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News

Find the latest news about Buffalo Bayou Partnership and all the doings along Buffalo Bayou.

Aug 03

Buffalo Bayou Partnership Unveils New Cleanup Boat

The Bayou-Vac is Faster and More Efficient

Houston, TX – Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP), the non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing and transforming Houston’s most significant natural waterway, will unveil its new Bayou-Vac on August 3. Years in the making, the custom-designed and fabricated boat provides a substantial boost to BBP’s bayou cleanup operation, known as the Clean & Green Program.

Photo by Anthony Rathbun

For more than 20 years, BBP has employed full-time staff to travel daily up and down 14 miles of the bayou cleaning up trash and debris. The work is endless, and a rain event only exacerbates the relentless flow of trash from Houston’s roads and freeways into its storm drains, and then on to the bayou, Galveston Bay, and ultimately, the Gulf of Mexico. To date, BBP’s team has used a custom boat designed and constructed by engineer and longtime BBP Board Member, Mike Garver, to vacuum trash and debris from the bayou and haul it off to a dumpster. Using the boat’s innovative technology, the Clean & Green team has been able to remove approximately 2,000 cubic yards of trash annually, the equivalent of about 167 commercial dump trucks.

The new Bayou-Vac is BBP’s second vacuum vessel. Also created by Garver, the Bayou-Vac incorporates significant improvements which will make the Clean & Green operation far more effective.

“The Bayou-Vac is a game changer for our program,” said BBP Field Operations Manager, Robby Robinson. “Once up and running, we foresee being able to gain an entire workday worth of time for every offload, making us twice as efficient at clearing trash from the bayou.”

Several improvements have been made to the second-generation Bayou-Vac. Its removable dumpsters can be swapped out, so workers no longer need to double handle trash and debris. With the old boat, floating booms were used to collect trash that would be vacuumed into a built-in, permanent container. When the boat’s container was full, workers used a land-based vacuum unit to blow material into a dumpster on shore. The new boat’s removable containers slide off and attach to a dump truck, while an additional container is loaded onto the Bayou-Vac to continue the day’s collection.

Another significant new feature of the Bayou-Vac is a moveable, hydraulic arm attached to the bow of the vessel. This arm supports the considerable weight of the 16-foot vacuum hose. In the prior Bio-Vac, the hose was supported and operated manually, requiring a high level of exertion from workers. The hydraulic arm also allows access a few feet up the banks along the bayou shoreline where trash and debris frequently collect during rain events when the water rises. This was not possible with the former boat.

“BBP deeply appreciates the ingenuity of our board member Mike Garver and the generosity of Sis and Hasty Johnson and the Kinder Foundation, the funders of the new Bayou-Vac,” said BBP President, Anne Olson. “We also thank the Harris County Flood Control District and Port Houston for their longtime support of BBP’s Clean & Green Program.”

The Bayou-Vac will be in full operation in early August 2022, enabling Houstonians to enjoy a cleaner Buffalo Bayou for years to come.

# #

Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) is the non-profit organization transforming and revitalizing Buffalo Bayou, Houston’s most significant natural resource. The organization’s geographic focus is the 10-square mile stretch of the bayou that flows from Shepherd Drive, through the heart of downtown into the East End, and on to the Port of Houston Turning Basin. BBP creates and cares for inclusive public spaces such as Buffalo Bayou Park, constructs hike and bike trails, and removes trash from the waterway. BBP also activates the bayou through unique programs, public art, volunteer events, and recreational opportunities that enrich the quality of life in Houston. www.buffalobayou.org

Facebook: @BuffaloBayou, Instagram: @BuffaloBayou, Twitter: @BuffaloBayou

BBP’s Clean & Green program has been operating for more than 20 years on Buffalo Bayou. Its function is to collect litter and debris from the waterway using a custom-built industrial strength vacuum boat that removes floatable trash from the water. The program operates five days a week and is directed by BBP’s Field Operations staff assisted by community service workers. Crews work on land, but mostly by boat, to clean storm drains, banks, and other natural collection areas. For more efficient collection, BBP utilizes collection booms that are strategically placed on Buffalo Bayou and neighboring bayous. BBP’s Clean & Green program is supported by Port Houston and Harris County Flood Control District. The new Bayou-Vac is generously supported by Sis and Hasty Johnson and the Kinder Foundation.

