Join us on November 19 at 6:00pm for a public forum to discuss the proposed Coastal Barrier project. Co-hosted by Bayou City Waterkeeper, Galveston Bay Foundation, Healthy Gulf, and Turtle Island Restoration Network. Please Register Via Zoom Here

Galveston Bay Foundation continues its Land Conservation Efforts with Acquisition of Flo Hannah Prairie in Brazoria County (Houston, TX – July 8, 2020) Last week, the Galveston Bay Foundation acquired 79 acres of remnant coastal prairie in Brazoria County, as part of its continued effort to conserve coastal habitat through property acquisitions and conservation easements. Conserved land provides clean water, recreational opportunities, scenic beauty, a refuge for wildlife, and a host of other benefits. “The Texas Coast was once home to an estimated 6 million acres of coastal prairie. Today, less than one percent of that coastal prairie remains in a relatively pristine condition,” said Bob Stokes, Galveston Bay Foundation’s president. “At this point, every acre of conserved remnant prairie in our region is important. In terms of its biological value, Flo Hannah Prairie has been compared to Nash Prairie, another large remnant coastal prairie that has been conserved, so we are excited to be able to preserve this Texas coast treasure for generations to come.” A remnant prairie is defined as an isolated prairie site with original vegetation, very little if any non-native species and undisturbed topographic features. Strategically located off County Road 213, north of the Brazoria National Wildlife Reserve, the acquisition site is adjacent to a 35-acre tract that The Galveston Bay Foundation previously acquired in 2019 — for a total of 114 acres that have now been preserved in the area. The site will be named the “Flo Hannah Prairie” after Flo Hannah, a Galveston native and a renowned conservationist and prairie enthusiast, who passed away from cancer in 2018. A steward for the environment and the Upper Texas Gulf Coast, Hannah was passionate about native grasses and did meaningful work in native prairie plant restoration through her role at Houston Audubon Society, her own nursery of Gulf Coast Prairie plants, and her involvement with several local nature conservancies. Among her many contributions, she was involved in preserving the Deer Park Prairie and Nash Prairie — two other important remnant prairie tracts that have been conserved in the Houston region in recent years. The Galveston Bay Foundation intends to have a dedication ceremony of the Flo Hannah Prairie this fall. “Mom was so quiet about her achievements and accomplishments in prairie restoration and stewardship, and she would have been overwhelmingly humbled by this honor,” said Emily Coulter, daughter of the late Flo Hannah, speaking on behalf of herself and her sisters. “She always did what she did for prairie restoration and protection for the greater community, not for the recognition. The Galveston Bay Foundation has made such an incredible effort, and we hope we speak for all of her family, friends, and colleagues when we say thank you for honoring her. She felt so passionately about prairies - far more than any possessions. This is a perfect gift to the community as a whole, and it is a gift that will keep on giving for years to come. Thank you!” Funding for the acquisition was provided primarily by the North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant. Private funds from friends and family of Flo Hannah, as well as the Hershey Foundation, Houston Audubon Society, the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory and several other private donors have supported the effort. Additional support for this effort was also provided by the Galveston Bay Estuary Program through a Conservation Assistance Program grant. Since its establishment in 1987, Galveston Bay Foundation has conserved more than 8,000 acres of coastal habitat through property acquisitions and conservation easements and plans to add another 4,600 acres of before the end of 2020. The Foundation 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. The Foundation is also a participating member of the Texas Land Trust Council (TLTC). The Foundation 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. Conservation easements are an excellent tool for private landowners who wish to conserve natural resources on their land in perpetuity, but also wish to retain ownership of the land to enjoy and pass on to future generations. Learn more about the Foundation’s land conservation efforts and conservation easements at: https://galvbay.org/how-we-protect-the-bay/on-the-ground/land-conservation/

