Posted on May 5, 2025
Judging by aerial photos, Callan Marine seems to be making steady progress in its San Jacinto West Fork dredging program for the City of Houston.
The dredge has moved farther downstream.
And the placement area in Huffman next to the Luce Bayou Inter-Basin Transfer Canal is filling up.
Note how the workers are building out and into the placement area in two directions.
They adjust the length and position of the pipes to concentrate the flow where they want to build up the earth.
From there, the bulldozers and excavators help compact the material into a solid foundation for beneficial use.
The Story in Pictures
After most of the sediment has dropped out of suspension, water returns to the lake via the temporary canal (center).
This image shows the height of the sediment relative to the walls of the pond. Several vertical feet remain in most of the placement area.
Already, parts of the placement area are solid enough to support heavy equipment. The area shown above on the left has reached the height of the dike walls.
Reverse angle shows compartments in maze that slows down incoming water. As water slows, sediment drops out of suspension. Eventually, this will form a base strong and high enough to build homes on.
West Fork Dredging Spoils Placement Area near Luce IBT Canal (left). Pipe near tree line on left brings water/sediment from lake.
From there, spoils travel 3.8 miles to the placement area up Luce Bayou near the Inter-Basin Transfer Canal.
Men worked on the giant dredge bit as I photographed the scene.
Closer shot shows dredge pipe that pumps spoils to placement area far upstream.
Looking S toward Lake Houston from above West Fork. Note dredge in distance near tip of Kings Point (left).
In April, the dredge was located west of #4. Yesterday it ws working between #4 and #5.
Status of Cunningham’s Dredging Bill in Austin
Since Hurricane Harvey, we’ve spent hundreds of millions of dollars on dredging to play catch up from decades of neglect.
Moving sediment deposited in Lake Houston by erosion is a massive, but necessary project. The lake supplies water for more than 2 million people and has already lost a large percentage of its storage capacity.
That’s why House Bill 1532 by Rep. Charles Cunningham is so important. The bill would create a permanent dredging and maintenance district for the lake.
Dredging also reduces flood risk by restoring conveyance and eliminating sediment blockages.
On April 29, 2025, the House approved HB1532 overwhelmingly. 114 representatives voted for it. 19 voted against. Two voted Present. And one abstained.
Yesterday, the bill moved to the Senate on its slalom through the legislature. You may want to urge Sen. Brandon Creighton to support it.
