b a y o u A Report for Members and Friends of the Bayou Preservation Association f o r u m 2006 marks the 40th Anniversary of the Spring- Bayou Preservation Association Summer 2006 —as part of an ongoing series on its history, we start with:

Organization History Inside this issue: During the mid-1960’s, a group of homeowners in Houston’s Memorial Park area Bats at Waugh Street 2 formed the Buffalo Bayou Preservation Association (BBPA) to protect the natural Bridge beauty of their neighborhood bayou. In 1966, Terry Hershey and a number of other individuals observed an area along Buffalo Bayou near Chimney Rock that was rav- Water Quality in Mon- 2 aged by fallen trees and bulldozed undergrowth. They soon learned that Harris trose—SOS Cleanup County Flood Control District was re-routing Buffalo Bayou without public notifica- Low Impact Development 3 tion. Outraged by the condition of the bayou and the absence of democratic process, Symposium Terry Hershey, a Memorial resident herself, joined BBPA and quickly became its most visible and energetic activist. Her first acts involved grassroots organizing, but BPA 2005 Annual Report 4 before long she was traveling to Washington, D.C. to testify before the Houston Ap- propriations Sub-Committee by invitation of young Congressman George Bush. Her Urban Stormwater Update 7 testimony led to a halt of the work on Buffalo Bayou and a request by Congressman Bush that the project be re-studied by the Army Corps of Engineers. Freshwater Tidal Marsh— 8 Brays Bayou

Although BBPA began as a “NIMBY” (not in my back yard) organization, by 1969, Stormwater Detention Ba- 9 members realized that their concerns for Buffalo Bayou applied to all of Houston and sin—Keith-Weiss Park Harris County’s watershed, so the organization expanded its scope and re-tooled its name to Bayou Preservation Association (BPA). As a “NIABY” (not in anybody’s Detention Basin—Sims 10 back yard) group, BPA emerged as an organization devoted to watershed oversight Greenway and information dissemination. Promoting community education and participation in Revelry on the Range 11 watershed management decisions was a major focus of BPA activities. During the 1970s, BPA orchestrated the formation of the Harris County Flood Control Task Groovin’ on the Bayou 12 Force, a community collaboration of engineers, developers, and interested citizens. Hana Ginzbarg tirelessly managed a successful campaign to preserve Armand Bayou Thank you Donors 13 and BPA sponsored a Herculean effort to propel Houston and Harris County into the 14 federal flood insurance program in 1973. The BPA Board

EarthShare 14 (an excerpt from the Al Morris Environmental Archives Section of the BPA) Calendar of Events 15 May 18, 1966—the first “Minutes of Organizational Meeting of Board of Directors of the Buffalo Bayou Preservation Association, Inc.” The following persons were nominated and Subscribe or 16 elected officers of the Corporation: Unsubscribe President—Thomas H. Shartle First Vice President—Robert Straus Our mission is to protect and Second Vice President—Nelson Steenland restore the richness and Secretary—Palmer Hutcheson, Jr. diversity of our waterways Assistant Secretary—William G. Wilson through activism, advocacy, Treasurer—Ernest Bel Fay collaboration and education. The President then presided as Chairman and the work of the BPA began-

Read the Bayou Forum in color at http://www.bayoupreservation.org/news.html BPA Promotes Water Quality in the Montrose Area— By Carolyn White Through a generous grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (Galveston Bay Estuary Program) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Bayou Preservation Association (BPA) worked with Montrose-area businesses and Metro to develop management practices and educational efforts to decrease trash loading in Buffalo Bayou. As a pilot program, the focus was limited to a single storm shed. Data collected at the storm shed outfall and in Buffalo Bayou provided a measure of the amount and type of litter entering the receiving water.

Pollution prevention activities included a clean up event, storm drain marking, public educational signage at business check outs, bus placards, and recommendations for best management practices. This report outlines activities that are recommended for area businesses to reduce litter and keep their storefront and neighbor- hood clean. The Bayou SOS Clean Up Day

In conjunction with Keep Texas Beautiful Lake & River Cleanup Program, BPA hosted a trash collection event on October 22, 2005 for Montrose Blvd and adjacent streets. Area businesses donated supplies, dumpster space and refreshments. Thirty volunteers at- tended the event, of which 8 were under 18 years of age. Four teams picked up trash along Montrose Blvd (north and south of Westheimer), Roseland St., Yoakum St., and Westheimer. Two HPD officers were on hand to assist. Approximately 25 large bags of trash were collected as well as some larger items, such as tires and shopping carts.

Storm Drain Marking

On May 13, 2006 ten volunteers from the Covenant House in Montrose placed 100 storm water inlet markers along Montrose Blvd. and Yoakum Street. The markers and the supplies needed to install them were provided by the Harris County Storm Water Quality Section. During the event the volunteers noted that trash accumulating at the storm drains was most notable adjacent to large grocery stores. Litter entering the streets from the large parking lots required additional attention. The volunteers from Covenant House were thankful for the opportunity to provide a service to the commu- nity. They have an interest in keeping the neighborhood clean and safe. Thanks to Steven Johnson at the Galveston Bay Estuary Program for his advice and support.