Virtual Bay Day Festival 2020! We hosted Bay Day Festival virtually this year on our website and Facebook page on May 16th from 11:00am - 4:15pm! In case you missed it, you can still access presenter videos here. Presenters provided educational videos of their exciting exhibits and participants will learn about the importance of Galveston Bay in our everyday lives. We have a variety of videos that include Bay animals, interactive games and more! The Lineup: 11am - 12pm Welcome to Bay Day Festival 2020! Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center | Blue Crabs Elequa | Safe Drinking Water Back the Bay | Galveston Bay Video: All About Galveston Bay MD Anderson Cancer Center | Sponsor Spot Video: What makes MD Anderson a place of hope for cancer treatment Armand Bayou Nature Center | Terrapins and Sea Turtles Galveston Bay Foundation | Oysters 12pm - 1pm Citizens Environmental Coalition | Youth Environmental Education Moody Gardens | Kemps Ridley Sea Turtles Laurel Sullivan Gold Award Girl Scout Project | Plastic Pollution Exploration Green and Urban Land Institute | Green Space Wildlife Revealed | Birds of Prey Wildlife Revealed's YouTube Channel 1pm - 2pm Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Center | Treating Injured Wildlife Baytown Nature Center | Nature Hike Kemah Aquarium | Snakes Native Prairies Association of Texas | Wonders of Insects Green Mountain Energy | Sun Club Galveston Bay Foundation | Recycle, Compost, or Trash? 2pm - 3pm Houston Zoo | Texas Wetlands Sea Center Texas | Touch Tank Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network | Marine Mammal Rescue Consulate General of Canada | International Migratory Birds Texas A&M Sea Camp | Sea Camp Program Texas Snakes and More | Snakes! Ball High School | Get Hip To Habitat Program Gulf Coast Bird Observatory | Local Birds Miss Earth USA | Coastal Restoration & Sustainability Oppe Elementary | Protecting the Bay Galveston Bay Foundation | Eco-Storytime Bayou City Waterkeeper | Urban Bayous & Watershed Habitat Jaime | How to Make a Bug Catcher Special Thank You To Our Event Sponsors Who Made Bay Day Festival 2020 Possible:

During this 2020 Volunteer Appreciation Week, I want to reflect on the powerful, amazing work that volunteers have done, and continue to do, for Galveston Bay. Galveston Bay is one of the largest and most productive estuaries in the United States. The Bay faces many challenges such as loss of coastal habitat, reduction in wildlife populations, and insufficient freshwater inflows. At Galveston Bay Foundation, we work to preserve and protect Galveston Bay on the upper Texas coast through programs in land conservation, habitat restoration, environmental education and outreach, advocacy and research. In order to increase public awareness about Galveston Bay and combat issues it faces, we developed and implemented hands-on volunteer events and programs. Marsh Mania, one of our signature community-based restoration events, began in 1999 when a national record was set for a number of volunteers involved in a single-day marsh restoration event. Since then, more than 8,000 Galveston Bay Foundation volunteers have restored over 215 acres of marsh habitat in Galveston Bay. That is the equivalent of 165 NFL football fields! Every year, thousands of volunteers help us complete marsh restoration projects, marine debris cleanup events, oyster reef restoration, land stewardship workdays, water quality monitoring, bottlenose dolphin research, environmental education, and the list goes one. In the year 2019 alone, over 2,600 volunteers donated over 11,700 hours of their time to help the Bay.  We could not succeed in preserving and enhancing Galveston Bay without our valued, hard-working, and dedicated volunteers. During this time of the Covid-19 pandemic, we truly miss our volunteers. Though we continue to work as a staff to address the issues that Galveston Bay faces, it is just not the same without our volunteers. We are grateful for the volunteers who have helped with tasks like video editing, as we work to bring the Bay to you virtually, and the Water Monitors who are still actively and individually collecting water samples when and where they safely can. I look forward to the day that we can safely get back to protecting the Bay, together.  For now, we have a virtual Bay Day Festival to look forward to on May 16th! I hope you are safe and well and that you can join us. Sincerely, Emily Ford Community Programs Manager & Chief Safety Officer

Virtual Earth Day Celebration Galveston Bay Foundation hosted a live virtual event to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2020. From learning about microplastics in the Bay to our staff's Earth Day resolutions, check out the videos below for the full Earth Day experience. Miss Earth USA Kickoff Nurdle Nick Sustainable Sasha Bay Bob Staff Earth Day Resolutions

