I've wondered if the dredging would have any effect on the drainage? I wouldn't think so, but who knows.

I guess the thought is that Lake Houston would still hold the necessary amount of water while having room for drainage. I've noticed Lake Houston has been down recently, even with some rain, but I've heard they're doing it to repair the dam. Not sure if that's accurate or not.

Ezra Brooks said:

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I've wondered if the dredging would have any effect on the drainage? I wouldn't think so, but who knows.

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Dredge all you want, but if the transport to the river system is screwed, it doesn't do much good.

so far it is, but i don't arrive until almost 9pm

They lowered it a few months ago to repair the dam but that was only for a week. Then it was allowed to refill. And they have started to lower it by a foot to 18 inches if there is more than 3" of rain forecasted. Looks like it filled up with the rain storms in the last couple of weeks.

https://waterdatafortexas.org/reservoirs/individual/houston

redag06 said:

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There is a new Perry homes neighborhood being developed(just cleared) north of Sherwood & elm grove. What area had the majority of the flooding yesterday and DIDN'T flood during Harvey? Elm Grove!

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Have they done anything but clear trees yet? I don't think they've done anything to elevate the area, I had to walk home into Woodridge Forest after parking at the high school and that whole area they cleared out was a lake. I don't think they've done any dirt work there, but maybe they have. If all they've done is clear trees I don't see how that would add to flooding in the area.

Now if they elevate the area where the houses go...

Mr. AGSPRT04 said:

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The dredging is really a just a waste of money in a pointless, Sisyphean undertaking. Sand deposition is a natural and never-ending process. The dredging of sand or the lowering of the lake by a few inches does next to nothing to increase the practical freeboard capacity of the lake during a major rain event in the 2,828sqmi SJR basin. For example, the Harvey rainfall in the SJR watershed was enough to refill a completely empty Lake Houston in less that 4 hours, and more than 32 times over.

The fundamental issues are (1) Kingwood was built with relatively minor elevation above the floodplain of the rivers that surround it; and (2) the Lake Houston dam was designed and is maintained as a drinking supply resevoir and not as flood control infrastructure. There are no long-term solutions other than raising Kingwood elevations and constructing more gate on the dam. Even then, you will be fighting against the local subsidence.

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1) Dredging does work, and it's not a one time thing. Sand deposition is never-ending, but so is pot-hole formation in streets. Also, 6 feet of sand at once is not normal or natural.

2) Dredging of the Lake Houston mouth bar was recently approved. It currently blocks flow into the lake and disrupts the natural kinetics, causing flooding upstream.

3) Sand deposition can be greatly minimized by adopting sand mining regulations like other states and countries have. Such as: proper dikes between waterways and mines, proper remediation when operations cease, and no mining in floodways. (Also, there are a lot of shady practices in Montgomery County, where sand mines are given agricultural exemptions, don't pay their taxes, etc.)

4) Flood control on Lake Houston is a major need. Emptying the Lake, as you correctly assert, only adds hours to flood abatement. However, during Harvey the water piled up 8 feet over the spillway, and was up to 20 feet over the spillway in places upstream.

5) Seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe helps some, but it is like draining Lake Houston - a larger bandaid, but a bandaid nonetheless. One foot of lowering at Conroe = two feet in Lake Houston. Lake Conroe seasonal lowering did keep the San Jacinto in its banks after the rains last Friday, 5/3.

6) Lake Conroe was lowered from 206' to 203' in a 24 hour period during Harvey. This wasn't a conspiracy, just incompetence.

These are the Cliffs Notes for people who live in Kingwood.

Finally, this week's flooding is a completely different type from Harvey. There has been almost zero overlap between homes that flooded during Harvey and these recent floodings. Kingwood's bayous and storm drains, for the most part, handled Harvey just fine. 10" in 4 hours was another story, and if the flooded areas of Elm Grove, South Woodland Hills, and Trailwood are any indication, it's lining up fairly well with the maps that were drawn after Allison. I have no idea about New Caney or Porter, however.

For the poster who is wondering about the recent clear-cut monstrosity on NP Drive, the new storage facility (which blocks the view of the storage facility behind it), the Kroger center, and loss of vegetation, it certainly didn't help matters in King's Mill, did it?

aTm2004 said:

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redag06 said:

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There is a new Perry homes neighborhood being developed(just cleared) north of Sherwood & elm grove. What area had the majority of the flooding yesterday and DIDN'T flood during Harvey? Elm Grove!

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Yeah, I've thought about that as well. There's a FB group that was set up after Harvey called "Flooding Kingwood with Kindness" and many on there have pointed that out as well. I'm sure some of it has to do with the amount of rain in a short time, but the developments going in has to also be a big contributor.

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North Kingwood Forest and King's Mill didn't exist either when I moved here. The movie theater was Mountasia, and the Kroger center was forest, I think. It all adds up.

They have started elevating the land, and there has been approximately 60 acres cleared of mature pine trees that can absorb anywhere from 50-100 gallons of water each.

redag06 said:

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They have started elevating the land, and there has been approximately 60 acres cleared of mature pine trees that can absorb anywhere from 50-100 gallons of water each.

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They have a ways to go then with raising before they build homes. Looked at my video of walking home again and that whole area was a retention pond.

Cromagnum said:

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CDUB98 said:

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Looks like the heavy stuff is starting to fall apart as it approaches.

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Yep. Good to catch a break today. Tomorrow and Friday are pegged to be bad

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My Friday flight hopes this is the Cro reverse jinx

Where are they pumping all of the sand being dredged from the lake/river there by Rafa's?
If it's going up on the bank will it not be washed back some day again?
Or is it being deposited above Harvey flood levels?

They planned to have homes under construction late summer, but they've had a very wet year.

i was told that all dredged spoils are going upstream...couldn't believe it when i heard it, but then again yeah i can believe it b/c we are ******ed.

building in a flood zone has major restrictions in terms of adding dirt. building pads not in the flood zone have almost no restrictions other than requiring detention/retention. so we have large land masses not in flood plains that are now being build up several feet and that sends flood waters downstream very quickly compared to previous.

while we are increasing flow rates on the San Jac lets remember a few things (1) Waters is coming down hill faster than ever (2) no amount of channel flow at forest cove will help water move faster through the WLHP bridge. and no amount of dredging will make water get through the 1960 bridge faster b/c those bridges are 90% earth.


As someone living on the south end of lake houston I will not be worried until generation park is fully developed. When that development gets going I am selling and moving.

Generation Park looks big but compared to the 20,000 acre colony ridge development NE of the lake which will drain to Lake Houston I'm not sure which is more of an impact.

Not to mention the new Coastal Water Authority canal which should be complete next year, transferring water from the Trinity River into Lake Houston.

Have friends flying into Hobby tonight from Orlando, supposed to land at ~9pm.... What are the chances that happens?

Outstanding metaphor

Bringing in classics smack down? Nice.

Gordon McKernan said:

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Have friends flying into Hobby tonight from Orlando, supposed to land at ~9pm.... What are the chances that happens?

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Both of my flights were cancelled yesterday - one of them 2.5 hours before I was supposed to depart. Luckily I hadn't left the house yet.

I'd say odds are high, but it really is dependent on the weather both at Orlando and Hobby at time of departure and landing.

Gordon McKernan said:

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Have friends flying into Hobby tonight from Orlando, supposed to land at ~9pm.... What are the chances that happens?

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Southwest? I'd say 50/50

Rain today coming later than expected?

Looks like its supposed to get going around rush hour today then run through Saturday. Lovely.

My daughter's school just cancelled all evening activities, including a big production she was going to be in.

There's not a drop of rain in the area.

Overreaction.