Preservation & Restoration of the Houston Region s Green Fabric: The Role of the Harris County Flood Control District

Preservation & Restoration of the Houston Region s Green Fabric: The Role of the Harris County Flood Control District Glenn Laird, Environmental Chief Harris County Flood Control District Parks + Natural Areas Roundtable Houston-Galveston Area Council March 12, 2018

HCFCD s Mission To provide flood damage reduction projects that work, with appropriate regard for community and natural values.

In the beginning HCFCD was created in 1937 by the Texas Legislature The result of major Houston floods in 1929 & 1935 Primary Purpose: To be the Local Partner to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Flood Control Projects (Flood Control Act of 1936)

Interesting other purposes the storing, preservation, and distribution of the storm and flood waters... for domestic, municipal, flood control, irrigation, and other useful purposes the conservation of forests

Evolving Since 1937: Channels Where we ve been Where we re headed

Evolving Since 1937: Detention Basins (since 1985) Where we ve been Where we re headed

Expanding the Green Fabric Through Floodplain Acquisition and Preservation Remember that bit about the conservation of forests?

HCFCD Current CIP Priorities

Floodplain Acquisition and Preservation For the last 30+ years Voluntary sellers (usually) Undeveloped (mostly) Deep in the floodplain Support County Precincts Spring Creek 500 ac. Cypress Creek 5,566 ac. (85% KPC) Greens Bayou 1,617 ac. Clear Creek 60 ac. Armand Bayou 224 ac. San Jacinto 625 ac.

Expanding The Green Fabric Through HCFCD Partnerships Process + Examples

Channels & Basins

HCFCD s Prime Assets Channels Over 800 miles of natural channels Over 1,700 miles of manmade channels Roughly 1/3 owned in fee by HCFCD (8,844 acres) Basins 7,550 acres in 98 basins currently available 445 acres in Hermann Park 1,466 acres in Memorial Park

Multi-Objective Partnering With Whom Harris County Precincts Local Municipalities Municipal Utility Districts Management Districts Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones How HCFCD must have fee title Development of Master Plans Development of Site Plans Inter-local Agreements

Recreational Projects Along Channels 175+ miles of Hike & Bike Trail Systems (Regional & Local) Bayou Greenways Initiative (Houston Parks Board) is a big part of it, and growing! In Detention Basins Sports fields Picnic areas Playgrounds Fishing lakes Nature trails Currently covering 2,232 acres

Recreational Projects Along Channels Harris County Precincts: Spring Creek & Cypress Creek Greenways, Mason Creek, Brays Bayou & Buffalo Bayous HPARD/HPB: Brays, White Oak, Sims, Buffalo, Hunting, Halls, Greens Bayous In Detention Basins Harris County Precincts: Gene Green Park, Arthur Storey Park, Terry Hershey Park, Cypress Park City of Houston: Keith-Wiess Park, Willow Waterhole, Shady Lane Park, Mary Withers Park