EARTH DAY WITH SUSTAINABLE SASHA Sustainable Sasha here! One of the biggest threats to Galveston Bay is pollution, including everyday sources of litter and trash. The Bay starts in all our backyards. Its watershed extends all the way from Dallas to Galveston. Litter and car oil leaks in our neighborhoods get washed into storm drains when it rains or pieces of trash get carried by the wind into streams and rivers, and all this ends up in the Bay. Trash and pollution in Galveston Bay and connected waterways are dangerous to animals that live, nest, or eat there. Dolphins, turtles, and birds can easily get tangled in fishing line or plastic bags and accidentally eat plastic, which can damage their stomachs. Fish can eat tiny plastics too, which is bad for them and can also end up being part of our dinner if we like to fish. In this blog, I'll walk you through tips on reusing products and recycling. REUSE An easy way to start being more sustainable is to try to replace things you only use once with reusable versions! Reusable versions of common single-use items end up saving you money and shopping time too. Some things I’ve had trouble with is forgetting my reusable grocery bags at home. Then I realized I can just bring my groceries straight to my car in the shopping cart and use my bags or a box to bring them in the house once I get home. Something else I’ve been working on, when ordering take-out over the phone or on an app, is requesting they do not include plasticware. It saves your favorite restaurant money too! When it comes to reusable and sustainable items, look for glass, stainless steel, tin, silicone (mainly made of sand), bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, or wool. For new products, I love to shop locally and support small businesses, but I know everyone’s needs, budgets, and accessibility vary. If you do shop on Amazon for more sustainable products, you can still make a difference by choosing Galveston Bay Foundation  as your Amazon Smile non-profit of choice and they will donate a percentage to us! Some of my favorite small businesses and items: Chagrin Valley Soap And Salve for deodorant, lotions, face washes, insect repellent, and more A Drop in The Ocean for household goods, bath and beauty products, and pet care BZ Honey for locally made beeswax wraps Naples Soap Company for my favorite shampoo and conditioner bars Etsy sustainable make-up shops Etsy sustainable sunblock shops RECYCLE No one is perfect, and there are things even I need or use that aren’t “zero waste”. What about the things you can’t reuse, or haven’t found easy alternatives for yet? That’s where recycling comes in. Recycling helps prevent the need for brand new things to be made, which reduces the use of fossil fuels, production of carbon emissions and nurdles (the raw plastic pellets found all along our shorelines). Knowing what and how to recycle can be confusing, and if not done properly, recycling can become too expensive or difficult for cities to keep doing it. Check out your local recycling center website to learn what you can and can’t recycle. I’ll share some specific tips below for things that confused me at first. Remember, always clean out your containers before recycling them! What, where, and how to recycle in the Houston-Galveston area: Houston/Clear Lake Pearland League City Alvin Galveston Are these common items recyclable? Answers and tips on how to recycle them. Plastic bags and plastic packaging can jam up recycling center machines - processed separately take them to recycle at grocery stores near you, like HEB, Kroger, or Target or Houston. Plastic caps/lids and their bottles – best to wash out matching container, squish it down if you can and reattach the bottle cap. Magazines and phone books - YES! Including curbside! Beverage containers – Yep! Now curbside & recycling centers (lids reattached after squishing down). Envelopes – YES! The windows are actually made from cellulose (wood) so they can be put in with paper as is! K-cups for coffee – “recyclable” is #5 and “non-recyclable” is #7 so Houston area curbside and Galveston accepts these! Foil – Remove foil tops of K-cups, glass bottles, and yogurt containers - use an aluminum can to collect loose foil. Pinch the top of the can when full and recycle it! Take out boxes that are greasy, like pizza boxes go in the trash but clean cardboard can be recycled. Styrofoam (#6 plastic) – Accepted at Galveston Eco Center, but not curbside programs so drop off at West Park Recycling or other centers in Houston (not accepted at Stella Roberts or League City centers). Lightbulbs are made of a variety of materials – Best to collect and bring to Batteries Plus Bulbs store to recycle. A good place to bring your batteries too! Electronics – Accepted at most recycling but not curbside. Not recyclable: Shredded paper, chip bags, candy wrappers, and mirrors, very shiny freezer packaging, and disposable coffee cups – coated in thin plastic which can jam up recycling machines (check for recycling symbol, occasionally they are.  FREE solution for hard-to-recycle items! Visit TerraCycle online to mail in or find drop off locations for FREE for items you can’t recycle locally like toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes, Febreze spray bottles, dishwashing and laundry detergent pouches, pens and markers, snack bags from sweets and chips, Burt’s Bees beauty products, contact lenses and their packaging, plastic toys, baby food pouches, and even cigarette butts! And on a final note, one great action to take if you see signs of pollution is to report it on the Galveston Bay Action Network (GBAN) app! Visit Galveston Bay Report Card's interactive tool to find more “What You Can Do’s” to help the Bay. The Report Card Website is also available in Spanish .

