to reduce flooding in Houston. Pretty straightforward.

This also means I spend plenty of time interacting with government officials at all levels. 

People form governments to solve the big problems that individuals can’t. That is especially true for local governments. Municipalities provide police and fire protection, build and maintain water and sewer systems, manage garbage, repair streets and do all of the critical and unglamorous work of making a city run. That includes flood mitigation.

Recently, however, partisans have been politicizing local governments by insisting elected officials become involved with issues over which they have little, if any, control.  They confuse virtue with partisan purity.

Here in Houston, the most notable examples are the progressive attacks on Mayor John Whitmire.

I have followed the Chronicle’s coverage of extremists within the mayor’s own Democratic Party. They criticize him for not adequately towing the party line.  My understanding is that his cardinal sin was attending a fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Republican. 

As someone who has written extensively about flood issues since Hurricane Harvey, I can tell you that Crenshaw has helped bring hundreds of millions of dollars in flood-mitigation assistance to the Houston area, including $47 Million for additional flood gates for the Lake Houston Dam, more than $100 million for San Jacinto River dredging, $80 million for Community Project Funding Grants to date, and approximately $50 million for Kingwood High School Flood Barrier. Crenshaw also played a pivotal role in securing $25 million federal dollars for the North Shepherd-Durham renovation project..

I fail to see the sin in working across the partisan divide to improve the lives of Houstonians. I have no problem with our mayor attending any event for any elected official of either party if it will help us get the critical funding that Houston needs to improve infrastructure and control flooding. Floodwater does not discriminate based on party affiliation. It destroys the homes and lives of Democrats and Republicans alike.

Before Whitmire was first elected mayor, he asked me to educate him about local flood issues in Kingwood. Then he asked me to set up meetings with flood victims and community leaders so he could learn firsthand about their needs. It didn’t matter whether they were Republicans or Democrats — they were human beings who needed help.

For the partisan extremists, however, purity is more important than solving citizen’s everyday problems. Their mantra has become “Whose colors are you wearing?” Blind obedience to the political party is more important than working together toward common goals that make communities better places to live.

And it’s about more than campaign events.

For instance, on a cold and blustery Saturday morning earlier this month, I saw a refreshing example of what it looks like when local politicians put partisan purity aside: Whitmire himself working shoulder to shoulder with more than a hundred volunteers to improve public safety in Kingwood. For this lifelong Democrat, it didn’t matter that Kingwood is Republican-friendly territory. What mattered was coming together to solve the problem of runaway vines taking over the median of Kingwood Drive. The vines were choking trees, spilling into the roadway, crowding traffic, limiting visibility, and creating a public safety hazard.

Kingwood residents have long recognized the vines as a nuisance. They dodge them every day on their way to and from work. To help control them, District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger has organized a series of trim-fests called “Median Madness.”

Vines had become especially troublesome in front of Kingwood High School – home to thousands of inexperienced teenage drivers. So, on that Saturday morning, more than a hundred volunteers showed up for “Median Madness: Round 5” to attack the vines in front of the high school.  Most of the volunteers were students from the high school itself.

No one wore a red shirt or a blue shirt. No clothing shouted political slogans. Everyone came with work gloves and work boots. To make their community a better, safer, more beautiful place to live and work. For the benefit of everyone — regardless of political affiliation.

And when the camera crews left and the press was finished covering the Median Madness event, the mayor didn’t leave with them. He stayed to help clear the vines and improve traffic safety — in blue jeans and work boots with lopping shears – like everyone else.

Like I said: critical and unglamorous work.

In doing so, Whitmire set an example of what public service should be. He put politics aside and worked with residents for the good of the community – young and old, male and female, Democrats and Republicans. He communicated an unspoken message about the importance of public service for scores of high school students.

I have seen this practice repeatedly with Whitmire. He focuses on issues that actually improve residents’ lives. He sees past the debilitating, divisive national dialog undermining trust in government. Even if it means toiling in miserable weather for hours on a Saturday morning.

In the end, our steady 76-year-old mayor taught everyone at Median Madness perhaps the most important lesson of all without saying it outright. He showed that we have more to gain by working together than fighting each other. Public safety requires cooperation not competition. And that’s a pretty important lesson. 

