Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Galveston Bay Estuary Program announce the launch of the new State of the Bay: A Characterization of the Galveston Bay Ecosystem, 4th Edition (State of the Bay, 4th Edition) www.stateofgalvbay.org. The State of the Bay, 4th Edition is an assessment of conditions in the Galveston Bay ecosystem, an overview of activities occurring in the estuary’s watershed, and a summary of priority issues facing the Bay and surrounding watershed. The goal of the State of the Bay, 4th Edition is to support implementation activities of The Galveston Bay Plan; serve as an information resource for coastal resource managers, researchers, and the broader community; and to inform management actions in support of conservation of the Galveston Bay ecosystem for generations to come.
The State of the Bay, 4th Edition has been fully converted to an online format and updated with new data and visualization tools, and for greater applicability. Key elements include a database of Galveston Bay Estuary Program projects, an interactive map gallery, data viewer, and story map highlighting successful and impactful projects supported by the Galveston Bay Estuary Program.
“Since the first edition was published in 1994, the State of the Bay ecosystem characterization report has long served as a trusted information resource for the many communities that are connected to Galveston Bay,” states HARC President and CEO, Lisa Gonzalez. “HARC is honored to once again work with the TCEQ Galveston Bay Estuary Program and its strong network of stakeholders and partners to edit the report. The new website will be a useful information tool in the support of conservation efforts in Galveston Bay and its surrounding watershed.”
Galveston Bay is an estuary of national significance and is part of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Estuary Program. The purpose of the TCEQ Galveston Bay
Estuary Program, is to provide comprehensive ecosystem management through collaborative partnerships and to ensure preservation of Galveston Bay’s multiple uses. The State of the Bay, 4th Edition was edited by HARC researchers who were also responsible for the report’s supporting data analyses and tools development. The State of the Bay, 4th Edition was reviewed by the members of the TCEQ Galveston Bay Estuary Program’s Galveston Bay Council and supporting subcommittees who are experts in the fields of coastal restoration, conservation, natural resource management, science, and policy.
The website was funded with a grant from the USEPA through the TCEQ Galveston Bay Estuary Program. Learn more by visiting, www.stateofgalvbay.org.
About GBEP
Established in 1989, the Galveston Bay Estuary Program is a nationally recognized, non-regulatory program of the TCEQ. The program is charged with implementing The Galveston Bay Plan — the comprehensive conservation and management plan for Galveston Bay.
About HARC
HARC is a nonprofit research hub providing independent analysis on energy, air, and water issues to people seeking scientific answers. Its research activities support the implementation of policies and technologies that promote sustainability based on scientific principles. HARC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization building a sustainable future in which people thrive and nature flourishes. For further information, contact HARC at (281) 364-6000 or visit www.HARCresearch.org. Connect with HARC, via Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. Like or follow @HARCresearch.
