https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jra1Rplcac D ave Bulliner is a self-proclaimed “lab rat.” “I’m just like the little rats that run around in the lab,” he said with a smile. Bulliner's passion for lab work goes back to his college days at Southern Illinois University. He was a student worker in the zoology department, tasked with maintaining the channel catfish tank. His duties included routinely checking the oxygen levels and feeding the fish. Following a 44-year hiatus from the lab to pursue a career in retail management, the Illinois-native finally donned a white coat again in 2011. He wanted to do something “a little bit more productive” in retirement and joined the Galveston Bay Area Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists. There he learned about an opportunity to do bacteria testing as part of the Galveston Bay Foundation’s volunteer water quality monitoring program. “I said, ‘Pow, that’s what I want to do,’” Bulliner recalled. The foundation first started monitoring the water quality of Galveston Bay in 1992. Originally called The Estuarine Sampling Team (TEST), the program relies on a team of volunteers to collect and test water samples from locations around the Bay each month. The data loving Bulliner was hooked. “I think data is one of the most important tools that scientists have to use when they go back and check things they’ve done and what they want to accomplish,” he said. Bulliner shared his passion for bacteria testing with Mike Petitt, a retired physician who joined the Texas Master Naturalists in 2018. Bulliner was Petitt’s mentor and told him about the volunteer water monitoring team. It did not take much convincing for Petitt – a native Houstonian who grew up going to the Bay – to see the importance of the program. “We live down here. It’s an important thing to make sure our Bay is maintained,” he said. “If you don’t measure it, you don’t know it.” At the beginning of each month, Bulliner and Petitt can be found working together in the water quality lab at Galveston Bay Foundation’s headquarters in Kemah, testing samples from the Bay’s brackish waters for bacteria, specifically enterococcus. The leading cause of enterococcus in the Bay is fecal matter, most commonly from dogs. Septic tank overflow and over fertilization of yards can also cause spikes in enterococcus. Elevated enterococcus levels are especially common after dry periods followed by heavy rainfall, when a “first flush” effect occurs. “Think about that stuff when a heavy rain falls. Where does it go?” Bulliner asked rhetorically. “It causes problems.” To detect any potentially harmful levels of enterococcus, the two men always use the same procedure. They meticulously follow a laminated checklist – despite having done the same process countless times – to make absolutely sure they do not miss a step and have consistent results. "Just like pilots use a checklist,” Petitt said. Arguably the most time-consuming part of their duties is the paperwork. Multiple signatures are needed when a sample is received. The sample number, location where it was taken, date and time are all recorded into a log. Labels then need to be created and matched with the appropriate sample. Even the temperature of the incubator, which is always set at 41.0 degrees Celsius (105.8 degrees Fahrenheit), is checked and recorded. The actual testing process begins only after everything has been carefully logged and labeled. 10 milliliters from a sample is sucked up through a pipette and dispensed into 90 milliliters of ionized, enterococcus-free water. The mixture is then introverted 10 times. A packet of Enterolert, an agent that is ingested by the bacteria and has the property to glow under a blacklight, is then added to the mix and introverted another 25 times, staining the sample a yellowish color. After letting the solution sit for a full minute, it is then carefully emptied into a sample container with 50 square wells plus one additional at the top. Bulliner and Petitt painstakingly rid the wells of any air bubbles to ensure each contains an equal amount of solution. The sample container is then fed through a sealer before being placed in the incubator where it remains for 24 hours. The next day, the sample containers are removed from the incubator and placed under a blacklight. If more than 33 wells illuminate, a fresh sample from the site needs to be obtained so it can be tested again. If the bacteria level in the new sample is also elevated, authorities are alerted. Bulliner and Petitt both noted the water quality in various parts of the Bay can quickly change, but overall, they have witnessed an improvement first-hand in recent years. The Bay’s water quality grade on the Galveston Bay Report Card , published annually by the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) and the Galveston Bay Foundation, has gone from a B in 2015 to an A in 2021. Bulliner admitted the experience has changed him. “You get caught up in your work-a-day world, and you just don’t think what you’re doing to the wildlife,” he said. “It opened my eyes.” He has since stopped fertilizing his yard, installed two rain barrels to conserve water, and planted native plants around his home. It is his way of helping to preserve what he calls the “three W’s,” wind, water, and wildlife. “We can only do so much while we’re on this Earth, so we want to preserve the certain areas that we do have,” Bulliner said. Galveston Bay Foundation is currently in need of additional volunteer water monitors to take samples from sites around the Bay. If you are interested in volunteering, email us at waterquality@galvbay.org .

