Cedar Bayou, the area's namesake water body, is a slow moving coastal waterway with both tidal and non-tidal reaches. Its watershed originates north of Highway 90, between Lake Houston and Dayton. The upper reaches of the Bayou's watershed are primarily rural or agricultural, with large undeveloped/wooded areas in its middle, and urban areas (including the urban center of Baytown) in the lower reaches. The mouth of the Bayou widens into a series of small lakes before flowing into the Galveston Bay system.[1]
Cedar Bayou is listed as being impaired for certain water quality issues, including bacteria, impaired macrobenthic communities, and PCBs and dioxins in edible fish tissue.[2] In response to these issues and other local concerns, the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the Houston-Galveston Area Council are working with local partners, organizations, and residents to create a watershed protection plan. This non-regulatory process will provide local stakeholders with the ability to address these issues.[3]