It’s a lesson the progressive activists in Whitmire’s own party still need to learn. 

Bob Rehak is the host of ReduceFlooding.com and Precinct 3 representative to the Harris County Community Flood Resilience Task Force. 

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/26/26

3072 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Harris County Passes Ramsey Resolution on Scarborough Development In MoCo

12/13/25 – On 12/11/25, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, PE, introduced a resolution in Harris County Commissioners Court that urges Montgomery County (MoCo) to impose certain conditions on the proposed 5,300-acre Scarborough Development west of Kingwood. Harris County Flood Control tried to buy the property after Hurricane Harvey because they feared that if it got developed, “it would be like aiming a fire hose at Kingwood and Humble.” Ryko, the property owner at the time, quoted a price far over market value. So, the deal fell through. But those fears still exist.

While Harris County can’t force MoCo to do anything, the proposed conditions include:

  • Adopting Harris County’s proposed minimum drainage standards
  • Recognizing the extreme flood risk of development for current residents in both counties
  • Using portions of the property for flood mitigation and parks
  • Ensuring development meets or exceeds Harris County standards including:
    • Finished floor elevations
    • Placing mitigation ponds outside the 100-year floodplain and floodway
  • Fostering growth of wetlands and water filtration.
Scarborough bought most of the land you see in this picture between Spring Creek (l) and San Jacinto West Fork (r). Base flood elevation at the confluence is 25.1 feet above ground level using old, pre-Harvey flood maps.

Ramsey’s resolution is high-level; most resolutions are. But it makes good points. For instance, while MoCo’s new Drainage Criteria Manual is a vast improvement over their previous one, it still falls short of Harris County’s on several key criteria including finished floor elevations and placing fill in the 500-year floodplain. Those concerns are expressed in the text below.

Exact Text of Harris County Resolution

WHEREAS, Harris County leads the country in flood prevention investments with $3.5 billion being spent on flood mitigation projects in the next few years, and calls upon Montgomery County leadership to adopt the minimum drainage criteria as per the previously approved Harris County Commissioner’s Court document; and

WHEREAS, the land under development in Montgomery County for the Scarborough Lane Project, is situated in close proximity to Spring Creek, Cypress Creek, and the San Jacinto River, and the historical flood data of this tract of land causes concerns for residential development, and any further development on this property in the flood zone may result in a negative impact to current residents of Montgomery and Harris counties; and

WHEREAS, portions of this property should be reviewed and considered for flood mitigation, flood preservation and park development; and

WHEREAS, any development of this parcel should meet or exceed the Harris County standards, including the finish floor elevations of the structure, and any mitigation ponds be considered only outside the current 100-year floodplain and all the floodway; and

WHEREAS, any mitigation completed should consider trying to hold back water early in a storm, detaining the first of the water that falls; and

WHEREAS, this tract of land renders a significant and affordable flood mitigation opportunity that would not only prevent flood damage, but foster wetland growth and ground water filtration; and

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the Harris County Commissioners Court calls upon the Montgomery County leadership to take into consideration the concerns described above.

Considerations Related to the Scarborough Lane Project

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that this resolution be spread upon the minutes of The Harris County Commissioners Court this 11th day of December 2025.

Ramsey’s Motion Passed Unanimously; Next Up CoH

County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Ramsey and all three other commissioners voted for Ramsey’s resolution. It passed 5-0.

Houston City Council will reportedly consider a similar resolution on Wednesday. District E Council Member Fred Flickinger says he is optimistic that he has the votes to get it approved.

Note that the City actually has a bigger stick in this fight because most of the land lies within the City limits or the City’s Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). ETJ helps cities plan and regulate development in unincorporated areas near their borders, influencing growth before annexation.

On October 30, Scarborough and its engineers met with the City and Harris County to discuss their plans. At the time, they presented some high-level documents claiming that half the land would be preserved as green space. That’s certainly a step in the right direction. But is it enough? We will be in a better position to tell when we’ve reviewed their complete plans. And when Harris County Flood Control and FEMA release updated flood maps.

In the meantime, I’ll be watching to see what City Council does next Wednesday.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/13/25

3028 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.