The second quarter of the year is when we expect to meet the most new calves, and this year was no exception! So far, the Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program has documented over a dozen young-of-the-year (YOYs) that belong to moms in their catalog. By May each year, we typically start seeing large mother/calf groups in upper Galveston Bay. Studies in other estuaries have shown that dolphin mothers congregate in groups as a defense mechanism (to help keep predators and male aggressors away) and for social benefits, including calf care and social learning. One of the most interesting aspects of observing mother/calf pairs is seeing them copy and learn behaviors from their mothers and conspecifics (other dolphins). In June, GDRP researchers observed a group of dolphins that were initially behind a shrimp trawler. When the trawler pulled in its nets, the group moved to “bow-ride” a very small moving barge. There was barely any wake to ride, so it looked a bit silly! But, it seemed like that perfect opportunity for the small calves in the group to learn and practice their bow riding skills with their mothers. It was a short lesson though! As soon as the trawler set its net back in the water, the dolphins left the barge and went back to the trawler. Foraging behind trawlers is another behavior that calves may learn from their mothers. Please consider making a donation to support our surveys. You will help us answer important remaining questions about where these dolphins and their young live throughout the year. Have you seen dolphins in Galveston Bay or surrounding waters? Please tell us about it by filling out our sighting form . This is an easy and effective way to notify GDRP about when and where you have seen dolphins. Always follow dolphin safe viewing guidelines .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGlpTIGr4H8 T here is a popular saying around the village of Tiki Island. “Spat is where it’s at,” exclaimed Patty White, an island resident and a volunteer with Galveston Bay Foundation’s Oyster Gardening Program. White, a retired math and science teacher, and her husband Don permanently relocated to Tiki Island six years ago. Shortly thereafter she was approached by her neighbor Maureen Wilde about participating in a new program – growing baby oysters from the dock at her home located on one of the island’s canals. “I actually did it just to meet people,” White said. “We moved down here, and it sounded like fun. Let’s do it!” Wilde and her husband Alan heard about the program in Bayou Vista and wanted to bring it to Tiki Island. “We said, ‘If they do it over there, we can definitely do it here,’” she explained. Four families, the Wildes, Whites, Longs and Wrights, started oyster gardening on Tiki Island five years ago. Now the program has blossomed to include approximately 45 island families. The requirements for being a volunteer oyster gardener are about as straightforward as the process for tending to them. Volunteers simply need to have access to the Bay from a pier or dock. The Galveston Bay Foundation supplies them with wire cages, mesh bags, and/or stringers filled with cured recycled oyster shells collected from restaurants that are suspended at least a foot deep in the water. Once a week, the volunteers pull their gardens ashore, rinse off any mud and debris, and shake out any “critters,” such as crabs and fish, that may have found their way inside the cages or bags. The oyster gardens are then left out in the sun for an hour to an hour and a half before being returned to the water to reduce algae growth. The goal of the program is to attract spat on the recycled shell substrate from nearby spawning oysters and then to transplant them onto Galveston Bay Foundation’s restored reefs around the Bay. “You start with a blank slate then several weeks later, you’re growing stuff,” White said. White’s grandchildren Chase, 13, and twins Kyle and Jake, 12, who live in Pearland, assist with cleaning the gardens when they visit their grandparents. “It’s fun to clean them off and see how big or small the spat is,” Chase said. And it’s not just White’s grandkids who get excited