Clear Creek

Watershed Overview (Harris County portion)

Drainage Area	Watershed Population	Open Stream Miles	Primary Streams
197 Sq. Miles	193,575 (2020 Census Data)	154 Miles	Clear Creek Turkey Creek

The Clear Creek watershed is located in southern Harris County. The watershed encompasses portions of Harris, Galveston, Brazoria, and Fort Bend counties; 16 cities including Houston, Brookside Village, Pearland, Friendswood, League City, Pasadena, the Clear Lake Area communities, and four drainage/flood control districts.

Clear Creek flows from west to east through Clear Lake and into Galveston Bay. Armand Bayou is the largest tributary to Clear Creek, and its drainage area is considered a separate watershed. The Clear Creek watershed covers approximately 197 square miles and includes two primary streams: Clear Creek and Turkey Creek. There are about 154 miles of open streams within the watershed, including the primary streams and tributary channels. Based on the 2010 U.S. Census, the estimated population of the Harris County portion of the Clear Creek watershed is 164,172.

Flooding occurs frequently along various reaches of the main channel and its tributaries. Storm surge has also caused flooding within the watershed and has the potential to extend upstream to I-45.

Watershed Overview

Printable Overview of the Clear Creek Watershed

Watershed FAQs

Clear Creek Watershed

HCFCD Unit Numbering System

Naming convention for our channels

Land Use

Development activity has historically been concentrated in the lower end of the watershed around Clear Lake and several smaller cities in the mid and upper portions of the watershed; however, in recent decades development activity has increased throughout the watershed and is expected to continue.

Environment

Clear Creek between Clear Lake and the City of Friendswood is in a natural state. Its bottom elevations are below sea level and subject to tidal influences. A number of natural and recreational parks have been developed along the creek, which are commonly referred to as the "Chain-of-Parks." The combination of Clear Lake, the "Chain-of-Parks", and channel reaches lined with dense woodlands provide a naturalized habitat along Clear Creek up to the Galveston/Brazoria County line. Much of the channel upstream of this line also supports heavy vegetative growth that returned following channel projects in the 1950-1960's. Some clearing has occurred to de-snag the channel or provide access to the channel from adjacent developments.

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Projects In Clear Creek Watershed

The Harris County Flood Control District has a significant number of flood damage reduction projects occurring all over Harris County as part of its on-going Capital Improvement Program (CIP), Operations and Maintenance, and the 2018 Bond Program. Click the Project ID on the Map to learn about projects’ details. Some early-stage projects are not highlighted on the map. The map will be updated when projects advance or when more information becomes available.

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