The Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA) identified the increased needs for water detention due to the development increase in this area and bought an unprofitable golf course in 2005. SWA was engaged to design and master-plan the effort’s detention pond. The plan’s goals included flood mitigation and water quality improvements, along with the establishment of open space and recreation areas. The site has ultimately become a large nature park with ample trails, combined with maximized floodwater storage.
An engineering study (commissioned by the Texas Coastal Watershed Program, a part of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Sea Grant) for the wetlands prefaced conversion of the golf course into a detention area, providing necessary information for the proposed wetlands to become part of a functional stormwater treatment system, so that the wetlands not only serve as attractive natural spaces and habitat, but also function optimally for water quality improvement. The new CLCWA detention facilities add 1,680 acre-feet of flood storage and 39 acres of constructed wetlands to help improve an impaired water system. SWA collaborated on a native planting plan for the area with a local community volunteer landscape group; the resulting design provides food resources that support bird migration and nesting.
Learn more about how Exploration Green doubles as flood infrastructure in this Houston Public Media podcast
Bray's Bayou
Stretching 35 miles from the mouth of the Houston Ship Channel westward through residential, commercial and institutional developments, Brays Bayou is one of the most important waterways in Harris County, and a critical link in the area’s watershed. The $450-million project was first established in the early 2000s, with the goal of mitigatin...
High Island Audubon Canopy Walk
High Island, Texas, a salt dome mound amidst the Gulf Coast flats, has been an active site for oil extraction over the past century. Today, it is primarily known as an international birding destination, with an outstanding variety of migratory birds that visit and nest in the nature sanctuaries managed by the Houston Audubon Society. SWA worked with HAS to dev...
Sims Bayou
The story of Sims Bayou is based on a large vision. The project is the first step in implementing a long-range plan for watershed greenbelts in the Houston region, a comprehensive system which addresses the potential for parks, wildlife habitat, and economic real estate revitalization while also controlling flooding. The Sims Bayou project has profoundly chang...
Shenzhen Bay
Situated just across the bay from Hong Kong, the city of Shenzhen has transformed from a small fishing town of 30,000 to a booming city of over 10 million people in 40 years – and has grown over 200 times its original size since 1980. Along the way, the character of Shenzhen’s bayfront was radically altered. Over 65 km2 of marsh and shallow bay were filled to ...