About Exploration Green
In Southeast Houston, dedicated groups of volunteers are transforming a defunct golf course into an innovative stormwater detention center and green space.
Exploration Green provides an integrated, natural solution for catastrophic seasonal flooding holding up to 500-million-gallons of stormwater while also serving as a nature preserve and recreation area. Located near NASA's Johnson Space Center, this 200-acre urban green space provides the community with countless opportunities to explore, offering 40 acres of both wetlands and permanent detention lakes, home to over 1,000 native species.
Questions about Exploration Green Construction?
The Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA) manages the construction (excavation) phase of the Exploration Green stormwater detention lakes. Please visit the Clear Lake City Water Authority's Exploration Green Detention Facility web page for announcements and the the most current updates on construction activities and progress.
If you cannot find the information you need on the CLCWA's web page, please contact them at (281) 488-1164
Exploration Green Remains Open, Please Exercise Caution due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
The Clear Lake City Water Authority will follow orders of Harris County and the City of Houston concerning the public access to county and city parks during the current coronavirus outbreak. Exploration Green will remain open to the public as long as county and city parks are open but will close on the same schedule as Harris County and Houston parks in the future.
Upcoming Events
Exploration Green Relaxes COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Restrictions for Tree Nursery Work Days
Exploration Green has relaxed COVID-19 limits on the number of tree nursery volunteers per event, and no long requires volunteers to wear masks. Volunteers are encouraged to wear masks and maintain social distancing while volunteering.
Volunteers should continue to bring their own water and snacks.
Tree nursery volunteer work days are resuming on the second and last Saturdays of the month. Work days may be cancelled on short notice due to weather (including extreme heat).
To RSVP with your interest or to confirm a work day and the planned activities, e-mail Exploration Green's Tree Nursery Volunteer Coordinator, Susan Parker.
Exploration Green in the News
Clear Lake's newest flood control is Exploration Green — a park to hold 500 million gallons of stormwater
Houston Chronicle, DIANE COWEN, STAFF WRITER
Aug. 1, 2022
A tern sailed gracefully across the shallow lake at Exploration Green, swooping in to snatch a wiggling fish from the water, while a hawk on a branch of a nearby loblolly pine scanned the land for its own next meal.
Not long ago, neither bird would have been at Clear Lake’s newest park, etched from a defunct 200-acre golf course and the product of nearly two decades of effort.
Click the image at left to read the full article.
Harris County Precinct 2 Proclamation
Harris County Precinct 2, Adrian Garcia, Commissioner, recognized Exploration Green by issuing a proclamation “to celebrate the awesome success and approaching completion of the five large detention lakes able to detain 500,000,000 gallons of storm water, surrounded by trails, vast green space, and happy, protected residents.”
Click the image at left to view the full proclamation.
HIDDEN GEM: Exploration Green
What was once a 178-acre golf course now provides flood protection and green space for neighbors to enjoy.
Author: Brandi Smith
Published: 11:07 AM CDT May 19, 2022
Updated: 11:12 AM CDT May 19, 2022
HOUSTON — Exploration Green is a community project in Clear Lake that serves two purposes. When the weather is nice, it’s a place where neighbors can connect with nature. When storms hit, it keeps nature away from neighbors.
Click the KHOU 11 logo at left to view the video and read the full article.
Midland is not resilient against floods - Here's how we could be
Midland Business Alliance's Infrastructure committee reviews successful models across U.S.
Tess DeGayner, Midland Daily News
May 23, 2022
MIDLAND — A group of volunteers is moving towards building a more resilient community by addressing legacy flooding challenges...
Houston may have a solution for Midland's problem...
Click the Midland (Michigan) Daily News logo at left to read the full article.
Exploration Green Named Finalist for 2022 Governor’s Texas Environmental Excellence Award
The State of Texas' Environmental regulatory agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has named the Exploration Green Conservancy as a finalist for the 2022 Governor’s Texas Environmental Excellence Award in the Civic/Community category.
Click Finalist Award Certificate at left to see a larger image.
Exploration Green Featured as GBEP Success Stories on State of The Bay Interactive Website
Exploration Green was recently featured on the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) Galveston Bay Estuary Program (GBEP) State of the Bay: A Spotlight on GBEP Success website.
Once on the website, click the Exploration Green tab at the top for the full story. The web page features an interactive aerial photograph that allows the viewer to swipe across what the former Clear Lake Golf Course looked like before and the completed phases of Exploration Green look like now.