We're bringing the Bay to you with digital content. If you need an educational lesson, our "At Home With The Bay" series features conservation videos and activities. And if you're feeling anxious, our "Keep Your Stress At Bay" relaxation video series features calming scenes from the Bay. All of our content is listed below on this page. You can also join in on our events virtually! We celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day virtually on April 22nd and we held virtual Bay Day Festival on May 16th . We hope you can join us! Are there any other resources you'd like to see us provide during this time? We'd love to hear from you .   "At Home With The Bay" Virtual Field Trip Series "At Home With The Bay" is a virtual series of engaging environmental education lessons taught by Galveston Bay Foundation's staff. Lessons include a lab, conservation craft, talk with a Bay biologist and an activity of the week. Each lesson comes with an accompanying activity guide available for download here . Oyster Virtual Field Trip Wetlands Virtual Field Trip Bay Biodiversity Virtual Field Trip Microscopic Ecosystems Virtual Field Trip Plankton Virtual Field Trip If you participate in these lessons, we'd love to hear from you! Please fill out this survey about your experience. Virtual Earth Day Celebration We hosted a live virtual event to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2020. From learning about microplastics in the Bay to our staff's Earth Day resolutions, check out the videos below for the full Earth Day experience. Miss Earth USA Kickoff Nurdle Nick Sustainable Sasha Bay Bob Staff Earth Day Resolutions "Keep Your Stress At Bay" Series Meditation moment: Take some deep breaths and tune into these videos to keep your stress at Bay. Free apps for mindfulness resources: Headspace; Stop. Breath. Think.; Smiling Mind; Calm; Aura. Video One Video Two Video Three Video Four Virtual Bay Day Festival 2020! Our exhibitors provided educational videos of their exciting exhibits. Participants will learn about the importance of Galveston Bay in our everyday lives. The virtual festival features Bay animals, games and more. Welcome to Bay Day Festival 2020! Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center | Blue Crabs Elequa | Safe Drinking Water Back the Bay | Galveston Bay Video: All About Galveston Bay MD Anderson Cancer Center | Sponsor Spot Video: What makes MD Anderson a place of hope for cancer treatment Armand Bayou Nature Center | Terrapins and Sea Turtles Galveston Bay Foundation | Oysters Citizens Environmental Coalition | Youth Environmental Education Moody Gardens | Kemps Ridley Sea Turtles Laurel Sullivan Gold Award Girl Scout Project | Plastic Pollution Exploration Green and Urban Land Institute | Green Space Wildlife Revealed | Birds of Prey Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Center | Treating Injured Wildlife Baytown Nature Center | Nature Hike Kemah Aquarium | Snakes Native Prairies Association of Texas | Wonders of Insects Green Mountain Energy | Sun Club Galveston Bay Foundation | Recycle, Compost, or Trash? Houston Zoo | Texas Wetlands Sea Center Texas | Touch Tank Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network | Marine Mammal Rescue Consulate General of Canada | International Migratory Birds Texas A&M Sea Camp | Sea Camp Program Texas Snakes and More | Snakes! Ball High School | Get Hip To Habitat Program Gulf Coast Bird Observatory | Local Birds Miss Earth USA | Coastal Restoration & Sustainability Oppe Elementary | Protecting the Bay Galveston Bay Foundation | Eco-Storytime Bayou City Waterkeeper | Urban Bayous & Watershed Habitat Jaime | How to Make a Bug Catcher "Conservation Tip of The Week" Series Kayaking Native Gardening  We're still working hard to protect the Bay! Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter for even more updates.

