Fingers crossed that the stability in the electrical grid is here to last and E1TX can return to continuous recording. We captured the magnitude 4.5 (mb) Idaho after shock at 17:41 hrs UTC. Many blessings surround us here at Texas Educational Seismic Project – be safe!
Current power surges continue to knock E1TX off it’s recording mode. We will work hard to keep the station reset and powered on but know we are also serving neighbors and coping with the Hurricane Devastation in our family. Thank you for understanding!
Station E1TX is in Spring, TX – and very proximal to the flooded Spring Creek – has the fortune to have sustained continuous power during this unprecedented weather event. We had a power “flash off, then on” yesterday which knocked us offline until it was detected. At this time, additional un-controlled and controlled water releases are occurring at the upstream lakes inclusive of Lake Conroe. Overwhelming rain and consequential flooding is occurring in Kingwood, a northwest suburb of Houston. The Houston metro area is anticipating additional rainfall when Hurricane Harvey makes a second landfall east of Houston in the next 24-36 hours.
We can observe local and regional ground water movement on the EQ1 Seismograph. This update is dated 08/29/17 at 12:45pm CST.
Today, 08/28/17 at 08:40pm CST, we have reached the estimated peak crest of nearby Spring Creek. Controlled water releases from upstream Lake Conroe have kept water levels high all day but we are beginning to see a very small amount of water recession. We experienced a brief power outage overnight, and E1TX was powered off. Once the circuit breaker was fixed, we began recording again. Tonight’s images capture the onset of additional water influx from Lake Conroe AND the continuing rain.
We are very lucky at Station E1TX. We have remained dry, with power and cable internet. The worst of H. Harvey has been the past 48 hours as the inner bands dropped over 22 inches of rain across the Houston metro area. All major bayous, tributaries and now natural lakes have flooded over their banks. Controlled releases of water from upstream dams is necessary to control a possible chaotic catastrophic flood across South Texas. The rain and movement of nearby Spring Creek continues to be recorded as high frequencies (and high amplitudes!) on the EQ-1 Seismograph. To bring you up to date, here are the latest images.
Currently at 04:28pm CST in Spring, TX one of the many wide bands of H. Harvey is swirling past our Station. AT this moment, the station sits in the path of an outer/inner band. The eye of Harvey is due West. Tornadoes and flooding are the top safety concerns. See the images below and note how the seismogram is beginning to be discernible again – that is likely a result of the majority of Harvey in onshore now. However, do not discount the seismic “noise” which will occur once the flooding of the bayous and creeks begin to crest.
Hurricane Harvey made landfall along the Texas coast near Port Aransas, TX overnight. As of 08/26/17 11:27 am CST, the hurricane remains a category 1 storm. Constant rain and flooding are the highest dangers in the bayou city metro area. See the strength of this storm at Station E1TX, below.
At 08:50 pm CST, Hurricane Harvey is currently making landfall N/NE of Corpus Christie, TX. 
As Hurricane Harvey intensifies off the Texas coast, the outer bands are beginning to fall upon Galveston and other shoreline towns. This is the snapshot at 02:40 pm CST.
Can you see when the storm begins to bring stronger waves washing onto the Texas shoreline?
