Emergency Operations Update – Tropical Storm Nicholas

8:29 AM

Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 15 (LID 15) is actively monitoring Tropical Storm Nicholas in the Gulf of Mexico.  The latest forecast and information from the National Weather Service is included below.  The probable path of Tropical Storm Nicholas includes LID 15, with a 50-60% probability of tropical storm force winds of 39 mph.   The District is currently forecasted to receive 5-10 inches of rain.  Fortunately, the Brazos River is at low levels that do not impact drainage inside the LID 15 levee.  The LID 15 pump stations and portable pumps are exercised monthly, and operators are available to run the pumps, if needed.  Based on the current forecast, the District does not anticipate that the pumps will be operated.

During any heavy rain event there may be street ponding or flooding if the storm drains are overwhelmed and back up.  As rainfall decreases, the storm sewers will catch up, and any water in the streets will recede.  Never drive into high water.

National Hurricane Center
National Weather Service

Emergency Operations Update for Tropical Storm Ida – August 27, 2021

Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 15 (LID 15) is actively monitoring Tropical Storm Ida in the Gulf of Mexico.  The latest forecast and information from the National Weather Service is included below.  Fortunately, the probable path of Tropical Storm Ida does not include LID 15, and the District is currently forecasted to receive less than 1 inch of rain over the next week.  The Brazos River is also at low levels that do not impact drainage inside the LID 15 levee.  The LID 15 pump stations and portable pumps are exercised monthly, and operators are available to run the pumps, if needed.  Based on the current forecast, the District does not anticipate that the pumps will be operated.

During any heavy rain event there may be street ponding or flooding if the storm drains are overwhelmed and back up.  As rainfall decreases, the storm sewers will catch up, and any water in the streets will recede.  Never drive into high water.

National Hurricane Center
National Weather Service

Nutria Trapping

Nutria (Myocastor coypus)

Over the past year, the LID 15 Board of Directors has addressed ongoing maintenance issues caused by nutria which are considered an invasive species. Generally, there are two effective options for controlling the nutria population – trapping and poison. The Board chose trapping which began last summer and continued through November 2020.  Trapping was stopped during the dormant winter season but has resumed since April 2021.

Humane traps are being used that do not harm the animals. The trapping company will check the cages weekly and release the nutria into areas where they cannot damage the levees or preserved wetlands areas within LID 15, or other neighboring communities.

Nutria are more than a nuisance animal, as their burrows can cause stability issues with the levee. They also consume and destroy valuable wetlands vegetation that LID 15 is legally required to maintain under federal law. The Board chose to treat the animals humanely, but due to potential risks to the levee, wetlands, and public health and safety, they must be removed from the area.

In the past, nutria traps have been tampered with, stolen, and broken. The cost to replace the traps, as well as the additional labor involved with the extended trapping, results in additional costs to LID 15 taxpayers. The District requests residents help by leaving the traps in place to ensure the integrity of the LID facilities and to minimize the cost to taxpayers. If you see anyone interfering with traps, please feel free to report it on the LID 15 website. Thank you for your understanding and consideration.

https://www.fblid15.com/contact-us