BPA is working with the City of Did you know? Houston and Texas Parks and Wildlife to monitor the bats at • According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Waugh Street bridge. Mary Ellen due to increased monitoring, the number of impaired waters in BATS Whitworth (Executive Director of BPA) is part of the emergence team that monitors the Texas rose from 147 in 1996, to 306 in 2004, with a total of 419 bats twice a month. Please come out and see for impairments. yourself the beautiful flight of these bats. • There’s a new website EarthHouston dedicated to environmental news and resources for Houston - visit the BPA website for more information. • You can report heavy trash violations by calling 3-1-1. It’s part of the “Stop Trashing Houston” Campaign. Do your part, call and help keep Houston beautiful! • You can plan your next canoe trip by using information from the BPA website—click on the Map link on the home page then click the Paddle Trails link and get up to date maps and info on paddle and canoe trips throughout Harris County. Low Impact Development (LID) in the Houston-Galveston Area: Opportunities and Challenges Symposium—January, 2006 University of St. Thomas - Jerabeck Center

How It All Began—by Mary Ellen Whitworth, Executive Director, BPA The Bayou Preservation Association began planning for the 2006 symposium in the spring of 2005. David Peters, board member and engineer with CivilTech Engineering, wanted to present some new ideas on how to develop and redevelop in Houston. He agreed to help put together a symposium that would target developers, engineers and builders. Scott Jones with the Galveston Bay Estuary Program attended the first meeting and he agreed to help if we presented ideas that improved water quality. Becky Olive with Turner Collie and Braden had done some research on Low Impact Development for the City of Houston and she also offered assistance. Sharon Crabb, who works with Becky, began contacting experts across the nation to see if they would be in- terested in participating. We asked Ravi Srinivas, Professor at the University of St. Thomas, if he would agree to host the sympo- sium and he said yes. Carl Masterson with the Houston Galveston Area Council also agreed to help as did Chris LaChance of the Texas Sea Grant and Michael Bloom with PBS&J. This represented our core group who met on a monthly basis to plan for the symposium. We decided on a date, title and goals and began putting the program together. The University of St. Thomas offered to host the event at no cost for the meeting rooms or use of audio/video equipment. National speakers were confirmed and public outreach began. In November the Greater Houston Builders Association offered to participate in the afternoon panel discussion and to promote the event to their members. 100 people attended the event and the presentations were outstanding. One engineer said it was the best conference he had ever attended! I would not have been able to pull off such a successful program without the expert assistance I received from all the participants. They are a terrific group to work with and it made the entire process fun and rewarding. Although the symposium targeted the building industry, there was information that business and home owners could use. Please consider a rainwater collection system for your property. If your property is less than 2500 sq. ft. use rain barrels, cisterns, or other catchment basins to collect rain- water. Cover the basins to prevent mosquitoes. If your home property is greater than 2500 sq. ft., consider collecting water from your roof into a cistern. A good rule of thumb is you will collect 1.5 gallons per sq. ft. of roofed area (e.g. a 2000 sq. ft. roofed area requires a 3,000 gallon cistern). We do this at our place in the country and it works great. In the City we are storing rain- water in underground pipes. Our Newsletter Editor has installed cisterns and I’m sure she would answer any questions. By using non-chlorinated rainwater for your yard, you conserve treated water, and reduce the amount of water leaving your property that would end up in our bayous. It’s your water, so hold onto it! Thanks for everyone’s help in pulling the symposium together.

Participating Speakers— David Parkhill, PE, Turner Collie and Braden, Bayou Preservation Association Kevin Shanley, The SWA Group, Bayou Preservation Association Steve Costello, PE, Houston Council of Engineering Companies Sharon Crabb, Turner Collie and Braden Michael Clar, PE, Ecosite, Inc. Eric Strecker, PE, GeoSyntec Consultants Bill Hunt, Ph.D., PE, North Caroline State University, Raleigh, North Carolina Carl Hacker, Ph.D., J.D., UT School of Public Health Jeremy Hanzlik, Turner Collie and Braden Larry Coffman, LNSB, LLLP Mike Talbott, PE, Director, Harris County Flood Control District Chris LaChance, Texas Cooperative Extension/Texas Sea Grant Michael Bloom, PE, PBS&J John Blount, PE, Harris County Public Infrastructure Department Jack Sakolosky, PE, City Engineer, City of Houston J.R. (Bob) Jones, PE, Houston Council of Engineering Companies W. Michael Shaffer, Greater Houston Builders Association Jim Casey, Houston Real Estate Council Mary Ellen Whitworth, PE, Bayou Preservation Association 2005 BPA Annual Report

Dear Friends of our Bayous, With another successful year under its belt, the Bayou preservation Association is well-positioned to enter its 40th year of pre- serving and advocating for Houston-area bayous. We continued to make strides in 2005 towards our long-term goals of im- proved water quality, natural stream restoration, becoming a one-stop shop for bayou information and reforming local watershed management. Such progress would not have been possible without the generosity of our donors and the dedication of our hard- working volunteers.

Some highlights of the past year include the implementation of our industry Focused Pollution Prevention Program, the restora- tion of a portion of White Oak Bayou in Watonga Park, receiving a 2005 Green Paddle Award from the American Canoe Asso- ciation, planning and conducting the low Impact Development symposium in late January of this year, and the completion of our stream ranking project for Galveston County. The following report provides more details on these activities and our many other accomplishments in 2005.

More than 250 people headed “out west” to Cypress for our 2005 special event, Revelry on the Range, which was hosted and chaired by Gail and Melvin Spinks. We are most grateful to everyone who participated in this event and to the individuals foun- dations and corporations that provided us with the financial resources to sustain and expand our advocacy and preservation pro- grams over the past year.

As of this January, my tenure as BPA President has ended and I am proud to leave the organization in such good standing as it celebrates its 40th Anniversary in 2006. Congratulations to everyone who has helped us reach this landmark. I encourage your continued support of PBA under its new President, Ty Kelly.

David Parkhill 2005 Board President

In 2005, we continued our efforts towards our long-term vision that there will be no further degradation of the water quality in Houston-area bayous and streams and there will be tangible improvement in visual water quality. Following is a summary of our accomplishments in this area:

Industry Focused Pollution Prevention Program We are close to completing our Industry Focused Pollution Prevention Program—a program funded by the Galveston Bay Estuary Program to educate local industries about ways to reduce the litter that eventually ends up as floatables in our streams. Early in the year, we conducted a “demonstration” survey of stream litter from the Montrose area to determine a baseline for the project. Buf- falo Bayou Partnership, one of our project collaborators, placed temporary booms at the Sabine Street outfall to trap and character- ize the floatables in this part of Buffalo Bayou. To date, the data shows plastic bottles, foam cups, cans and plastic bags as the ma- jor types of floating debris.

