The Houston Chronicle reports that more than half of Texas dams are in danger of failing.  Some failures would be catastrophic.  Overall Texas dams received a grade of D- from the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2012.  The Chronicle looks at what might happen if the Barker and Addicks  dams which hold potential floodwaters from Braes and Buffalo Bayous were to fail.

Let’s look at at one disaster scenario for the Houston metro area. From a 2011 Chronicle op-ed: “If either Addicks or Barker Dam failed when water levels were high, stored stormwaters would erupt down Buffalo Bayou, inundating the Memorial Drive area and crossing Westheimer into the Brays Bayou watershed. Extensive damage would occur in River Oaks, the Central Business District and even the Texas Medical Center.”

The article was published after the Army Corps of Engineers rated the Addicks and Barker dams as “extremely high risk” in 2009. Only six dams in the country received this designation. The state has made some short-term repairs to the structures, and this year long-term rehabilitation finally should get under way. 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers claims that there is no imminent danger of failure, but recognizes that problems exist.

It is important to know that Addicks and Barker dams are not in imminent danger of failing. These two dams form reservoirs that are dry much of the time. They are continuously monitored by a full-time staff to ensure their structural integrity. But, the fact that the Houston metropolitan area is the nation’s fourth largest population center is a primary concern. Any dam safety issues at Addicks and Barker could have a far greater impact due to the magnitude of people and property downstream, as opposed to other dams around the country in rural or low-population density areas.

Having our Addicks and Barker dams designated as “extremely high risk” is a big step toward increasing their safety. This designation moves them up to the front of the line for funding for repairs and studies, and all actions required for these two dams will be expedited.

If you live in Houston, keep your pirogue handy just in case.

Texas Sen. Donna Campbell (TP-Loonytown) has filed a bill that would prevent foreigners from owning, operating or managing the Alamo.   Campbell’s unusual bill stems from her fear that designating the Alamo as a UNESCO World Heritage Site would mean that the revered shrine would come under some UN domination.  As the San Antonio Express-News reports, there is little  support for Campbell’s efforts to protect the Alamo from this non-existent threat.

The Alamo and four other San Antonio missions are being nominated for UNESCO’s World Heritage designation, which Campbell told the committee was “not necessarily” an honor. There are currently no historic sites in Texas that are on that list, but there are 22 around the United States, including the Statue of Liberty. “I can tell you anything that starts with U.N. gives me cause for concern,” Campbell said. The city of San Antonio and Bexar County support the designation.

Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, asked Campbell what kind of support she had from San Antonio. Campbell told the committee, “I don’t know.”  “The only people who have talked to me about the bill have opposed it, and that’s why I assumed you had some support for it,” Zaffirini said.

Texas is changing to a one tag system for automobile license and yearly inspection stickers.  Red (along with many others whose license and inspections are not up in the same month) is confused.  Fortunately he has KHOU.com to straighten him out.

Using a website called Nukemap, the Houston Chronicle has simulated what would happen if a nuclear device were detonated over Houston.   My best guess – We’d all be dead.

Much of North Central Texas including most of the Fort Worth-Dallas area was iced over Monday morning by a thundersleet storm that left as much as 2 inches of ice on area roads.  The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that conditions are not likely to improve for at least 2 more days.

Photo of a deserted downtown Fort Worth from the Star-Telegram.

UH Board of Regents Chairman Tilman Fertitta thinks UH should be playing with the big boys in the Big 12.  Fertitta is apparently willing to play any card to make that happen.  According to the Houston Chronicle, the Chairman has suggested the Legislature engage in strong-arm tactics to achieve his goal.

“Put pressure on the presidents;, say, ‘If you don’t do this, we’re not going to fund you for this,'” Fertitta said in a meeting with the Houston Chronicle’s editorial board Thursday. “It’s just the way it is. That’s the way to do it.” Fertitta said it’s “an embarrassment” that the namesake university of the fourth largest city in the United States has not been welcomed into the conference. 

The only embarrassment has been the overall performance of UH athletic teams in recent years – highlighted by the season-opening loss to the UTSA Roadrunners in the inaugural game at troubled TDECU Stadium.  UH lost that game badly to a football program that has been in existence for all of 5 years and does not play in anything resembling a major conference.  And Fertitta’s wish does not appear likely to come true as the Big 12 has repeatedly stated that it is not interested in expanding right now.  Fertitta also overlooks the fact that only two schools in the Big 12 – UT and Tech – receive state funding.  The Legislature can’t put the screws to the other 8 members of the conference.

