Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 46

The Brazos River in Richmond is currently at Gage Elevation 9.53. Based on the 7-day extended forecast, no flooding along the Brazos River through Fort Bend County is anticipated.

This Week

Tropical Storm Hanna has caused major flooding in portions of South Texas and along the Rio Grande Valley with the watershed receiving over 15 inches of rainfall over the weekend. Across our Region, including Fort Bend County, Hanna produced between 2 to 4.5 inches with some isolated areas receiving closer to 5 to 6 inches. These higher amounts were primarily located in southeast Houston. This week our rain chances continue with a 50 to 75% chance for showers through Thursday. Our high temperatures will be in the upper 80s to low 90s with our low temperatures in the upper 70s. Based on the current 7-Day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF), the lower Brazos River Watershed, including Fort Bend County, could see between ¼ to ¾ inches of rainfall over the next 7 days. The majority of this rainfall could occur today through Thursday.

Tropical Activity

The NHC is continuing to watch a potential disturbance in the Atlantic which has a 90% Chance of Developing into a Tropical System over the next 5 days. The current models suggest this system could work its way west toward the United States before turning north along the Florida Coast. It is too early to have 100% confidence in the current modeling, so we will continue to monitor the development of this system.

Reservoir Status

Last night TD No. 8 was upgraded to Tropical Storm Hanna with Maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. Development could continue with Hanna potentially reaching maximum sustained winds around 65 mph before making landfill south of Corpus Christi Saturday afternoon.

With the ultimate track shifting south, our biggest threat in the Greater Houston area will be rainfall that occurs from outer bands as Hanna moves toward the Coast. Today through Sunday, Hanna could produce periods of heavy rains with much of our Region seeing widespread amounts between 1 to 3 inches with isolated amounts of 8+ inches. Based on information from the NWS, these higher amounts should remain to our southwest; however, we will continue to monitor the conditions has the impacts could shift as Hanna approaches and moves onshore. As with any heavy rainfall in the Houston area, the Region could see some street ponding and rises in some of our creek and streams; however, the current forecasts do not call for significant, widespread street or stream flooding.

Tropical Storm Gonzalo

The majority of everyone’s focus continues to be TS Hanna, but we are all still watching TS Gonzalo that is continuing to move west toward the Caribbean. The NHC shows TS Gonzalo possibly becoming a Category 1 Hurricane as it approaches the Lesser Antilles; however, their forecast continues to show TS Gonzalo losing strength and dissipating as it moves south of the Dominican Republic.

Beyond Gonzalo

There is an additional disturbance off the Coast of Guinea near the Cabo Verde Islands. Currently, the NHC gives this system a 30% chance of moving across the Atlantic and becoming a Tropical System. It is still too early to tell how this system might develop and what impacts it might have on the United States, but we are continuing to watch this system in addition to Hanna and Gonzalo.

The District along with our District Engineer and Operator are continuing to monitor the conditions and changes in the forecast and are prepared to mobilize as needed. We encourage everyone to stay informed by visiting your favorite local weather source, including the National Weather Service, the National Hurricane Center, and West Gulf River Forecast Center. If you have not ready down so, please remember to sign up for Emergency Updates from Fort Bend County.

The National Hurricane Center has started publishing advisories on Tropical Depression No. 8. Based on the latest advisory, the NHC continues to show possible landfall near Matagorda Bay as a Tropical Storm. Tropical Storm Watches have been issued for much of the Texas Coast.

There has not been a significant change in the overall forecast since earlier today. Heavy rains are possible but will be dependent upon the final development and landfall. The current 7-Day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF) is showing widespread rainfall amounts between 2 to 4 inches across the Region, but we could see areas with isolated higher amounts.

In addition to TD No. 8, the NHC is continuing to monitor TS Gonzalo. It is still too early to determine the impacts to the Texas Coast, but the NHC expects Gonzalo to become a Hurricane on Thursday but should lose some strength returning to a Tropical Storm on Saturday as it move through the Lesser Antilles and continues south of the Dominican Republic.

LJA will continue to monitor the conditions and changes in the forecast, but we encourage everyone to stay informed by visiting your favorite local weather source, including the National Weather Service, the National Hurricane Center, and West Gulf River Forecast Center. If you have not ready down so, please remember to sign up for Emergency Updates from Fort Bend County and/or Harris County.

The Brazos River in Richmond is currently at Gage Elevation 11.9. Based on the 7-day extended forecast, no flooding along the Brazos River through Fort Bend County is anticipated.

This Week

The main story for this week is the possibility of some tropical activity forming in and moving across the Gulf of Mexico this week. The exact impacts and locations are still uncertain, but the closest system will bring some much-needed rain to portions of southeast Texas. For the next 7 days, high temperatures will be in the upper 80s to low 90s with low temperatures in the mid to upper 70s. The exact amount of precipitation from the tropical activity is unclear, but the 7-Day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF) shows the lower portions of the Brazos River watershed receiving between 0.5 and 1.25 inches of rainfall over the next 7 days.

