BLC Archives - Reduce Flooding

The Struggle to Keep Natural Flood Control Natural

12/18/24 – Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC), one of the area’s leading environmental groups, gave me an inside peak at what it takes to keep natural flood control natural. Preserving land for flood control along Houston area bayous and creeks is more difficult than it seems.

Kevin Muraira is BLC’s Land Stewardship Manager. He inspects more than 15,000 acres of land each year for encroachments. But he also oversees the ongoing restoration of BLC’s 117-acre Arrowwood Preserve near Tomball.

Muraira works with funding partners and community volunteers who share his vision to make Arrowwood an example of the natural diversity that supports native wildlife.

Below are excerpts from an interview with Muraira about the difficulties of keeping natural flood control natural.

*The banks of Spring Creek in Arrowwood Preserve.*

More than Flood Control

Rehak: Simply by preserving the 117 acres in BLC’s Arrowwood Preserve, you’re giving floodwaters a large area in which to safely collect without flooding nearby homes. And when the land isn’t flooding, it provides homes for native wildlife.

Muraira: Yes, a large part of what I’m doing there is helping restore native species that support native wildlife.

Rehak: BLC just acquired Arrowwood in 2020. What’s the current focus of your work there?

Muraira: We’re focusing on removing invasive species, such as tallow and privet. They crowd out the native species because they have no natural competition here. By removing them, we help native plants and trees re-establish themselves.

Tons of tallow grow throughout the preserve. In some areas, they dominate 80% of the canopy. It’s pretty bad. My group of volunteers and I started the invasive project in April of this year. Of the 117 acres, we’ve positively impacted about four acres total so far.

It doesn’t sound like much, but people need to remember that this was done by four volunteers plus me. We only work at it for a couple hours a week.

Replacing Invasive Species with Natural Species

Rehak: How does tallow damage the other species?

Muraira: Tallow leaves have high levels of tannings. They alter soil chemistry in ways that make it difficult for other plants to take root.

Invasive species like tallow don’t really have predators here that control them. Neither are they impacted by the same viruses and diseases that affect native plants. Gradually, they dominate the native plant community and crowd out native species that support local wildlife.

So, we have to remove it. When the canopy starts opening up, we will go back in and start replanting and taking care of our existing native trees, so they can thrive on the property.

Rehak: Those tallow seeds are poisonous to some bird species, too, aren’t they?

Muraira: They are. Tallow don’t really provide much ecological benefit. They just really take up space where we could have native plants growing. Those native plants could provide ecological benefits like food and shelter for wildlife. They also have deeper, more resilient root systems that can help stabilize stream banks and reduce erosion, which can lead to flooding.

Rehak: What will you replace the tallow with?

Muraira: Bald cypress. Water Oaks. Sycamores. River birch.

Planning to Maintain Flood Resilience

Rehak: Will removing tallow reduce flood resilience before the native species re-establish themselves?

Muraira: It’s possible that removing the tallow could de-stabilize stream banks. But we aren’t removing that many all at once. And we have a plan in place to reinforce the banks with other, more desirable native species. That will be a more desirable outcome.

Rehak: Certainly, if you’re doing four acres a year, it will minimize any impact on wetlands.

Muraira: Exactly.

Rehak: And it’s on a small enough scale that the rest of the preserve has a fighting chance to absorb the runoff.

Muraira: Exactly.

Building A Wildlife Sanctuary

Rehak: Are you planning other projects at Arrowwood?

Muraira: We plan on doing a wetland planting event in areas where the canopy opens up. Flowers, too. We plan on installing a native pollinator garden.

We’ve constructed a more robust trail system that enables better access. And our trail crew is working on installing benches along the trails and at scenic overlooks.

It’s a way to bring people out, like Lone Star students, and educate them about the value of wetlands.

Rehak: Aside from the trails, are you planning on letting Arrowwood revert back to nature as much as possible with the native species?

*Photo at Arrowwood courtesy of Phil de Blanc*

Muraira: That’s the goal. I would love for Arrowwood to become a sanctuary for wildlife. There’s a lot of development going on nearby. So protecting this land, and planting and maintaining the native species that wildlife utilize for shelter and sustenance, is important.

