By HEATHER SAUCIER
For the Northeast News
Celebrating the grand opening of a new park and stormwater detention basin, residents, public officials and elected officials gathered at the city of Houstons Keith-Wiess Park on Aug. 15 to see firsthand its innovative, two-fold purpose for this northeast Houston community.
Visitors toured the newly-excavated detention basin by the Harris County Flood Control District, which can store 300 million gallons of stormwater (about two-thirds of the Astrodome) that might otherwise overflow from Halls Bayou and flood adjacent homes.
At the site of the basin, which resembles a natural lake, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department installed a fishing pier and wetlands boardwalk in addition to hike-and-bike trails, soccer fields and a new playground at the 500-acre park.
Art Storey, executive director of the Harris County Public Infrastructure Department, and Mike Talbott, director of the Flood Control District, praised partnerships for making such projects possible.
In this case, by partnering with the City of Houston, the Flood Control District was able to use roughly 100 acres of Keith-Wiess Park for the detention basin, greatly reducing project costs. The $10 million basin allowed the City of Houston to qualify for $2 million in matching funds from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to build the recreational amenities in a park that has remained mostly wooded since it was acquired in 1979.
Houston Mayor Bill White and Houston Parks and Recreation Department Director Joe Turner also attended the event, which offered visitors golf cart tours of the site. Local children had an opportunity to fish in the freshly-stocked detention basin.
The basin contains approximately 68,000 wetlands plants specifically chosen to remove sediment, pollutants and bacteria from stormwater. Roughly 2,600 native trees are being planted as well as hundreds of pounds of grass and wildflower seeds.
Partners in the project include the Flood Control District, the City of Houston, Harris County precincts 1 and 2, Texas Parks and Wildlife and East Aldine Management District.
The Flood Control District also plans to excavate two additional detention basins farther downstream near U.S. 59 and Jensen Drive. Recreational amenities, including a pavilion and trails, were recently installed at a future basin site on the west side of U.S. 59.
Keith-Wiess Park is located at 12300 Aldine Westfield Road. It was acquired by the city through the benefaction of Mr. and Mrs. James Elkins. Its donation depended on the conservation of its natural features. As a result, a plan was developed with the cooperation of the Elkins family to build a detention basin that would reduce flooding risks and damages but maintain and enhance the natural integrity of the park.