The Bayou Greenway Initiative builds upon and leverages City, County, State, and Federal water quality, flood control, and environmental investments to create world-class trails and parks at significantly less than the cost of traditional acquisition and development methods.

Sims Bayou - unconnected

Working Together to Take Advantage of a Rare Opportunity

Bayous are the unique and distinctive natural theme of Houston, the Bayou City. And while our bayous have many well-used trails and parks, most of these trails are not connected to each other and the bayous remain an under-utilized resource and amenity.

By bringing together all interested groups - City and County departments, business leaders, nonprofits, trail advocates, recreational users, management districts, TIRZ’s and individual bayou groups - the Bayou Greenway Initiative will minimize the cost and accelerate the development of a world-class parks and trails system.

Making Storm Water Detention Projects into Parks

Retention areas and detention basins clean our water through natural filtration, reducing the bacterial contamination of our water while improving flood control. By leveraging these existing investments with new sources of funding, we can add attractive and usable recreation areas at minimal cost compared to new parkland acquisition.

In a 1913 report to Houston’s Park Commission, urban planner Arthur Comey wrote “The backbone of a park system for Houston will be its bayou and creek valleys, which readily lend themselves to trails and parks and cannot so advantageously be used for any other purpose.” It is time to fulfill that vision.

We’re Growing and We Need to Increase Flood Management,

Water Quality & Parks

Flooding already affects too many of us. None of our bayous meet federal clean water standards.  And we need thousands of acres of new parks to serve the additional million people expected to move to Houston by 2025, and to remain competitive with other cities.  New detention areas keep water in natural areas and out of homes, businesses, and streets, while also serving as park space. This is the fastest, most cost effective way to meet the growing demand for both.

Buffalo Bayou - connected

:: 243 miles of additional trails on all major bayou arteries including 1,600 acres of additional parks and recreation spaces

:: More than 3,200 acres of additional detention and water quality sites that have ancillary park and recreational uses

:: Makes healthy, active recreation accessible to all of Harris County, especially benefitting our most under-served communities

The Houston Bayou Greenway Initiative

The Bayou Greenway Initiative will develop an inter-connected system of linear trails and green spaces along all bayou corridors which will:

ENHANCE economic development

IMPROVE flood control

CREATE natural water filtration

PROVIDE environmental improvements

PROMOTE increased health & wellness

INCREASE property values

ENCOURAGEtourism and recreational use

FOSTER restoration and conservation

For more information: www.houstonparksboard.org

www.qolhouston.org djb@qolhouston.org

This initiative effectively leverages essential investments in flood control and water quality to provide parks and trails at a fraction of their normal costs

open to see full area map

Brays Bayou AssociationCitizens for Responsible Watershed Management

Ka

ty P

rair

ie