Tag Archive for: Taylor Gully

$29 Million Construction Contract for Woodridge, Taylor Gully Project Approved

3/26/26 – A $29,387,654 bid from Bryce Construction & Design, LLC has been approved by the county purchasing agent to construct the Woodridge and Taylor Gully flood mitigation projects in Kingwood. See Item 45 on the agenda. Here is their bid transmitted to Commissioners Court. It was the low bid.

To streamline approval of US Housing and Urban Development Department Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), several months ago Commissioners Court approved a proposal to let the County Purchasing Agent approve CDBG projects. They all have tight deadlines. 

The contractor will mobilize within two weeks according to Emily Woodell, a Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) spokesperson. We should see dirt flying this Spring.

History of Project

Up to 600 families in Kingwood flooded twice in 2019 when Perry Homes’ contractors cleared approximately 268 acres for Woodridge Village just north of the Harris County line. Then they sloped the land toward Taylor Gully. Many of the families had just recovered from the first flood on May 7th when they flooded again in September before the stormwater detention basins had been built.

Subsequently, in 2020, Harris County and the City of Houston purchased the land so that it couldn’t be developed and flood Kingwood again. Before the purchase, Perry Homes built five stormwater detention basins on the Woodridge property. However, Montgomery County regulations at the time required much less detention capacity that Harris County – about 40% less.

That was because Harris County had already adopted Atlas 14 and because Montgomery County averaged rainfall estimates across the entire county, even though annual rainfall increases as you move south toward the county line.

Elements of Solution

So, Harris County Flood Control set out to study what it would take to properly reduce flood risk using Atlas 14 data near the county line. The studies recommended:

  • More upstream detention
  • Increasing conveyance of Taylor Gully
  • Replacing a culvert bridge at Rustic Elms with a clear-span bridge
Project overview from construction plans

The project limits of the proposed Taylor Gully Channel Improvements stretch from the Montgomery County boundary on the west to approximately 700 feet upstream of the confluence with White Oak Creek – a length of approximately 12,630 linear feet. 

This portion of the project includes replacing the bridge at Rustling Elms.

Rustic Elms Bridge on Taylor Gully
At Rustling Elms, HCFCD will replace a culvert bridge with a clear-span bridge to remove a bottleneck.

HCFCD also plans to finish one more large stormwater detention basin upstream from Taylor Gully in Montgomery County.

HCFCD started work on the pond in January 2022 under an Excavation and Removal contract with Sprint Sand & Clay. The contract to remove up to 500,000 cubic yards of soil would have more than doubled the previous detention capacity on the site and more than made up for the 40% Atlas 14 shortfall.

However, HCFCD paused the Sprint contract when it applied for a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant. That’s because HUD rules stipulate that a project cannot change during the grant application period. 

HCFCD later terminated the contract in November 2023 when it became clear the project would qualify for the grant. At that point, Sprint had already removed 160,000 cubic yards, an amount equivalent to approximately 100 acre feet. So if the figures in the construction drawing are accurate, the capacity of the basin will quadruple compared to what you see below.

Woodridge
Woodridge Village on May 31, 2025. The final basin will extend down past the trees near the end of the entry road.

Expected Impact

Contractually, work must finish within 552 days from the notice to proceed – approximately 18 months. That would make a great 2027 Christmas present for a lot of Kingwood families.

Under HUD’s Community Development Block Grant for Mitigation, all work must finish and billing must be completed by March 31, 2028. That should be doable.

The project will give Taylor Gully a 100-year level of service. 

HCFCD

That means it should only come out of its banks in a hundred-year storm.

The improvements would reduce water-surface elevation (WSE) along Taylor Gully up to 6.9 feet in places and 4 to 5 feet on average for a 100-year storm event. 

Also, this project will remove approximately 276 structures from a 100-year flood plain. Without the project, area residents would continue to flood in lesser storms.

Taylor Gully Flooding May 7 2019
Taylor Gully bridge at Rustling Elms during May 7, 2019, storm.

That means we should NOT see many more scenes like the one above until Noah’s comeback tour.

Thanks to Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey PE, for continuing to push this project when things seemed bleak.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/26/26

3131 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Update on Two Kingwood Flood-Mitigation Projects

1/28/26 – People living near the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and the Woodridge Village/Taylor Gully area have been asking what happened to their flood-mitigation projects. Good news: Both are moving forward. Here’s some historical context, where the projects currently stand, and what comes next.

Kingwood Diversion Ditch

The Kingwood Diversion Ditch splits off Bens Branch between Northpark Drive and the new St. Martha Catholic Church. It runs down the western side of North and South Woodland Hills past the fire station on Kingwood Drive. Then it continues south past Trailwood, Deer Ridge Park and finally joins the San Jacinto West Fork at River Grove Park. Along the way, it goes under four bridges.

Neel-Schaffer completed a preliminary engineering study in early 2025. The company recommended widening the Diversion Ditch and building a new outfall to West Fork west of River Grove Park. They projected the cost to be almost $41 million, but it would reduce the floodplain size by 177 acres and remove 34 structures from the floodplain.

Diversion Ditch shown in white, proposed new outfall in green, and Bens Branch in red.

