Bayou Land Conservancy Joins Crowd Opposing Scarborough Development
7/23/26 – One of the leading conservation groups in the area, the Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC), has lined up against the proposed 5,300-acre Scarborough development at the confluence of Spring Creek and the San Jacinto West Fork.
BLC joins a growing list of people and organizations opposing the floodplain development, which one of the area’s leading hydrologists said would “be like aiming a firehose at Humble and Kingwood.”
Almost 10,000 citizens have already signed a petition against Scarborough’s development. Harris County Commissioners Court and Houston City Council have also unanimously approved resolutions opposing it because of its potential impacts on public safety and regional infrastructure.
According to BLC, development of the environmentally sensitive property also raises concerns about drinking water, and the future of one of the Houston region’s most important natural floodplains.
BLC’s Board of Directors recently adopted a formal resolution opposing the Scarborough Development. The Board believes the project would put critical floodplains and wetlands at risk and could increase flooding downstream while affecting water quality in the Lake Houston watershed.
Why Leaving the Land Natural Matters
Scarborough’s property currently functions as a natural floodwater storage area. It slows and absorbs stormwater while filtering water that ultimately flows into Lake Houston.
Lake Houston serves as the primary drinking water source for approximately 2.4 million people across the Greater Houston Area, according to Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger.
The property, commonly referred to as the “Scarborough Development” or Ryko tract, lies within one of the most environmentally sensitive and flood-prone areas of the Lake Houston watershed.
“Bayou Land Conservancy’s mission is the permanent preservation of land along streams to protect people from flooding, safeguard clean water, and conserve wildlife habitat,” said Jill Boullion, the Executive Director of Bayou Land Conservancy. “This property checks all those boxes. It needs to be protected, but we need help from the community to succeed,” she added.
This specific tract of land consists predominantly of active floodplains and wetlands that currently act as a critical natural sponge, absorbing and slowing floodwaters, and providing essential water filtration for the Lake Houston watershed. Clearing and filling these wetlands to elevate the property for development could increase the speed and volume of stormwater runoff, placing downstream communities at greater risk of flooding while undermining regional flood mitigation efforts.
BLC Encourages Public to Sign Petition
BLC is encouraging members of the public to join the effort and make their voices heard by signing a petition to support the permanent protection of the proposed development and by contacting their elected representatives.
Those interested in supporting this conservation effort can help by signing the petition against Scarborough, contacting their elected officials, and advocating for the permanent conservation of this land.
View and sign the petition at: https://www.change.org/p/protect-our-land-future-stop-the-scarborough-development.
Other Specifics of BLC Board Decision
The BLC Board has also authorized BLC staff to actively advocate for the preservation of the property, through:
- Public education
- Collaboration with community and environmental partners
- Engagement with elected officials
- Submission of regulatory comments
The BLC Board may also pursue conservation easements to permanently protect portions of the property.
About Bayou Land Conservancy: Bayou Land Conservancy preserves land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife. BLC is a nationally accredited, community-supported land preservation organization dedicated to permanently protecting land, with a focus on the streams that feed Lake Houston, an important source of drinking water for millions of people in the Houston region.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/23/26
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