Archives

The last deathless day on the Texas roadways was November 7, 2000. For nearly 19 years, at least one person a day has lost their life in a traffic accident – accounting for nearly 67,000 people. Since 2015, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Texas… Read More

Rob Maxwell, PE

Cities and counties across Texas have utilized municipal utility districts (MUDs) for decades. These special districts help municipalities and developers fund utility projects and develop residential areas, but understanding the nuances of a MUD is key to maximizing its benefits. MUDs help support planned developments and affordable housing in neighborhoods… Read More

Erich Peterson, PE

Texas municipalities looking for better control over their financial futures are turning to public improvement districts (PID) as an alternative to more commonly used special districts. PIDs, which account for only a fraction of the state’s special districts, allow rapidly growing areas to maintain their governmental authority and… Read More

Erich Peterson, PE

The holiday season is the perfect time to explore Houston. From holiday beer markets to spectacular light displays and Santa sightings, the Space City has something for everyone. Our team compiled a list of holiday events to jump-start the season. Happy holidays! Cruise the Buffalo Bayou Join the Buffalo… Read More

Jones|Carter

After more than 20 hours of deliberation, the Austin City Council approved the first reading of the revised land development code last Wednesday. The approval is the first of three required votes to pass the revised code and zoning maps. The 7-4 approval comes after more than three consecutive… Read More

Jones|Carter

The City of Austin is having another go at revising the city’s 30-year old land development code. Revising the draft remains a fluid effort. It’s already endured suggested edits in an October 25th supplemental report, followed by another supplemental report stemming… Read More

Jones|Carter

The City of Austin released the first draft of revisions for its land development code and zoning maps. The revisions come more than a year after city council nixed CodeNEXT – Austin’s previous attempt at revising the code. The extensive code is more than a thousand pages… Read More

Jones|Carter

The advent of the Internet has done wonders for the world. However, it’s spurred an ugly side effect; cyberattacks. These attacks come in the form of data breaches, ransomware, password attacks and SQL injections. Statistics show a cyberattack happens every 39 seconds in the United States and cause trillions… Read More

Jones|Carter

In 2018, the Sunset Advisory Commission – which evaluates state agencies and makes recommendations to the legislature – received a Staff Report expressing concerns regarding the effectiveness of the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying (TBPLS) regulating land surveyors. The Commission subsequently recommended consolidation with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE)… Read More

Jones|Carter

Over the past few years, local governments and their acting agencies have become prey for cybercriminals. In fact, a report from 2018 showed a 39 percent increase in the number of attacks against state and local governments. Most recently, 22 municipalities in Texas were hacked, seized and held… Read More

Jones|Carter

Harris County and the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) recently updated the rainfall rates used in their regulations following the release of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Atlas 14 study. This study is the first comprehensive rainfall rate study released by NOAA for the… Read More

Jones|Carter

They Are Powerful and Dangerous Flash floods can bring walls of water up to 20’ high. Only six inches of rapidly moving water can sweep a full grown person off their feet and two feet of water can sweep away a car, uproot trees, and level some buildings. According to… Read More

Rebekah Campbell, PE, CFM

Every construction project endures its fair share of red tape. Local laws and regulations can dictate whether a project gets off the ground or crosses the finish line.  More than 4,000 bills became law this legislative session, with a handful of them aimed at construction and development. Read More

Jones|Carter

Houston residents have been dealing with flooding issues since the city’s founding 180 years ago. According to the Weather Channel, the Bayou City experiences an average of five days of flooding every year, making the greater Houston area the flood capital of the nation. So naturally, developers… Read More

Jones|Carter

Hurricanes and tropical storms are often the most destructive and costly natural disasters in Texas. Since the National Weather Service began keeping track, more than 120 tropical cyclones have struck the Lone Star State, amassing billions in damage. Historically, storm surge is the leading cause of destruction… Read More

Jones|Carter

TIRZs A Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) is a type of special district that is created to attract new investment to areas that need revitalization through Tax Increment Financing (TIF). TIF is a type of financing local governments can use to pay for improvements to help bring investment into… Read More

Jones|Carter

Jones|Carter would like to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July! If you haven’t already made plans to stick around the grill and the pool, check out some of our team member’s favorite ways to spend the 4th! Austin Austin Symphony/Facebook After burgers and hotdogs, fireworks are a staple… Read More

