Recent Photos of Buffalo Bayou

Floating Past the Hogg Bird Sanctuary and Memorial Park

June 4, 2018

Watch this slide show of recent photos taken during a float trip on May 28, 2018, to document Buffalo Bayou after maintenance contractors working for the Harris County Flood Control District had been through removing Large Woody Debris and cutting trees.

The south-facing high bluff in the Hogg Bird Sanctuary, looking upstream with the River Oaks Country Club on the left. Photo May 28, 2018
The south-facing high bluff of the Hogg Bird Sanctuary from Buffalo Bayou. Photo May 28, 2018
The mouth of the Hogg tributary that drains from underneath Memorial Drive has shifted back upstream closer to where it had been over half a century ago. Here the recent mouth below a high bluff has been blocked with sediment after Harvey.
Looking downstream on Buffalo Bayou with the city-owned Hogg Bird Sanctuary on the left and River Oaks Country Club property on the right. Photo May 28, 2018
The River Oaks Country Club is still having problems with its bank on the golf course where the trees were cut down and replaced with mowed grass.
Egret flying on a meander of Buffalo Bayou at the downstream edge of Memorial Park in Houston. May 28, 2018
Wildlife tracks including beaver on the right in the bank of the meander at the eastern edge of Memorial Park. Photo May 28, 2018
Looking upstream on Buffalo Bayou near the eastern edge of Memorial Park. Park on the right, River Oaks Country Club property on the left. May 28, 2018
Paddling upstream on Buffalo Bayou with Memorial Park on the right. Photo May 28, 2018
Standing on the shore below that high bank looking upstream at the bend in the bayou. Maintenance contractors for Flood Control had cleared most of the woody debris from the bank. Natural Buffalo Bayou sandstone, somewhat more broken, extending into the channel. Photo May 28, 2018
Checking out the tributary that drains Memorial Park into the bayou. Plastic draping River Oaks Country Club denuded bank in the distance. Photo from the shore below the high bank in that bend in the river looking downstream.
Upright tree on north bank of Buffalo Bayou in Memorial Park recently cut by maintenance contractor for Harris County Flood Control District.
A group of trees recently cut on the south bank of Buffalo Bayou across from Memorial Park. Pile of material dredged from the channel dumped in the foreground.
Regrowth above riprap installed by country club in 2015 at the upstream edge of the golf course.
Telephone poles leaning on the south bank of Buffalo Bayou upstream from the River Oaks Country Club.
An example of how woody debris next to the bank collects sediment and rebuilds the bank. Flood Control maintenance contractors had not yet cleared this area. Photo May 28, 2018

And this slideshow documents some of the trees cut by the maintenance contractors.

Stump of an upright pine tree cut by maintenance contractors on the upper bank of Buffalo Bayou in the city-owned Hogg Bird Sanctuary. All photos on May 28, 2018
Stump of an upright tree recently cut, apparently by maintenance contractors, on the north bank of Buffalo Bayou in Memorial Park.
Another apparently upright tree cut on the south bank of Buffalo Bayou.
A group of trees recently cut on the south bank of Buffalo Bayou across from Memorial Park. Pile of material dredged from the channel dumped in the foreground.
Another tree cut on the south bank of Buffalo Bayou owned by the River Oaks Country Club, which apparently dumped concrete debris onto the bank in an effort to protect against erosion. Trees and their roots, including fallen trees, protect banks against erosion.
Stump of a sycamore, barely visible on left, recently cut among a group of sycamores on the bayou bank in Memorial Park.
Close up of the sycamore cut down on the bank in Memorial Park.
More stumps of trees cut down on the south bank of Buffalo Bayou. These trees, surrounded by concrete debris apparently dumped on the bank for protection against erosion, would have helped protect against erosion.
Upright tree on north bank of Buffalo Bayou in Memorial Park recently cut by maintenance contractor for Harris County Flood Control District.
More upright trees chopped by maintenance contractors on the south bank of Buffalo Bayou.
Another tree cut on the bank of Buffalo Bayou.