The improvements would divert enough stormwater from Bens Branch to take it from a 2-year level of service to a 100-year level. That’s good news for the merchants in Kingwood Town Center. They all flooded during Harvey and 12 seniors died at Kingwood Village Estates.

The project almost died last year when Democratic County Commissioners voted to redeploy all remaining flood bond funds to the highest scoring projects on their equity prioritization framework. However, they later reconsidered that motion. The Diversion Ditch already had federal partnership funds allocated to it thanks to the work of Congressman Dan Crenshaw. His earmark for the Walnut Lane Bridge saved it from the chopping block.

Now the project is moving again. In late 2025, Harris County awarded a contract to Halff Associates, Inc. for the final engineering and design of the project.

In its January 22 board meeting, the Texas Water Development Board authorized an agreement with Harris County Flood Control District for a $5 million grant that State Representative Charles Cunningham obtained during the 89th Legislative Regular Session. (See item 12.)

HCFCD spokesperson Emily Woodell said the District expects the design work to start by March 1. She also says that additional funding will come from EPA grants to cover design and the 2018 bond to cover construction. Woodell expects construction to begin in late 2027.

Woodridge Village/Taylor Gully

The Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis ranked the Diversion Ditch and the Woodridge Village/Taylor Gully Project as the two most important projects in Kingwood because they help the largest numbers of people.

The 270-acre Woodridge Village Project is the aborted Perry Homes development purchased by Harris County and the City of Houston in 2020. It lies north of Sherwood Trails and Elm Grove in Montgomery County. Except for a few acres on the extreme western end, virtually all of it drains into Taylor Gully.

Perry’s contractors clearcut the Woodridge site starting in 2017 and sloped it toward Taylor Gully. Then before they installed detention ponds and drainage systems, runoff from the site flooded up to 600 homes twice in 2019. Residents had not even finished repairing their homes from the first flood in May, when they flooded again in September. A massive class action lawsuit resulted in a substantial settlement for the victims.

Taylor Gully Flooding May 7 2019
Taylor Gully flooding near Rustling Elms on May 7, 2019.

Before purchasing Woodridge Village from Perry, HCFCD stipulated that they had to finish building all of the stormwater detention basins planned as part of the buildout. However, those detention basins only brought the property up to pre-Atlas 14 standards. They fell 40% short of Atlas 14 requirements.

Shortly after the purchase, HCFCD started building an additional detention basin to bring the total detention capacity onsite up to and beyond Atlas-14 requirements. Sprint Sand and Clay began the work under an excavation and removal (E&R) contract. E&R contracts give HCFCD a head start on production. They let contractors begin removing dirt for a nominal fee and then sell it on the open market to make up their profit margin.

Woodridge
Woodridge Village on May 31 2025. The beginning of a new detention basin was never completed or connected.

However, when HCFCD applied for a HUD CDBG-MIT grant through the Texas General Land Office, HCFCD was forced to pause the project. That’s because projects cannot change while the GLO and HUD consider a grant request.

Scope of project outlined in preliminary engineering review. Compartment 1 is in current bid and will take project up to and slightly beyond Atlas 14 requirements. Compartment 2 will be treated as a separate project in the future if/when needed.

HCFCD applied for grants to:

  • Expand a portion of Taylor Gully and line it with concrete.
  • Build another stormwater detention basin on Woodridge Village holding 412 acre-feet.
  • Replace the culverts at Rustling Elms with a clear-span bridge.

Fast forward: GLO and HUD approved grants for $42 million in October, 2025. HCFCD put the project out for bids. And proposals are due by Feb. 16, 2026. See screen capture from County purchasing below.

Screen capture supplied by Precinct 3 Engineer Eric Heppen

Even though the bid above is listed as “channel conveyance improvements,” according to Woodell, it also includes the Woodridge Village Stormwater Detention Basin(s). “Since Woodridge mitigates Taylor Gully, those two projects have been combined forever after,” she said.

The HUD/GLO deadline for finishing the project is March 31, 2028. That’s do-able if everyone hustles.

Additional funding for this project came from U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw. He secured federal funding for Taylor Gully improvements in March 2022. And Representative Charles Cunningham helped secure state funding through the TWDB.

Press conference on status of Lake Houston Area flood-mitigation projects.
At a September 2024 press conference where Woodridge meets Taylor Gully. Left to Right, Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey PE, US Rep. Dan Crenshaw, HCFCD Exec. Dir. Dr. Tina Petersen, Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger and State Rep. Charles Cunningham.

More news to follow when we see the bids.

Posted by Bob Rehak on January 28, 2026

3074 Days since Hurricane Harvey

HCFCD Calls Projects Complete that Have Not Even Started

3/10/25 – In the last week, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) launched a new interactive map at the bottom of its homepage. In it, HCFCD calls many projects complete that have not even started.

The map supposedly contains the status of each project in the county along with links to more project details.

However, the information is riddled with errors. The map also contains several usability issues that place barriers between people and information.

Together, the issues show a disturbing lack of attention to detail and quality control that undermines the credibility of HCFCD.

Examples of Incorrectly Coded Projects

For instance, you may be pleased to know that the project to add more floodgates to the Lake Houston Dam is “complete.” It’s not. Ask Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger who just provided an update on the ongoing engineering of the gates.