by what they find. “At any age you can always learn something,” White said. “This for me, in retirement, has been like, ‘Wow, I didn’t even know you could do this.’” Wilde expressed a similar sentiment. “It’s one thing to talk about something, but you can see after four weeks we have this many oysters already,” Wilde said. After oyster gardening for five years, the volunteers on Tiki Island have observed some interesting trends. The Wildes, who live bayside, recruit more spat than the Whites do at their canal-side home. The recycled shells in wire cages tend to produce more oysters than those in the mesh bags. And years with a lot of rainfall have yielded fewer oysters because of the increased freshwater flowing into the Bay. Last year was highly productive for the gardeners. On one shell alone, Wilde counted 32 baby oysters. “Each week it’s always an adventure because you never know what will come up,” she said. Aside from the personal enjoyment volunteers get from their gardens, there is a greater purpose to their work. “Look where we live. Our reefs are going away,” Wilde said. “...Oysters are an ecosystem, and they also stop erosion, and they play a major part in getting back a healthy Bay and healthy Gulf. “That’s why we do it,” she explained. “I mean, I don’t even eat oysters!” Oyster gardening has also brought the residents in the village together. The Wildes often host “Tiki happy hours” while cleaning their gardens in addition to “spat interventions” to assist new program volunteers. They also started a Facebook group called the Tiki Island Spat Lovers to share updates on their oysters and other marine life found in their gardens. “How many things can you do today that can get a community to get together and agree on one thing?” Wilde asked. “An oyster,” White exclaimed. Wilde laughed “An oyster,” she echoed. “And really enjoy doing it. I think that’s great!” If you are interested in becoming a volunteer oyster gardener, contact Shannon Batte at sbatte@galvbay.org or (832) 536-2265.

The Galveston Bay Foundation welcomed 120 “marsh maniacs” to the Bay on June 18 for Marsh Mania, the organization’s annual marsh grass planting event. Volunteers planted 15,400 stems of smooth cordgrass at three locations around the Galveston Bay system, restoring approximately 7 acres of wetland habitat in the process. “Planting marsh grass is hard work, and we are so appreciative of the effort put in by this year’s Marsh Mania volunteers,” said Emily Ford, Galveston Bay Foundation’s Volunteer Engagement Manager. “The year-to-year transformations at our planting sites have been very dramatic, and we’re excited to see these wetlands continue to grow and expand.” A nationally recognized, signature community event, Marsh Mania engages local citizens in hands-on restoration activities while increasing their awareness and appreciation of the wetlands, which serve as a nursery habitat for various species of crabs, shrimp, and fish, among other critical functions. Twenty volunteers planted nearly 3,500 stems of smooth cordgrass at a 1.5-acre marsh restoration site at the Trinity Bay Discovery Center in Beach City. More than 5,000 smooth cordgrass stems were planted by 40 volunteers at a 3-acre marsh restoration site at Galveston Bay Foundation’s headquarters in Kemah, and 60 volunteers planted more than 7,000 stems of the native marsh grass at a 2.5-acre marsh restoration site at the Sweetwater Preserve in Galveston. Marsh Mania originated in 1999 and drew 1,500 volunteers who set a national record in its first year by planting nearly 70,000 stems of smooth cordgrass in a single day. The inaugural event created 14.5 acres of new habitat at eight sites around Galveston Bay. Twenty-three years later, more than 8,000 community volunteers have restored over 220 acres of vital salt marsh habitat at 99 sites around Galveston Bay. Marsh Mania 2022 was made possible with support from event sponsors including ExxonMobil, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, Citgo, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, John P. McGovern Foundation, Odfjell, Reliant Energy an NRG Company, Transocean, and United Airlines.

