This transformative flood control and community recreation project repurposed a former golf course into a multifunctional nature park and stormwater detention facility. The project includes five detention ponds with a combined storage capacity of 500 million gallons, capable of detaining a 100-year storm event.

Exploration Green serves as a model for urban flood control and community development, showcasing how engineering can blend flood protection with recreational and environmental benefits.

This design was proven effective during Hurricane Harvey, protecting more than 150 homes while only 80% complete. Beyond flood mitigation, Exploration Green offers recreational amenities, including 6.1 miles of ADA-compliant hike-and-bike trails, two athletic fields and leisure areas. The project also created 153 acres of natural habitat.

Photo courtesy Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc

Crews managed site drainage and groundwater during excavation by installing culverts and relocating wet soils, ensuring continuous progress despite adverse conditions. Situated in a residential area with streets leading to multiple schools, the project also required detailed traffic control plans to ensure safety and minimize disruptions. The project was completed below budget at $46.71 million against the estimated $53.65 million.

Unlike traditional detention facilities, these ponds maintain water year-round, simulating natural lakes and enhancing aesthetic and recreational value. The ponds’ design includes multiple shelves for different vegetation zones, integrating wetland areas that naturally treat stormwater and prevent pollutants from entering local waterways. This focus on sustainability extends to the irrigation system, which uses reclaimed water to maintain the ponds’ ecosystems.

The success of the project has prompted the Clear Lake City Water Authority to open-source its design on the project website, with the hopes that others will use the project as an example. Flood-prone communities in the Houston region have already reached out, as have other communities in Texas and throughout the country, including Michigan, Virginia and Florida.