Golf courses are among the most water-intensive and ecologically destructive landscapes in the world. A typical 150-acre site might exhaust over 200 million gallons annually – demolishing habitat in its wake. 

At Exploration Green, SWA partnered with a local water authority to transform a defunct 178-acre course into its opposite: a monumental detention pond capable of storing over half a billion gallons of stormwater, hemmed with 39 acres of constructed wetlands and a meandering trail system. 

Since the opening of its first phase, the park has served both as Houston’s critical flood risk reduction infrastructure and a popular nature destination where visitors can watch migratory warblers dart through an emerging canopy of bald cypress, sweet gum, and other native trees.

During Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the site prevented floodwaters from reaching over 150 homes in the adjacent communities of Clear Lake and Bay Knoll; once all phases are complete, it will protect an estimated 3,000. 

A range of seasonal programs like prairie planting, sunset yoga, light shows, educational tours, and more have also made it a civic centerpiece for Southeast Harris County, drawing a dedicated body of regular volunteers and patrons year-round, from local Cub Scouts troops to Texas Master Naturalists.

Learn more about how Exploration Green doubles as flood infrastructure in this Houston Public Media podcast