This and all other screen captures below taken on 3/10/25. Note project status in lower right corner.

Neither are the projects complete to add stormwater-detention capacity to Woodridge Village and to improve Taylor Gully. However, the map shows them completed also.

HCFCD also marked the Kingwood Diversion Ditch Project “in progress.” It’s not.

“None of this information is true!”

– Bob Rehak

With the exception of the Woodridge project, the District has not turned one shovel of dirt on any of the projects above.

The District tabled the Woodridge project in November 2023 when it decided to seek HUD funding to complete it. Here’s how HCFCD left the site.

“Completed” Woodridge Village Detention Basin. Photo taken today, 3/10/25.

HCFCD even marked the TC Jester Detention Basins on Cypress Creek complete.

However, that project won’t even go out for bid until the fourth quarter of this year.

From HCFCD’s 12-month Bid Calendar. Arrow added.

HCFCD did not respond to questions about the errors, nor did it take the error-ridden, interactive map down as of close of business today.

Usability Flaws, Too

In addition to the project-status errors, the map also contains some serious usability flaws.

For instance, clicking on the link for more information about a project sometimes takes one to a page that asks you to sign into “ArcGIS Online.”

But that requires HCFCD employee credentials.

However, take heart. If you wait several minutes, information may eventually load OFFSCREEN and ABOVE the sign-in prompt…where few would ever bother to look for it. Very clever!

A source familiar with Harris County Universal Services, the county’s IT department, attributed the bizarre performance of the map, in part, to incompetent coders and project managers with forged credentials working on H1-B visas.

That may be an even bigger problem! If you think Elon Musk rummaging through IRS data is an issue, imagine foreign nationals rummaging through your Harris County tax information. But I digress.

Why An Untested Map?

The sudden appearance of the map follows fast on the heels of the Harris County Commissioners Court meeting on February 27, 2025.

In the meeting, Commissioners adopted several measures to limit the financial impact to the county in case DOGE rescinds $1.1 billion of previously promised HUD disaster-relief and flood-mitigation funding.

In the same meeting, Commissioners also demanded an update from HCFCD Executive Director Tina Petersen about the status of every project. The reason: so they could make sure so-called “equity projects” were completed in low-to-moderate income areas before those in more affluent areas.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said he didn’t want to wait “until all the money was gone.” He added, “I know there’s not enough money to do all the projects we talked about and everybody else knows it.”

I hope Ms. Petersen provides better information to her bosses than to the public. She just received a $90,000 raise. You could hire several proofreaders for that!

No telling how many errors are embedded in the interactive HCFCD map; I am not familiar with every project in the county. If you know of other errors in projects near you, please send me a note through the contact form on this website.

Posted Bob Rehak on 3/10/25

2750 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.

HCFCD Recommends Projects for $863 Million in HUD Funding

1/25/25 – Yesterday, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) released two lists of projects proposed for $863 million in funding.

The lists correspond to Community Development Block Grants for Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) and Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) programs from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). The Texas General Land Office (GLO) administers the funds at the state level.

Per HUD rules, at least 50% of the funding for all projects taken together must benefit Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) citizens. However, HCFCD is working towards a goal of 70% mandated by Harris County Commissioners Court.

Differences Between DR and MIT Funds

Of the total $863 million awarded, $322 million will go to Disaster Recovery programs and $541 million will go to Mitigation programs.

  • CDBG-DR dollars fund areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey. CDBG-DR projects must be completed by May 31, 2026. 
  • CDBG-MIT dollars fund projects that mitigate future disasters and flooding. They must finish by March 31, 2028.

You can review one-page summaries of each recommended project on these pages:

Public Comment on Two Lists Open Through Feb. 24

HCFCD’s release of the lists yesterday opened public comment, which closes at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, February 24, 2025.

Email comments to CDBG@hcfcd.hctx.net or mail them to Harris County Flood Control District, ATTN: CDBG Communications, 9900 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77092.

Only One Project in Lake Houston Area

HCFCD has proposed one project in the Lake Houston Area out of all this money: Taylor Gully Channel Improvements/Woodridge Village Stormwater Detention Basin. HCFCD estimates the project at $33 million. It will serve a population that’s 26% LMI.

The project overview says, “This project will improve the stormwater conveyance in Taylor Gully and increase the volume of detained stormwater with the construction of the Woodridge stormwater detention basin. The stormwater detention basin will be constructed on undeveloped land the Flood Control District owns and adjacent to three existing stormwater detention basins. This part of the project will be completed before the channel conveyance improvements on Taylor Gully start.”

Taylor Gully starts in MoCo on the Woodridge Village Property and runs through the northern part of Kingwood to the East Fork. Hundreds of families flooded twice in 2019 in this area after Perry Homes clearcut the Woodridge Property.

Shortly after purchasing the Woodridge property in 2021, HCFCD got a head start on the detention basin portion of the project when it entered an excavation and removal contract with Sprint Sand and Clay. But the contract ended and work stopped when HCFCD decided to apply for the HUD grant. Under HUD rules, work cannot continue while a grant application is being evaluated. That left a gaping, disconnected hole in the ground.

Start of Woodridge Village stormwater detention basin as of October 25, 2024. When complete, it will extend to small grove of trees near top of frame and the diagonal channel that bisects the property. See map above.