The Galveston Bay Foundation announced plans for the inaugural Houston Oyster & SeaFest sponsored by Coca-Cola , which will be held Saturday, June 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Water Works in Buffalo Bayou Park . The festival will feature a variety of acclaimed restaurants from throughout the greater Houston area and will also include live music, libations, educational exhibits and more. Event proceeds benefit the Galveston Bay Foundation’s Oyster Shell Recycling Program and habitat restoration efforts. Tickets for the festival start at $35, and VIP experiences are also available. For tickets and more information, visit galvbayevents.org . Attendees will have the opportunity to sample a variety of menu items including cooked oyster bites and signature seafood dishes from all participating restaurant partners. Event restaurant partners include: 1751 Sea and Bar, BB’s Tex-Orleans, Brennan’s of Houston, Captain Benny’s Seafood, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Frank’s American Revival, Harold’s in the Heights, Indianola, Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette, McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, the Palm Restaurant, Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House, and Willie G’s Seafood & Steaks.  The festival will also feature food trucks, beer, wine and vodka bars, and live music performances by Hunter Perrin and Thunderado and Kung-Fuze . All proceeds from the Houston Oyster & SeaFest benefit the Galveston Bay Foundation’s Oyster Shell Recycling Program. Started in 2011, the Oyster Shell Recycling Program has collected more than 1,300 tons of oyster shells from 26 restaurant partners located from Houston to Galveston for use in habitat restoration projects. To learn more about the program, visit galvbay.org/oysters. “We are tremendously proud of the success of our Oyster Shell Recycling Program and the habitat we have restored using shell that otherwise would have been thrown away,” said Bob Stokes, President of the Galveston Bay Foundation . “Funds raised through this event will make it possible for us to expand the program to include more Houston area restaurants and restore more habitat at a critical time for oysters in Galveston Bay.”  The inaugural Houston Oyster & SeaFest is made possible with support from corporate event sponsors including Coca-Cola, Avera, Corda, the Coastal Conservation Association, H-E-B, Intercontinental Terminals Company, and Phillips 66. Food and beverage sponsors for the event include Prestige Oysters, Barrier Beauties Premium Sustainable Oysters, Bloody Revolution, Deep Eddy Vodka, Miller Lite, Molson Coors, Saint Arnold Brewing Company, and Topo Chico Hard Seltzer.

Galveston Bay Foundation Fighting For A Healthy Galveston Bay About Great.com

The Galveston Bay Foundation’s annual Bay Day Festival will return to the Kemah Boardwalk on Saturday, May 14 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is the first time the event will be held in-person since 2019. The festival was held virtually each of the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  This year’s entertainment lineup includes a pair of performances by musician and environmental educator Billy B . His interactive shows teach children of all ages about the wonders of natural science and include original songs and choreography. The complete lineup of performance times and presentations on the Kemah Boardwalk Main Stage is listed below: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Billy B 12:30 – 1 p.m.: Houston SPCA wildlife presentation 1:15 – 1:45 p.m.: Kemah Aquarium animal presentation 2 – 3 p.m.: Billy B  The event will also feature several interactive exhibits in the Lighthouse Lot and Main Plaza including hands-on encounters with alligators, snakes, crabs, and more. Attendees can also get their “wingspan” measured to find out what kind of bird they are and paint T-shirts at the popular Fish Print T-shirt Station sponsored by NRG . Additionally, eventgoers will have the opportunity to learn about Galveston Bay Foundation’s education, outreach, oyster shell recycling and dolphin research programs.  “We couldn’t be more thrilled to once again host the Bay Day Festival in-person at the Kemah Boardwalk,” said Emily Ford, Galveston Bay Foundation’s Volunteer Engagement Manager . “This year’s event features a wonderful entertainment lineup and plenty of exhibits for the entire family to enjoy. We can’t wait to see the smiles on attendees’ faces again!” The 2022 Bay Day Festival is made possible with support from event sponsors including the Gulf Coast Water Authority, John P. McGovern Foundation, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Ports America, Port Houston, Reliant Energy an NRG Company, Targa Resources, Transocean, Houston Pilots, WR Grace Foundation, Odfjell, and United Airlines. The Bay Day Festival is a free event hosted by the Galveston Bay Foundation. Kemah Boardwalk parking fees and fees for amusements and food may apply. For more information, visit galvbay.org/events .

