Largest of Harris County’s 22 watersheds, the Cypress Creek watershed is located in the northwest part of the county and extends west into Waller County. With its subwatershed of Little Cypress Creek, it has a combined area of about 317 square miles. Cypress Creek is characterized by a diverse environment where many animal species, including the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and American alligator, have been spotted. Upstream of U.S. Highway 290 the watershed is part of the sensitive Katy Prairie ecosystem. Much of the watershed west and northwest of U.S. 290 is undeveloped, but, in contrast, east of 290 Cypress Creek flows through a well-developed suburban portion of unincorporated Harris County.
The Cypress Creek Greenway Project (CCGP), a committee within the Cypress Creek Flood Control Coalition (www.ccfcc.org), is working toward the development of a greenway along Cypress Creek from west of U.S. 290 [all the way] east to the confluence of Cypress Creek and Spring Creek, north of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Over 40 miles in length, the greenway will also include a multi-use trail linking existing and future parks adjacent to Cypress Creek.