Other Mitigation Projects

See the other Projects in the screen captures below.

See HCFCD website for interactive list of proposed CDBG-MIT projects.

Disaster Recovery Projects

See HCFCD website for interactive list of recommended DR Projects.

Not on Lists

Notice that the Kingwood Diversion Ditch did not make either list. HCFCD’s Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis named it one of the two most important projects in the Kingwood Area, which suffered the worst flood in the county during Harvey.

Regardless, I look forward to seeing the Woodridge detention basin resume construction.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/25/25

2706 Days since Hurricane Harvey

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

Potential Funding Problem for Taylor Gully Mitigation Project

10/10/24 – Buried within a Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) eight-page status report submitted to Commissioners Court last Tuesday is a potential conflict that could torpedo Taylor Gully conveyance improvements.

Taylor Gully is the lone Kingwood project that HCFCD submitted to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Texas General Land Office for Community Development Block Grant funding. The list of disaster relief and hazard mitigation projects totals $863 million.

Taylor Gully
Taylor Gully during May 7, 2019 flood

HUD Funds via Texas GLO

The HUD/GLO money focuses on projects stemming from Hurricane Harvey that are designed to mitigate future disasters and flooding.

The money is in two buckets: disaster relief ($322 million) and mitigation ($541 million).

DR vs MIT, Above-the-Line vs Below-

Of the 39 projects listed in the status report, Northeast Harris County has three. But the three actually relate to only one project – Taylor Gully Drainage Improvements in Kingwood.

  • The main Taylor Gully project falls into the Disaster Mitigation (MIT) category.
  • Two related stormwater detention basins in Woodridge Village at the head of Taylor Gully fall into the disaster relief (DR) category.

A note on page six of the HCFCD status report explains the relationship between the three items. Basically, Flood Control needs the two detention basins to make the Taylor Gully improvements work within the available space.

Rough layout for new Woodridge basin.
Green basin was started under an E&R contract then paused after HUD funding application. A second basin would need to be built from scratch somewhere within the area designated as G-503-06-00. Taylor Gully is blue line labeled G103-80-03.1.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The Taylor Gully project is above the funding line. That means there’s room for it in the budget. But…

Potential Conflict

The two detention basins, which are prerequisites, fall below the funding line. That means there is no budget for them unless another above-the-funding-line project falls out of contention or comes in much lower than expected. (Editorial comment: Good luck with that!)

See the note on page six reprinted below.

Taylor Gully Channel Conveyance Improvements (G103-80-03.1-E002), Woodridge Stormwater Detention Basin, Compartment 1 (G503-06-00-E003), and Woodridge Stormwater Detention Basin, Compartment 2 (G503-06-00-E004): Woodridge Stormwater Detention Basin, Compartment 1 (G503-06-00-E003) and Woodridge Stormwater Detention Basin, Compartment 2 (G503-06-00-E004) were originally below the funding line for CDBG-DR. The original engineering analysis indicated that only Woodbridge Basin Compartment 1 was needed for the Taylor Gully mitigation. As the analysis has progressed, it indicates that Compartment 2 (or a portion of it) may also be needed. Due to other projects potentially reducing in budget from the initial estimates, there may be funding available to include the Woodbridge basin in the Taylor Gully project. [Color added for emphasis.] (Bond ID: F-14; Precinct 3).

It’s like saying, “We’ll recommend the highway expansion. But we may not approve the concrete for it.”

Deadlines Looming

To make matters worse, the two detention basins are in the Disaster Relief category. That had a tight deadline – mid 2026. However, the GLO and HUD say that they are granting extensions on a case-by-case basis. HCFCD says they are asking for one. And these two particular projects seem to be in the pipeline under review.

The Taylor Gully conveyance improvements will cost an estimated $25.5 million. The two Woodridge detention basins together will cost an estimated $30.8 million.

The GLO says it is working closely with Harris County Flood Control to process applications and resolve issues as quickly as they arise.

However, unless HUD and the GLO grant a deadline extension, the two basins would need to be completed and all the billing submitted for payment by roughly mid-2026. That would be ambitious, even if they started today.

Worse, if the issue is “available funding,” they’ll need to finalize 14 other projects first to see how much money they have left over before the detention basins can even start.

Government Work is Never Easy

One thing I have learned since Harvey is that nothing associated with flood mitigation moves quickly. In that regard, Harris County Commissioners approved the first draft of the DR project list on 6/6/23.

In fairness, a large part of the HCFCD update deals with reasons for grant-submission and approval delays. They include:

  • Changes in procedures related to the Authorization to Use Grant Funds under the National Environmental Policy Act.
  • Confusion over the Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA Ruling having to do with the definition of the Waters of the U.S.
  • New U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requirements to protect endangered species.
  • Recent changes to HUD’s Environmental Review Process.
  • HUD’s new Federal Flood Risk Management requirements to review wetland impacts for areas beyond one acre.
  • Severe weather (Derecho, May floods, Beryl)

Let’s hope they can resolve this one quickly. The fate of hundreds of homes and thousands of residents hangs in the balance.

Make sure you ask about this at the HCFCD tax meeting on October 16 before you vote.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/10/24

2599 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Harris County Changes Proposed Project Lists for HUD Funding

4/23/24 – In a transmittal to Harris County Commissioners Court today, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) updated commissioners on how it hopes to spend $863 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds.