Greetings from Galveston Bay Foundation, To ensure that we do not inadvertently add to the spread of the novel coronavirus, Galveston Bay Foundation has decided to postpone several upcoming events including our Annual Meeting and the Inaugural Houston Oyster Festival. Caring for the Bay includes caring for the community beyond its waters, and our team believes that postponing these events is the best course of action for the safety and well-being of our community. We will be in touch with rescheduled dates. While it is best to take these precautions and be mindful of the risks associated with coronavirus, the Bay still needs us. We will continue to do the office and field work that can be done safely. We will also develop contingency plans to allow our office work to take place from home if necessary. And we will ensure we can get back to doing all of our work as soon and as safely as we can. Thank you for your patience and support. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns. We wish everyone the best in these unusual times. Warmly, Bob Stokes Galveston Bay Foundation President

In 1987, a diverse group of recreational, commercial and industrial Bay users put aside their differences and came together to protect their common interest – Galveston Bay. They were concerned about two issues – 1) the Wallisville project set to dam up 20,000 acres of the lower Trinity River and create a lake that would inevitably damage the river delta and the ecosystem, and 2) the deepening and widening of the Houston Ship Channel. The group met in a classroom at Rice University and chose the name Galveston Bay Foundation, modeling itself off the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Together, the birders, boaters, sailors, bay residents, barge operators, industry representatives, and community activist groups created the first organization on the Gulf Coast that brought together various interest groups to serve as a voice for Galveston Bay. “I’ll never forget the late commercial oysterman Joe Nelson in the same room with the founders of the recreational fishing group Gulf Coast Conservation Association (now known as CCA Texas), working together to create an institution for the Bay despite deep distrust and animosity,” said Jim Blackburn, Rice University Professor and founding chairman of the Galveston Bay Foundation. “Those moments set the stage for today.” Galveston Bay Foundation’s first advocacy work was a success. The Wallisville project was completely redesigned after bald eagles were found nesting in the area. And after the organization funded an economic impact study of the Ship Channel project, and the depth and width to which the channel was dredged were eventually reduced. Both of these were wins for the Bay and propelled the organization forward to branch out in other areas. In the early years, those areas notably included hosting community-based marsh grass plantings, creating an oil spill response plan after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, educating groups and students through boat-based Bay tours and testing water quality through volunteer monitors. Galveston Bay Foundation still works with various interest groups to preserve and enhance Galveston Bay for future generations. Now, you can find Galveston Bay Foundation in schools and communities, on the ground and on the water, working to protect the resource we’re all connected to. This year marks an important milestone in the Galveston Bay Foundation’s history, as it relocates to its permanent home on Galveston Bay and creates a place where the community can come to experience and learn about the Bay and what they can do to protect it. To learn more and to get involved, please visit  www.galvbay.org .

Galveston Bay Foundation a Restore America's Estuaries partner organization and every February they ask that you use the #iheartestuaries to share why YOU love your estuary. We highlighted some phenomenal champions in our community whose enthusiasm for Galveston Bay is contagious. ❤️ Rose's Seafood  is a staple of the Bay Area. Family-owned since 1980, the seafood store's co-owner Sam Tran grew up in Kemah and loves the Bay. Her daughter has participated in our education programs, her husband rode in our fundraising ride Bike Around the Bay. Sam's daughter has a passion for caring for the environment, which Sam always encourages because she believes it's important to protect Galveston Bay so everyone can enjoy it. "There’s no better place than being by the sea and being apart of a great small community. Galveston Bay Foundation is doing great things. Keep it up and I am super excited to see the new building coming along." - Sam Tran ❤️ Gene Fisseler has volunteered at Galveston Bay Foundation for more than a decade and is a regular fixture at our events, around our office, and on special assignments like the dolphin research team and education team. Gene's advice on volunteering? "Don’t worry that it might be too cold, too hot, too wet, too muddy or too much work. Just sign up and show up! You’ll get way more out of volunteering with Galveston Bay Foundation than you’ll ever put into it. More fun, more satisfaction, more friends. Trust me on that!" Thank you, Gene for all your hard work to protect Galveston Bay.       ❤️ We want to express gratitude for the students who take a chance on experiencing nature with us. Cindy Wilems, our Director of Education says, “When you see a student’s eyes light up when they touch a fish for the first time or see how proud they are after planting marsh grass or building oyster reef, it is just inspiring and makes my heart grow. You can’t top that feeling. I know we are making a difference in their lives and for the Bay each and every time we are in a classroom or in the field.” Thanks to all who heart estuaries!