Jones|Carter

Special districts are a tool that can be used to provide public services to designated geographical areas. These districts are independent, special purpose governmental units that have administrative and fiscal independence from general-purpose local governments. Special Districts are flexible and can rapidly address community challenges, like roadways, drainage, utilities, water,… Read More

Erin Williford, PE

Jones|Carter has been in North Texas, opening our Dallas office in 1996. In 2018, we had the privilege of opening an office in Fort Worth. As our footprint expands, so does our staff. We asked several team members to fill us in on their favorite things to do during the… Read More

Jones|Carter

The cybersecurity risk management lifecycle is broken into three phases: assess, design and implement, and maintain. For the purpose of this article, we will discuss the assess phase, what is included in it, and what the end product should be. The goal of this phase is to evaluate an industrial… Read More

Sean McMillan, PE

Benefits of an RMA Serves as a tool to help solve transportation problems by bringing new funding sources and new approaches for developing projects Provides local governments more control in transportation planning Helps build transportation projects sooner, which brings traffic congestion relief faster Improves mobility and increases safety for motorists… Read More

Jones|Carter

In North Texas, the Houston Metro, and Central Texas, much of the drainage infrastructure design is driven by the 100-year, 24-hour design parameters. In September of last year, the results of the Atlas 14 study were released to the public. Since that time, regulating entities in Southeast and Central… Read More

Adam Ray, PE, CFM

There are many reasons why San Antonio is the perfect place to spend Spring Break: it’s close to home, family friendly, and packed with Texas history. Below is a list of things to do, events to attend, and food to eat while you visit San Antonio during Spring Break.  … Read More

Jones|Carter

Austin is great place to visit any time of year, but over the next few weeks your favorite Texas city will be abuzz with SXSW and spring breakers in addition to the normal local activities. Below is a list of activities to check out that will help keep both brains… Read More

Jones|Carter

Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) is a system of hardware and software elements used to control processes both locally and remotely. SCADA networks contain computers and applications that are key to providing essential services, such as electricity, water, wastewater treatment, and transportation. These systems are crucial for organizations as… Read More

Sean McMillan, PE

Atlas 14, a study of historical rainfall data and events performed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and was released in late 2018. The study shows that Austin is one of the more significantly impacted locations in Texas – so, what could that mean for Austinites? City… Read More

Gemsong Ryan, PE, LEED AP

On January 16, 2019, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) renewed the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) General Permit No. TXR040000, commonly known as the Small MS4 (Phase II) General Permit. The permit regulates both stormwater and certain non-stormwater discharges from publicly owned or operated small Municipal Separate… Read More

Liz Garcia Stone, CPESC

Michael Gurka, PE

Looking for things to do in Austin this holiday season? It’s the most wonderful time of the year to be a tourist in your hometown! Here is a short list of things to do over the coming weeks, either with your family or as an escape. Happy Holidays! Take a… Read More

Jones|Carter

Explore our list of top 5 things to do in San Antonio over the coming weeks, either with your family or as an escape. Happy Holidays! Float by Lights on the River Walk San Antonio’s famous River Walk is lit up throughout the holiday season. Walk, float, or find… Read More

Jones|Carter

Searching for fun things to do in Dallas this holiday season? It’s the most wonderful time of the year to be a tourist in your own hometown! Enjoy the holiday season lights, sights, and activities throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. We have compiled a short list of things to do… Read More

Jones|Carter

Looking for fun things to do in Houston this holiday season? It’s the most wonderful time of the year to be a tourist in your hometown! Enjoy the holiday season lights, sights, and activities throughout the Houston area. We have compiled a short list of things to do over the… Read More

Jones|Carter

The need for the water industry to evolve has never been greater. Organizations now have the capability to shift from their current state of only monitoring historic performance into a more proactive approach. New sensors, technologies, and applications are available to help with proactive monitoring, managing, and eventually automating many… Read More

Freddie Guerra

It’s been 57 years since Texas has updated rainfall precipitation estimates According to the estimates, a 100-year rain event in Harris County is now thought to be closer to a 25-year rain event FEMA National Flood Insurance Program will update accordingly Atlas 14 Developed by the National… Read More