Two projects in the Kingwood Area remain funding priorities: Taylor Gully Channel Improvements and Woodridge Village Stormwater Detention. However, the stormwater detention, currently listed as an alternate backup project, is being split up into two smaller projects to help improve funding chances for the most critical component. See more details below.

Ins and Outs of Funding

The HUD money comes in two “buckets” with different requirements – Disaster Relief ($322 million) and Mitigation ($541 million). Both buckets fall under HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG). CDBG’s flexibility lets people and communities design and implement strategies tailored to their own needs and priorities.

When I last reported on the CDBG lists, the Lake Houston Area had one project in each bucket.

  • In Disaster Relief, the Woodridge Village Stormwater Detention Basin was “below the line.” That means it was an alternate on the backup list; a primary project would have had to have been canceled for it to receive funding.
  • In Mitigation, Taylor Gully Improvements were above the line, i.e., primary recommendations.
Extent of Woodridge excavation when paused before applying to HUD

Changes Outlined in Transmittal

The latest updated project lists feature five main changes. They affect both Lake Houston Area projects. But first, let me explain the others that are changing, because their financial impact affects everything else.

HCFCD:

  • Deleted the Riggs Road Stormwater Detention Basin (Part 2) from the recommended DR list, saving $6.5 million.
  • Transferred the Boudreaux Basin (Phase 1) from the DR list to Mitigation, so that it could benefit from the longer timeline for Mitigation projects. This project is between Willow Creek and SH99 at Huffsmith Kohrville Road. The transfer will free up another $38.6 million on the DR list.
  • Moved an East TC Jester Stormwater Detention Basin from the mitigation list to the DR list. This put $23.8 million back on the DR list.
  • Removed the Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin from the mitigation list without transferring it to DR.

Thus, you would think approximately $21.3 million was freed up on the DR list. That would theoretically let the Woodridge Stormwater Detention Basin move up from “below the funding line.” However, it remains below…at least for now.

Moreover the Woodridge Stormwater Detention Basin has morphed into two projects. One provides the detention required to help mitigate Taylor Gully now. The other provides an extra safety margin as a hedge against future developments.

Splitting the detention up into two smaller pieces gives HCFCD more flexibility and greater confidence that the most important part will get funded.

The Woodridge/Taylor Gully discussion in the document is a bit confusing unless you speak HUD.

Amy Crouser, an HCFCD spokesperson provided this translation. Regarding the two DR detention projects, she said that the detention basin which HCFCD already began excavating (and which they paused in November 2023) remains the top priority.

“The second basin will provide additional regional stormwater detention. Splitting the project helps us ensure the compartment of the Woodridge basin that mitigates Taylor Gully can move forward,” said Crouser.

She concluded, “The ultimate goal is to eventually construct both compartments. This follows our traditional rationale for phasing projects when possible and practicable. Both compartments will be advanced to bid-ready state using local dollars. That will give us the maximum flexibility to advance the projects.” 

For More Information

This HCFCD document titled CDBG Program Financial Planning & Performance Management, lays out all the costs, restrictions, deadlines and accountabilities related to all the projects on each list.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/23/24

2429 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Crenshaw Secures Funding for 10 Lake Houston Area Projects

Congressman Dan Crenshaw has helped secure Federal funding that supports 10 Lake Houston Area projects. Crenshaw submitted requests for the earmarks in 2023. After review by several different congressional committees, some of the earmark requests were modified and some sailed through for the full amounts.

The table below shows requested and approved amounts.

ProjectOriginally RequestedFinally Approved
Walnut Lane Bridge over Kingwood Diversion Ditch$4 million$4 million
New Caney Active Shooter Defense Training Facility$2.3 million$1.65 million
San Jac River Wastewater System$1.8$1.83 million
Goose Creek Channel Conveyance Improvements$8 million$1.75 million
Taylor Gulley Channel Conveyance Improvements$8 million$1.75 million
Ford Road Improvements$12 million$7 million
MoCo Bridge Project$900 thousand$720 thousand
Tamina Economic Development Project$3 million$3 million
FM1488 Street Rehab and Drainage Improvements$1.12$1.12 million
Highlands, Huffman, Crosby Roadway/Drainage Improvements$3.6 million$3.6 million
           Total$44.72 million$26.42 million

Crenshaw Success Rate

According to sources familiar with the process, Crenshaw is one of the few if not the only representatives to secure funding for all projects he has submitted in the last three years.

Reportedly, this is because Crenshaw restricts his requests to projects that save lives and/or money in the long term. Said another way, the requests he submits justify the expenditures. They are usually for infrastructure and save the government money by preventing future flood damage.

Dan Crenshaw (center) reviewing flood damage along Harris/MoCo line.
Crenshaw in black shirt visiting with Elm Grove flood victims in 2019 near Taylor Gully.

For descriptions of all 10 earmarks requested by Crenshaw, see below.

