Frequently Asked Questions

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Here are several ways you can help Save Horsepen Bayou

1. Contact the Public Officials on the contact list with calls/letters/emails.
2. Show your support with a yard sign.
3. Spread the word by talking to your neighbors and friends.
4. Add your name and contact details to the Coalition Mailing List. You will receive updates on the effort and be informed, as they arise, of any additional ways you can help.  Your email address will NOT be sold or shared with any third parties; it will only be used to communicate directly with you regarding and updates about the effort to Save Horsepen Bayou.

While the real estate market is influenced by so many outside factors that cannot be accurately predicted, the loss of the beautiful greenspaces and the aesthetic affect will certainly be a factor in future buyers’ decision-making and home offers.

It is our understanding that the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) has final approval of any changes/alterations to the waterway.  ACE can stop the project if they do not agree with the plans.  Precinct 2 Commissioner, along with the other Harris County Commissioners, decides whether or not to progress a project from design to completion.  However, if more officials are contacted, the greater the chance of our concerns being taken seriously.

Here is an example that you can use to create a message that best suits your style:

I am calling to let you know that I strongly oppose the Channel Conveyance Improvements on Horsepen Bayou.

• The Public has not been made fully aware of the extent of the changes that will occur to Horsepen Bayou and the damage to the trees and vegetation along the greenspace.
• The result of the planned work would drastically affect the natural beauty and ecosystem of Horsepen Bayou and would ultimately affect the value and desirability of the neighborhood.

I am asking you to seek alternative solutions for flood mitigation and preserve Horsepen Bayou as it exists today.

 All the information on this web page is from either in-person conversations with county/local officials, attendance at regularly scheduled or specially called meetings, or from public information requests (PIAs) for project related documents.  We have attempted to relay only the facts as we know them.

If you receive such a reply, ask the responder to state specifically what is being spread as misinformation.  Implying that people who disagree with you are spreading misinformation, without any specific examples, is misinformation itself.  If specific examples are given, please relay these via the conversation bubble in the lower right-hand corner of this webpage.

While not everyone on the list has direct authority over Harris County Flood Control District or Precinct 2, it is important to get the word out about what is actually being planned for the bayou and your disapproval.  Others might not have direct authority but may be able to influence the decisions of those who do.
 

For example, it is reported that Councilman Tom Ramsey's district, Pct 3, has been inadequately funded when it comes to flood control projects in his area.  If Mr. Ramsey's office is informed about the questionable benefits of the Horsepen Bayou widening project perhaps he might exert influence to redirect the funding.

If Governor Greg Abbott is informed that HCFCD is potentially not following NAI guidelines, or that the published permit for the project is not representative of the construction documents, he might instruct the Texas Attorney General to investigate.
 

Representative Brian Babin is involved in projects related to NASA.  If the outcry of people who suspect that the Spaceport projects are potentially not following NAI guidelines, he may reevaluate the plans for Spaceport and/or the related widening project.

Your state representative and state senator may decide to craft legislation to enforce reviews and independent approvals of HCFCD and/or Commissioner's Court decisions related to flood control projects.  The prospect of this legislation may lead to more transparency for flood control.

It is important to notify the people of your concerns and disapproval of the widening project even though these people may not have direct control over the project.

Here is a sample letter that you can use as a guide to create your own correspondence.

 
Dear (Governor/Senator/Congressman/Councilman/Director)

I am opposed to the Harris County Flood District’s Horsepen Bayou Conveyance Project B104-00-00. The construction diagrams show a much greater impact than the 20-foot widening diagrams that were originally shown by HCFCD during their public Zoom meetings. To date, the HCFCD website graphic remains the same and only shows a 10 ft widening on each side of the bayou.

The public has not been made fully aware of the changes that will occur to Horsepen Bayou and the damage to the trees. The current bid documents show an aggressive plan that includes removing most of the trees along the bayou and well as removal of the vegetation, including grass and topsoil. The result of the planned work would drastically affect the natural beauty and ecosystem of Horsepen Bayou and would ultimately affect the value and desirability of the neighborhood.

In addition to the complete destruction of a beautiful natural habitat, rather than providing flood mitigation for the surrounding neighborhoods, the area essentially would become a barren retention basin for upstream development at Houston Spaceport. Exploration Green was not in place at the time of Hurricane Harvey. It was designed to mitigate 1600-acre feet of flood water. Also, Exploration Green was not completed until after the HCFCD plan for Horsepen Bayou was created. We have experienced heavy rains since the completion of Exploration green and the water level in the bayou was not drastically affected.

I believe that Horsepen Bayou Conveyance Project B104-00-00 is unnecessary and a waste of approximately $12 million dollars of taxpayer funds that could better be directed elsewhere. I call upon the Harris County Flood Control District and Pct. 2 to cancel the project.

Sincerely,