LCA PRESIDENT’S UPDATE as of August 25, 2019

LCA PRESIDENT’S UPDATE

as of August 25, 2019

Is it hot enough for you? July and August are always difficult months for us in Texas. We don’t want to work outside. Our lawns and gardens are suffering. Our water and AC bills are high. I try to remind myself it’s the price we pay for the “other wonderful 10 months” we so much get to enjoy living here. I’m leaving for Lake Tahoe next week to beat the heat. I miss 60 degree lows and 80 degree highs! Here’s what’s going on around Lake Conroe when we’re not complaining about the weather:

AQUATIC PLANT AND FISH UPDATE: A Stakeholder’s Meeting of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA), the Lake Conroe Association (LCA) and anglers was held on August 15. A survey of Lake Conroe’s plant and fish populations is currently being conducted by TPWD and should be completed for release by the end of September. Significant information from their 2018 survey showed Hydrilla only in TPWD “test cages” (0.003 acres), 3 acres of Water Hyacinth, 13 acres of Giant Salvinia, 28 acres of Alligator Weed, and only 135 acres of native plants (down from over 2,000 acres in 2006). The reduction of Hydrilla and native plants is directly attributable to the 2006-2008 White Amur Grass Carp releases (about 125,000 Grass Carp).

TPWD estimates that 1,605 Grass Carp remain in Lake Conroe at this time, and that they have kept both Hydrilla and native plants at low numbers. Further, they project a resurgence of both Hydrilla and native plants in the not-too-distant future as Grass Carp numbers decline and their appetite diminishes with age. A program similar to 2006-2008 (with 125,000 Grass Carp introduced) is not the plan going forward. While it all-but-eliminated Hydrilla, it badly decimated the important native plant population. Native plants are vital to a healthy Lake Conroe in terms of water quality, controlling soil erosion, and providing fish habitat.

TPWD laid out a preliminary plan to control future Hydrilla resurgence. It involves a minimal Grass Carp stocking (as few as 500 in a first stocking) as soon as Hydrilla appears coupled with an extensive herbicide campaign with a new product called ProcellaCOR. The benefits of ProcellaCOR are that it is proven to kill Hydrilla while providing only minimal damage to native plants. Unfortunately, it comes at an expensive price tag and will mostly likely require some cost-sharing between TPWD, SJRA and the LCA. The LCA is prepared to do its part. Until Hydrilla re-appears, let’s just enjoy our beautiful lake and know that a cooperative, effective plan will be developed between all the Stakeholders. Any new information will be shared with you upon receipt.

SJRA SEASONAL LAKE LEVEL ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM: As you are witnessing, the lake level of Lake Conroe is being intentionally lowered once again by SJRA under their Seasonal Lake Level Adjustment Program. Framed as assisting those downstream (i.e. Kingwood) with flood control during typically high rain months and to cooperate with a dredging program on the West Fork of the San Jacinto River, SJRA has lowered the lake to an elevation of 199.46’ MSL (mean sea level) as of today and will continue to lower the lake until it reaches an elevation 199’ MSL – or 2 feet below the standard pool elevation of 201’ MSL. SJRA will maintain that lake level of 199’ MSL through September 30, 2019, and then allow the lake to return to a level of 201’ MSL thereafter (assuming it rains). The LCA opposes this program and has voiced its displeasure at SJRA Board Meetings and to any elected official who will listen. Clearly, the Board of Directors of SJRA doesn’t care to listen as they have voted unanimously two (2) years in a row to lower our lake level. The SJRA vote to continue, modify or discontinue this program for 2020 will occur in February, 2020. The LCA is working to encourage a change to the current program. More to follow.

LCA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE: In May, 2019, the LCA notified its members that we needed to comply with regulations that apply to 501 (c) 3 Non-Profit Organizations by determining the true quantity of our membership. That “quantity” is required to determine a “quorum” for annual voting purposes. Since we had not requested donations since 2006 and so many people had moved (or changed contact information), we could not adequately quantify that membership number. We asked those desiring to continue as a LCA Member to make a donation of $10 or more. While we have 3,006 individuals/families/businesses in our database, those contributing $10 or more in this Membership Drive totaled 492. We are very appreciative of their donations. If you are in our database (3,006), you have received this LCA President’s Update and will continue to do so. But, only those 516 individuals/families/businesses making a donation will be provided a voting proxy at year end. Should you have not received our Membership Drive Request (or simply let it slip your mind) and desire to become a LCA Member, a donation of $10 or more can be mailed to Lake Conroe Association, PO Box 376, Willis Texas 77378. We are working to allow payment by credit card or electronic funds transfer in 2020 as this has been requested by our membership.

