Watershed Texas

Community members plant the wetland area on June 25. Photo: Jerry Hamby

We passed a major milestone and it was composed of water, mud, plants and volunteers. After years of community meetings, planning, hydrology studies, waiting on permits, excavating, and raising plants, the first portion of the first lake at Exploration Green is ready for a stormwater wetland.

This treatment wetland for stormwater is intended to remove contaminants such as nutrients, bacteria, hydrocarbons and sediment—all common in suburban stormwater runoff—before the water flows into Horsepen Bayou, and out to Clear Lake and Galveston Bay. Currently the wetland is about half an acre, but as more portions of the five finger lakes are excavated, it will be about 40 acres of wetland handling a watershed of about 2000 acres. Check out master plans for the park.

A schematic plan for Exploration Green when complete. Source: SWA Group Houston

The planting palette for a stormwater wetland is simple in comparison to wetland restoration, where diversity is key. Here we are planting large swaths of native plants which are selected for their landscape-friendly appearance. There is some topography within the basin, and species are placed according to their depth preference.

The planting plan for the half acre wetland in the first of three compartments in Phase 1.

Much will be learned in this new basin, the first of many. What invasive species will be problematic in this setting and how will we keep them in check? Is the outflow structure designed optimally for the wetlands, and if not, how can it be adapted?

Next up, the really fun part: planting the wetland!