Clear Lake City Water Authority’s contractor Paskey Incorporated has begun excavation of the Exploration Green Phase 1 flood detention area with completion of the initial excavation at the east end of Phase 1 area planned for March 2016. About two months after the pilot project is complete, excavation will start on the remainder of Phase 1. The Phase 1 detention area, located behind the Clear Lake City Recreation Center and between Diana Ln., Reseda Dr. and Ramada Dr., will be dry initially with only naturally occurring rainwater and groundwater as a permit amendment is reviewed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which has been informed of the excavation. After the TCEQ permit is issued, a six-­‐foot water level will be maintained in the detention pond.

Saturday, April 25 from 8:00 to 2:00, Bay Area’s new Exploration Green will host its inaugural Earth Day Celebration at the 200-acre green space in the heart of Clear Lake. Free and open to all, festivities will include traditional outdoor games, running and walking, education and environmental activities and volunteer opportunities for visitors all ages.

Fast growing native Texas trees including Cedar Elm, Bald Cypress, Red Drummond Maple, Burr Oak, Swamp Chestnut Oak, Nuttal Oak, Overcup Oak, and Green Ash at the Exploration Green Tree Nursery are departing the Exploration Green tree nursery to be planted in the real dirt at Clear Lake’s own 200 acre green space. Volunteers are needed to join others to plant about 50 of the native trees on the green space section behind the Clear Lake City Community Recreation Center at 16511 Diana Lane. Spend a few hours Sat. and Sun., Feb. 14 and 15 between 8:00 a.m. and noon to make a difference that will last many generations.

After nearly a decade of working to fulfill a vision of a Clear Lake public green space to alleviate flooding, foster nature conservation, clean run-off water and provide recreation opportunities, the Clear Lake City Water Authority has signed a Conservation Easement agreement with the Galveston Bay Foundation to conserve and protect the nearly 200 acres of the Exploration Green from commercial development in perpetuity. That means forever. Pictured below is John Branch, Vice-President of CLCWA; James Byrd, General Manager of CLCWA; and Bob Stokes, President of Galveston Bay Foundation.

Since Exploration Green received their 501(3)(c) status, tax deductible donations can be made to the Conservancy. Creating Exploration Green’s 200 acre park and conservation area is a major undertaking, especially for a non-profit organization not a direct part of city or county government. It will be a challenge, but a challenge that many are already working on, and many more will work on in the coming days. Created in partnership with the Clear Lake City Water Authority, Exploration Green provides sorely needed flood control capability, neighborhood and regional park space for children and families and “back to nature” conservation open spaces for visitors and wildlife. All of this is certainly worth all the work and all the needed resources.

Saturday’s Exploration Green Groundbreaking and Earth Day Celebration featured over a dozen elected officials and community leaders in a Groundbreaking ceremony with short speeches and ceremonial breaking of earth witnessed by about 200 people. Not so interested in the speeches were dozens of youngsters searching for Easter eggs, eating snow cones and meeting NASA’s huge inflated astronaut, Cosmo. All in all, the festivities including runners, hikers and bicyclists, were a great representation of fun and activities at this new 200 acre gem of public green space in Clear Lake.