TAMU Presentation on PFAs Collaboration & Results After the ITC chemical tank fire, Galveston Bay Foundation partnered with Texas A&M’s Superfund Research Center to analyze water samples around the ITC incident for PFAs, a group of chemical compounds frequently found in industrial product and firefighting foam. Some of these compounds are known to have harmful health impacts, but the extent of harm is still widely unknown. They are water soluble, persistent in the environment, and accumulate in both the water column and the wildlife. Overall, the results show a definite presence of many different PFAs in the water of the Houston Ship Channel. Highest levels were found near ITC, but even the samples that were taken from the shoreline further downstream showed levels of concern. In addition to the detected PFAs with established health advisory levels, other PFA compounds that have yet to be evaluated for their potential effects on human health and wildlife were also detected. Additionally, some locations saw an increase in PFAs levels from March 21st to March 29th. Unfortunately, regular monitoring of these compounds has not historically occurred in Galveston Bay, so there is little to no pre-incident data for comparison to understand what impact the ITC incident may have had on the levels of PFAs in the water. Galveston Bay Foundation continued to collect samples for ongoing analysis through summer 2019. This data has been shared with agencies responsible for natural resource damage assessment around the ITC incident. ITC Chemical Tank Fire Water Sample Response Timeline  March / Summary: In an effort to track potential environmental impacts from the ITC fires and resultant cleanup, Galveston Bay Foundation collected and analyzed water samples on Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23. These samples were tested for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes. These compounds are frequently found in petrochemical biproducts and can pose threats to human health. Galveston Bay Foundation collected five water samples from the Houston Ship Channel on Friday and six samples from nearby shoreline locations on Saturday. Friday’s samples were collected just prior to the ITC berm failure and subsequent reignition of the fire. Samples showed slightly elevated benzene levels right at the ITC facility in relation to other samples. However, all samples from Friday yielded results below state standards and federal guidelines. To better document the impacts of the berm failure and fire, Galveston Bay Foundation collected six additional samples on Saturday, March 23 rd . As the Ship Channel was closed due to impaired air quality, samples were collected from nearby nearshore locations. One sample (sample 7) from Saturday collected near the Lynchburg Ferry yielded elevated levels of benzene at 46 µg/L.  This is above EPA’s recommended National Ambient Water Quality Criteria of 16 µg/L but below TCEQ’s state standards. All other samples collected Saturday had concentrations below state standards and national criteria. April 24th:  Galveston Bay Foundation has continued monitoring for VOCs and PFAs, most recently testing on April 24, 2019. These samples were taken in the immediate vicinity of the ITC incident. April 11th:  Galveston Bay Foundation sampled all six shoreline locations for VOCs and PFAs on April 11, 2019. All VOCs were below detection levels for compounds listed on  this map.  These PFAs samples have been sent to Texas A&M for processing. April 5th:   Galveston Bay Foundation sampled all six shoreline locations for VOCs on April 5, 2019. All samples were below detection levels for compounds listed on  this map.  Galveston Bay Foundation is still waiting to receive information on PFAs concentrations from our partners at Texas A&M. Galveston Bay Foundation will continue to collect samples from the shoreline on Friday, April 11 th . Galveston Bay Foundation will collect samples for both VOCs and PFAs.   This map shows all locations where Galveston Bay Foundation collected samples, as well as the results for each sample. Click on each location to view the results from the site. “No data” means that for that sample, data analysis did not meet the fit quality criterion for this analyte  or  the reported concentration for the analyte is below the quantitation limit. These samples were analyzed in partnership with Environmental Defense Fund. Additional Information TCEQ Standards for Galveston Bay waters (waters not used as a source of drinking water) The state standards for each compound are highlighted below. Compound TCEQ Standard (µg/L) Benzene 581 µg/L Toluene — Ethylbenzene 1,867 µg/L Xylenes No standards listed at all More information on these standards can be found at: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/waterquality/standards/2018-surface-water-quality-standards#sixthAnchor Below is some relevant information related to these standards, quoted from the TCEQ 2018 guidelines linked above: (2) Categories of human health criteria (pgs 40-41): (B) concentration criteria to prevent contamination of fish and other aquatic life to ensure that they are safe for human consumption. These criteria apply to surface waters that have sustainable fisheries and that are not designated or used for public water supply or as a sole-source surface drinking water supply (Column B in Table 2 of paragraph (1) of this subsection); (B) For known or suspected carcinogens (as identified in EPA’s IRIS database), an incremental cancer risk level of 10-5 (1 in 100,000) was used to derive criteria. An RfD (reference dose) was determined for carcinogens and noncarcinogens where the EPA has not derived cancer slope factors. (C) Consumption rates of fish and shellfish were estimated as 17.5 grams per person per day, unless otherwise specified in Table 2 of paragraph (1) of this subsection. (E) For carcinogens, a body-weight scaling factor of 3/4 power was used to convert data on laboratory test animals to human scale. Reported weights of laboratory test animals are used, and an average weight of 70 kilograms is assumed for humans.” ……. “(7) Specific human health criteria are applied as long-term average exposure criteria designed to protect populations over a lifetime. Attainment measures for human health are addressed in §307.9 of this title. Pg. 43 EPA National Ambient Water Quality Criteria (waters not used as a source of drinking water) Compound TCEQ Standard (µg/L) Benzene 16-58 µg/L Toluene 520 µg/L Ethylbenzene 130 µg/L Xylenes No standards listed at all The national Ambient Water Quality Criteria for each compound are highlighted in the table below. These criteria are meant to guide states when establishing their regulatory standards for each contaminant. For human health, these levels are calculated at cancer rates of one in 1,000,000 people exposed. More information on these Criteria can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/wqc/national-recommended-water-quality-criteria-human-health-criteria-table If you have questions, please call us at 281-332-3381 or email info@galvbay.org.

