Buffalo Bayou Master Plan

[H-Town Man]

On 1/31/2021 at 4:16 PM, hindesky said:

 

That is a pretty wide stretch so it looks like they are going to keep going with it. Maybe the rock is just a layer and they'll put soil over it? But no, the black plastic underneath seems designed to prevent weeds from coming up. Sheesh.

 

[samagon]

no better way to exacerbate the heat island effect, as well as ensure local birds and other animals understand they are not allowed (homeless people too, I guess will get the hint).

maybe we can organize a seed bombing.

[hindesky]

On 2/2/2021 at 12:50 PM, H-Town Man said:

That is a pretty wide stretch so it looks like they are going to keep going with it. Maybe the rock is just a layer and they'll put soil over it? But no, the black plastic underneath seems designed to prevent weeds from coming up. Sheesh.

 

They have covered the rip rap with about 8-12" of soil.

[hindesky]

Didn't feel like venturing closer this time so I zoomed in. They have removed part of the concrete beam blocking the future trail.

[hindesky]

I rode under the northern Buffalo Bayou Hike/Bike trail under Waugh St. today and saw lots of dead bats killed by the freezing temperatures last week. I saw a FB post about it but wasn't thinking about when I was riding. There had to be hundreds of them laying on the ground. Didn't want to take a pic. The southern side of the trail was blocked off from anyone accessing it. So people had to cross the intersection on top across Waugh.

https://www.houstoniamag.com/travel-and-outdoors/2021/02/waugh-bridge-bat-colony-winter-storm-2021

 

The Waugh Bridge Bat Colony Took a Hit During the Winter Storm

Reports of dead and distressed bats rolled in over the weekend at Buffalo Bayou Park.

By Gwendolyn Knapp  2/22/2021 at 11:34am

 

The Waugh Bridge bat colony is a Houston icon.

 

BAD NEWS FOR BAT LOVERS. On Sunday Buffalo Bayou Partnership took to its social accounts, asking folks to avoid the walking paths under the Waugh Bridge. The issue? It appears that our poor Mexican free-tailed bat colony, which endured the floodwaters of Harvey in 2017, has now been hit hard by the winter storm.  

A rep from the partnership tells Houstonia that reports started coming in of both dead bats on the ground, and bats that were still alive and in distress, on Saturday, as folks returned to the park.  The rep did not know how many bats were involved, and we still don’t have any details about exactly what happened—if they froze to death inside the bridge or while trying to take flight or if anything else is at play (bats can carry rabies, so please stay away, folks).

Before Harvey, there were an estimated 300,000 bats in the Waugh Bridge colony, but as we sadly know, many perished as Harvey’s floodwaters rose up into the bridge, and then many more were likely displaced since bats don’t like to live among the dead. The bats in the Waugh colony reside in the bridge about seven layers deep, and, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, still have a population about 250,000 deep, fluctuating through out the year as the species is somewhat migratory.

As of Monday morning, TPWD has sent its bat team coordinator and wildlife biologist, Diana Foss, to assess the situation, which may involve taking distressed, living bats with her to investigate the matter. The partnership also tells us that more environmentalists are currently investigating the situation as well. It’s unknown if Austin’s bat population is dealing with the same issue.  

Earlier this month, the Chronicle reported that many of Texas’s bats have faced a greater risk of death recently due to the rampant spread of white-nose syndrome across our state, a disease that causes bats’ fat stores to run out quicker than normal, sending them out into the cold weather to feed rather than hibernate. But Mexican free-tailed bats do not hibernate like other species in Texas, so it’s uncertain if the disease is actually impacting them like other species.   

We’ll update on any information regarding the situation when we get it. For now, avoid the paths under the Waugh Bridge, and send some love to our favorite bat colony. Please hang in there, little fellas!

 

 

[gene]

omg noooOooOoooooOOOOOoooo that is just horrible! i hope that the bats will be okay...i love that so many call Houston home (although i do have to hold my breath every time i ride my bike under the Waugh bridge haha!)