Project Descriptions

Kingwood Diversion Channel – Walnut Lane Bridge Project

Recipient: City of Houston

Purpose: The project includes the widening and reconstruction of Walnut Lane Bridge in Kingwood. This bridge, in its current configuration, will restrict flood flows unless widened to accommodate the future expansion of the Kingwood Diversion Channel currently being designed by the Harris County Flood Control District. The purpose of the overall project is to route drainage from Montgomery County to Lake Houston and reduce flood damage to residents of Kingwood along Bens Branch. The funding is needed to construct improvements needed to facilitate the expansion of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and rebuild the Walnut Lane Bridge.

Active Shooter Defense Training Facility

Recipient: Montgomery County 

Purpose: Purpose: To assist with the operations of our regional active shooter rapid response training facility by purchasing training supplies/aids, equiping graduates with medical response supplies, and ballistic equipment for actual threats. To date, graduates include 1,600 law enforcement personnel, fire and EMS first responders. 

San Jacinto River Wastewater System Replacement Project

Recipient: Army Corps of Engineers

Purpose: To increase the reliability of the San Jacinto River Authority Woodlands Division wastewater conveyance system and repair damage from recent storms. List stations were damaged by flooding during Hurricane Harvey and have yet to be repaired. Both on-site lift stations, the control building, and the emergency generator were flooded and need to be replaced. This request would fund the demolition of the existing structure and build new systems. 

Goose Creek Channel Conveyance Improvements and Stormwater Detention Project

Recipient: Harris County Flood Control District

Purpose:  This project is designed to reduce flood risk within the Goose Creek Watershed by creating a detention basin and improving stormwater conveyance. The project is estimated to remove approximately 28 acres of inundated land, up to 77 structures, and 1.44 miles of inundated roadways from the 100-year event. Preventing flooding will avoid the need for more costly recovery efforts after flooding events.

Taylor Gully Flood Mitigation Project

Recipient: Harris County Flood Control District

Purpose: To reduce flood risk in the Kingwood area.  This area experienced widespread flooding from recent storm events, including Hurricane Harvey and Tropical Storm Imelda.  This project will create a detention basin and improve stormwater conveyance to minimize flood risks. Engineering studies show that completion of this project will result in substantial reductions in flooding along Taylor Gully.  The studies show that this project will remove the 100-year floodplain from more than 276 structures and 115 acres of flood area.

Goose Creek Channel Conveyance Improvements and Stormwater Detention Project

Recipient: Harris County Flood Control District

Purpose:  This project is designed to reduce flood risk within the Goose Creek Watershed by creating a detention basin and improving stormwater conveyance. The project is estimated to remove approximately 28 acres of inundated land, up to 77 structures, and 1.44 miles of inundated roadways from the 100-year event. Preventing flooding will avoid the need for more costly recovery efforts after flooding events.

Ford Road Improvement Project 

Recipient: Montgomery County 

Purpose: Support Ford Road improvements from US 59 in Montgomery County to the Harris County line. The current road is undersized and serves as one of only three evacuation routes for the Kingwood area. All three routes have drainage issues and Ford Road is only a two-lane road. The proposed project would make Ford Road a four-lane road, improve local drainage, and improve driver and pedestrian safety in the corridor.

Montgomery County Bridge Project 

Recipient: Montgomery County 

Purpose: Provide funding for five rural wooden bridges in Montgomery County that are past their design life and need to be replaced. The bridges were not built to current criteria and increase the risk of flooding by backing up water during large storms. One bridge serves as the only way in and out of a subdivision presenting a safety hazard. The funding request is for engineering, surveying, and permitting services to develop construction plans to replace five bridges.

Tamina Economic Development Planning Project

Recipient: Montgomery County

Purpose: The Tamina area is not served by modern street and stormwater management systems. The streets are in disrepair and the area drains very poorly, creating an elevated risk of flooding. The first phase of economic development planning, which this request would support, is to complete detailed engineering and environmental studies, provide new driveways and culverts, and re-grade all of the ditches to allow them to drain. 

FM1488 Area Street Rehabilitation and Drainage Improvement Project 

Recipient: City of Conroe

Purpose: The project will fund roadway resurfacing, drainage improvements, and storm sewer upgrades of roadways connecting to FM1488 near IH-45 (southern part of Conroe). The City of Conroe has experienced severe weather and rainfall which causes considerable wear and tear on the roads and drainage network. The project will benefit residential areas, including the Arella Forrest at Woodland Senior Living Center and Stillwater neighborhood. It will also improve access to the WG Jones State Forest, which serves a community located in a Historically Disadvantaged Community Tract. 

Highland / Huffman / Crosby Roadway & Drainage Improvement 

Recipient: Harris County, Texas

Purpose: Reconstruction of multiple poorly paved roads in subdivisions throughout the Highlands, Crosby, and Huffman areas of northeast Harris County. Existing gravel roads and inadequate drainage will be replaced with asphalt pavement, driveway culverts, and roadside ditches that will greatly improve residents’ quality of life. The projects will also improve accessibility for law enforcement and emergency services, reduce flood risk, and bring the local infrastructure to a standard acceptable for long-term County maintenance. 

Reason for Some Cutbacks

Earmarks come out of a specific percentage of each committee’s overall budget. The more requests that representatives submit, the less money there is to go around. And congressmen have no control over what others submit.

