After the storm waters receded from Tropical Storm Beta in 2020, there was still a lot to be seen along Buffalo Bayou Park.
A Walking Tour of Buffalo Bayou in Houston, Texas after Tropical Storm Beta
Walk with me while I explore the park along Buffalo Bayou in Houston, Texas.
It is the day after Tropical Storm Beta hit the city causing flash flooding and high water. The quickly falling rain filled Buffalo Bayou up to its banks and the rushing water flowed into nearby roadways. The pedestrian bridges across the bayou were underwater.
When the rains finally stopped the bayou was able to drain the water away, leaving behind a lot of mud and debris. Join me as I explore what was left behind after the flood water started to clear out. Houston was very lucky that Tropical Storm Beta did not hit Texas as a stronger storm. You can see the mud and the garbage left behind from just tropical storm force winds and rain. Most of the Buffalo Bayou park was completely submerged by high waters.
This walk goes from near Sabine St. along the Buffalo Bayou past the skate park and crosses the pedestrian bridge in front of the Houston Police Memorial. It continues along the walking trail until ending near Montrose.
During this peaceful walk you will see the thick mud and high waters from the storm. You will also see many trees and plants local to the area, the Live Oak trees are especially gorgeous in South East Texas. The walking and bike trail is mostly empty of people at first due to the thick mud, but as we continue along the path there will start to be more and more people out exercising, running, strolling, and dog walking.
Immerse yourself in the sounds of nature as we hear the noises from the cicadas who are very active after the storm. As we walk under the roadway we will hear the ambient noises from the vehicles around us, as well as many birds and other insects. As we continue on we will hear the noise of the rushing water draining the bayou and then the noise of construction equipment that was being used to repair the walkways from the flooding and mud left in the wake of the high water. At the end of the walk you may overhear snippets of passing conversation.
This is a peaceful walk through a walking trail in an urban park in the City of Houston. The walking trails through Buffalo Bayou are part of a larger connected walking trail system that spans most of the city. Houston has many green spaces and waterways to explore, earning the nickname Bayou City.
The bayou system is an important part of flood relief for a city that is prone to tropical weather systems. Other recent storms that hit the city include Tropical Storm Imelda and Hurricane Harvey which dumped record amounts of water on the gulf area. Fortunately Tropical Storm Beta was no where near as severe of a storm as Hurricane Harvey was in 2017.
I hope you enjoy this relaxing and peaceful video with ambient noise. It is nice to see the mix of the wildlife and greenery in the heart of a major city.