Te Katy Prairie and Flood Reduction Benefts

SAVING PRAIRIES The Katy Prairie Conservancy currently protects FOR wetlands and native prairie grasslands that provide flood reduction benefts to the downstream areas of YEARS Greater .

SOAK (INFILTRATION) | According to a recent study by Applied Ecological Services and P.B. Bedient & Asso- ciates, natve prairie vegetaton has a greater capacity to absorb water entering the soil as infltraton during a rain event than other types of land cover such as pasture or de- veloped turf areas. BENEFITS OF THE KATY PRAIRIE STORE (RETENTION) | There are natural depressions on the Katy Prairie that provide retenton benefts by cap- turing and retaining rainfall as water moves across the sur- 1. Flood reducton face of the landscape, reducing the amount of water fowing downstream. benefts 2. Recreaton and nature tourism SLOW (DETENTION) | As runof moves across the prai- 3. Improved water and rie/wetland complex, it is slowed by the tall vegetaton and air quality irregular ground surface. This slowing process reduces the 4. Local food producton rate at which the water leaves the prairie lands. The slower 5. Economic benefts the fows, the less peak runof that needs to be handled by downstream drainage systems and, subsequently, the less 6. Enhanced wildlife fooding there is downstream. habitat Natural infrastructure refers to natural systems - wetlands, prairies, forests, coral reefs - that provide essental services and benefts to society, 2,000 including food 4,000 GRASSLAND protecton, erosion WETLAND ACRES control, and water ACRES purifcaton. HOW THE KATY PRAIRIE HELPS WITH FLOOD REDUCTION

ABSORB AND CAPTURE INFILTRATE SLOW AND RETAIN RAINFALL RUNOFF RAINWATER

INCREASE INCREASE RETENTION CURTAIL DETENTION STORAGE PEAK FLOWS STORAGE

Much of the rain falling on the prairie wetland complex soaks into the soil (infltraton) or is caught and stored in depressed areas (retenton).

The remaining rainwater drains slowly across the prairie wetland surface as runof.

For example, if rainfall = 15 inches less infltraton = (5 inches) less retenton = (2 inches) then runof = 8 inches

Established in 1992, the Katy Prairie Conservancy is working to protect coastal prairie in nine countes in southeast for people and wildlife by conserving and restoring lands, making lands accessible to visitors, providing educaton and outreach actvites, katyprairie.org/donate advocatng for a more resilient region, and providing For more informaton, please contact Ali Dodson at land for research to students of all ages. 713.523.6135 ext. 4012

Photots courtesy of Pat Conner, Chuck Duplant, Bob Honig, Greg Lavaty, Don Pine, and Ashley Unbehagen.