The 2022 Galveston Bay Report Card: A Place for Answers

Erin Kinney

Last year, we went back to communities and asked a lot of questions about how you view the bay, and how you want to be involved. This year, we are recommitting to you with our new mission:

Every bayou, Every neighborhood, Everyone’s bay

The communities we spoke with asked us about human health risks, pollution, and wildlife. And they asked What They Can Do to keep the bay healthy.

  • In Water Quality, the Bay is in good shape. To keep it that way, residents and visitors are encouraged to continue picking up after their pets.
  • In Health Risks for Humans, the Bay is doing okay, but everyone must remember to pay close attention to seafood advisories. In addition, those who are boating should do so cleanly, and all residents are cautioned to avoid pouring oil or grease down the drain.
  • In Pollution, the good news is that there were no major oil spills, which means both water and wildlife were saved from the devastating impact of oil and residual debris washing up onshore or settling on the water. Anyone noticing this kind of pollution should immediately report it to the relevant authorities – you can use the and we will get your report to the right place.
  • In the Wildlife category, the Report shows that much more needs to be done to protect the wildlife in our area. Everyone should remember to follow fishing regulations and to watch out for bird nesting sites.

In most other areas, there were no changes to the status reported last year. Due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic, there are some areas where the data is insufficient to provide an accurate assessment for this year, so the team will address those in next year’s report.

We want everyone who lives, works, and plays in the Galveston Bay area to get to know the bay better. That’s what the Galveston Bay Report is — a place to go for answers whenever you’re curious about what’s happening in this body of water that we all care so much about. It’s a 365-day-a-year tool for YOU!

We want to hear from you! Please tell us what you want to know about Galveston Bay here. You can request a presentation or ask us a question anytime – click on Contact Us on galvbaygrade.org.