Tag Archive for: River Grove Park

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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