We focused our education efforts on grocery stores, fast food franchises and convenience store chains in the Buffalo Bayou water- shed along Montrose Boulevard. Members of our water quality committee met with the Gulf Coast Retailers Association, the Montrose Business Alliance, the Neartown Association, the Museum District Business Alliance, store managers of Walgreens, Kroger and CVS and the owner of several Hollywood convenience stores. During these meetings, we explained the purpose of our program, provided information on ways to reduce litter and provided each store with litter prevention information to be posted at their cash registers. This information was well-received by those with whom we visited. Several store owners told us they would emphasize asking customers if they needed a bag and putting more items in a bag.

To raise additional awareness about litter prevention in the neighborhood, the BPA sponsored a Bayou SOS to clean up litter along Montrose. Approximately 30 volunteers participated. The results of the clean-up were presented at the Water and Sediment Qual- ity Subcommittee of the Galveston Bay Council. We anticipate completing this project by May of 2006 and hope to use the project as a model for similar efforts in other watersheds.

Water Quality Monitoring and Advocacy Over the past year, the BPA’s water quality committee continued its ongoing review of City of Houston water quality data, which we post on our web site, and we continued our monthly sampling of water in Buffalo Bayou. Additionally, through our participa- tion as members of the Clean River Program Steering Committee, we agreed to help with maintenance of a continuous water qual- ity monitor on Buffalo Bayou to be located at the Aquarium.

(Continued on page 5) (Annual Report—Continued from page 4)

The BPA’s Executive Director, Mary Ellen Whitworth, stays abreast of water quality issues by attending relevant conferences and serving on various water quality committees. Last year, Mary Ellen represented the BPA at meetings of the following local, re- gional and state organizations/committees:

• HGAC Advisory Committee of the Clean River Program • HGAC Total Maximum Daily Load Sub-Committee • HGAC Parks and Natural Area Sub-Committee of the Natural Resource Advisory Committee • Harris County Flood Control District Vegetation Committee • Greater Houston Partnership Quality of Life Committee • Smart Growth • Houston Wilderness • Houston Cool and Green • Buffalo Bayou Conservation Committee • Galveston Bay Fresh Water Inflows Group • Gulf of Mexico Program Citizen Advisory Meeting • Texas Watch

Another BPA long-term vision is to protect our waterways from further degradation. As a part of that vision, the BPA implements its Eyes on the Bayou program to monitor our waterways to detect and report any activities (such as development and selective clearing) that may damage natural areas. Under this program, we also work with the Harris County Flood Control District and the Texas Department of Transportation to tag trees and understory for proper selective clearing near waterways.

Additionally, we review and comment on public policies and permit applications that may adversely affect bayous. This year, we reviewed and commented on the following: the Harris County Joint Task Force’s Manual for Best Management Practice’s for Construction Activities, the Region H 2006 Regional Water Plan, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Recreational Grants. We also made a presentation to the Corp of Engineers on bayou issues, during which we emphasized our concerns with the loss of wetlands and riparian habitat and the focus of COE work in the bayou channels and not in the watersheds.

The BPA has gained the respect of local public and private agencies during its 40-year history and is considered a major stake- holder in bayou-related issues. This year, for example, the BPA won a SEP grant and worked with the City of Houston and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on a restoration project in the Hunting Bayou watershed. We are currently active stakeholders in a HCFCD and Corp of Engineers study that started this year to determine if Lower White Oak and Buffalo Bayous can qualify for flood damage reduction and ecosystem restoration federal monies. Also, as a member of Houston Wilderness, the BPA will work with the group, sharing data and promoting protection of our diverse and rich ecosystem.

Harris County Waterway Assessment and Restoration Program The BPA has a strong ongoing partnership with Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services (HCPH&ES) and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to clean up Harris County waterways through a methodical, deep-cleaning approach that benefits the entire watershed by beginning at the upper reaches of the bayou and cleaning all visible litter along the banks down- stream. Using the expertise and resources of HCPH&ES and the BPA staff, with labor by TDCJ inmates, this project reaches por- tions of the waterways that are normally not addressed by other outdoor clean-up efforts due to inaccessibility and/or the need for specific training and equipment to safely access the bayous. Removal of 203,566 pounds of solid waste from almost 100 miles of Harris County’s highly urbanized waterways has removed pollutants, improved habitats and returned aesthetic value to these sensi- tive ecosystems and those downstream. Since July of 2004, this program has been focused on restoring a near natural portion of White Oak Bayou known as Watonga Park. In addition to the removal of litter and dumping, we also removed excess riprap and exotic plants and we planted native spe- cies (over 100 plants of 24 species of trees, shrubs and perennials) to restore this remnant of the natural bayou. A presentation on this exotic plant removal and the techniques developed was made to the 2005 Statewide Invasive Plant Conference in November. Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services valued the BPA’s assistance with this project, through guidance, logisti- cal assistance and training, at approximately $79,200 last year.

Our educational programs over the past year have moved us closer to our long-term vision of becoming the “one-stop shop” for information on Houston-area bayous, streams and watersheds. Thanks to a grant from the Houston Endowment Inc. we have added to and improved our website as a part of the Stream Ranking Project and we have volunteered our staff time to numerous confer- ences, seminars and presentations.