Jones|Carter

Drones are changing the way the world works, which includes the development of infrastructure and housing through surveying and engineering projects. The Jones|Carter Survey team frequently uses drones for aerial photogrammetry to take shots for boundary surveys, topographic surveys, and as-built survey. There are numerous ways drones have changed the… Read More

Jibrael Ahmad, RLPS, CFM

Jones|Carter Culture: Mary Barton– Ronald McDonald House  We are proud to have team members that understand the importance of giving back to the communities where we live and work. Many Jones|Carter team members are active in their communities not… Read More

Jones|Carter

The City of Houston’s floodplain regulations went into effect on September 1st, 2018. Below is a high-level overview of the effective changes. Regulated Area Previously, Houston’s code applied to property in the 100-year floodplain. The new revisions include the 500-year floodplain. Elevation The existing Chapter 19 regulations required… Read More

Jones|Carter

George Bernard Shaw is credited with the quote, “the single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Too often in our personal and professional lives, miscommunication happens. Miscommunications often lead to frustration. It is easy for individuals to have the illusion that they have communicated… Read More

Kevin Krahn, PE

100 -Year Flood Explained: Over the last several years there have been numerous 100-year or greater floods in Texas. This includes Austin’s Onion Creek on Halloween of 2013, the Blanco River in Wimberley over the 2015 Memorial Day weekend, Houston’s Tax Day flood in April of 2016, and Hurricane Harvey… Read More

Scott Saenger, PE, CFM

RailPort Business Park is a 1,700-acre industrial development in Midlothian, Texas, located 25 miles southwest of Dallas. The business park provides an optimum geographical position and amenities suited to large-scale distribution and manufacturing operations. Listen to Bryan Kennedy from our Land Development team and Mark Holliday from our Municipal and… Read More

Bryan Kennedy, PE

In early July, 2018, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced they would fund nearly $5 billion for disaster recovery projects throughout Texas, focused mainly on the southeast where Hurricane Harvey did the most damage. The bulk of the funds, almost $4 billion, will go toward improving existing levees… Read More

Jones|Carter

Jones|Carter Project Manager, Tim Newton, PE, sat down to discuss the recent FM 70 project win, how he will lead the J|C team, and how he will incorporate the input from the public to make sure those who live in the area will stay informed. Congratulations on… Read More

Jones|Carter

Contrary to how it may sound, a 100-year rainfall event is not something that happens every 100 years. Rather, it means that there is a one percent chance that a certain amount of rain will fall in a particular location over a set amount of time in a given year. Read More

Scott Saenger, PE, CFM

Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) $2.5 Billion Bond Election for Flood Risk Reduction The Harris County Commissioners Court has proposed a $2.5 billion bond election to take place on August 25, 2018, the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey. Registered voters will be asked to vote on the bonds, which… Read More

Jones|Carter

The City of Houston’s Redevelopment and Drainage Task Force has recommended updates to the current City of Houston Infrastructure Design Manual Chapter 9 and Chapter 13 Design Standards. These Design Standards impact detention, sheet flow, fill, and encroachments in the City right-of-way. The City is considering accepting the recommended… Read More

Jones|Carter

Click Image for Full Size PDF Show full text... Potential FEMA Flood Map Changes Harris County, as well as other local jurisdictions, are weighing the possibility of updating FEMA flood maps in their area. Below is an overview… Read More

Jones|Carter

Jones|Carter has been awarded three noteworthy TxDOT projects over the last several months. We are honored to lead these projects as the prime firm. Our goal is to not only strengthen our relationship with TxDOT but also to utilize our local knowledge to provide the communities where we live and… Read More

Jones|Carter

In early April, the City of Houston adopted amendments to the Chapter 19 Floodplain Ordinance. On May 29, 2018, The City of Houston Floodplain Management Office (FMO) released Chapter 19 Floodplain Guidelines. The purpose of the Guidelines is to establish effective procedures for implementing the Ordinance. May 29th began… Read More

Jones|Carter

Texas Governor Greg Abbott proclaimed May 21-25, 2018 Flood Awareness Week. Most Texans have experienced flooding, often in major ways. Events like the Memorial Day and Halloween floods in 2015, Hurricanes Ike and Harvey in 2008 and 2017 respectively, and Tropical storm Allison in 2001 have made a major impact. Read More