Remaining Flood-Bond Funds Going Only to Equity Projects

6/27/25 4PM – In a marathon discussion yesterday that stretched for hours, Harris County Commissioners Court struggled with how to plug a $1.3 billion shortfall in 2018 Flood-Bond funding. In the end, they voted 4-1 along party lines to apply all remaining flood-bond money exclusively to projects that ranked in the top quartile on Rodney Ellis’ Equity Prioritization Index.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis arguing that remaining flood-bond funds be directed only to projects with a high “equity” component.

This will effectively defund all projects that fall into the second, third and fourth quartiles on Ellis’ Equity Prioritization Framework.

The Motion

Commissioners voted 4:1 to use all available flood-bond funds:

“To fully fund all current and future needs for projects in Quartile One, according to the 2022 Prioritization Framework, and direct the Harris County Flood Control District to work with court officers and report to Commissioners Court a project schedule by September 18th, 2025, on all future projects with a recommendation.”

Impact of Cuts

Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, the dissenting Republican, said, “It was like a bunker-busting bomb exploding yesterday. They blew up the 2018 bond program.” The decision will eliminate funding for 44 of the 48 bond projects that Ramsey had in his precinct.

“There’s no longer any money for them,” said Ramsey.

Ramsey will lose $424 million of flood-bond funding. He added, “Projects in the top quartile eat up every remaining available dollar in the bond. Every bit of it. There’s none left. Not a single dime.”

Want to see whether a project near you was killed? Here is a list of Flood-Bond Projects divided into Commissioner Rodney Ellis’ Equity Quartiles.

Only those marked with a #1 in the Quartile Column will be pursued at this point. The rest are effectively dead unless funding can be found elsewhere.

No Projects Left in Lake Houston Area

All HCFCD flood-bond projects in the Lake Houston Area fell below Ellis’ Equity Quartile #1 into the second, third, or fourth quartiles.

Following the Democratic plan will eliminate $20 million for Lake Houston Floodgates See Project G-103-Gates.

It will also eliminate any help for the Kingwood Diversion Ditch. The Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis called that the most important project in the area. And Kingwood experienced the highest flooding in the county during Harvey.

worst first
Chart showing feet above flood stage of 33 gages of misc. bayous in Harris County during Harvey. Gage on far left is Kingwood.

This doesn’t mean those projects will automatically die. But it is a setback.

It means project leaders will have to seek funding elsewhere for money that HCFCD had already committed years ago and that voters approved.

In that regard, Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger had this to say about the Commissioner Court’s decision.

“Obviously the County’s handling of the flood bonds has been a concern for several years. Commissioner Ramsey is continuing to fight for our area to complete the necessary flood mitigation projects.

“However, regardless of the outcome at the County level, I have full confidence that the schedule I laid out in last year’s town hall meeting will in fact be held with the support of Representative Cunningham, Senator Creighton and Mayor Whitmire.”

Commissioner Ramsey also described the Gate project as his “Rubicon,” a reference to a Roman battle that represents a point of no return, i.e., a battle that must be won at all costs.

Uncertainty Surrounds 95 Active Projects

Ninety-five projects that fall into quartiles 2, 3 and 4 are listed as “Active.” HCFCD says it will move forward with any projects already in progress. But it’s unclear whether future stages will be implemented, i.e., moving from engineering to construction. We may know more in September.

HUD Project Deadlines Tightened Even More

Yesterday’s decision could affect U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) CDBG-MIT and CDBG-DR grants under review by the Texas General Land Office (GLO). Harris County Flood Control applied for 29 such grants.

HCFCD says they are moving forward with all HUD projects.

But GLO stressed the tightness of a February 28, 2027 deadline for 11 CDBG-DR projects valued at roughly $320 million. With only 20 months remaining to complete the projects, County Commissioners voted yesterday to take another three months to schedule projects.

For that group of projects, deadlines may be a bigger threat than funding. Think 17 months is plenty of time? It’s taken Harris County four years to get to this point with these projects! More uncertainty won’t speed things up.

Before the meeting, GLO Commissioner Dawn Buckingham warned county leaders to use the HUD funds “as quickly as possible.”