For press inquiries, email Karen Farber, BBP VP of External Affairs, or call 713.752.0314 ext. 353.

News Coverage

  • The Bats and Boats are Back at Houston's Waugh Drive Bridge Houston Chronicle, March 15, 2023
  • The Coolest Houston Playgrounds Every Parent Should Know About Chron.com, March 13, 2023
  • Buffalo Bayou Regatta, St. Patricks Day Parade, top family fun picks Houston Chronicle, March 9. 2023
  • Texas' Largest Canoe and Kayak Race and Regatta Paddles Back to Buffalo Bayou with Whole-new Route Culture Map, March 7, 2023
  • Houston parks hosting free "Jazzy Sundays" concerts from March through May Houston Public Media, March 3, 2023
  • HIDDEN GEM: Lost Lake KHOU 11, February 7, 2023
  • 15 Major Developments Headed for Houston in 2023 and Beyond Houston Chronicle, January 24, 2023
  • Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern Offers Inspiration and Reflection Beneath Houston Texas Highways Magazine, January 24, 2023
  • 36 Hours in Houston: Things to Do and See The New York Times, January 19, 2023
  • 11 Things You Must Do at Houston's Buffalo Bayou Park Chron.com, January 14, 2023
more

Press Releases

  • NIGHT LIGHT Returns to Buffalo Bayou East March 8, 2023
  • Three Houston Parks Team Up to Bring Back Jazzy Sundays in the Parks January 31, 2023
  • Buffalo Bayou Partnership Announces Kinder Foundation’s $100M Catalyst Gift to Accelerate Buffalo Bayou East Master Plan September 26, 2022
  • Buffalo Bayou Partnership Unveils New Cleanup Boat August 3, 2022
  • East Downtown Trail Opens to the Public June 14, 2022
  • Light Up the Night Along Buffalo Bayou East March 15, 2022
  • Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s Time No Longer Wins International Art Award September 22, 2021
  • Three Houston Parks Team Up to Celebrate the Legacy of Jazz in Houston with Free Concerts and a Series Spectacular Featuring Mavis Staples August 6, 2021
  • Houston Endowment Awards Buffalo Bayou Partnership $10M Grant December 9, 2020
  • Immersive Installation by Anri Sala in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern November 23, 2020
more

Monthly Newsletters

  • Buffalo Bayou eNewsletter - February 2023 February 2, 2023
  • Buffalo Bayou eNewsletter - January 2023 January 12, 2023
  • Buffalo Bayou eNewsletter - December 2022 December 1, 2022
  • Buffalo Bayou eNewsletter - November 2022 November 4, 2022
  • Buffalo Bayou eNewsletter - October 2022 October 6, 2022
  • Buffalo Bayou eNewsletter - September 2022 August 31, 2022
  • Buffalo Bayou eNewsletter - August 2022 August 4, 2022
  • Buffalo Bayou eNewsletter - July 2022 July 1, 2022
  • Buffalo Bayou eNewsletter - June 2022 June 2, 2022
  • Buffalo Bayou eNewsletter - May 2022 May 4, 2022
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Banking on Buffalo Bayou

  • Banking on Buffalo Bayou - Summer 2021 June 2021
  • Banking on Buffalo Bayou - Winter 2020 January 2020
  • Banking on Buffalo Bayou - Spring 2019 May 2019
  • Banking on Buffalo Bayou - Winter 2019 January 2019
  • Banking on Buffalo Bayou - Summer 2018 July 2018
  • Banking on Buffalo Bayou - Summer 2017 August 2017
  • Banking on Buffalo Bayou - Spring 2017 March 2017
  • Banking on Buffalo Bayou - Winter 2016 December 2016
  • Banking on Buffalo Bayou - Summer 2016 July 2016
  • Banking on Buffalo Bayou - Spring 2016 March 2016
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