Houston’s Buffalo Bayou Park is undergoing a transformative expansion. In 2019, the Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BPP) unveiled the Buffalo Bayou East 10-Year Master Plan, a project to extend the park into the East End and Fifth Ward neighborhoods. Supported by a $310 million investment, including $100 million from the Kinder Foundation, the plan aims to create a vibrant community hub and cultural destination through major infrastructure improvements and the addition of new parks, green spaces and amenities.  Bringing the Vision to Life  Click to expand Five years later, the vision for Buffalo Bayou East is becoming a reality. The new Japhet Creek Park opened to the public in September, featuring a new entry plaza, scenic trails and native plantings. Future development will add a pedestrian bridge connecting the park to Tony Marron Park on the south side and a new trail along the creek, enhancing public access to the waterfront.  Click to expand Another milestone is the completion of Lockwood on Buffalo Bayou, the area’s first affordable housing development, introduced this summer. This low-rise, multi-family building includes 80 apartments and sits along the south bank of Buffalo Bayou. Plans are underway to link Lockwood to Tony Marron Park via an improved hike-and-bike trail and Marron Park Way, a new road extending from Lockwood Drive to N. York Street. The building will also be adjacent to the future Lockwood Park.  Meanwhile, progress is underway on another key component of the master plan: Turkey Bend. According to a recent progress report from BBP, construction has begun on the former barge terminal along Navigation Boulevard. The site, featuring multiple warehouses and a historic wharf, is being transformed into a recreational destination for community events and gatherings.  Click to expand Plans for the redevelopment include converting a warehouse on Navigation Boulevard into a community retail space, which will also house the Houston Public Library’s Hispanic History Research Center. The historic wharf will be redesigned as a waterfront park with open gathering spaces and direct access to activities such as canoeing, kayaking and boat tours. A large outdoor plaza, called the Breezeway, will connect to the waterfront through a revitalized tunnel showcasing existing street art.  Future Development  Click to expand A cornerstone of the project is the revitalization and expansion of Tony Marron Park. The plan will nearly double the park’s size, growing it from 19 acres to 40. As a central connector for Buffalo Bayou East, the park will feature expansive lawns, civic spaces with soccer fields and public art, a play area tailored for various age groups, an interactive water playscape and a barbecue pavilion with a picnic grove.   Additional enhancements include an event shed and a maintenance facility to support BBP’s waterway cleanup operations and park management for Buffalo Bayou East. The park is slated to close in January 2025 for construction.  Discover more about Buffalo Bayou East. 

People are moving to Texas, and businesses are building new facilities. That rapid growth is straining resources, particularly water. According to a new report, Texas must invest $154 billion over the next 50 years in new water supply and infrastructure—critical needs to support the state’s expanding population and booming industries. The report from Texas 2036, a nonpartisan public policy think tank, highlights the urgency of this investment. Without reliable water infrastructure, Texas could face the loss of a million jobs and more than $160 billion in economic impact over the next five decades. The report underscores a stark reality: a comprehensive, sustainable funding strategy for water is necessary to keep Texas economically resilient and competitive. Investment Needs The 2022 Texas Water Plan and US EPA initially estimated that Texas would need $132 billion in water infrastructure investments over the next 50 years. However, Texas 2036 has adjusted this figure for inflation, raising the projected cost to $154 billion. While state and federal programs—such as the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) and the newly established Texas Water Fund—are expected to provide around $40-45 billion in financial support over the coming decades, a significant long-term funding gap persists.   Click to expand Texas 2036 graphic showing cost estimate for water infrastructure needs Dual Challenges According to the report, Texas faces two challenges. First, the state must develop a broad, diversified water supply portfolio to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population and economy while strengthening resilience to future droughts. The water supply gap poses additional risks to the state’s electricity generation, as low water levels during droughts could limit power from natural gas, nuclear and coal plants. Second, aging and deteriorating drinking water and wastewater systems. Over the past five years, nearly 3,000 boil water notices have been issued annually, leaving communities without reliable water service.  Impact on Industries A severe, prolonged drought would have widespread effects on industries across Texas. Manufacturing, a key driver of the state’s economy, is one example.  The top five manufacturing regions—Dallas-Fort Worth, the Greater Houston area, East Texas (Beaumont, Tyler, Lufkin), Central Texas (College Station, Temple, Waco), and South Central Texas (San Antonio, Victoria)—together account for 82% of the state’s manufacturing GDP and 77% of its manufacturing jobs. According to research from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, within the next 20 years, these regions could face nearly $20.8 billion in lost manufacturing GDP and over 116,000 job losses due to water shortages during a drought of record. The potential economic fallout underscores the need for immediate and strategic investments in water infrastructure to safeguard key industries and the communities that rely on them. Advocacy at the Capitol  Water infrastructure is one of the executive priorities for the Greater Houston Partnership for the 89th Texas Legislative Session. These priorities serve as a roadmap for the upcoming session, highlighting key areas of interest for the business community. The Partnership supports increased funding for the Texas Water Fund, preferably establishing a dedicated funding stream to ensure long-term, sustainable investments in the state’s water resources.   Learn more about how the Partnership advances strong policy that fosters long-term growth and upward economic mobility for the region.