(Continued on page 6) (Annual Report—Continued from page 5)

Water Access and Paddle Trails

Part of our educational process is promoting the public discovery of the beauty and tranquility that our bayous already provide to our region. One BPA initiative that works toward that goal is our program to increase knowledge of and access to our streams by small paddle watercraft. The BPA received a 2005 Green Paddle Award from the American Canoe Association for its work in promoting Houston-area paddle trails through our paddle trail guide, which is available on our website (paddle trails).

We also continued working with the Memorial Park Conservancy on plans for creating a major paddle launch site along Buffalo Bayou at Memorial Park. The location at Woodway bridge has been accepted by City and Park officials and a conceptual design is being created to use as a fundraising and marketing tool to raise financing for its construction.

Stream Ranking Project The BPA Stream Ranking Project has almost completed its latest phase. Galveston County streams have been inventoried and evaluated and are now available for viewing on the BPA Watershed Mapping site. The Watershed mapping has grown in area to include the eight adjacent counties surrounding Harris County, so inasmuch as information is available, we no longer stop at the Harris County line. The site interface has also evolved to include interfaces suitable for users with different interests. We now have selection tabs for Paddle Trails (canoeists and kayakers), one for Stream Ranks, one for Water Quality, one for Flood Risk information and, of course, the power-user's tab that displays all the available layers of information.

The mapping site includes links to real-time water level gauges, flood zones, watersheds, parks and trails information, publicly mapped hazardous sites, political boundaries and links to the elected officials' websites, wetlands, soils, topography and recent aerial photographs. All these layers can be viewed as overlays and many of them come rich with links to deeper levels of informa- tion.

The Paddle Trails layer also links to an additional mapping resource built just for paddlers, which features fast loading images of paddle trails that have been mapped out by our own Paddle Trails committee or by the Houston Canoe Club. The Paddle Trails site shows watercraft put-in and take-out locations, special features of the trail, and selected images of the bayou in the area.

The watershed information, in addition to the basic BPA website, is now being shared from our own server, which is safely lo- cated in a server co-location facility. The BPA hopes to continue to add useful information to the Watershed mapping site and also hopes to share the portal with other non-profits that would like to feature certain mapping layers, such as, for example, hike and bike trails or special conservation areas.

The Watershed Mapping site can be viewed by clicking on the Watershed Maps icon on the BPA homepage. Conferences and Presentations

Each year, the BPA sponsors bayou-related conferences and makes presentations to a range of audiences. This year, for example, we have worked with the Galveston Bay Estuary Program, Houston-Galveston Area Council, Turner Collie & Braden, PBS&J, CivilTech Engineering, the University of St. Thomas and Texas Cooperative Extension/Texas Sea grant to present a symposium to local land developers on “Low Impact Development in the Houston Area”. The Symposium will include participation of the City of Houston and Harris County on an afternoon panel to discuss how this development tool might work in the Houston area and how it might benefit the land development process. We also co-sponsored the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Symposium and a seminar on flood reduction in the City of Bellaire.

In 2005, Mary Ellen Whitworth made presentations to the following groups on bayou issues:

• Rice University Students in an environmental seminar course • St. John’s High School students • Houston Community College Environmental Program students • University of Houston Earth Tomorrow Summer Institute • Gulf of Mexico Alliance Symposium • Shepherd Park Terrace Civic Association

She also staffed booths at the Baylor College of Medicine Earth Fair, the Museum District Teacher’s Education Day and Urban (Continued on page 7) (Annual Report—Continued from page 6) Harvest’s farmers market. Finally, Mary Ellen was a guest on the environmental radio show on 1070 AM, where she spoke about the importance of protecting water quality in our bayous and what citizens can do to improve water quality.

The final category within BPA’s long-term vision is related to public policy and support of long-term watershed management. BPA’s goal is to reduce flooding and erosion along Houston-area waterways through improvements in the management of our region’s watersheds. To that end, the Public Policy Committee has begun to promote a “riparian buffer” ordinance in this region and has prepared a number of newspaper-style articles on the importance of better watershed management and on the BPA’s advo- cacy positions.

Riparian Buffer Advocacy This year, we began speaking with public agencies regarding the need for a stream buffer ordinance to protect valuable riparian (near to the river) habitat and to reduce pollutants in our waterways. Mary Ellen Whitworth wrote an article on the benefits of such an ordinance, which was published in the Houston Business Journal in January. The BPA will continue with its advocacy role to better protect riparian buffer zones and search for ways to advance this type of development ordinance throughout the region.

The articles listed below are available on the BPA’s website:

Background Articles What's a Watershed and Why Should I Care? is an overview of the role and importance of watersheds in our urban landscape and why it is important to understand them.

Hydrology, Nature and People is a descriptive list of the many challenges and opportunities that face the region as we grow into the 21st Century and suggests that the needs of hydrology (drainage), Nature (all the living things around us) and People (that's us) should and can all come together to make our bayous Houston's defining natural and cultural features.

BPA Watershed Tools is an outline guide to the various tools and methods that should be available to all who participate in effect- ing changes to our watersheds (and that's most of us, from small gardeners and homeowners to giant developers and municipali- ties).

Are You Likely to Flood? is a guide to how you can determine your flood risk.

BPA Advocacy Position Papers Kitchen on Fire! is a short cry for recognition that we are often arguing about small issues when the biggest and most important issue is being ignored: municipal watershed management!

City of Houston and Time for Change is a description of the changes the BPA thinks the City of Houston and other local communi- ties need to make to protect their citizens from flood damages.

Floodplain and Watershed Questions is a list of questions and case studies to clarify the need for changes to the City of Houston's watershed and drainage ordinances.

We've Been Flooded and We're Angry is a form letter from a flooded neighborhood to the City's elected officials. BPA Watershed Policy Draft is a summary of the BPA's positions on watershed management policies.

