Texas Fishing Forum

Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed

Posted By: Monty Wright

Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/21/20 05:56 PM

Full pool is 201'

Quote
The San Jacinto River Authority voted 5-1 at a special meeting Feb. 20 to continue temporarily lowering Lake Conroe until December 2022, with some modifications.

After listening to four hours of public comment—with Lake Houston/Kingwood residents urging a continuation of lowering, and Lake Conroe residents asking for an end to it—board members then debated for nearly an hour, changing their proposal multiple times. The board ultimately voted to change the fall lowering while keeping the spring lowering the same.

Fall lowering would begin Aug. 1, lowering the lake to 200 ft. Beginning Sept. 1, it would be further lowered to 199.5 ft.—instead of 199 ft. as has been in effect.

“That way, it doesn’t impact people on the lake so much,” SJRA President Lloyd Tisdale said.

If a storm enters the region, the city of Houston may initiate an additional prerelease to 199 ft. by notifying the SJRA in writing of their call for prerelease.

In the spring, the lake will be lowered 200 ft. above mean sea level beginning April 1 through May 31, with recapture beginning June 1.

The program is to continue until December 2022.

The seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe is intended to act as a preventative measure, preventing downstream flooding by increasing the capacity of Lake Conroe to capture water during massive rainfall events, according to the SJRA. However, Lake Conroe residents said lower lake levels negatively impact their businesses, property values, livelihood and safety as exposed sandbanks can be dangerous on boats.

Over 1,000 residents attended the special meeting, including elected officials.

“I think we all know now that there will be delays, or project extensions, or other excuses, to continue to renew the seasonal lake lowering policy for Lake Conroe,” said state Representative Will Metcalf.

Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin emphasized the policy will only continue until modifications to Lake Houston can be completed, such as the construction of new flood gates that will allow the release of water at a faster rate.

“Once we get our construction projects completed, all of this will go away,” Martin said. “We already have done the procurement process to construct flood gates on Lake Houston--the gates, from design to construction, should be completed by 2023.”


Community Impact Newspaper Link
Conroe Courier Newspaper Link
Posted By: JBranham

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/21/20 06:21 PM

Looks like it is what it is so for me that means just go fish!

It is tough for residence and lake front property. A lot of the canals that were dug out in the backs of creeks to offer lake front property are pretty difficult to get around in.
Posted By: Medinalakeguy

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/21/20 07:29 PM

How long have they been doing this for?
Posted By: Monty Wright

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/21/20 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Medinalakeguy
How long have they been doing this for?


I believe it started in 2018, after Harvey.
Posted By: fouzman

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/21/20 10:37 PM

Lots of homes flooded downstream during Harvey. Then again a few months ago. Simple flood mitigation. Before the watershed experiences another flooding event. Sucks for the homeowners around Conroe.
Posted By: Alan

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/21/20 11:21 PM

They are the same homeowners that got the hydrilla eliminated. I don't feel sorry for them. Ruined a good lake.
Posted By: Jawz

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/22/20 12:36 AM

Originally Posted by Alan
They are the same homeowners that got the hydrilla eliminated. I don't feel sorry for them. Ruined a good lake.


I agree...
Posted By: Big C

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/22/20 03:04 AM

Originally Posted by Alan
They are the same homeowners that got the hydrilla eliminated. I don't feel sorry for them. Ruined a good lake.



Hate to say it because a lot of the homeowners responsible for killing off the hydrilla have mostly probably moved or died, but yea, me too.
Posted By: D1988

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/22/20 03:07 AM

They can do all they want but as Houston grows and there is more concrete, asphalt and less soil to absorb some of the water it will continue to flood. If you take to much from mother nature she will sooner or later reclaim her on.
Posted By: Neal G

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/23/20 12:41 AM

Originally Posted by D1988
They can do all they want but as Houston grows and there is more concrete, asphalt and less soil to absorb some of the water it will continue to flood. If you take to much from mother nature she will sooner or later reclaim her on.


Exactly
Posted By: Lil joe

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/23/20 01:50 AM

Originally Posted by Neal G
Originally Posted by D1988
They can do all they want but as Houston grows and there is more concrete, asphalt and less soil to absorb some of the water it will continue to flood. If you take to much from mother nature she will sooner or later reclaim her on.


Exactly

All the king wood people are making sjra out to be heroes after tropical storm emelda claiming that the lowering of Conroe saved them from flooding but it only rained enough to bring the lake up .2 feet and no water would have been released anyway
Posted By: Kicker16

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/23/20 04:09 AM

Dredge the San Jacinto and Lake Houston and you'll solve some of the problems. The other problem is the guys developing subdivisions
around Kingwood now bringing in extra dirt to build up where they are building and rerouting the normal flow of rain water and that is causing flooding in areas
that didn't flood in the hurricane
Posted By: Fishspanker

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/23/20 02:19 PM

Not good for docking the boat. It’s about 2 ft low.
Posted By: Tracker Tim

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/23/20 04:13 PM

They are only lowering it 1 foot to start, the dropping it another .5 feet. Right now its lower than that at -1.63.
Posted By: RHP

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/23/20 11:55 PM

I attended the last meeting in Conroe. I knew within the first fifteen minutes how the vote would go when one speaker stated "the City of Houston owns 2/3's of the water in Lake Conroe and can do with it as they see fit". Well, when he said that, I got up and left. The details were unimportant to me once I knew how the deck was stacked.
Posted By: TxBazzn

Re: Lake Conroe Seasonal Lowering, Renewed - 02/24/20 12:41 AM

Guessing no one believes them when they say it’s temporary until Lake Houston’s dam is complete?

Either way, the guys who dredge and repair bulkheads are about to make a killing.
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