Main Value of Arrowwood Preserve

Rehak: What is the main value of this preserve in your mind?

Muraira: For me, the number one value is flood prevention or mitigation. Neighbors have told us that neighborhood has flooded a lot in the past. They were really concerned when they found out that a previous owner planned to turn the property into a quarry.

But they know that we’re not impacting them negatively. We’re providing a place that holds water and retains run off to help protect them.

Rehak: What percentage of the preserve is wetlands?

Muraira: 104 acres out of 117 are completely in the floodway – so, most of it. When we get big rains, all 104 acres are completely flooded. You cannot walk through it. Only a little more than 12 acres are accessible and that’s still pretty difficult.

Ways to Support BLC’s Long-Term Vision

Rehak: Do you have a long-term vision for Arrowwood?

Muraira: To have a place for wildlife to survive; we’re losing habitat at an astronomical rate. And to have an outdoor classroom, where we can bring people out and educate them about the importance of protecting habitat for wildlife and protecting neighbors from floodwater.

Rehak: If somebody wanted to help you, what’s the best way?

Muraira: Call me. We have a number of ways. One of the most popular is our ambassador program. It’s like a mini-Texas-Master-Naturalist crash course. But beyond that, it gives folks a chance to see what Bayou Land Conservancy is all about. We try to keep natural flood control natural.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/18/24 based on an interview with Kevin Muraira of BLC

2668 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Bayou Land Conservancy Volunteers Protect Nature’s Flood Protection

12/7/24 – One of the leading environmental groups in the Houston region is the Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC). Their motto: “We preserve land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife.”

Last year, BLC volunteers logged thousands of hours maintaining and improving natural areas and trails that help others appreciate nature’s wonders.

One such volunteer is Jeff Hodges. He helped restore land along Spring Creek in BLC’s Arrowwood Preserve, which is being used for environmental education. His story is a testament to the tenacity of BLC volunteers in their service of nature. Below are excepts from Hodges’ responses to my questions.

Preserve’s Contribution to Flood Reduction

Rehak: How does the Bayou Land Conservancy help reduce flooding?

Hodges: Development in the Houston area will continue. We need to understand how this can lead to increased flood risk of flooding if not managed correctly.

BLC is a land trust. It protects lands where rain water is absorbed and held as flood waters, slowing down the release of water into creeks, streams and rivers. That helps reduce or eliminate flooding downstream.

These lands are increasingly important. They let water soak into the land providing much needed water, to the water table and aquifers.

Currently, ever major aquifer in the U.S. is being depleted, except in the Pacific Northwest. This depletion contributes to subsidence, which increases flood risk. Areas in the Woodlands have lost two feet of elevation from subsidence.

The lands that BLC protects also provide habitat for wildlife and give people a chance to enjoy nature.

Rehak: Specifically, how does Arrowwood reduce flooding along Spring Creek.

Hodges: Arrowwood is a natural flood plain. It slows and stores rainwater flowing toward Spring Creek. A large portion of the preserve floods in heavy rains. It gives stormwater someplace to sit and wait instead of moving quickly downstream and flooding other areas already developed.

Restoring the Natural Environment

Rehak: I hear that in trying to make Arrowwood more user friendly, you and your fellow volunteers removed more than a mile of silt fence. How did it get there?

Hodges: A sand-and-gravel company installed the silt fence when it applied for a permit to turn the property into a quarry. But neighbors blocked approval of the permit. The mining company, after a number of years, donated the land to Bayou Land Conservancy.

Rehak: Removing that silt fence must have been a chore!

Hodges: We actually made a short movie about it. The preserve comprises 117 acres and the fence surrounded 22 acres. As work began to make the preserve accessible, we realized that we did not have the correct equipment to remove the silt fence.

*Bayou Land Conservancy Volunteer Jeff Hodges led the Arrowwood Silt Fence Removal Project*

We originally estimated the preserve had 2 miles of silt fencing containing approximately 700 posts, each weighing 5 pounds.
Jeff Hodges

The task seemed overwhelming. But we were very concerned about the impact of the fence on wildlife. Turtles and other small wildlife couldn’t get over or around it.