Jones|Carter

What is Atlas 14? Atlas 14 is an ongoing study used to analyze historical rainfall data in order to update statistical hypothetical rainfall events in Texas. In certain circumstances the statistical events are used to analyze waterways and help design stormwater infrastructure. Based on historical data, Atlas 14 will assign… Read More

Kyle Blank, PE, CFM

Heather Goodpasture, PE, CFM

A study commissioned by the Brazos River Authority (BRA) to better understand the effects of large rain events and provide comprehensive regional drainage criteria for the lower Brazos River watershed was recently completed. The study began in 2015 and was funded by a Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Flood Protection… Read More

Stephen Reiter, PE

We sat down with Jones|Carter’s Sean McMillan, Electrical Division Manager, who is also a certified Cybersecurity Expert, to talk about the recent cyberattack on Atlanta and what other cities need to be aware of about the attack. What exactly happened to the City of Atlanta? The City of Atlanta was the… Read More

Sean McMillan, PE

Houston City Council has passed revisions to the Chapter 19 Floodplain Ordinance that will go into effect September 1st, 2018. The updated regulations require a minimum elevation at the 500-year floodplain level plus two feet. This short video explains the recent floodplain regulations revisions passed by the City of Houston,… Read More

Jones|Carter

UPDATE: 04/04/18 The Chapter 19 Floodplain revisions proposed by the City of Houston have been passed and will go in the effect as of September 1st, 2018. We will be sharing more details about the revisions and the amendments UPDATE: 03/28/18 The Floodplain revisions have been postponed again until Wednesday,… Read More

Jones|Carter

Harris County has issued revisions to their Floodplain Regulations, which will impact future developments in the unincorporated areas of Harris County, Texas.  Included below is a copy of the current Harris County Floodplain Regulations as well as a Harris County Floodplain Regulation Quick Reference Guide that summarizes the new… Read More

Jones|Carter

LiDAR, also known as Terrestrial Scanning, is a technique our survey teams use on a variety of projects including industrial developments, municipal, and TxDOT projects as well as any other situation where the technology fits the requirements of the job. The two scanners we use are the SX –… Read More

Doug Bramwell, PE, RPLS

A straightforward roadway project quickly becomes more complicated when Houston flooding interferes. Hear from the engineers in our Municipal and District Services department about how they were able to continue and complete the project, which now serves as an additional hurricane evacuation route. Read More

Darren Willis, PE

This project incorporated and combined aerial mapping and photogrammetry with aerial LiDAR, conventional surveying, and GPS surveying. The team also used GIS data, taking the tax map info along with deed research and deed plotting, and used that for planning where they would take cross sections to verify all… Read More

Doug Bramwell, PE, RPLS

Fighting traffic in Houston can be tough, and paying a toll to sit in traffic is not fun. Before this project began, there was a consistent 2 to 3 mile slow-down northbound on the Hardy Toll Road near FM 1960 because of a lane drop, causing the lanes to… Read More

Rob Maxwell, PE

This project took the Jones|Carter survey team to a 1400 linear foot bridge stretching across the Colorado River in La Grange. Conventional surveying methods were used to obtain the top-of-bank and channel measurements of the river on both sides, as well as the embankments and the exact bride location. Read More

Doug Bramwell, PE, RPLS

Our Land Development team is proud to have helped construct Texas’ first Crystal Clear Lagoon with white sand beaches located in Northeast Houston. The lagoon covers of over 1.5 acres and is home to 3,000 lots in a master planned community. One of the biggest challenges that the project… Read More

Bryan Kennedy, PE

This technology goes by several different names. Drones, SUAS, and UAVs are all essentially the same thing. They are simply a vehicle that houses equipment which, in this case, is either a camera or a LiDAR scanner. Drones allow us to use photogrammetry which uses photos from a high… Read More

Doug Bramwell, PE, RPLS

Probably some of the young surveyors are thinking what is this guy talking about! How are these three words related! I am in the last or close to the last generation of surveyors that spent any significant amount of time using a surveyor’s chain (No, not the Gunter’s chain –… Read More

Carlos Cotton, PE, RPLS

In a recent article published by Michael Bloom and Steve Stagner, “Boomtown, Flood Town Reconsidered: An Engineer’s View”, got me thinking about flood planning and drainage solutions in the Greater Houston Metropolitan area. My thanks to Michael… Read More

Scott Saenger, PE, CFM