How Meeting Unfolded

Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, a master of political theater, packed the first two hours of Commissioners Court with surrogates during the public-comment portion of the meeting. The same people and groups that Ellis used to tarnish previous Harris County Flood Control District administrators showed up again. They even carried similar signs.

Over and over and over again, they complained about the lack of bond-program:

  • Equity
  • Results
  • Transparency

Dr. Tina Petersen, executive director of HCFCD, then led off the discussion with a PowerPoint presentation that she had been working to compile since February. The last slide shows how her team explored five different scenarios for maximizing available funding. (See her entire detailed report here.)

That set the stage for Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis’ 20-minute boilerplate rant about historical discrimination against poor neighborhoods and how rich neighborhoods get all the money.

Disconnect between Ellis Rant and Reality

But there’s a basic disconnect between the rant and reality. Note that of all HCFCD spending since 2000, money has gone disproportionately to watersheds with a majority low-to-moderate-income (LMI) population. Between 2000 and 2022, 61% went to the one third of watersheds with an LMI-majority population. So, poor watersheds already receive the lion’s share of funding – almost twice as much as middle and upper income areas.

Busting the Myth: In Harris county, poor, not rich neighborhoods have gotten the lion's share of flood mitigation dollars since 2000.
Busting the Myth: Between 2000 and 2022, in Harris county, poor, not rich neighborhoods have gotten the lion’s share of flood mitigation dollars since 2000.

Regardless, Ellis was on a roll. And by the time he was done, three of his Democratic colleagues (Hidalgo, Garcia and Briones) were demanding more equity.

They voted to ignore all five of the scenarios that Petersen spent months working on and focus only on projects that ranked high on Ellis’ equity scale.

When Ramsey pointed out that one of the poorest neighborhoods in Precinct 3, Barrett Station, was defunded, Ellis shot back that his equity formula was “agnostic” to politics. But the numbers tell a different story.

Little wonder that the county released no information on this issue before the vote yesterday. Opposition to Ellis’ ringers might have had time to organize.

Expect frequent updates on this in coming months as the situation evolves.

To view video of the discussion, look for Item 2 here. Public appearances come before Item Two, and there are several breaks during the discussion.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/27/25 at 4PM

2859 Days since Hurricane Harvey

HCFCD Announces Kingwood Projects

5/16/2025 – Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) made several announcements about projects recently that will affect Kingwood and areas upstream.

Two Stormwater Detention Basins Now on Bid List

The District expects two major detention basin projects to go out for bids soon. The:

  • East TC Jester Basin on Cypress Creek will bid in the third quarter this year.
  • Woodridge Village Basin on Taylor Gully will bid in the first quarter next year.

The clearcutting of the Woodridge Village flooded hundreds of homes in Elm Grove, Sherwood Trails and Mills Branch twice in 2019. HCFCD started excavating an additional detention basin in 2021 to help address the risk of downstream flooding. But they were forced to discontinue the excavation in 2023 when they applied for a HUD grant to finish the project.

HCFCD held a press conference about funding availability at the TC Jester property in 2022.

Ten More Maintenance Projects in Kingwood

HCFCD also announced 10 more maintenance projects on area channels. They expect to start eight this year.

What Will Happen Where

The map below shows the location of the projects. It’s keyed to the numbers above in the first column.

The maintenance will help ensure the continued effectiveness of the area’s flood control systems.

HCFCD will repair or replace…

  • Existing damaged concrete channel linings
  • Slope paving
  • Outfall pipes

…for the following channels

  • G103-38-02-X005 (Kingwood Diversion Ditch) 
  • G103-80-01-X012(Green Tree Ditch) 
  • G103-41-00-X014 (Sand Branch) 
  • G103-33-03-X003 (Hidden Pines to Bens Branch) 
  • G103-38-01-X015 (Chestnut Ridge Rd. to Kingwood Diversion Ditch) 
  • G103-38-01-X016 (Chestnut Ridge Rd. to Kingwood Diversion Ditch) 

HCFCD will also remove sediment from:

  • G103-80-01-X013 (Green Tree Ditch) 
  • G103-33-04-X007 (Kings Crossing Ditch) 
  • G103-41-00-X013 (Sand Branch) 

They will repair erosion on:

  • G103-33-01-X007 (North Park Dr. to Bens Branch) 
  • G103-80-03.1-X037 (Taylor Gully) 

Finally, HCFCD will reshape side channels on:

  • G103-33-04-X007 (Kings Crossing Ditch) 
  • G103-41-00-X014 (Sand Branch)  

During this time, residents in work areas may notice crews with large trucks and heavy equipment such as excavators and bulldozers. Stay well clear of the equipment.