Urban Stormwater Management Study (USMS) Update by Heather Saucier, Media and Communications Manager, The Harris County Flood Control District

To expand the knowledge of flooding as it relates to interactive drainage systems throughout the area, a community study has been launched and funded by the Harris County Flood Control District, the City of Houston, Harris County and the Texas Department of Transportation. Goals of the Urban Stormwater Management Study include increasing understanding of flooding and drainage issues, improving how stormwater is managed among government entities, developing better public projects, and boosting the pub- lic’s confidence and understanding of such issues.

Currently, inter-local agreements between the partners are being finalized, while technical consultants already under contract are

(Continued on page 8) (Urban Stormwater Management Study—Continued from page 7)

collecting and evaluating data and information, and developing a Web-based communication system and Geographic Information System applications to assist the process.

With the help of a communications consultant, Rives Carlberg, a telephone survey is being prepared to help understand residents’ opinions and concerns about flooding. An example of a question that will be asked is, “What changes or improvements do you believe should be made in order to improve drainage and reduce flooding in Houston and in Harris County?” Results of the sur- vey will help officials determine the scope of technical efforts and the type of public education campaign to implement. In other words, is public perception a reality that would require a technical or regulatory change by some entity, or is public perception incorrect and in need of addressing through education?

The study should take about two years to complete and cost an estimated $2.5 million, with approximately $800,000 allocated toward public communications.

Freshwater Tidal Marsh on Brays Bayou by Heather Saucier, Media and Communications Manager, The Harris County Flood Control District

Construction of the Freshwater Tidal Marsh on Brays Bayou, a pilot program engineered and constructed by the Harris County Flood Control District, is now complete. The tidal marsh is part of the $450 million Brays Bayou Flood Damage Reduction Project (Project Brays).

Currently, the 3.5-acre marsh, made up of three water-quality ponds, is being planted with native wetlands plants that will clean water flowing into the bayou. Located at the City of Houston’s Mason Park, the marsh will serve as an outdoor classroom for students learning how wetlands filter pollutants and sediment from storm water.

The Texas Cooperative Extension has been actively working with students from Chavez and Austin high schools to teach the importance of wetlands’ roles in a community.

While the District is responsible for the design and construction of the marsh, it is relying on a host of partners to complete the environmental aspects of the project. Those partners include the Texas Cooperative Extension/Texas Sea Grant, Texas Parks and Wildlife, City of Houston Parks and Recreation De- partment, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, Texas Genco, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service- Coastal Program, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Texas Master Naturalist, the Army Corps of Engineers and Chavez and Austin High Schools.

“The Freshwater Tidal Marsh is an excellent example of how collaboration and partnerships bring about enhanced projects that benefit the surrounding community,” said Mike Talbott, Director of the District. “For instance, we are focusing on the flood dam- age reduction part of the project, while our partners are contributing the land, an intensive tree-planting program and expertise on the development of the wetlands by monitoring water quality and plant life.”

Once the tidal marsh’s wetlands are in place, tests will be conducted to measure water quality in that segment of the bayou.

The tidal marsh is located in southeast Houston, about 2 miles north of the Loop 610 and the I-45 interchange. It is bound by Ma- son Park, Brays Bayou and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. It will serve as a resource for Magnolia Park, Harrisburg, Idylwood and other southeast communities.

Project Brays is a cooperative effort between the District and the Army Corps of Engineers designed to remove the 100-year flood plain from tens of thousands of residences and businesses. It includes widening and deepening 21 miles of the bayou, excavating four detention basins and replacing and/or modifying 32 bridges. Storm Water Detention Basin at Keith-Weiss Park by Heather Saucier, Media and Communications Manager, The Harris County Flood Control District

Construction on the Storm water Detention Basin at Keith-Wiess Park began March 20, 2006.

When complete, the basin will comprise roughly 112 acres of the 500-acre park owned by the City of Houston and be able to store 296 mil- lion gallons of storm water. This amount is the equivalent to just more than half the vol- ume of the Reliant Astro- dome. The basin is expected to lower water surface eleva- tions by as much as 0.8-feet during a 10-year storm event, and by as much as 0.4-feet during a 100-year storm event. (A 10-year storm has a 10 percent chance of happen- ing any given year. A 100- year storm has a 1 percent chance of happening any given year.)

The area expected to receive the largest reduction in water surface elevation from the basin is located between Jensen Drive and Homestead Road. Generally speaking, the basin will ensure safe storage of storm water and reduce the risk of flooding for this area.

Construction on the roughly $10 million basin, which calls for the excavation of approximately 1.8 million cubic yards of soil, is expected to take an estimated three years.

While the basin’s primary purpose lies in reducing flood risks for those in the Halls Bayou watershed, it also will be the site of new park amenities, including a 1-mile concrete hike and bike trail, 2 miles of soft-surfaced nature trails and a footbridge over Halls Bayou, recreational equipment, habitat and wetlands plants, three soccer fields, interpretative signs, a fishing pier and a wet- lands boardwalk. These amenities will be paid for by a $2 million grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and from monies from Harris County, the City of Houston and the Aldine Improvement District.

The basin is part of the District’s $130 million conceptual plan to excavate six regional detention basins along Halls Bayou, in addition to widening and deepening the channel and several bridge modifications.

Did you know?

• You can volunteer anytime - visit the “Home” page of our website to see how you can help. • You can check Houston’s air quality by visiting our web- site? Click the link on the “Home” page. • You can create your own naturescape? Visit the “Home” page on our website to find out how. • For more information on the BPA’s Low Impact Develop- ment Symposium, visit our website, click the “News and Events” tab at the top of the “Home” page, then click on “Meetings and Symposia” to read articles, see presenta- tions and get helpful information.