Volunteers Discover Task is Herculean

Rehak: What kind of problems did you encounter?

Hodges: I started to wonder if we could remove the silt fence manually. Bayou Land Conservancy gave me and a small team permission to work on it. The first day, two of us tried to develop a process to remove the silt fencing. In a half day, we could only remove about 10 posts and 50 feet of fencing.

Most of the posts had to be dug out by hand. Each was four feet and originally pounded into the ground to a depth of two feet. But over time, silt built up around the fence. Many sections were totally buried.

The silt fencing has three components: posts, heavy metal fencing, and a plastic tarp. The combination prevents silt, sand and rocks from washing into the creek.

After the first day, most people would have been discouraged. But our volunteers proved it could be done. It was just going to take a lot of time and effort.

*Volunteers decided to separate the fence and post removal operations to speed things up.*

We decided we would remove the metal fence along with the black tarp first. We left the posts until we were able to develop a better way to remove them.

But the removal of the fencing was not without problems. Portions of the fencing were buried, so we had to dig them out. Worse, the fencing had become overgrown. Before we could remove it, we first had to remove fallen trees, and cut away vines and brambles.

Triumph of Ingenuity, Sweat and Safety Goggles

Rehak: Did you ever develop a faster system?

Hodges: As we removed fencing over the next couple of months, we worked on developing a technique to remove posts without digging. Eventually, we developed a technique that sped up the operation. We hit the posts with a sledge hammer on all four sides to loosen them. Then we hooked up a farm jack to pry them out of the ground.

Working as a team, we could remove about 15 posts per hour. Some, buried to the top in heavy clay, still had to be dug out by hand. Those just took longer.

Everyone working on this project had to wear long pants, long sleeves, safety glasses, and heavy-duty work gloves. We also had to be up to date on our tetanus shots, too for obvious reasons.

Rehak: What did the final boxscore say?

Hodges: All in all, the team ended up removing 499 posts and more than 1.5 miles of fencing. While working on the fencing, we also removed trash and litter which seemed to be everywhere. Fencing and trash filled two industrial dumpsters.

*Some of the trash and fencing materials removed from the BLC Arrowwood Preserve.*

It was grueling work. But the transformation of the land is overwhelming. And very satisfying. The beauty of what this preserve will become is now evident.

Postscript: Jill Boullion, Bayou Land Conservancy Executive Director, said, ““Jeff was awarded our Trailblazer Award for 2024 because of his leadership on this project. It’s an important part of our restoration plan for Arrowwood that will make the preserve even more ecologically valuable for the community. We appreciate volunteers like Jeff and the crew that did this very difficult project.”

Posted by Bob Rehak and Jeff Hodges on 12/7/24

2657 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Bayou Land Conservancy Protects Another 966 Acres in Lake Creek Watershed

Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC) has announced a conservation easement on 966 acres of critical Lake Creek property in Montgomery County. The property is just northeast of Magnolia on Tranquility Ranch, which is owned by Nathan and Lindy Ingram. BLC started working with the Ingrams in 2015.

The conservation easement is across Lake Creek from the 7,000-acre Cook’s Branch preserve owned by the Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation. The proximity of the two large properties will benefit wildlife by maintaining the “carrying capacity” of the land.

*Lake Creek flows diagonally through this satellite image from Google Earth. Note how new developments are gobbling up the natural (green) area in the middle where the conservation easement is.*

The 966 acres permanently preserved at Tranquility Ranch help meet BLC’s long-term conservation goals and contribute to the environmental health of the region.

The preserve will function as a wetland and stream mitigation bank, known as the West Montgomery Mitigation Bank. It has credits available to developers seeking to offset impacts in this rapidly growing area.

*Wild area along Lake Creek where it flows through Tranquility Ranch.*

Featuring a mix of hardwood and pine forest, Tranquility Ranch consists of over 400 acres of existing wetland habitat, 20 acres of streams & ponds, and 13,000 linear feet (2.5 miles) of stream frontage on Lake Creek.