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22, but there are many ways you can get involved, make a difference, and invest in our Bay all month long! Visit our Earth Month 2022 page, which will be updated throughout the month, to learn more about opportunities for you and your family to participate in Earth Month events and initiatives featuring the Galveston Bay Foundation and our partners. LEARN MORE

Many people often ask, "When can I see dolphins in upper Galveston Bay?" A recent study conducted by the Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program indicates that both water temperature and salinity are factors in determining the presence of dolphins in upper Galveston Bay. We are thrilled to announce that our study  "Salinity and water temperature as predictors of bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus ) encounter rates in upper Galveston Bay, Texas" was published in November in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science. Our main objectives in this study were to 1) evaluate if dolphins are found year-round in our primary study area in UGB and 2) investigate the effects of water temperature and salinity on dolphin presence in UGB. Dolphin presence was measured using "encounter rates" that are equivalent to the number of dolphins sighted (dolphins) per linear kilometer surveyed (km). Using multiple regression analyses, a statistical tool that identifies relationships between variables, we evaluated if and how water temperature and salinity predicted dolphin encounter rates. The results of the study showed that dolphins are present in UGB year-round but many leave during the cooler months. Every year, dolphin encounter rates will increase in UGB after the water has warmed to about 23 ° C (73 ° F - typically in May) and will remain high throughout the summer. However, if there is a drop in salinity, usually due to heavy precipitation and flooding, many dolphins will leave UGB regardless of the time of year and water temperature. In conclusion, water temperature and salinity are both very important factors in determining dolphin presence in UGB, and low salinity will supersede temperature. With these findings, we have scientific support to answer a question that we are asked often: "When can I see dolphins in upper Galveston Bay?" Unless heavy precipitation occurs and lowers salinity, June through September are the months of the year when you are most likely to see dolphins in UGB. But, you may be lucky enough to see them any time! Now that we have completed this study, we are eager to learn more about where dolphins go during the cooler months and during periods of low salinity. It is the primary reason that we want to survey more areas of the Bay, as we suspect that many dolphins hang out in lower Bay during the winter.  Please consider making a donation to support our surveys.  You will help us answer important remaining questions about where these dolphins live throughout the year.

Media Contact: Bob Stokes, President bstokes@galvbay.org 832-536-2253 (Kemah, TX – Oct. 26, 2021) The Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF) recently acquired 4,714 acres of coastal habitat along Halls Bayou and West Galveston Bay in Brazoria and Galveston Counties, to be named The Chocolate Bay Preserve . The preserve will be forever protected as open space and natural habitat. This acquisition brings the total amount of land conserved by the Galveston Bay Foundation to over 13,000 acres. Natural habitats found onsite include tidal marshes, freshwater and brackish wetlands, and coastal tallgrass prairie. The acquisition was funded by a $10.5 million grant from Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and a $1 million grant from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. Additional financial support was provided by the Galveston Bay Estuary Program’s (GBEP) Conservation Assistance Program. GBF will preserve this property as part of its mission, but will also place a conservation easement on the property to be held by the Katy Prairie Conservancy. A conservation easement will provide additional legal protection to ensure the property remains conserved forever. “This Preserve represents the largest conservation project ever completed by GBF and we are very proud to have preserved this special property. Natural habitats that occur on the Preserve will ensure availability of critical resources for waterfowl like ducks, geese, and cranes, numerous wading birds, and neotropical migrant songbirds. These habitats also provide essential habitat for recreationally and commercially significant coastal fisheries including fish, crabs, and shrimp. Due to the continued growth of our region, it is more important than ever to conserve large tracts of land like this now to ensure the future health of Galveston Bay.” said Bob Stokes, President of GBF. This project was prioritized for its size, location, and high-quality wildlife and fisheries habitats. The