Current Projects

Critical Life History Parameters of the Texas Diamond-backed Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin littoralis
EIH continues to build upon previous research on the population and distribution of the Texas diamond-backed terrapin in the upper Texas coast.

Design, Construction, and Analysis of Floating Wetlands
EIH researchers will build and analyze floating treatment wetland systems as an additional technology approach to reduce stormwater pollutant loads.

Establishing a Network of Eel Ramps to Monitor Recruitment of Glass and Elver American Eel
EIH researchers are constructing and deploying eel ramps specially designed to target ingressing glass eels and elvers along the central to upper Texas Coast.

Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program
The objectives of this project are to implement a monitoring program for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Galveston Bay, Texas; to determine relative abundance within the upper Galveston Bay Estuary and Houston Ship Channel; and to characterize residency patterns, habitat use and ranging patterns of these dolphins.

Microplastic Distribution and Impacts to Diamond-backed Terrapin, Highlighting Public Education and Future Effects of Sea-level Rise
The primary goal of this project is to evaluate and disseminate data related to dispersion and future effects of microplastic contaminants within shoreline habitats.

Microplastics in the Galveston Bay Watershed: The Big Impacts of Tiny Pollution
The primary objective of this project is to estimate the density and occurrence of microplastics in surface waters and sediments of Galveston Bay.

National Rivers and Streams Assessment
The NRSA is a statistical survey designed and coordinated by the EPA to evaluate the condition of the nation's boatable rivers and wadable streams. EIH is sampling 80 sites across the state in 2023 and 2024.

Texas Clean Rivers Program
The goal of the CRP is to maintain and improve the quality of water resources within each river basin in Texas through an ongoing partnership involving TCEQ, river authorities, local and state governments, industry, citizens and other agencies. EIH conducts routine ambient monitoring at 55 CRP sites in the Houston-Galveston area.

Upscaling Mangrove Restoration for Coastal Hazard Reduction in a Deltaic Environment: Prioritizing Restoration Efforts for Nature-based Solutions in the Volta Delta
This project aims to better understand how to up-scale locally appropriate mangrove Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) across the Volta Delta in Ghana.