In addition to high quality existing habitat, over 90 acres of wetlands and 300 acres of flooded forests will be improved and restored on the land.

*Bottomland hardwoods provide habitat for wildlife.*

The 966-acre preserve is part of a larger 1200-acre property that hosts a special event venue called The Wyldes at Tranquility Ranch. It hosts retreats, weddings, and other events.

Benefits to People and Wildlife

Jill Boullion, Executive Director of Bayou Land Conservancy, said, “This conservation agreement makes a significant stride towards BLC’s conservation goals to preserve land in the Lake Houston watershed.”

“We’re grateful to landowner Nathan Ingram and his care and protection of this special place,” said Boullion.

“This land will provide positive impacts in the region for generations to come.”
Jill Boullion, Exec. Director, BLC

Preservation of Tranquility Ranch will provide many community benefits. They include flood control, water-quality improvements for drinking water and recreation, and wildlife habitat. The preserve also is an important nesting, wintering, and migratory stop-over site for many bird species, including owls, raptors, and songbirds.

Importance of Lake Creek Preservation to Downstream Flood Protection

Leaving natural areas natural won’t reduce flooding per se. But it will keep flooding from getting worse.

It will also reduce flood damage by ensuring generous setbacks from areas that flood.

Wetlands are nature’s sponges. They retain runoff that might otherwise quickly add to flood peaks downstream. They also clean water.

Bayou City Waterkeeper ranks the wetlands along Lake Creek as one of the five most critical wetland areas in the Houston Region.

For those who may not know where Lake Creek is, it enters the San Jacinto West Fork just south of Conroe, about 9 miles south of the Lake Conroe Dam. See the big green area in the upper left.

watershed map of the San Jacinto — *Watershed map courtesy of San Jacinto Regional Water Authority.*

From this map, we can see that rainfall from seven watersheds flows under the US59 bridge. Comparing peak flow data from them during the January 2024 flood, we can see that Lake Creek had the highest discharge rate. See below. USGS graphs are arranged in order from highest to lowest, except for the last, which reflects rain falling in all seven watersheds.

*Lake Creek peaked at 20,800 cubic feet per second (CFS)*

All of the streams above flow under the US59 bridge.

*USGS registered a peak of 40,400 cubic feet per second* *at the 59 Bridge.*

Note: the first six peaks do not total up to the last because streams peaked at different times.

Of course, these numbers partially reflect uneven rainfall distribution during the January event. And rainfall totals in the Lake Creek watershed were among the highest in the area.

The discharge rates above also reflect watershed size. According to Table 2 in the San Jacinto Regional Watershed Master Drainage Plan:

Spring Creek drains 392 sq. mi.
Lake Creek drains 330 sq. mi.
Cypress Creek drains 266 square miles (sq. mi.)
Little Cypress drains 52 sq. mi.
Willow drains 52 sq. mi.

Looking solely at watershed size shows that even if the rainfall distribution had been uniform, Lake Creek would have contributed a major percentage of the overall flow.

And that – in a sentence – is why Lake Houston Area residents should care about conservation along Lake Creek, especially considering that the watershed is developing so quickly!

Conservation Easement Will Protect Land in Perpetuity

BLC conducted an extensive audit of natural resources including wetlands and wildlife on the Ingram property before the conservation agreement was put in place. No matter who the owner is, the easement will run with the land and protect the land in perpetuity. The audit will provide a baseline for future comparison.

Ingram reportedly had offers to buy the land from sand miners and developers but chose to conserve it instead. Said Boullion, “I commend him because obviously it’s not cheap to own and hold that much land in a natural state. So, he looked for a way to monetize his property while conserving the land and benefiting the community. He is one of the most conservation-minded people I know.”

The conservation easement held by BLC will let Ingram sell wetland-mitigation credits through the West Montgomery Mitigation Bank. He will sell them to developers who have no other choice but to disturb wetlands while developing the rest of their property.

For more about how the wetland credits work in Texas, see this page from Texas A&M.

