August 2017 Vol. 72 No. 8
Newsline
UCTA Gulf Coast Events Support, Promote Industry
The June lunch meeting of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Underground Construction Technology Association in Houston featured Harris County Commissioner “Cactus” Jack Cagle, who has worked in Harris County Precinct 4 for 30 years, as an attorney, elected judge and commissioner for the past six years. In discussing his current responsibilities and challenges for the 390-square-mile, 1.2-million-population Precinct 4 in north and west Harris County, he related them to the underground infrastructure industry.
“Like you, we seek buried treasure,” he said. “And there’s a lot of that going on.”
Most of the 1,400-plus plats – project applications for land development – approved in Harris County over the pas t three years were in Precinct 4. There has been much activity in administering and managing the Capital Improvement Projects Program, starting and completing new construction, expansion, repair and replacement of infrastructure to improve mobility and air quality.
Cagle is also responsible for the precinct’s 3,800 acres of parkland. A crown jewel is Spring Creek Greenway, which preserves more than 3,400 acres of greenspace along one of the last remaining natural waterways (Spring Creek) in Harris County. Spanning five Precinct 4 parks, it’s heavily wooded with 60-foot pine trees, providing habitats to a wide array of plants, fungi and wildlife; reducing flood-risk; and improving air and water quality.
“The greenway is a buried treasure for its wonder and beauty, and the fact that it also helps keep our homes dry,” he added.
Another similarity with the UCTA Gulf Coast audience is looking under the surface for innovative solutions. While historically focusing flood control on maintaining and expanding the county’s drainage infrastructure, for example, the precinct is now researching water reuse that involves pumping stormwater into underground aquifers.
“This could be another tool to not only fight flooding, but help even out the drastic swings between having too much and too little rain,” said Cagle.
Clay shoot
In other UCTA Gulf Coast news, the annual Clay Shoot Scholarship Fundraiser was held on May 5 at the Westside Sporting Grounds in Katy, TX. With 88 shooters participating and multiple sponsors, the event netted more than $10,000 for student scholarships.Placing first at the event was a team from engineering firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam.
Comments