A Travis County District Court judge ordered Travis County Clerk Dan DeBeauvoir to issue a marriage license to a long time Austin same-sex couple.  The order followed Travis County Probate Judge Guy Hermann’s ruling earlier this week holding that Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.  The Austin American-Statesman reports that the couple was married in a rushed ceremony outside the Travis County Courthouse. Predictably, Tea-Party favorite Attorney General Ken Paxton attempted to stomp on the ceremony, but was likely too late.

Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant, together almost 31 years, said their vows before Rabbi Kerry Baker while standing in front of the Travis County Clerk’s Office sign on Airport Boulevard.

Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office responded by filing an emergency motion Thursday morning asking the Texas Supreme Court to stay the judge’s order and “further stay all further state trial courts” that may seek to follow suit.

The court has not yet ruled, but there seems little that a stay could accomplish now that the marriage has already been performed. The first legally married gay couple in Texas was denied a license in the same county office building eight years ago. But on Thursday morning, state District Judge David Wahlberg, petitioned by a lawyer for Goodfriend and Bryant, ordered Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir to grant the couple a marriage license.

Red’s long-standing position is that he is in favor of allowing people to freely enter into foolish contractual relationships  – such as marriage.

The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reports that the mayors of Texas’ ten largest cities are resisting efforts by the Republican controlled legislature to cap local property tax revenue.

The mayors held a news conference Monday in response to proposed legislation meant to limit to 4 percent the amount of revenue that can be generated from the prior year. They argued any cap would impair their efforts to provide basic services.

Austin officials say the legislation would have amounted to a loss of $87 million over the past five years. Houston authorities say the city has not increased its property rate since 1994, and has actually cut its taxes since that time.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is among several legislative leaders who say they want to cut property taxes before the legislative session concludes in May.

The Daily Cougar reports that the first audit conducted by UH Internal Auditor Don Guyton will find no wrongdoing in the diversion of funds used to construct UH’s TDECU Stadium.  This comes as no surprise since Guyton rarely finds any problems with anything that UH Administration wants to do.   

An audit initiated by UH President and Chancellor Renu Khator into UH’s allocation of $5 million in Higher Education Assistance Funds found no “irregularities or violations of University policy or state laws,” according to a UH spokesman. The audit, the results of which will be made public on Feb. 19 during the Board of Regents meeting, was conducted following accusations that UH misallocated state funding approved to fund the construction of classrooms in TDECU Stadium for the Spirit of Houston marching band. HEAF funds must be used for academic purposes.

This isn’t the only audit that UH is undergoing. During Thursday’s meeting, the Board will be updated on the progress of three more audits that UH is currently undergoing. These audits have reviewed the current Student Fees Advisory Committee process, the “request for proposal-procurement process associated with the VenuWorks/Aramark contract” and any possible violations of the Memorandum of Understanding agreement with the student body. “Substantial progress” in the audits is expected by Thursday, and a summary report will be presented at the meeting, according to a spokesman for the University.

After revelations that outgoing University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers personally intervened in the admission into UT-Austin of numerous otherwise unqualified students, the school is reviewing its admissions process.  An investigation by Kroll Associates revealed that Powers was using his office to reward the children of wealthy donors and influential alumni. Some of the students admitted were described as completely unqualified for admission to the school but were let in based at Powers’ urging.  The Houston Chronicle reports on the new investigation.

System Chancellor William McRaven announced Monday that he is forming a committee to examine UT-Austin admissions policy in the aftermath of the review by Kroll Associates. “My goal is to ensure full and open transparency to the public with respect to how admissions decisions are made at UT-Austin,” McRaven said in a statement. “I realize that admissions practices are complicated and nuanced processes, but we must clearly define a policy that determines the degree of appropriate discretion at the institution level, while ensuring a fair and transparent process for applicants.”

Committee member Larry Faulkner, UT-Austin president from 1998 to 2006, said last week that it’s important to keep the report in perspective. “I think something that’s very important to understand is that every selective university has a president who gets letters about admissions,” Faulkner said, echoing part of Powers’ response to the report.

The report by the Kroll consulting firm, commissioned by the UT System Board of Regents, stopped short of condemning the president’s intervention in admissions decisions. It said Powers broke no rules and acknowledged that universities must consider factors such as relationships with donors and legislators.