Pine Gully Wetlands
Description: The Pine Gully Wetlands are in the Northern area of Seabrook and covers the watershed of Pine Gully. Over 75% of the watershed is undeveloped land. There are five city parks in the watershed two: Friendship and Baybrook are developed recreational areas and not wetland areas. Refuge Park, Robinson Park and Pine Gully Park are wilderness type parks with trails that follow the gully. These three areas of the Gully have tidal waters and attendant marsh land areas. A fourth area of tidal marsh extends along the North Fork behind Maas Nursery. Upstream of the tidal parts of the gully there are fresh water marsh areas fed by surface water run off.. The large upland area has not been explored for this inventory.
In 2005 a plug developed in Pine Gully composed of sandy silt coming in from Galveston Bay. By August 2005 the circulation of Tidal water was shut off above the North fork and the waters above Todville road became a fresh water pond rather than a stream. The high point of the sand plug got higher in 2006 and the plug grew in length toward the bay. Heavy rains in the winter of 2006-7 cleared the plug enough to restore tidal circulation in February 2007. For almost two years the marsh grasses have been damaged and they are slowly recovering. For fuller description visit the Pine Gully History presentation.
Upper Pine Gully Marshes
Description Above Todville road there are tidal marsh grasses along the banks of Pine Gully. The Upper Pine Gully segment has about 2.5 acres of Marsh grass; the Robinson park segment has about 1 acre. Half way up the Robinson segment the marsh changes character from tidal to fresh water. Likewise in the Upper Pine Gully segment the tidal reach peters out and fresh water
drainage ditch plants and critters take over.
This photo from August 2007
shows marsh grass in recovery after the sand plug was cleared. Taken at
low tide.
Year 2002 photo Upstream at the Robinson fork shows Healthy Marsh Growth
next photo taken near the Bend
2002 Upper Pine Gully near the Bend
Maas Nursery Marsh
2007 Google photo with Marsh area Outlined
Description Above Pine Gully road there
are tidal marsh grasses along the banks of the North Fork of Pine
Gully. This area has about 1.5 acres of Marsh
grass. The Photos below were taken at the culvert looking North. One is
2002 the other 2007. Progress is being made by the grass.. still
a lot of barren sand. Note that the remains of the Sand plug extend up
the North fork.
 2002 photo at
High tide
|
 2007 photo at Low
tide
Note the Sand Plug residue has narrowed the Channel |
Pine Gully Park
January 2007 Google Photo of
Pine Gully Park
Description There are Six Marsh areas in the photo above. Surf Oaks Marsh covers the South bank of the Gully. The mouth of the Gully has Bayside Marsh. Next on the north bank is the Cemetery Marsh. At the North fork there is a Footbridge with marsh land above it on the East and the West. The Upstream Marsh goes from the north fork to Todville Road on the North bank. All together there is about 8 Acres of tidal marsh.
The Photo was taken at extreme Low tide as evidenced by the very narrow channel and the delta at the mouth of the Gully. The remnants of the sand plug are seen in the main channel which is less than 20% of its normal width. Later in the 2007 the channel widens and deepens with each heavy rain. The marshes along the banks, however, are not being cleansed, and the following photos show comparisons of 2002 pre sand plug and August 2007.
2002 photo taken on the Path by the Cemetery looking toward Todville road.
2007 Photo of Cemetery
Marsh . Note the Hard packed sand where there had once been marsh
grass.
New Grass is taking hold at waters edge. Note that the Channel Width is back to normal.
Another view of Cemetery marsh looking toward the bay.
The pond in the left is a trapped fresh water swamp.
This 2002 photo shows the Dock in the Surf Oaks section.
Note the height and fullness of the marsh grass.
This August 2007 photo shows the hard packed sand in foreground
The Surf Oaks Marsh is stunted .
New Grass is taking hold at waters edge. Note that the Channel Width is back to normal.
Another view of Cemetery marsh looking toward the bay.
The pond in the left is a trapped fresh water swamp.
This 2002 photo shows the Dock in the Surf Oaks section.
Note the height and fullness of the marsh grass.
This August 2007 photo shows the hard packed sand in foreground
The Surf Oaks Marsh is stunted .
Summary: The Pine Gully
Wetlands have about 12 acres of Tidal Marsh. It is the largest
marshland asset in the City of Seabrook. The Stream is providing tidal
Interchange with Galveston Bay. The Marsh is slowly recovering from
the Sand Plug episode. Areas impacted by Sand deposits are estimated to
be 30 to 50%. At this time, October 2007, an engineering study is
under way to determine what needs to be done to restore the Marsh and
the Stream to its Pre 2004 condition.