nearly 5,000-acre Preserve is situated only 2 miles from the Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, preserving connectivity of similar habitat types. The Preserve also has 13 miles of frontage along coastal waterways, saltwater lakes, and bays, including the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in West Galveston Bay. These marshy shorelines provide nursery habitat for many species of fish, shrimp and crabs that are found in Galveston Bay and help maintain local water quality. Over 1,000 acres of brackish and freshwater wetland habitats found on the Preserve provide refuge for resident and migratory waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, and other wetland and water dependent species. The property also contains more than 2,000 acres of native coastal prairie. This prairie contains rare plant communities that have largely disappeared from the Texas Coastal Plain because of agricultural land uses and development. Mary Anne Piacentini, President and CEO of the Katy Prairie Conservancy, states “The protection of the Chocolate Bay Preserve makes a meaningful impact on the preservation of the imperiled coastal prairie ecosystem.  We are excited to work with GBF to ensure this land remains a sanctuary for the many birds and other wildlife that depend on the grasslands and marsh of the Texas coast.” The property is the eastern half of a larger parcel owned by an investment fund of The Lyme Timber Company LP, a conservation-oriented real estate investment manager, and has been managed in cooperation with Eco-Capital Advisors, LLC, an advisory firm with expertise in ecosystem services. Lyme first contacted Galveston Bay Foundation about the property in 2017, and the parties have worked together to complete this transaction. Lyme also expects to convey a conservation easement to Galveston Bay Foundation on the adjacent western half of the parcel at some point in the future to facilitate the establishment of a wetland mitigation bank and the enhancement of the habitat on the adjoining property. ### About the Galveston Bay Foundation Established in 1987, the Galveston Bay Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Its mission is to preserve and enhance Galveston Bay as a healthy and productive place for generations to come. It implements diverse programs in land preservation, habitat restoration, water quality and quantity, youth education, and advocacy. For further information, contact GBF at (281)332-3381, visit www.galvbay.org , like us on Facebook, or follow us on twitter @GBayFoundation Galveston Bay Foundation has conserved more than 13,000 acres of coastal habitat through property acquisitions and conservation easements. GBF continues to actively expand its land conservation efforts within the Galveston Bay Watershed, focusing on protecting a wide range of habitats and land uses including freshwater and estuarine wetlands, tallgrass prairies, coastal forests, and various agricultural lands.  GBF is a member of the Land Trust Alliance (LTA) and was accredited by the Land Trust Alliance Accreditation Commission in 2013 and re-accredited in 2019. GBF is also a participating member of the Texas Land Trust Council (TLTC). About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 5,000 organizations and generated a total conservation impact of $6.8 billion. Learn more at www.nfwf.org. About Galveston Bay Estuary Program The mission of the Galveston Bay Estuary Program is to preserve Galveston Bay for generations to come. As a non-regulatory program administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, it is charged with implementing The Galveston Bay Plan - a Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan for Galveston Bay. About The Lyme Timber Company LP Founded in 1976, The Lyme Timber Company LP is a private timberland investment manager that focuses on the acquisition and sustainable management of lands with unique conservation values. With over 1.6 million acres under management, the company has followed a disciplined and value-oriented approach to investing in forestland and rural real estate in the US and Canada. Learn more at   www.lymetimber.com. About the Katy Prairie Conservancy The Katy Prairie Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust dedicated to sustaining a resilient Texas by preserving coastal prairie, wetlands, farms, and ranches to benefit people and wildlife forever. Preserved lands play an important role in flood control, cleaner air and water, outdoor recreation, and wildlife habitat. To learn more about Katy Prairie Conservancy’s conservation efforts, visit katyprairie.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @katyprairie. Photos and Map of Chocolate Bay Preserve: Freshwater and Brackish Marsh Complex at Chocolate Bay Preserve ( Download Photo )         Chocolate Bay Preserve shoreline along coastal waterway ( Download Photo ) Press Release Map Download Press Release PDF