The Army Corps controls and permits the process. But non-profit groups, such as the Bayou Land Conservancy, play a major role in it.

About Bayou Land Conservancy

BLC is one of the leading conservation groups in the Houston region. It preserves land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife. BLC is a nationally accredited, community-sponsored land preservation organization working to permanently protect land, with a focus on the streams that feed Lake Houston, an important source of drinking water for millions of people.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/25/24

2361 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Sand Miners Donate 117 Acres of Unspoiled Wetlands Along Spring Creek to Bayou Land Conservancy

Often, I post about sand mines or developments that encroach on floodplains and floodways to the detriment of people downstream. But when I learned of this story, it made me extremely happy. The Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC) announced last week that Joe Swinbank and Don Poarch, partners at Sprint Sand & Clay, have donated 117 acres of unspoiled wetlands to the organization. The land borders Spring Creek in Tomball, north of Lone Star College and Harris County Precinct 4’s Spring Creek Park. It will have a significant impact on conservation, according to the BLC.

*Natural wetlands on the tract donated to BLC by Swinbank and Poarch*. *This and all photos below are courtesy of the Bayou Land Conservancy.*

“We are excited to own this ecologically rich nature preserve that will help us connect the community to the benefits of land conservation”, said BLC board chair Lisa Lin. “This donation will benefit the community for many generations, and be an enduring legacy of the incredible generosity of Mr. Swinbank and Mr. Poarch.”

*Spring Creek meanders along the property’s southern border.*

*Ecologically rich wetlands such as these help retain water during floods, reducing the impact on downstream residents.*

Land Originally Purchased for Mining

“As the greater Houston area continues to grow at a rapid pace, striking a healthy balance between land preservation and land development has never been more important as we seek to protect the many economic and community benefits we all enjoy,” Swinbank said. “The Bayou Land Conservancy’s extensive network of preserved trails and waterways just minutes from Houston is impressive in its form and function—a model of what can be achieved when community stakeholders work together. We’re proud to partner with the Conservancy to continue these important environmental efforts and extend BLC’s preserved trails and waterways west into the Tomball area.”

Don Poarch echoed his partner’s sentiments in acknowledging the award. “We’re grateful for the recognition as this year’s Conservation Champions and happy to continue to champion the BLC and its important mission to preserve these lands for natural flood control, cleaner water and wildlife protection,” Poarch said. “On behalf of our entire team at Sprint Sand & Clay, Joe and I hope this land along Spring Creek enhances the community with protected green space while providing beautiful trails and waterways for people to reconnect with nature and each other.”

Family History Led to Donation

Beyond the positive environmental and community impact, the land in Tomball has personal significance to Swinbank and his family. “My wife was raised in the area, and her extended family has deep roots in Tomball and Rosehill going back to the area’s original German settlers,” Swinbank added. “My family and I couldn’t be happier that the Conservancy will ensure this land is preserved and protected for generations to come.”

Online Gala to Honor Conservationists Nov. 13

BLC will honor Swinbank and Poarch at its annual Annual Land Lover Gala as Conservation Champions. The Gala will be held virtually this year from 6-7 pm on Friday, November 13^th. More information about the event can be found here. Wildlife film maker Ben Masters will be the keynote speaker. Mark your calendar.

No-Cost Gala Great Way to Learn More About BLC

Because of COVID, BLC’s net proceeds will likely be down this year. There’s no cost to attend the virtual event. “We’d just like to encourage people to join us,” said Jill Boullion, Executive Director of the BLC.

On a personal note, I will say this. The Bayou Land Conservancy and its committed staff stand tall among many worthy conservation groups in the Lake Houston Area. Their cooperative strategy is simple.

They put conservation easements on environmentally important land that is bought or donated so that it serves its natural function. They make a huge difference and deserve everyone’s support.

Bayou Land Conservancy protects land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife. BLC is a nationally accredited, community-sponsored land preservation organization working to permanently protect land, with a focus on the streams that feed Lake Houston, an important source of drinking water for millions in the region. More information is available at: www.bayouland.org.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/31/2020

1159 Days since Hurricane Harvey

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