Overall, Congressman Crenshaw did very well. Many of these projects would not be going forward without his assistance.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/4/24

2410 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Woodridge Village Excavation and Removal Contract Ends

(Note: Within an hour of posting this, I received additional information from a source familiar with Federal grants and have updated the section on Funding below.) Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) and Sprint Sand & Clay have ended their Woodridge Village excavation and removal (E&R) contract. As of Friday afternoon, 11/24/23, Sprint had removed all of its equipment from the worksite, including the construction trailer at the entrance. See photos below.

Empty entrance on Woodland Hills where construction trailer once stood.
Looking NE at extent of excavation for new detention basin.
Same basin, but looking in opposite direction toward SW.

This will pause construction of additional stormwater detention capacity on Woodridge Village property.

Why did the contract end?

Funding Played Role in E&R Contract Termination

The new stormwater detention basin on HCFCD’s Woodridge Village property was part of a much larger project involving improvements to Taylor Gully. The combined Taylor Gully/Woodridge Village project involved funding from multiple sources:

  • U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw secured federal funding for Taylor Gully improvements in March 2022.
  • The Texas Water Development Board approved additional state funding in May.
  • Last summer, HCFCD also recommended the Taylor Gully/Woodridge project(s) for GLO/U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) CDBG-MIT funding.

The last comes with a firm, tight deadline for spending the money – Jan. 12, 2027 – three years away. It also comes with other “process” restrictions dictated by the CDBG-MIT funding.

Harris County requested a deadline extension. But because of the holiday, it is not clear whether HUD granted it.

Also, since originally posting this, an expert in Federal grants wrote to say, “The excavation and removal at Woodridge had to stop because Federal funds require a process to be followed. The excavation project that will be funded by CDBG mitigation funds has to follow NEPA (the National Environmental Policy Act). It does not allow any activity until NEPA has been cleared. Once the site was officially approved for CDBG mitigation funds, everything had to stop. The agreement with GLO was executed a week or two ago.”

“A similar thing happened to the Sprint excavation and removal at the Dinner Creek Basin,” he added. “It’s one of those sad facts about federal grants. You have to follow their process and everything is done in a linear fashion.”

Flexible E&R Contracts Allow Early Termination

HCFCD’s excavation and removal contracts are very flexible. They let HCFCD get a head start on construction as it worked out financing, design and other project details.

The terms of Sprint’s E&R contract let Sprint excavate up to 500,000 cubic yards of material and sell the dirt on the private market to make a profit. Sprint was meeting its 5,000 cubic-yard/month minimum. They averaged 6,000 to 7,000 cubic yards per month during the last two years.

By the end of October, the company excavated 156,478 cubic yards – about a third of the maximum. However, the additional two-thirds at the current rate would have missed the HUD deadline by at least two years.

If there’s good news here, it’s that:

  • The amount excavated to date already puts the site very close to meeting Atlas-14 requirements. The “head start” worked.
  • Once construction resumes, it could sharply accelerate.

Final HCFCD Recommendations Not Yet Revealed

In December 2022, engineers presented their preliminary plans to the Kingwood community and sought public input on four alternatives. Their recommended alternative included:

  • Expanding a portion of Taylor Gully and lining it with concrete.
  • Building yet another 412 acre-foot stormwater detention basin on Woodridge Village.
  • Replacing the culverts at Rustling Elms with a clear-span bridge.

HCFCD has not yet revealed final construction plans to the community. But it appears that the pot is starting to boil. Stay tuned. More news will follow soon.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/26/23

2280 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Nine Crenshaw Flood-Related Earmark Requests Approved by Various House Committees

U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw made nine flood-related earmark requests for 2024. And according to his office, several House of Representative Committees have approved all nine. They include:

  • $1.75M – Taylor Gully Flood Mitigation Project
  • $1.75M – Goose Creek Channel Conveyance Improvements
  • $3.6M – Highlands, Huffman & Crosby Roadway Reconstruction and Drainage Improvements project
  • $1.83 – San Jacinto River Wastewater System Replacement
  • $4M – Kingwood Diversion Channel/Walnut Lane Bridge
  • $1.12M – FM1488 Area Street Rehabilitation and Drainage Improvement Project 
  • $3M – Tamina Economic Development Planning Project
  • $7M – Ford Road Improvement Projects
  • $700,000 Montgomery County Bridge Project 

A committee also approved a request by Crenshaw NOT related to flooding – $1.65M for the Montgomery County Active Shooter Defense Training Facility. That means all 10 of Representative Crenshaw’s 2024 requests received funding, although not all received the full amount requested.

Project Descriptions

For descriptions of all 10 earmarks requested by Crenshaw, see below.

1. Taylor Gully Flood Mitigation Project

Recipient: Harris County Flood Control District

Requested: $8 million 

Committee Approved: $1.75 million. See Interior List.

Purpose: To reduce flood risk in the Kingwood area.  This area experienced widespread flooding from recent storm events, including Hurricane Harvey and Tropical Storm Imelda.  This project will create a detention basin and improve stormwater conveyance to minimize flood risks. Engineering studies show that completion of this project will result in substantial reductions in flooding along Taylor Gully.  The studies show that this project will remove the 100-year floodplain from more than 276 structures and 115 acres of flood area.

2. Goose Creek Channel Conveyance Improvements and Stormwater Detention Project

Recipient: Harris County Flood Control District

Requested: $8 million

Committee Approved: $1.75 million. See Interior List.

