Land Cover Change for the Houston Region and the Galveston Bay

Bill Bass, HARC

Transcript

1. Land Cover Change for the
   Houston Region and Galveston Bay
   Bill Bass, GISP
   

   View Slide

2. Galveston Bay Watershed
   • The Galveston Bay watershed is
   approximately 24,000 square
   miles.
   • Approximately half the
   population of Texas (27.5 million)1
   live in the Galveston Bay
   watershed.
   1U.S. Census, July 2015
   

   View Slide

3. Changing Landscapes
   Source: Houston-Galveston Area Council, Circa 2000
   

   View Slide

4. Changing Landscapes
   Source: Google, Circa 2015
   

   View Slide

5. Changing Landscapes
   Source: Houston-Galveston Area Council, Circa 2000
   

   View Slide

6. Changing Landscapes
   Source: Houston-Galveston Area Council, Circa 2014
   

   View Slide

7. Changing Landscapes
   Source: Houston-Galveston Area Council, Circa 2000
   

   View Slide

8. Changing Landscapes
   Source: Grand Central Park
   

   View Slide

9. Land Cover Change
   • Impervious & developed areas growth
   • Wetland areas decreased by 54,000 acres
   

   View Slide

10. Developed Areas 1996
    Animation
    

    View Slide

11. Developed Areas 2010
    Animation
    

    View Slide

12. Wetland Areas 1996
    Animation
    

    View Slide

13. Wetland Areas 2010
    Animation
    

    View Slide

14. Land Cover Change Animations
    1996 - 2010
    • Harris & Montgomery Counties

    Developed Areas https://vimeo.com/176231053

    Wetland Areas https://vimeo.com/176497180
    • Houston-Galveston Region

    Developed Areas https://vimeo.com/176218783 

    Wetland Areas https://vimeo.com/176220936
    

    View Slide

15. Galveston Bay Report Card
    • Annual citizen driven
    scientific analysis of
    Galveston Bay
    • Engage community
    about health of
    Galveston Bay
    • Supported by a grant
    from the Houston
    Endowment
    • Implemented by
    Galveston Bay
    Foundation & HARC
    Inspire people to take actions that protect
    and preserve Galveston Bay.
    

    View Slide

16. Inputs and Grading
    TPWD Coastal
    Fisheries
    TCEQ
    SWQM
    NOAA C-CAP
    Land Cover
    NOAA Sea Level
    Rise Data
    Texas Colonial
    Waterbirds Data
    

    View Slide

17. GalvBayGrade.org
    • Overview
    • Find Your
    Watershed Tool
    • See the Grades
    • What You Can Do
    • Cover Stories
    http://GalvBayGrade.org
    New for
    2016
    

    View Slide

18. Overview
    • About the Bay
    • Bay facts
    • Map of watershed
    • About this Project
    • 6 Topic Areas
    • 19 Indicators
    • How We Grade
    • Letter Grading
    System
    • Descriptors from
    ‘Excellent’ to
    ‘Critical’
    • Public Audience
    http://GalvBayGrade.org
    

    View Slide

19. Find Your Watershed
    • Find results by
    watershed
    • Enter an address

    or explore the map by
    clicking on a watershed.
    http://GalvBayGrade.org
    

    View Slide

20. See The Grades
    • Shown by
    • Topics Areas
    • Indicators
    • Prior year change
    • ‘What We Can Do’
    tips for each
    indicator
    http://GalvBayGrade.org
    

    View Slide

21. What You Can Do
    • Filter by Topic Area
    • Search by Keyword
    • Suggestions linked
    to resources.
    http://GalvBayGrade.org
    

    View Slide

22. Cover Stories
    • Blog articles and in-
    depth stories on
    current events.
    • Links to current
    and past full
    reports.
    • Report updated
    annually.
    http://GalvBayGrade.org
    

    View Slide

23. GalvBayGrade.org
    Research Contacts
    • Lisa Gonzalez

    HARC President 

    lgonzalez@HARCresearch.org
    • Erin Kinney, PhD

    HARC Research Scientist
    Coastal Ecology

    ekinney@HARCresearch.org
    • Heather Schiappa

    Galveston Bay
    Foundation 

    Report Card Coordinator

    HSchiappa@galvbay.org
    

    View Slide

24. HARCresearch.org
    HARC (härk), n.
    an independent research
    hub helping people thrive
    and nature flourish.
    @bass_wm
    www.linkedin.com/in/wmbass
    Bill Bass, GISP
    GIS & IT Manager
    (281) 364-6087
    BBass@HARCresearch.org
    

    View Slide