Bayou project

The Bayou Preservation Association applauds the Chronicle’s recent endorsement of the Memorial Park Demonstration Project, “Bayou Repair” (Page A13, Tuesday). This project will use a research-based method called natural channel design to repair and stabilize the banks of Buffalo Bayou, in an area suffering erosion that threatens both public and private property, as well as infrastructure.

The natural channel design approach was pioneered by Dr. David Rosgen in the 1990s. Terry Hershey, a founder of Bayou Preservation, encouraged Harris County Flood Control District staff to attend Rosgen classes on the method, and actually funded their attendance on some occasions. Ms. Hershey was a strong advocate of demonstrating its use in the Houston region — thus was born the Memorial Park Demonstration Project.

Our region is crisscrossed by bayous and creeks. The banks of our bayous are often transitions between the built environment and the natural environment of the bayou itself. The interaction between the built environment and our bayous stresses these bank areas, causing erosion and bank failures. The proposed project will address these stresses by incorporating methods that mimic natural processes to strike a balance between the natural and built environment.

Bayou Preservation also seeks to achieve this balance. This is illustrated in our recently updated logo. The proposed project will achieve the desired balance in a way that Terry Hershey strongly encouraged and supported.

Michael F. Bloom, P.E., member, executive committee, Bayou Preservation Association