Photo: NASA Satellite of brown rivers and Galveston Bay full of floodwater from Hurricane Harvey. In the Houston area, stormwater from large flood events wash pollutants, chemicals and debris down our storm drains, into our bayous and eventually into Galveston Bay. The longer between rain storms or the more intense a rain storm, the more pollutants are washed into the water. However, major rain events have short term, and potentially long term, impacts on water quality. So how has Hurricane Harvey impacted water quality? Galveston Bay Foundation’s volunteer water quality monitors mobilized after the storm to help us better answer this question. Read on to find out what they tested, what the results have been so far, and view a map of their monitoring locations. Fecal Bacteria Fecal bacteria generally spikes to high levels after heavy rain events. These bacteria are found in untreated sewage as well as in pet and animal waste. During major storms, sewage infrastructure often malfunctions, causing an increase in untreated sewage entering our streets and waterways. Stormwater will also wash any pet waste on lawns into public waterways. Exposure to these bacteria can cause gastro-intestinal sickness and other health issues. What our water quality monitors found: In general, GBF volunteer water monitors have found that while most spikes in these bacteria occur after major rain events, they tend to die off within three to four days. Bacteria sampling began this past Monday, September 4, after GBF opened its lab for processing. So far, the collected water samples have had low values of bacteria. While it is almost certain bacteria levels were high right after Harvey, over a week has passed since the storm hit. This shows that bacterial runoff into the Bay is declining; Galveston Bay is beginning to bounce back from the damage inflicted by Harvey. Additionally, Harvey poured such an immense amount of water on the Houston area that the sheer volume of water could have further diluted some of the bacteria it washed into Galveston Bay, reducing its initial concentrations. To date, the samples collected around Galveston Bay have had concentrations of bacteria between 10-40 Most Probable Number (MPN). The EPA limit that it considers safe for swimming is 104 MPN. While this is a good sign for Galveston Bay right now, these results may not be the same for many of Houston’s bayous, which are still being impacted by flood waters and have less of a potential for dilution. The flood waters in the bayous could potentially impact the Bay in the future. Salinity Plant and animal life within the Bay rely on a specific range of salinity; water that is too fresh makes it difficult for life to thrive in Galveston Bay. Water that remains too fresh or too salty will impact growth and reproduction rates, can increase the prevalence of disease, and can ultimately impact their survival. What our water quality monitors found: The low salinity values GBF volunteer monitors have found around the Bay have been less reassuring than bacteria level results. Galveston Bay’s waters are currently much more fresh than they should be. Much of the unprecedented amount of rainfall that Harvey dumped on the region is finding its way into Galveston Bay, diluting any saltwater entering from the Gulf of Mexico. Many volunteers have commented that salinity levels the past week have been the lowest they have ever seen in years of testing. This is not good for life in Galveston Bay. Turbidity/Debris Turbidity is how clear the water is. This can have an impact on planktonic and plant life in the Bay, which may impact the health of other animals as well. What our water quality monitors found: We are finding that an increase in particulate matter in the water is making the water less clear. Water levels are also higher than normal, and of course much more debris has been observed in the water. One water quality monitor even observed a plastic Barbie doll floating in the water at their site!