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Posts published in “Day: April 3, 2018”

Water level in Lake Houston lowered

April 3, 2018

Flood Control Measure

With heavy storms predicted, and flooding throughout the San Jacinto River watershed, authorities this week ordered a permanent reduction in the level of water in Lake Houston.

Houston City Council Member Dave Martin announced that after a meeting held Monday with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, the daily pooling level of Lake Houston will be reduced from 42.5 feet to 40 feet, effective immediately. Last night, Houston Public Works Director, Carol Haddock, directed the Coastal Water Authority to start lowering the level of Lake Houston in advance of Wednesday’s predicted storms. Council Member Martin has confirmed that all gates at Lake Houston are open and the level of Lake Houston is anticipated to reach the desired 40 foot mark by Wednesday evening.

Once the lake is lowered to 40 feet it is the City of Houston’s plan to adjust the spillway gates to maintain a level of 40 feet moving forward on a long-term basis. This will address the immediate concerns of the Lake Houston Community, including Kingwood, Humble, Atascocita, and Huffman. This lower lake level will continue to be observed while the City works with area partners to address siltation and other coordination efforts with Lake Conroe. The City of Houston will continue to monitor and evaluate water demand, weather patterns and other mitigation activities.

Tuesday Harris County Commissioner’s Court will vote to authorize requests for qualifications (RFQ) for engineering and other services to identify watershed-wide flood risks, evaluate food mitigation strategies that address those risks and develop recommendations to enhance the flood warning system and action plans used by the emergency managers in the San Jacinto River Basin from its headwaters in Lake Houston across Harris County Precincts 1, 2, and 4. Harris County will be working with the San Jacinto River Authority as well as other municipalities to accomplish this task which was a part of Governor Greg Abbott’s charges for the region.

Additionally, Harris County will also be requesting authorization for RFQs for engineering, environmental permitting, and other services in support of dredging the West Fork of the San Jacinto River from IH-59 to Lake Houston Parkway. This was another of Governor Abbott’s charges during his visit to the Kingwood Area. All parties are committed to working together to swiftly move the dredging project forward in preparation for this year’s hurricane season.

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Pct. 1 Commissioner Ellis plans $30M in “Complete Streets” improvements

April 3, 2018
Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis outlines his “Complete Streets” project at a news conference on March 13.

Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on March 13 announced a joint agreement in which Precinct One will pay $30 million to improve seven streets in the University of Houston-Texas Southern University corridor.

“This is a great example of how Harris County can innovatively and strategically partner with the City of Houston, our universities and other entities to improve mobility, safety and quality of life for all residents,” Precinct One Commissioner Ellis said. “Precinct One is looking forward to supporting TSU and UH, and the entire Third Ward community through this project.”

Earlier on March 13, Commissioners Court voted to negotiate with two engineering firms that will develop the scope of the work.

Dubbed “Complete Streets” project, the improvements dovetail with Mayor Turner’s Complete Communities program, which involves improving Third Ward and four other neighborhoods that have been under resourced for many years.

“Now I’m excited to see that the Commissioner is bringing safer, more attractive streets to this community of twin universities,” Mayor Turner said. “… If the improvements in these areas were just relying on the city, they would be highly incomplete. I want to thank him for this spirit of collaboration and cooperation with the city utilizing resources at his disposal in order to address many of the needs within the city and within Harris County.”

Precinct One is committing $15 million to improve infrastructure near TSU and another $15 million to projects around UH.

The goal is to create streets that are attractive and a source of neighborhood pride, while improving safety and accessibility to all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders.

In addition to roadway work, the project also includes drainage improvements, which will help reduce street flooding during heavy rain.

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East Aldine’s Richard Cantu Elected to LSC-Foundation Board

April 3, 2018

Lone Star College Foundation is proud to announce its newly elected board members. The members were voted in at our most recent board meeting and will serve three-year terms.

Steve Berry handles Corporate Sales Training, Corporate Office Public Affairs, and Social Media for Waste Connections headquartered in The Woodlands. Berry is involved in various community endeavors including The Woodlands Chamber of Commerce and Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center’s Advisory Council. He is also a community college graduate from Miami, Florida.

Scott Brady is a Partner and Project Executive for Joiner Architects in Kingwood. The Humble native is involved in his local Chambers and Rotary Club. Brady is also a proud LSC alumnus and was named the 2016 Haden McKay M.D. Citizen of the Year for Humble, TX.

Richard Cantu is the Deputy Executive Director-Operations for East Aldine District. Cantu serves on Lone Star College’s Hispanic Advisory Council and is a board member for the Houston Intercontinental Chamber of Commerce, North Harris County Education Alliance, and the Aldine Education Foundation.

Lee Robison is the Sr. Vice President of Human Resources and Administration at Noble Energy, Inc. located next door to LSCUniversity Park. She is a member of the D. Bradley McWilliams YMCA board of directors and was named their 2017 Volunteer of the Year. (more…)