Galveston Bay Report Card highlights tips for environmental sustainability

A Galveston Bay environmental report shows good water quality and calls for improved wildlife protection.

The Galveston Bay Foundation and the Houston Advanced Research Center released the 2022 Galveston Bay Report Card, which details this year’s state of the water quality and ecosystems in the area. The report card uses trends in data to analyze the over 7,000-square-mile Bay area and surrounding watersheds, including Galveston, Sugar Land, Conroe and more.

“Our goal is to see how the Bay is impacted by weather events, such as floods, hurricanes, and droughts—all of which we’ve experienced in this area over the last two years,” HARC research scientist Dr. Erin Kinney said.

The ecological areas highlighted in this report include: water quality, health risks for humans, pollution and wildlife. In most other categories there were no changes to the status reported last year, or information was incomplete due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Galveston Bay Foundation press release.

The report states the Bay’s water quality is in “good shape” and encourages residents to pick up after their pets to maintain this status. Additionally, to assist in improving the health risks for humans category, the report advises residents to avoid pouring grease down the drain, boat cleanly and pay attention to seafood advisories.

In regard to wildlife, the report states that “much more work” needs to be done to protect local wildlife, according to the press release, which indicates that residents should follow fishing guidelines and be aware of bird nesting sites. Finally, the report reminds residents to immediately report any sign of oil spill pollution they notice to relevant authorities and the Galveston Bay Action Network.

Visit the Galveston Bay Report website for resources on how to keep the Bay healthy and tackle pollution.