Photo courtesy of Chris LaChance—Texas Cooperative Extension/Texas Sea Grant Detention Basin at the Hill at Sims Greenway by Heather Saucier, Media and Communications Manager, The Harris County Flood Control District

Construction of the stormwater detention basin near Scott Street and West Orem Drive adjacent to Sims Bayou is com- plete, bringing residents and business owners along the bayou greater protection against flooding.

The basin, called the Stormwater Detention Basin at the Hill at Sims Greenway, was constructed by the Harris County Flood Control District and can hold approximately 1,000 acre- feet of storm water – about two-thirds the volume of the Reli- ant Astrodome. The $6.5 million basin is designed to tempo- rarily store stormwater during times of heavy rain. Since its completion, the site has become a model detention basin and primary example of how flood-control projects can be more than functional. Unlike other District detention ba- sins, this basin features a roughly 80-foot tall hill. When standing on top, the site appears as a miniature Grand Canyon, offering spectacular views of the downtown skyline. The pro- ject has created a large, natural setting in the Cloverland sub- division in southeast Houston.

Nearly 8,400 trees have been planted at the site.

Construction on the detention basin began in July, 2004 and ended in April, 2006. The basin, in addition to two other ba- sins along Sims Bayou, will work in conjunction with a fed- eral project to widen and deepen Sims Bayou. (The three de- tention basins are local projects.)

The Sims Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction Project is a partnership between the District and the Army Corps of En- gineers. The $344 million project includes 19.3 miles of chan- nel widening and deepening, beginning at the Houston Ship Channel and ending near Croquet Street, just west of South Post Oak Road.

Aerial photo of the Hill at Sims Greenway It was November 10, 2005, folks headed west and Central Houston turned into a ghost town as hosts Gail and Melvin Spinks welcomed guests and members of the BPA to their home away from home, CivilTech Engineering for a whopping good time at the 2005 BPA Gala. Guests sidled up to the saloon for refreshing beverages, stopped by the chuck wagon for some delicious grub and tapped their boots to great live music. Conversations were lively, laughter free flowing and more than one cowboy hat was tossed in the air as plans were dis- cussed on how to foster a healthy system of bayous and streams in the Houston-area waterways.

Hosts Gail and Melvin Spinks Thank you to the following sponsors of the event- Cowpokes and Cowgirls Prosperous Pioneers Susie Alford John P. McGovern Foundation Elle Anderson (Grounds Anderson) Savvy Settlers Bob Arthur Terry Hershey Mr. and Mrs. Allen Becker JPMorgan Chase Jody Blazek and David Crossley

Chris Brown Fabulous 49’ers Dick and Alta Cate Elaine and Marvy Finger Moriah and Rob Crosby The Garver Foundation Cay Cunningham H.E.B Cypress Creek Flood Control Coalition Sam and Molly McBirney Lynn and Tynan Kelly Kathy Denison Marjorie Jester Milby Port of Houston Authority Susan Elmore Becky Olive Kevin and Evelyn Shanley Patrick Falcon Bob Randall and Nancy Edwards Melvin and Gail Spinks Jessie and Beatrice Mladenka Fowler Linda Shead and Tom Douglas

David Hamilton Lisa and Scott Slaney Silver Spurs Bill and Debbie Hardin Doug and Laurie Vanderploeg Claire and John Caudill Jennifer and Alan Hawkins Caro Walker Crouch Environmental Services, Inc. Bruce and Kathryn Heiberg Ron Walkoviak Susan and Roy Hill Karen and T. Wayne Holcombe Tom Whitworth Land Tech Lynne and Wayne Johnson Charles Willits Judy and Peter Meyer Patricia Knudson Joiner Laura Wilson Ginni and Richard Mithoff Josie and Michael Jones C.E. Shepherd Co., Inc. Klotz Associates, Inc. Sirrus Engineers Harriett Latimer Talley-Pope & Associates, Inc. Jennifer and Andy Lorenz Turner Collie & Braden Louis and Mary Ann Macey Richard W. Weekley Family Fund Carolyn Mata The Bayou Preservation Association and Event Chair Colleen Holthouse

are proud to host the annual BPA Gala and fund raising event rts cha the ops celebrating the BPA’s 40th Anniversary ut t It O ork an W Thursday, September 21, 2006 from 6:00-10:00 e C es W eatl Serving up hip food, cool drinks and rockin' tunes by Twist and Shout! he B T Elizabeth Taylor wins an Oscar for Join us in honoring our Past Presidents: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf George Mitchell B ill y Je Frank C. Smith, Jr. - an K 966 i s 1 ng Hugh J. Barrett wa w It i ion ns rvat W Don Greene ese i u Pr m ayo bl Bill Bradshaw lo B ed! ed ffa orm on e Bu is f Th tion Don Sawtelle ocia Ass Kevin Shanley David Parkhill and Terry Hershey, one of our founders For more information call the BPA office at 713.529.6443

Thank you to the following sponsors to date 08/01/06:

Hippy Love Bead Designer Merrie Talley-Pope John P. McGovern Foundation AdMat Planning & Development Terri and Ray Thomas Flower Child Becker Family Foundation Jackie and Bass Wallace Elaine and Marvy Finger/The Brady Painting Contractors Individual Hippies Finger Companies Claire and John Caudill Minnette and Peter Boesel The Garver Foundation Crouch Environmental Services Susie and Sanford Criner Terry Hershey Debbie and Bill Hardin DisFunkshun Mr. and Mrs. Reed S. Morian James Hayes Gulf Coast Air Conditioning, Inc. Bell Bottom Hip Hugger Susan and Roy Hill Gulf Coast Kitchens, Inc. Charter Title Company Houston Stone Center, Inc. Beth and Roger Hurst Erosion Control Systems Lynne and Wayne Johnson Irrigation Plus Leila and Pat Gilbert Molly and Hugh Rice Kelly Angela and Hugh McAllister Diana and Russell Hawkins Mary Ann and Louis Macey Personette & Associates, LLC JPMorgan Chase Master Craft Woodworks, Inc. Anita and Mike Stude Lynn and Ty Kelly Newberry Campa Architects, LLC Betty and Michael Tapick Ginni and Richard Mithoff Gordon and Debbie Pilmer Thompson & Knight Foundation Kevin and Evelyn Shanley Schenck and Company Thorntree Slate and Marble We thank our Donors for their continuing Support