HCFCD estimates it will complete all this work by early 2026. The District and Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey who helped arrange the work stated that each specific effort will move on its own timeline. 

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/16/2026

2817 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Ramsey, Flickinger Discuss Status of Flood Projects

1/16/2025 – Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, PE, and Distict E Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger discussed the status of numerous flood projects at a meeting of the Kingwood Area Republican Women today at the Oakhurst Golf Club.

Ramsey addressing Kingwood Area Republican Women’s Club today.

Among the projects they covered were:

  • Taylor Gully Improvements/Woodridge Village Detention
  • Kingwood Diversion Ditch Improvements/Upstream Detention
  • Additional Floodgates for Lake Houston
  • Legal Changes Governing Pre-Release of Water from Lakes
  • Edgewater Park
  • Dredging
  • Medians
  • Flood Tunnels
  • Subsidence

Below are the highlights. They also discussed other issues such as median maintenance, vine control, crime, taxes, government waste, elections and more. But I will focus primarily on infrastructure issues related to flooding – especially Taylor Gully and Woodridge Village, because of pending approvals this month.

Taylor Gully/Woodridge Village

After Perry Homes clearcut approximately 270 acres in Montgomery County, hundreds of Kingwood homes flooded twice in 2019 along Taylor Gully. Taylor Gully runs through the northern part of Kingwood from Kingwood Park High School to White Oak Creek.

Taylor Gully/Woodridge Village

Harris County Flood Control District (HCDFC) began working on mitigation plans in 2021 and presented preliminary recommendations to the community in December, 2022.

The county had high hopes for funding from the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), but those ran into a potential snag. Taylor Gully improvements fit within available HUD funding, but Woodridge Village (the former Perry Homes Property) did not. HCFCD hoped to build more stormwater detention basin capacity on Woodridge to help control Taylor Gully expenses downstream.

Regardless HCFCD pressed forward. They combined the two projects. And according to HCFCD, both now fit with available funding capacity (see “above the line” list on page 2) of the list being presented to Commissioners Court next week on 1/23/25.

The county purchased Woodridge Village in February 2021. Shortly thereafter, HCFCD began an excavation and removal (E&R) contract to get a “head start” on the basins. Indeed, the head start brought the total stormwater detention on the site almost to Atlas-14 standards.

However, HCFCD was forced to terminate the E&R contract before the basins could be completed. That was to comply with HUD requirements while HUD considered the grant application.

This is potentially great news for the people who live in Sherwood Trails, Elm Grove, Mills Branch and Woodstream.

Watch commissioner’s court closely next Thursday. The Kingwood area drainage study named this project as one of the two most important in Kingwood.

Kingwood Diversion Ditch and Upstream Detention

The Kingwood Diversion Ditch was the other of the two most important projects. The Diversion Ditch takes floodwaters out of Bens Branch, which runs diagonally through the center of Kingwood from St. Martha Catholic Church to River Grove Park.

Improving the Diversion Ditch would reduce flood risk for hundreds of homes and apartments, Kingwood High School, Town Center, and Kings Harbor. Both Bens Branch and the Diversion Ditch currently have a two-year level of service. That means they have a 50% chance of coming out of their banks in any given year.

The District started preliminary engineering in mid-2021. HCFCD will finally present that report to Commissioners Court on February 6, 2025.

Ramsey estimated today that the project could cost $60 million. However, he also indicated that U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw “got us enough money so we can do the final engineering.”

Eric Heppen, Precinct 3 engineer, later stated that once Commissioners Court approves the preliminary report, it will be made public.