Tropical Outlook

From our partners at HCFCD, here is a summary of the two disturbances we are tracking:

• System Closest to Texas Coast (NHC Disturbance No. 3): Tropical wave that has been moving across the Gulf of Mexico is located just off the upper TX coast this morning. Radar images from Lake Charles and Houston indicate that a weak area of surface low pressure has formed south of Sabine Pass and is moving toward the WNW. This feature will make landfall along the upper TX coast later today with a corresponding increase in showers and thunderstorms. Some of the rainfall will be heavy, especially near the coast and south of I-10. No additional development of this feature is likely before moving inland.
• System North of Cuba (NHC Disturbance No. 1) : A tropical wave near eastern Cuba will move WNW into the SE Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday, the central Gulf on Wednesday, and the NW Gulf Thursday into Friday. While the system is currently disorganized and there are no signs of any surface low pressure, conditions in the central and western Gulf of Mexico appear generally favorable for some slight development of this wave later this week. There is some weak model support in the global models and some of their ensemble runs that suggest weak low pressure may develop near the TX coast as the wave axis begins to move inland on Friday. NHC currently indicated a 20% chance of development Wed-Fri with this feature over the central and NW Gulf of Mexico. Regardless of development, periods of showers and thunderstorms, some with heavy rainfall will be possible Friday/Saturday along with increasing winds and seas near the coast and offshore.

With the current Tropical Activity, the District is coordinator with their Engineer and Operator who is watching the conditions for impacts to the District.

Please continue to watch your local forecasts throughout the week through trusted sources such as the National Weather Service, West Gulf River Forecast Center, and the Fort Bend County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management.

Reservoir Status

Hello Residents!

The Board of Directors of Fort Bend County MUD No. 46 would like to offer some recent updates going on within our District. We hope these will allow everyone to stay up-to-date with our activities and understand how we are here to better serve you!

Belmont Shore Walking Trail

As many of you have seen or even begin to utilize, we have designed and completed an overlapping 1-mile walking trail around the detention pond within the Colony Lakes neighborhood. The trail allows our residents to enjoy fresh air while appreciating time for health and wellness. We have installed multiple benches and trash receptacles around the trail for your convenience as well as informative signage regarding the trail. We hope everyone is able to check out our new project and benefit from it.

New Fountains

We have authorized the installation of two new fountains within the Belmont Shore detention pond to add to the aesthetics of the new walking trail.

New Fencing

New fencing has been installed on the west side of the walking trail to prevent hogs and alligators from entering the trail and detention pond. The fence will add another layer of security to keep our residents safe while using the walking trail.

Pump Station

The design phase of the construction of a District pump station is well underway. A pump station allows the district to better manage the flow of water during heavy rain conditions and to prevent flooding within the District.

Mowing Services

We have recently hired Gruene Landscaping to maintain the fine mowing around the detention pond and surrounding areas. We look forward to working with Gruene Landscaping and their efforts to keep our walking trail looking beautiful.

MUD Property Taxes

The Board of Directors has taken measures to simplify the taxpaying process and to save MUD residents taxes. The Board of Directors voted to use the Fort Bend County Tax Assessor-Collector to collect MUD taxes, saving MUD residents money and consolidating your tax bill.

Effective April 1, 2020, Fort Bend County will assume delinquent tax collections for the District, and your MUD 46 taxes will be included on your tax bill from Fort Bend County for 2021.

You will not receive a separate bill from MUD 46. To obtain a copy of your bill, please contact the Fort Bend County Tax Assessor-Collector at 281-342-3411.

The Brazos River in Richmond is currently at Gage Elevation 11.16. The Brazos River is slightly rising due to rainfall and releases that occurred upstream of Bryan/College Station over the past week or so. Based on the 7-day extended forecast, no flooding along the Brazos River through Fort Bend County is anticipated.

This Week

The excessive heat continues this week with limited to no chance for rain through the weekend with highs in the mid to upper 90s and lows in the mid to upper 70s. Based on the NWS 7-Day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF), the Brazos River Watershed, including Fort Bend County, should see less than 0.1 inch of rainfall over the next 7 days.

Reservoir Status

The Brazos River in Richmond is currently at Gage Elevation 9.37. Based on the 7-day extended forecast, no flooding along the Brazos River through Fort Bend County is anticipated.

This Week

We will start the week with slightly elevated rain chances (25% to 50%) with the highest chance for rain on Tuesday. The remainder of the week should include Sunny to Partly Cloudy Skies with highs in the mid to upper 90s and lows in the mid to upper 70s. Based on the NWS 7-Day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF), the lower Brazos River Watershed, including Fort Bend County, should see less than ½ of rainfall with portions of the upper watershed potentially receiving up to 1.5 inches over the next 7 days.

Reservoir Status