Is it possible for a creek to whisper tales of boom and bust? Cypress Creek at Stuebner-Airline Road near Westfield does just that. This waterway tells a story of transformation and resilience.
Cypress Creek meanders through northwest Harris County. It stretches into Waller County. The creek is the primary waterway for a 267 square mile watershed. This watershed includes 250 miles of open waterways. These waterways include Cypress Creek and its major tributaries.
By size, the Cypress Creek watershed ranks among the largest in Harris County. It is the fifth-largest by population with about 347000 people in 2010.
Westfield itself has seen its share of change. In 1846 Herman Tautenhahn established a general store near what was then Cypress Station. This was where a trail crossed Cypress Creek. By 1876 Westfield was a community. It got its name from Gadi F. West. He owned a field by the International Great Northern Railroad.
Westfield became a bustling railroad town. The town loaded goods like cotton and lumber onto freight cars. The town also loaded cattle and hides from local warehouses. By 1890 the town had 200 residents. Westfield even had three churches and a school.
Cypress Creek bore witness to Westfield’s brief boom in 1905. This boom happened because it was an overflow point for employees in the Humble oilfield. However the creek also saw decline as cotton moved west. Lumber and cattle dwindled.
Cypress Creek at Stuebner-Airline Road near Westfield is prone to flooding. The eastern portion of the watershed was developed early. This was before our current understanding of floodplains. The western portion was developed later. It had stronger regulations for stormwater detention.
Sensors at Cypress Creek provide real-time data. These sensors show stream elevation. They help monitor water levels. They provide crucial information during heavy rainfall.
The creek has seen high water levels during significant weather events. For example, the stream level reached 123.40 feet during both a 1949 flood and Hurricane Harvey in 2017. In comparison today Cypress Creek’s stream elevation is around 93.20 feet.
So next time you pass Cypress Creek remember its story. It is a story of a creek that has seen the ebb and flow of communities. It is a story of boom and bust and flood and resilience.