Foundations and Companies Hana Ginsbarg The Brown Foundation, Inc. John Glover Harry S. and Isabel C. Cameron Foundation Joan and Bart Golding Earth Share of Texas Kenneth D. Goodman Marvy Finger Family Foundation Donald and Jean Gray Ray C. Fish Foundation Don Greene Galveston Bay Estuary Program Guy L. Hagstette George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation Ann Hamilton—in honor of Hugh and Glenda Barrett Hobby Family Foundation Deborah Hartman Houston Endowment Inc. Jennifer Hawkins Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund Richard and Hilda Scott Terry Hershey Robert W. and Pearl Wallis Knox Foundation Dr. Sandra Scurria Alan and Margaret Hill The Oshman Foundation Linda Shead David and Beth Hitchcock The Powell Foundation Martha Skow James and Aileen Ivy The Simmons Foundation Charles and Joyce Snyder James A. Johnson Strake Foundation Lewis B. Strauss Lynne and Wayne Johnson The Tapeats Fund Merrie Talley-Pope William Ward Jones Brooke P. Thompson Councilmember M.J. Kahn Duane Bradshaw Architects, Inc. Nancy and Peter Thompson Susan Keeton Imperial Oil Company Ofelia Vanden Bosch Hugh and Marguerite Kelly Separation Systems Consultants, Inc. Don and Gwen VanSickle Wendy and Mavis Kelsey Henry and Janet Wagner David and Linda Knowles Individuals Catherine P. Walne Harriet Latimer Hugh and Glenda Barrett Margaret Waisman Earl L. Lester, Jr. John and Cindy Bartos on behalf of Shellye Arnold Caro Ivy Walker James Mackey Dr. Bengt O.S. Bengston Len and Cheryl Waterworth Julie Masters Jody Blazek Carolyn White Teresa Matlock State Representative Dwayne Bohac Genevieve White Alisa Max Judy Boyce Tom and Mary Ellen Whitworth Evelyn Merz and John Berlinghoff Daniel and Rita Brockway Ginni and Richard Mithoff Chris Brown Marion Fay Monsen Winfield and Lynn Campbell Lisa Moreno Bettie Cartwright and Colin Kennedy For a list of 2006 Gala donors—see H. Joe Nelson, III James G. Coatsworth page 12 Charles Newton and Flo Crady John and Julie Connor Roksan Okan-Vick Ben Crabb Tom and Anne Olson Jenny and Allen Craig, III Patrick and Christine Padon Rod Crosby David and Molly Parkhill David Crossley David and Lynn Peters John and Paula Cutler Mary Anne Piacentini Linda Day Jim and Pam Pulliam Edward R. Doody William and Daisy Quayle Anita Doyle Mr. and Mrs. Harry Reasoner William and Elaine Dupre’ Leo A. Reitan Pat and Douglas Ebeling Gay Roane Jamie Fairchild Mary Robey Preston Frazer Eric Ruckstuhl Joanna Friesen Don and Marie Sawtelle Frank Garcia and Elizabeth Spankus, MD Daphne Scarbrough (The Brass Maiden)

Donations received September 2005—July 2006 Executive Committee Staff Kevin Shanley, Chairman of the Board BPA BOARD Mary Ellen Whitworth Executive Director J. Tynan Kelly, President Sue Roman Office Manager Bruce Heiberg, Vice President Jennifer Hawkins Development Coordinator David Parkhill, Vice President Past Presidents Fred Lazare CPA Rebecca Olive, Vice President Hugh Barrett Bill Bradshaw **** Janet Wagner, Secretary Don Greene George Mitchell Newsletter—The BPA Staff and Evelyn Shanley Hugh Barrett, Treasurer David Parkhill Don Sawtelle Phone 713.529.6443 Fax 713.529.6481 Elaine Finger, Director At Large Kevin Shanley Frank C. Smith Email: [email protected] and [email protected] Lynne B. Johnson, Director at Large Terry Hershey, Historian Advisory Board Glenda Barrett Community Volunteer Directors John R. Bartos Community Volunteer Elle Anderson Alisa Max Bob Arthur Judy Meyer Mark Bowen Living Art Landscapes Judy Boyce Lisa D. Moreno Glenda Callaway Ekistics Corporation Winfield M. Campbell Peter Nett Mary Carter Blackburn & Carter David Crossley Gulf Coast Institute Richard P. Cate David Peters Claire P. Caudill Jim Robertson John S. Jacob Texas Sea Grant/Texas Cooperative Extension

Allen B. Craig, III Hilda Garza Scott Jim Lester Houston Advanced Research Center Greg Crouch Linda R. Shead Mike Loomis Loomis Floodplain Consulting Don Greene Melvin Spinks Jennifer Lorenz Legacy Land Trust Deborah Hartman Don VanSickle Elena M. Marks Director Health Policy—Mayor’s Office Susan Hill Len Waterworth Dorothy Martinez National Flood Insurance Program LaWanda Howse Carolyn White Carl Masterson Houston Galveston Area Council Harriet Latimer Cathy Meek Flood Compliance Consultant S. Reed Morian Houston Parks Board Bayou Representatives Roksan Okan-Vick Exec. Director, Houston Parks Board Armand Bayou Helen Hodges Donna Phillips TCEQ Region 12 Brays Bayou Ed O’Rourke Mary Anne Piacentini Katy Prairie Conservancy Buffalo Bayou Mike Garver Jim Pulliam Community Volunteer Carpenter’s Bayou Tom Olson Commissioner Steve Radack Harris County, Precinct 3 Clear Creek Don Sawtelle Robert A. Rowland Chairman, Houston Parks Board Cypress Creek Eric Ruckstuhl R.D. (Dick) Smith Cypress Creek Flood Control Coalition Dickinson Bayou Julie Masters Art Storey Harris County Public Infrastructure Greens Bayou vacant Mike Talbott Director, Harris County Flood Control Halls Bayou vacant Brenda Weiser Environmental Institute of Houston Hunting Bayou Merrie Talley-Pope Jarrett Woodrow, Jr. Texas Parks and Wildlife / Coastal Fisheries Division Sims Bayou Joanna Friesen