4 NEW INDIVIDUALS ELECTED TO LCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS: The LCA contacted 50 POA’s on Lake Conroe in May, 2019 to request volunteers to join the LCA Board of Directors. Over time, a Board ages; and new energy and ideas from incoming Board Members help to invigorate the organization. We interviewed 14 applicants for the positions. We are pleased to announce the following new LCA Board Members (and the sub-division in which they reside):
 Kevin Lacy, Seven Coves
 Paul Waits, Wildwood Shores
 Mike McDuffie, Bentwater and Carlton Woods
 Rob Hausler, Harbor Town
These volunteers join an existing LCA Board of Rich Cutler (Shelter Bay), Sue Wheatley (Del Lago Estates), Ben Richardson (Harbor Town and Palms Marina), Dawn Cleboski (Del Lago Sections 1 /2), Gene Barrington (Del Lago Section 3), and Mike Bleier (Bentwater). Should you have a future interest in joining the LCA Board, please contact me at [email protected].

AQUIFER PUMPAGE DEBATE: Prior to 2016, 100% of Montgomery County’s water supply was pumped from the Jasper Aquifer. As the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District (LSGCD) was concerned about “over-pumping” the aquifer (and the lack of re-charge and fear of subsidence), its Board voted in 2009 to mandate a 30% reduction in the amount of water pumped from the Jasper Aquifer in Montgomery County by 2016. That 30% reduction was achieved by pumping from the Catahoula Aquifer as well as SJRA’s construction of its $500 million Water Treatment Facility (completed in 2015). Soon thereafter, certain entities criticized the LSGCD 30% reduction rule and the cost of buying water from SJRA. Those entities lobbied to change the LSGCD Board from a Governor-appointed Board to a publicly-elected Board; and, in 2017, The State of Texas approved the modification of LSGCD’s Board to publicly-elected. Much political hoopla followed, and a new LSGCD Board was elected by the public in 2018. That new Board made its immediate priority to eliminate the LSGCD 30% aquifer pumpage reduction regulation in a unanimous vote and submitted a revised plan to The State of Texas (with no limit as to how much water could be pumped from the aquifers). The State of Texas rejected LSGCD’s proposed Management Plan (unlimited pumpage from the aquifers) and instructed it to utilize management goals approved by groundwater districts in surrounding counties. Last month, a report released by Southern Methodist University (and funded by NASA and SMU) linked the over-pumping of water from aquifers to the movement of fault lines causing damage across Montgomery County. Who’s right? Will science or politics prevail? Does the cost of water trump environmental concerns? The debate goes on.

DREDGING CONTRACT EXTENDED ON WEST FORK OF SAN JACINTO RIVER: Subsequent to Hurricane Harvey and the devastation incurred in Kingwood and the surrounding area, a contract was executed with The City of Houston, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and The Corps of Engineers for the removal of sand and debris deposited during Hurricane Harvey in the West Fork of the San Jacinto River. That $69.8 Million contract allowed 270 days to remove 1.8 million cubic yards of sediment from a 2-mile stretch of the river above the Lake Houston dam by May 3, 2019.

The City of Houston has spent several months working with FEMA and The Corps of Engineers to determine how much additional material was deposited in the West Fork of the San Jacinto River near the entrance to Lake Houston. In early June, the Corps executed a modification to the West Fork San Jacinto River Emergency Debris Removal contract to dredge an additional 497,400 cubic yards of material that was deposited during Hurricane Harvey. Dredging is expected to be completed before the end of 2019 and the demobilization of equipment in early 2020. As best I can tell, the additional cost of this modification is in excess of $17 Million.

I update you on this project on the San Jacinto River since this contract was the primary reason the SJRA Board of Directors implemented their Seasonal Lake Level Adjustment Program. With this contract projected to be completed by early 2020, the LCA feels that the SJRA Board should eliminate or modify the Seasonal Lake Level Adjustment Program in its February, 2020 vote.

FEMA FLOOD CONTROL AWARD AND ADDITIONAL GATES TO BE ADDED TO LAKE HOUSTON DAM: FEMA has awarded Houston funds for the construction of 10 additional gates at the Lake Houston dam and detention basins in Inwood Forest. Per District E Councilman Dave Martin, the gates will “increase the flow out of Lake Houston significantly and won’t impact downstream residents”. U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw said the gates would “dramatically improve the city’s ability to manage Lake Houston’s water and accommodate heavy rainfall”. The Inwood Forest project aims to build 12 detention basins on a defunct golf course in Northwest Houston and hold the equivalent of 592 Olympic-sized swimming pools. According to an article in the Houston Chronicle, the two projects include $5.4 Million for permitting/design and $86.8 Million to construct the dam gates and basins.

OIL & GAS DEVELOPMENT ON LAKE CONROE: The LCA, in cooperation with The Center For Biological Diversity, stopped the lease of lands by The Bureau of Land Management in the Sam Houston National Forest for Oil and Gas exploration in 2016. Arguments were made that drilling around and under a water supply reservoir like Lake Conroe were not in the public’s best interests. In 2019, an independent operator has been acquiring rights to private lands around Lake Conroe for the same purpose. Information available to the LCA has been forwarded to SJRA for their consideration.

These pages should be enough to exhaust you by now. Should you have any questions or comments, you may contact the LCA via our website www.lakeconroeassociation.com or contact me directly at [email protected]. Thanks for your interest in our lake community.

Mike Bleier, President

Lake Conroe Association