Flickinger emphasized that he is talking with Montgomery County, trying to get them to retain more of their floodwaters. He raised concerns about a new 200,000 sq. ft. convention center planned for US59 at Valley Ranch. “That will generate a lot of runoff that could come down to us, unless we work together to find a way to hold that water up there.”

Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger at same meeting.

Additional Floodgates for Lake Houston

Shortly after Harvey, many people pinned their flood-mitigation hopes on additional floodgates for the Lake Houston dam. The idea: to lower the lake faster when it becomes certain that a storm will flood the area. The existing gates have 1/15th the capacity of Lake Conroe’s. So Lake Houston must start releasing far earlier in advance of storms than Lake Conroe. And by the time Lake Houston is lowered, storms can veer away, wasting valuable water.

So Conroe tends to hold its water back until it is absolutely certain. At that point, it has no other choice than to release water at high rates that flood people downstream.

Being able to lower Lake Houston faster would let Lake Conroe release earlier and slower, smoothing out flood peaks downstream.

Ramsey estimated the cost of 11 new floodgates that could release 80,000 cubic feet per second at $150 million. He said the final engineering should be completed this year. He also said that bidding and construction could start in 2026.

Legal Changes Governing Pre-Release of Water

Flickinger addressed a related legal issue. State law limits the release of water from lakes; it must be only for defined beneficial uses and flood control is not one of them.

So, Flickinger is working with State Rep. Charles Cunningham to change that and increase the limit. “Bottom line,” he said, “is that we need to release more water sooner rather than holding it back until we’re adding to the crest of the flood.”

Flickinger is also working with the San Jacinto River Authority on these changes.

Edgewater Park

After Harvey, the County acquired land on the northeast corner of the West Fork and US59, which will turn into Edgewater Park. It will also connect the Houston Parks Board’s West Fork Greenway with the Spring Creek Nature Trail. Ramsey said the plans will be made public very soon. After the meeting, Precinct 3 engineer Eric Heppen confirmed the plans were 99% complete.

Ramsey said, “Soon, you’ll be able to go from Kingwood to Tomball and not cross a road.” That should be a tremendous draw for hikers and bikers and the entire area.

Dredging

Flickinger discussed two aspects of dredging not covered in last night’s post. First, he is seeking additional funding to continue the current program while the dredge is on the lake. Second, he feels opportunities exist to increase efficiency.

I asked what he meant by that. FEMA restrictions on the funds currently being used limit the dredging to “pre-Harvey” conditions. That means, Callan Marine, the contractor, must dredge to different depths to match the exact bottom profile that existed before Harvey. And that requires repositioning the dredge more than if you were just dredging to a uniform depth across wide areas.

The search for additional funding has led Flickinger to the City, the Coastal Water Authority (CWA) and former State Representative Dan Huberty. Huberty was appointed to the board of CWA last last year by Houston Mayor John Whitmire.

Medians

Several people from the audience questioned Flickinger about the medians along Kingwood Drive. He touted the success of his first Median Madness event in November 2024 and announced another on February 22, 2025. Mark your calendar now.

More than 50 volunteers participated in the last vine-cutting extravaganza. He hopes for many more volunteers this time.

Flood Tunnels

The county is getting ready to launch the next phase of its flood tunnel study. Ramsey emphasized that there isn’t enough room in Harris County to poke enough holes in the ground to solve all of our flooding problems. He sees tunnels that carry floodwater from strategic locations as essential parts of the solution.

Eric Heppen, Ramsey’s engineer said that by burying the 40 foot tunnels 80 feet underground, you can double the conveyance in some watersheds, sidestep environmental issues, and avoid having to condemn property.

But many issues have yet to be worked out. For instance, will tunnels be constructed to relieve 2-year, 5-year, 10-year, 25-year or 50-year flooding? More to follow when details become available.

Subsidence

Harris County estimates the area east of Lake Houston will grow by 18,000 homes in the next 10 years. But there currently are no plans to provide them with surface water. So, they will pump groundwater. That means subsidence. And subsidence means flooding, according to Ramsey. He pointed to Conroe as an example. The City’s groundwater pumping has caused subsidence as far south as Harris County.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/16/25

2697 Days since Hurricane Harvey