Colorful nature in May

Lake and landscape vistas in George Bush Park in May

Energy Corridor Skyline

Office buildings on BP America's corporate campus - view from Addicks Dam at dusk

Power lines at sunset - seen from Addicks Dam

Mexican Hats on Addicks Dam

The vegetation on the slopes of Addicks Dam varies somewhat with the seasons. This time of the year patches of yellow prairie coneflowers -- aptly called Mexican Hat in recognition of their sombrero-like flower heads -- enliven the green meadows and complement the panorama of tall prairie grasses swaying in the wind.

Prairie grasses and cone flowers with Addicks Reservoir grounds in the background

 Scientific name: Ratibida columnifera aka Ratibida columnaris

Houston-area War Memorial Site

The War Memorial (and pavilion) is location South of War Memorial Drive near North Eldridge Parkway

Location of Harris County War Memorial at entrance to Bear Creek Pioneers Park on N. Eldridge Parkway

Barker Dam Construction Zone near Briar Forest at Highway 6 (updated)

How it looks after completion:

June 21, 2013 photo of Barker Dam and widened channel at Briar Forest / Noble Road
Looking South

Channel on the North side of the culvert

ORIGINAL BLOG POST:

Construction work underway on Barker Dam near Briar Forest
May 8, 2013 photo 

Barker Reservoir Dam is undergoing some improvements. Heavy equipment has been deployed on the city-facing side to reinforce and apparently widen the bed of the conveyance channel running in northerly direction at the base of the earthen dam built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control purposes. The dam reportedly  has some stability problems that would not allow the reservoir to perform anywhere close to full capacity in a major flood event, and would thus diminish the amount of water it can temporarily retain to avoid or reduce flooding downstream in the City of Houston.  

Indian Blankets around town (wildflowers)