Media Contacts: Claire Everett or Kelsey Seeker 832-536-2259 | 281-627-1708 ceverett@galvbay.org or kseeker@subsidence.org ( Houston, TX – July 21, 2021 ) – Houston-area lawns need irrigation to keep them healthy in the summer, but overwatering contributes to water quality issues and water waste. Overall, lawn watering accounts for approximately 40 percent of residential water usage. Texas A&M Agrilife Extension specialists developed the WaterMyYard tool to promote water conservation and keep local residents’ lawns and wallets greener by providing recommendations on smart lawn irrigation. Using local weather data, WaterMyYard determines the precise amount of supplemental water that is needed to maintain a healthy lawn and delivers recommendations of how long to operate irrigation systems to area residents for free via email, text message, or app notifications. Recommendations are based on the type of irrigation system used and an extensive network of weather stations and rain gauges across the state. Six evapotranspiration weather stations across the Houston-Galveston Area collect data to calculate plant watering requirements, and over 100 Harris County Flood Control District rain gauges provide recent rainfall data for every zip code in the area. Many lawn problems are caused or compounded by overwatering or applying water at the wrong time, but WaterMyYard makes it easy to water the perfect amount, maximizing water conservation and keeping water bills low. Additionally, conserving water helps prevent subsidence, the sinking of land surface caused by groundwater withdrawal, and reduces harmful runoff that can impact water quality throughout the Galveston Bay watershed. By strengthening water conservation practices in the Houston Area, we can help support a healthy environment and reduce threats to Galveston Bay. The program has provided irrigation recommendations for homeowners in North Texas since 2012 and since, has expanded to other areas of the state such as the greater Austin and Houston areas and cities in West Texas, including Lubbock and San Angelo. The WaterMyYard tool is available in the Greater Houston-Galveston Area thanks to a partnership with the Harris Galveston Subsidence District and the Galveston Bay Foundation, with funding from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Users can sign up online for these free customized watering tips at WaterMyYard.org or download the app from the App Store or Google Play. More information is available at WaterMyYard.org . ### About Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is a unique education agency with a statewide network of professional educators, trained volunteers, and county offices. It reaches into every Texas county to address local priority needs. Some of its major efforts are mitigating drought impacts; conserving water use in homes, landscapes, and production agriculture; improving emergency management; enhancing food security; and protecting human health through education about diet, exercise, and disease prevention and management. About Galveston Bay Foundation Established in 1987, the Galveston Bay Foundation is a conservation non-profit organization. Its mission is to preserve and enhance Galveston Bay as a healthy and productive place for generations to come. It implements diverse programs in land preservation, habitat restoration, water quality and quantity, STEM education, and advocacy. To learn more, visit galvbay.org or follow @GBayFoundation on Twitter. About Harris-Galveston Subsidence District The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District exists to prevent subsidence, the sinking of land surface caused by groundwater withdrawal, in Harris and Galveston counties.  The District protects the region from the ongoing impacts of subsidence by providing reasonable groundwater regulation based on the best available science. In addition to its Science and Research program, the District also leads multiple Water Conservation education projects, such as SmarterAboutWater.org, to bolster the region’s resiliency by helping existing water resources go further. Visit hgsubsidence.org for more information. Download Graphic Download Graphic                         This project received financial support from the EPA under an Assistance Agreement. Download Press Release PDF

