AUSTIN, Texas— Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., announced that the Texas General Land Office (GLO) has launched an interactive virtual tour through its Clean Coast Texas initiative showcasing stormwater practices designed to improve water quality and build resilience across Texas coastal communities.
"As a Texan who grew up near our beautiful coast, I am dedicated to leading the GLO's mission to enhance coastal resiliency and protect our coastal communities and essential wildlife," said Commissioner Buckingham. "Through our Clean Coast Texas initiative, the GLO works with communities at the heart of water quality and stormwater runoff, hazard mitigation, and resiliency to sustain strong economies throughout the Texas Gulf Coast. The new virtual tour gives Texans a window into how Clean Coast Texas helps communities utilize nature-based solutions to mitigate the impact of stormwater runoff on water quality, reduce flooding risks, and benefit the health of Texans and wildlife who call the Gulf Coast home."
To explore the virtual tour and learn more about how Texas communities are incorporating nature-based infrastructure to reduce pollution and strengthen resilience, click the button below:
The Ghirardi Family WaterSmart Park in League City, Texas, which is a part of Clean Coast Texas' nature-based stormwater infrastructure
The Clean Coast Texas Collaborative is an initiative of the GLO Coastal Management Program’s Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution Program. The Collaborative’s virtual tour offers a map-based exploration of nature-based stormwater infrastructure projects along the Texas coast, including several demonstration sites funded by Clean Coast Texas. These examples highlight communities that are implementing stormwater runoff management by integrating nature-based strategies, including bioswales, rain gardens, and permeable pavements, into various types of development, such as parks, libraries, community centers, and streetscapes.
In addition to exhibiting physical projects, the tour also serves as an educational platform that connects users to Clean Coast Texas resources. Visitors can explore stormwater science, learn about nonpoint source pollution, and access planning tools and technical guidance to support implementation in their communities.
The virtual tour supports Clean Coast Texas’s broader goals of empowering communities to reduce nonpoint source pollution through education, technical assistance, and locally driven solutions. It complements the program’s ongoing outreach efforts, including community science training through the Texas Stream Team, ordinance development, and local workshops that embrace low-impact development and comprehensive planning.
The Clean Coast Texas Collaborative is a multidisciplinary partnership led by the GLO and includes the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Texas Community Watershed Partners, Texas Sea Grant College Program, Coastal Bend Council of Governments, and The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University. Together, the Collaborative works with coastal communities to utilize responsible stormwater practices that protect natural resources.
For more information about Clean Coast Texas, click the button below:
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Dr. Dawn Buckingham made history in 2022, winning a statewide election to become Texas' first female Land Commissioner. As Land Commissioner, Dr. Dawn Buckingham is committed to helping Texans after a disaster, supporting Texas energy, ensuring that every child in Texas receives a high-quality public education, serving Texas Veterans, and securing the border to keep our communities safe.