Purpose:  This project is designed to reduce flood risk within the Goose Creek Watershed by creating a detention basin and improving stormwater conveyance. The project is estimated to remove approximately 28 acres of inundated land, up to 77 structures, and 1.44 miles of inundated roadways from the 100-year event. Preventing flooding will avoid the need for more costly recovery efforts after flooding events.

3. Highland / Huffman / Crosby Roadway & Drainage Improvement 

Recipient: Harris County, Texas

Requested: $3.6 million 

Committee approved $3.6 million. See Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development List.

Purpose: Reconstruction of multiple poorly paved roads in subdivisions throughout the Highlands, Crosby, and Huffman areas of northeast Harris County. Existing gravel roads and inadequate drainage will be replaced with asphalt pavement, driveway culverts, and roadside ditches that will greatly improve residents’ quality of life. The projects will also improve accessibility for law enforcement and emergency services, reduce flood risk, and bring the local infrastructure to a standard acceptable for long-term County maintenance. 

4. San Jacinto River Wastewater System Replacement Project

Recipient: Army Corps of Engineers

Requested: $1.8 million

Committee Approved: $1.83 million. See Energy and Water List.

Purpose: To increase the reliability of the San Jacinto River Authority Woodlands Division wastewater conveyance system and repair damage from recent storms. List stations were damaged by flooding during Hurricane Harvey and have yet to be repaired. Both on-site lift stations, the control building, and the emergency generator were flooded and need to be replaced. This request would fund the demolition of the existing structure and build new systems. 

5. Kingwood Diversion Channel – Walnut Lane Bridge Project

Recipient: City of Houston

Requested: $4 million 

Committee Approved: $4 million. See Homeland Security List.

Purpose: The project includes the widening and reconstruction of Walnut Lane Bridge in Kingwood. This bridge, in its current configuration, will restrict flood flows unless widened to accommodate the future expansion of the Kingwood Diversion Channel currently being designed by the Harris County Flood Control District. The purpose of the overall project is to route drainage from Montgomery County to Lake Houston and reduce flood damage to residents of Kingwood along Bens Branch. The funding is needed to construct improvements needed to facilitate the expansion of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and rebuild the Walnut Lane Bridge.

6. FM1488 Area Street Rehabilitation and Drainage Improvement Project 

Recipient: City of Conroe

Requested: $1.12 million

Committee Approved: $1.12 million. See Transportation, and Housing and Urban Develop List.

Purpose: The project will fund roadway resurfacing, drainage improvements, and storm sewer upgrades of roadways connecting to FM1488 near IH-45 (southern part of Conroe). The City of Conroe has experienced severe weather and rainfall which causes considerable wear and tear on the roads and drainage network. The project will benefit residential areas, including the Arella Forrest at Woodland Senior Living Center and Stillwater neighborhood. It will also improve access to the WG Jones State Forest, which serves a community located in a Historically Disadvantaged Community Tract. 

7. Tamina Economic Development Planning Project

Recipient: Montgomery County

Requested: $3 million 

Committee Approved: $3 million. See Transportation and Housing and Urban Development List.

Purpose: The Tamina area is not served by modern street and stormwater management systems. The streets are in disrepair and the area drains very poorly, creating an elevated risk of flooding. The first phase of economic development planning, which this request would support, is to complete detailed engineering and environmental studies, provide new driveways and culverts, and re-grade all of the ditches to allow them to drain. 

8. Ford Road Improvement Project 

Recipient: Montgomery County 

Requested: $12 million 

Committee Approved: $7 million. See Transportation List.

Purpose: Support Ford Road improvements from US 59 in Montgomery County to the Harris County line. The current road is undersized and serves as one of only three evacuation routes for the Kingwood area. All three routes have drainage issues and Ford Road is only a two-lane road. The proposed project would make Ford Road a four-lane road, improve local drainage, and improve driver and pedestrian safety in the corridor.

9. Montgomery County Bridge Project 

Recipient: Montgomery County 

Requested: $900,000

Committee Approved: $700,000. See Transportation List.

Purpose: Provide funding for five rural wooden bridges in Montgomery County that are past their design life and need to be replaced. The bridges were not built to current criteria and increase the risk of flooding by backing up water during large storms. One bridge serves as the only way in and out of a subdivision presenting a safety hazard. The funding request is for engineering, surveying, and permitting services to develop construction plans to replace five bridges.

10. Active Shooter Defense Training Facility

Recipient: Montgomery County 

Requested: $2.3 million 

Committee Approved: $1.65 million. See Commerce, Justice, Science List.

Purpose: Purpose: To assist with the operations of our regional active shooter rapid response training facility by purchasing training supplies/aids, equiping graduates with medical response supplies, and ballistic equipment for actual threats. To date, graduates include 1,600 law enforcement personnel, fire and EMS first responders. 

Next Steps

Being approved by a committee doesn’t mean the Crenshaw earmarks are “done deals” yet. The full House of Representatives and Senate must still approve them. And then the President must sign the Appropriations bill into law. So, things could change between now and the end of the year. Final amounts could vary. More news to follow on the Crenshaw earmarks.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/24/23

2155 Days since Hurricane Harvey