Summers in Texas get so hot, it’s no wonder that people choose to cool off in the water! From swimming and kayaking to sailing and fishing, Houston-Galveston Area residents flock to Galveston Bay frequently to enjoy a variety of water recreation activities. Many of these people reach out to Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF) to ask if the water is safe to swim in, and fortunately, we have the answer! The main concern for swimming in any surface water is the presence of bacteria. Enterococcus bacteria are a valuable indicator for determining the presence of fecal contamination in recreational surface waters like Galveston Bay and are more resilient in saltwater than other indicators. These naturally occurring bacteria are found in the guts of birds and mammals, including humans. Exposure to fecal bacteria can cause sickness such as rashes and skin irritation, as well as eye, ear, and respiratory infections. High bacteria levels can lead governmental agencies to issue beach advisories and restrict public access to beaches, bayous, or bays. Additionally, high concentrations of these bacteria and associated pathogens can accumulate in oysters and other shellfish, making them unsafe to eat, especially if eaten raw. Large areas of Galveston Bay are closed for harvesting shellfish for direct consumption due to elevated concentrations of bacteria. GBF’s volunteer Water Monitoring Team collects monthly water quality data, including enterococcus bacteria concentrations, at multiple shoreline locations around the Bay. The most recent fecal bacteria concentrations for each location are recorded on GBF’s Water Quality Data Visualization Portal at waterdata.galvbay.org. These results are also uploaded to Swim Guide at theswimguide.org, which also shows concentrations throughout the United States.  Luckily, bacteria levels in Galveston Bay are usually safe for swimming. Read on to learn more! What causes fecal bacteria to enter Galveston Bay?   There are typically spikes in bacteria concentrations following major rainfall events. This is due to runoff carrying bacteria into the Bay from a variety of land sources, such as failing septic systems, pet waste, and livestock. Luckily, anyone can help to reduce bacteria concentrations in their local watershed in two ways: by reducing sources of pollution at home and by reducing runoff from their property through more efficient lawn irrigation, use of rain barrels, or the installation of green infrastructure. Galveston Bay Foundation provides advice for local residents on how to improve water quality through the Galveston Bay Report Card, at galvbaygrade.org/what-you-can-do/ . Boats with toilets or heads on board also have the potential to contribute to bacteria contamination in Galveston Bay, because even “treated” waste has elevated concentrations of fecal bacteria. This is why it’s illegal to dump untreated waste in the Bay and to dump either treated or untreated waste into Clear Lake. In the Bay Area, there are currently close to 9,000 registered recreational vessels with heads on board and an average of 821 commercial vessel transits taking place per day. That’s the potential for a lot of waste! What factors influence bacteria growth in the environment?    Once these fecal bacteria have entered our waterways, the length of time they can survive can be impacted by several factors. Bacteria are destroyed by the UV rays found in sunlight, so they thrive in cloudy or turbid water. Additionally, sand or mud that has been stirred up by wind, waves, or boater activity can reduce water clarity and directly release bacteria from the soil. Bacteria also grow faster when there is less dissolved oxygen in the water. Low oxygen can occur when temperatures are high or when there is an algal bloom. Algae or plankton blooms are the result of high levels of nutrients in the water. When these blooms occur, much of the oxygen in the water is consumed and the water becomes cloudy. The first evidence of this occurring is often a fish kill, when small fish species die en masse. Perfect conditions for bacteria to grow in! However, the biggest indicator of high bacteria levels is rainfall. Bacteria levels often spike after a storm, due to polluted runoff from our streets, lawns, and infrastructure malfunctions.  Infographic: Impacts on Fecal Bacteria  How do I know if it is safe to swim?   Before jumping into the water, check out the latest water quality report at waterdata.galvbay.org  and the bacteria concentrations at theswimguide.org . Watch out for large amounts of algae floating in the water or dead wildlife in the area. If the water is very cloudy or if it recently stormed, think twice before swimming! Luckily, our bacteria monitoring program has shown that most of the time bacteria levels in Galveston Bay are low enough to be considered safe for swimming. If you are looking for bacteria advisories on the Gulf-Side instead of the Bay-Side, visit the Texas Beach Watch website at cgis.glo.texas.gov/Beachwatch/index.html . What can I do to decrease bacteria in the Bay?   Properly dispose of your used cooking fat, oil, and grease in order to prevent burst sewer pipes. Never let these items go down the drain, but rather throw them away in the trash or locate a recycling facility at  ceasethegrease.net Pump out, don’t dump boater waste | pumpdontdump.org Reduce runoff by using a rain barrel | galvbay.org/rainbarrels Report pollution, including sewer overflows and discolored, smelly water using the Galveston Bay Action Network | galvbay.org/gban Check out other ways to reduce pollution and ensure the health of Galveston Bay at galvbaygrade.org/what-you-can-do/ .