White Oak Bayou Evelyn Born Shanley BPA is a member of Earth Share The Bayou Preservation Association together with Texas Association of Floodplain Managers, Lower Colorado River Authority and Harris Earth Share of Texas is a federation County Flood Control District have published. of 70 nonprofit environmental groups who have joined together to participate Floodplain Management in in workplace giving programs. Texas Quick Guide Through a payroll deduction program, Earth Share of- by Rebecca C. Quinn, President, fers employers and employees interested in human health RCQuinn Consulting, Inc. and the environment an opportunity to sup- port BPA and organizations like ours. The BPA has copies of this techni- If you would like your company to consider cal guide available for distribution to Floodplain Administrators and offering Earth Share as an option for employee giving, please contact our interested professionals. The Quick Guide will help you understand BPA Earth Share representative: more about why and how communities in the State of Texas manage floodplains to protect people and property. If you would like a copy please call the BPA office at 713-529-6443. 2006 Calendar of Events Continuous Updates to this calendar can be found on our web site at http://www.bayoupreservation.org/calendar.html and http://www.cechouston.org for more event information in our area

Date Event Where When Contact

Aug 3 Sierra Club—Houston Chapter Meeting 3788 Richmond & Timmons 7:30-9:00 PM 713.895.9309 6 Sunday Afternoon Canoe Paddle 26034 Kenswick Drive 4:00 281.446.8588 9 The Public Realm—Brays Bayou MFA—Brown Auditorium 7:00 PM 713.348.4876 11 Bat Tour Please call 7:30-9:00 PM 713.752.0314 12 Armand Bayou—Canoe Tour 8500 Bay Area Boulevard 8:00-11:00 AM 281.474.2551 14 Executive Committee Meeting BPA Office 6:00 PM 713.529.6443 15 Gardening with Nature 22036 Aldine Westfield Road 11:00-1:00 281.443.8731 19 Tropical Workshop and Plant Sale 22036 Aldine Westfield Road 9:00-4:00 281.443.8731 19 Build A Bat Box 26034 Kenswick Drive 1:00 281.446.8588 22 Master Gardner Work Day 22036 Aldine Westfield Road 9:00-12:00 281.443.8731

Sept 8 Bat Tour Please call 7:30-9:00 PM 713.752.0314 9 Wildscapes Workshop and Plant Sale University of Houston-Central Campus 9:00-3:00 281.456.7029 11 Board Meeting Houston Arboretum Noon 713.529.6443 21 “Groovin On The Bayou” - BPA Gala Please call 6:30-10:00 PM 713.529.6443 23 “Adopt a Beach” Texas Land Board Coast Wide—check out the website http://www.glo.state.tx.us/adopt-a-beach/ 30 Introduction to Ecology 2:00-7:00 713.752.0314

For meeting times of the BPA Committees, please call the office at 713.529.6443

Network For Good—Donations To make a donation through our website click the Network For Good link on the To obtain your own copy of Home page. Ninety-seven percent (97%) of your donations go to the BPA. the

“Bayou Planting Guide” No Adverse Impact Floodplain Management: Community Case Studies 2004, 73 Pages are now free on line from the Associa- use the form on the back tion of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM). No adverse impact (NAI) floodplain side of this newsletter and management is a managing principle developed by the ASFPM to address the donate $100 or more to the shortcomings of today’s typical local floodplain management program. This docu- ment uses 11 case studies to analyze and report on specific programs, plans and BPA and you will receive a actions that communities are taking to implement NAI floodplain management. free copy. Call 608-274-0123, e-mail: asfpm@floods.org Http://www.floods.org/PDF/NAI_Case_Studies.pdf

We thank DOWNTOWN DUPLICATING 713-659-8295 for doing a great job! Nonprofit Organization US Postage Paid Houston, Texas Celebrating 40 years Permit No. 853

Post Office Box 131563 Houston, Texas 77219-1563 Phone: 713-529-6443 Fax: 713-529-6481 Email: [email protected] www.bayoupreservation.org

Please remove my name from the

Bayou Forum mailing list:

————————–——————————– clip here and attach to your donation ———————————————————————

Please support our efforts to ensure the proper stewardship of our watercourses throughout the “Bayou City.”

Name: ______Home Phone: ______

Address: ______Work Phone: ______City/State/Zip: ______e-mail: ______

Join us to participate in our important committee work:

Projects Committee ___ Water Quality Committee ___ Paddle & Trails Committee ___ (See Calendar on Page 15 for Meeting Times at the BPA office)

Mail this form with your check or credit card instructions for the amount indicated: $1,000___ $500____ $250____ $100____ $50____ $35____ Other: ____ Your gift will be used for the following purposes: Education, Water Quality, Habitat Restoration and Bayou Health. ____ My check is enclosed payable to Bayou Preservation Association ____ Please charge my Credit Card ___ Visa ___ MC ___ American Express

Card No. ______Expiration Date ___ /___ Signature ______

Bayou Preservation Association, Inc., is a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt organization. Contributions are tax-deductible