For the third year in a row, Galveston Bay received a “C” in the Galveston Bay Report Card, a grading system used to convey the health of the Bay produced in partnership with Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) and Galveston Bay Foundation.
We label a “C” as “adequate for now,” and strive to work together towards achieving a straight “A” Bay.
“Since its inauguration in 2015, the annual Report Card has identified the most pressing needs of the region and guided efforts to empower the public, as they preserve the area and foster a healthy and productive environment for generations to come,” said Galveston Bay Foundation President Bob Stokes. “Our initiatives are fueled by our yearly assessment of the Bay, and have led to community-based actions to restore lost or degraded wetlands, oyster reefs, and bird rookery habitats.”
The Galveston Bay Report Card evaluates 19 indicators that impact Galveston Bay and the surrounding watershed, which spans across 24,000 square miles and affects half of Texas’ population. Much like a report card you would get in school, the indicators are each graded on a scale of “A” to “F” with an additional “I” grade when there is insufficient data. They are grouped into six critical issues – habitat, water quality, coastal change, wildlife, and pollution events and sources.
In addition to the grades, the report card shares ways for the public to support the Bay through activities like the Morgan’s Point community beach clean-up on September 23. The upcoming event strives to raise public awareness and educate citizens about the source of debris, while reducing the amount of offshore dumping along the coast. To participate, visit www.galvbay.org and sign up on upcoming events calendar.
To learn more about the grades the six critical issues received on this year’s Galveston Bay Report Card, visit www.galvbaygrade.org.