[clutchcity94]

3 hours ago, gene said:

omg noooOooOoooooOOOOOoooo that is just horrible! i hope that the bats will be okay...i love that so many call Houston home (although i do have to hold my breath every time i ride my bike under the Waugh bridge haha!)

I do too!! And usually close my eyes for good measure! Look ma...no hands !!

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

Looks like they are pouring concrete for the sidewalk/wall.

[HoustonMidtown]

 

[hindesky]

Found the mural artist shutting down for the day since it had started raining. They are doing a mural on the north bank by UHD. The grass on the south bank is starting to grow.

[hindesky]

A baby shower/reveal? Name says Stephen so I wonder why both color balloons. From Eleanor Tinsley Park.

[77011transplant]

1 hour ago, hindesky said:

A baby shower/reveal? Name says Stephen so I wonder why both color balloons. From Eleanor Tinsley Park.

I think it says "Stephens" as in "Baby their-last-name"? 

[hindesky]

36 minutes ago, 77011transplant said:

I think it says "Stephens" as in "Baby their-last-name"? 

Your'e probably right I didn't see the "s" till I looked closer.

[mattyt36]

13 hours ago, hindesky said:

A baby shower/reveal? Name says Stephen so I wonder why both color balloons. From Eleanor Tinsley Park.

Hopefully they didn’t kill anybody.

[hindesky]

26 minutes ago, mattyt36 said:

Hopefully they didn’t kill anybody.

Didn't hang around for the reveal, but I was hoping they didn't release those giant balloons.

[Ross]

On 3/25/2021 at 2:40 PM, samagon said:

hopefully they hand out cardboard boxes for people to slide down the hill once there is some grass in place.

Only if at random times, another ramp pops up and sends the slider into the Bayou. A little risk makes life more fun, right? Even better if a fake alligator pops up its head as the person is in the air.

[samagon]

23 hours ago, mattyt36 said:

Hopefully they didn’t kill anybody.

I presume from the lack of news coverage that they didn't burn down the park.

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

Crawler crane has been driving piling sheets into the ground in downtown portion of the Buffalo Bayou trail. This is near the north end of Austin St. They are in the process of welding a steel supported trail under the old building since the ground below is slanted so much.

[hindesky]

North bank bike trail next to the McKee project.

[77011transplant]

That mural is so beautiful! Thanks for the pics. 

[Naviguessor]

Further east, work continues on sculpting and fortifying the south bank as well as repairing and replacing the trails.  This photo was taken from the north bank at the East River, Bldg F site.  

[Urbannizer]

Anyone have access? 

https://www.costar.com/article/1085605325/new-mixed-income-housing-project-to-kick-off-transformation-of-buffalo-bayou-east

[H-Town Man]

Has BBP ever said anything about trying to do something with the few remaining wharf buildings around the Turning Basin? The ones on the right bank along Peavey Drive and Foster Street were all demolished over the past 20 years or so but there are still a few remaining on the left bank. I imagine this is insanely expensive land though since it is on the ship channel.

 

[Houston19514]

1 hour ago, H-Town Man said:

Has BBP ever said anything about trying to do something with the few remaining wharf buildings around the Turning Basin? The ones on the right bank along Peavey Drive and Foster Street were all demolished over the past 20 years or so but there are still a few remaining on the left bank. I imagine this is insanely expensive land though since it is on the ship channel.

 

Seems unlikely.  BBP's master plan does not appear to go that far east and that is probably all pretty active Port of Houston property.

Edited April 23, 2021 by Houston19514

[H-Town Man]

1 hour ago, Houston19514 said:

Seems unlikely.  BBP's master plan does not appear to go that far east and that is probably all pretty active Port of Houston property.

It is just east of where their plan ends... and the historical value of those buildings is pretty considerable, as that is the only place where the Port of Houston resembled something of a traditional port post-ship channel. Those buildings and the bars for the workers along 75th Street (all demolished) figured into Sig Byrd's writings about "port characters."

But you are right that it is pretty active Port of Houston property.

 

[Montrose1100]

It's very active POH property. Those docks make great layberths for Chemical Tankers. :P

[hindesky]

[BuffaloBayouBred]

East River section of trail.