The Lake Houston Drinking Water Reservoir is now the largest surface drinking water plant in the United States.  It is the primary source of raw water supply for greater Houston and surrounding Texas Gulf areas. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has identified four of the lake’s tributaries, Cypress Creek, Spring Creek and the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto River as impaired due to elevated levels of bacteria and dissolved oxygen.

This project seeks to mitigate urban stormwater runoff to Lake Houston by restoring riparian vegetation along degraded riparian areas initially along Cypress Creek and later expanding into the other impaired tributaries. The restoration includes planting 4,000 native riparian trees to establish and reinforce a minimum 50-foot riparian buffer to positively impact the impaired streams. For this initial planting, 4,000 trees are being sourced locally from Trees for Houston and Harris County Flood Control District. The project is supported by a partnership between the Texas A&M Forest Service, Trees for Houston, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), City of Houston (COH) Drinking Water Operations, COH Parks and Recreation, Bayou Land Conservancy, Harris County Precinct 4, Municipal Utility District 230, Simfero Consultants and other key local stakeholders.