It’s coming a little late for many homes in Meyerland, but excavation crews are once again at work widening the segment of Brays Bayou just downstream of that flooded neighborhood. Work on the segment between Buffalo Speedway and S. Rice Ave. began this past summer. The widening is a part of the decade-plus-old Project Brays, begun before but accelerated as a result of flooding during Tropical Storm Allison in 2001.
Water levels on the bayou have returned to a manageable level; this photo, sent in by a Swamplot reader, shows an excavator at work on its south bank just west of the inlet between Timberside Dr. and Bevlyn Dr.
Photo: Swamplot inbox
Braeswood Place
I’d argue that the current widening they’ve done thus far saved my house (plus thousands of others).
Same here.
More widening is not best answer. The bay can take only so much fresh water at one time. There is a limit to this strategy. It’s cheap though compared to other options. So let’s ruin the bay. And avoid needed and more costly alternatives. The great state of Texas at work. Or not.
greg,
Galveston Bay is fed by the San Jacinto and Trinity Rivers. Brays Bayou being widened is not going to be sending much more fresh water their than before.
It doesn’t really put more fresh water into the bay (especially during a storm surge), just gives the fresh water a place to sit while it waits to go to the bay. Instead of sitting in someone’s living room.
Clean all the trash that is in the bayous