User:Lithiumaneurysm/sandbox

The city of Houston, Texas contains a large number of neighborhoods, ranging from planned communities to historic wards. There is no uniform standard for what constitutes an individual neighborhood within the city; however, the city of Houston does recognize a list of 88 super neighborhoods which encompass broadly recognized regions. According to the city, a super neighborhood is a "geographically designated area where residents, civic organizations, institutions and businesses work together to identify, plan, and set priorities to address the needs and concerns of their community."

Map of the Super Neighborhoods of Houston

A list of the super neighborhoods, in numerical order as assigned by the city, is shown below:

#	Name	Location relative to Downtown Houston	Approximate boundaries
1	Willowbrook	Northwest	Along Texas State Highway 249 northwest of Beltway 8
2	Greater Greenspoint	North	Around the junction of Beltway 8 and Interstate 45 North
3	Carverdale	Northwest	South of the junction of Beltway 8 and U.S. Route 290
4	Fairbanks / Northwest Crossing	Northwest	Along U.S. Route 290 between Interstate 610 and Beltway 8
5	Greater Inwood	Northwest	North of Fairbanks / Northwest Crossing and east of Acres Home
6	Acres Home	Northwest	West of Interstate 45 North and south of State Highway 249
7	Hidden Valley	North	In a triangular area between Veterans Memorial Drive, State Highway 249, and Interstate 45 North
8	Westbranch	West	Along Beltway 8 south of Jersey Village
9	Addicks / Park Ten	West	Includes the entirety of Addicks Reservoir and a small area between the reservoir and Interstate 10 west
10	Spring Branch West	West	North of Interstate 10 west between Addicks Reservoir and Blalock Road
11	Langwood	Northwest	Between Hempstead Highway and U.S. Route 290 midway between Interstate 610 and Beltway 8
12	Central Northwest (formerly Near Northwest)	Northwest	East of U.S. Route 290 and north of Interstate 610
13	Independence Heights	North	West of Interstate 45 north and north of Interstate 610
14	Lazybrook / Timbergrove	Northwest	West of White Oak Bayou and south of Interstate 610 north
15	Greater Heights	Northwest	East of White Oak Bayou, south of Interstate 610, west of Interstate 45, and north of Interstate 10
16	Memorial	West	East of Texas State Highway 6, south of Interstate 10 west, west of the Memorial Villages, and north of Buffalo Bayou
17	Eldridge / West Oaks	West	West of Dairy Ashford Road, north of Westpark Tollway, and south of Buffalo Bayou; includes Barker Reservoir
18	Briar Forest	West	East of Dairy Ashford Road, south of Buffalo Bayou, west of Gessner Road, and north of Westheimer Road
19	Westchase	West	East of West Houston Center Boulevard, south of Westheimer Road, west of Gessner Road, and north of Westpark Tollway
20	Mid-West (formerly Woodlake/Briarmeadow)	West	East of Gessner Road, south of Buffalo Bayou, west of Voss and Chimney Rock roads, and north of Westpark Tollway
21	Greater Uptown	West	West of Interstate 610 between Interstate 10 and Interstate 69
22	Washington Avenue Coalition / Memorial Park	West	East of Interstate 610, south of Interstate 10, west of Interstate 45, and north of Buffalo Bayou
23	Afton Oaks / River Oaks	West	Straddles Buffalo Bayou east of Interstate 610
24	Neartown / Montrose	Southwest	Straddles Montrose Boulevard east of Shepherd Drive
25	Alief	Southwest	West of Beltway 8 and south of Westpark Tollway
26	Sharpstown	Southwest	Trapezoidal area bound by Beltway 8 to the west, Westpark Tollway to the north, Interstate 69 to the east, and Brays Bayou to the south
27	Gulfton	Southwest	North of the city of Bellaire and south of Interstate 69
28	University Place	Southwest	East of Kirby Drive, south of Interstate 69, west of Main Street, and north of Brays Bayou
29	Westwood	Southwest	Triangular area between Beltway 8, Brays Bayou, and Interstate 69
30	Braeburn	Southwest	Along north bank of Brays Bayou immediately east of Interstate 69
31	Meyerland	Southwest	Along north bank of Brays Bayou immediately west of Interstate 610 west
32	Braeswood	Southwest	Along north bank of Brays Bayou immediately east of Interstate 610 west
33	Medical Center	South	South of Hermann Park between Main Street and Brays Bayou
34	Astrodome Area	South	South of Brays Bayou between State Highway 288 and Interstate 610
35	South Main	South	Between Highway 90 Alternate (Main Street) and Holmes Road along Interstate 610 south
36	Brays Oaks (formerly Greater Fondren S.W.)	Southwest	Inside Beltway 8 between Highway 90 Alternate and Interstate 69
37	Westbury	Southwest	North of Highway 90 Alternate and east of Post Oak Road
38	Willow Meadows / Willowbend	Southwest	Enclosed by Highway 90 Alternate, Post Oak Road, and Interstate 610
39	Fondren Gardens	Southwest	Enclosed by Highway 90 Alternate, Beltway 8, and Fort Bend Parkway
40	Central Southwest	South	Large area enclosed by Beltway 8, Fort Bend Parkway, Highway 90 Alternate, Holmes Road, and State Highway 288
41	Fort Bend / Houston	Southwest	South of Beltway 8 and east of Fort Bend Parkway in Fort Bend County
42	IAH Airport	North	North of Beltway 8 between Interstate 45 and Interstate 69
43	Kingwood	Northeast	East of Interstate 69 and west of Lake Houston
44	Lake Houston	Northeast	East of Interstate 69 and Beltway 8
45	Northside / Northline	North	North of Interstate 610 between Interstate 45 and Hardy Toll Road
46	Eastex - Jensen	Northeast	North of Interstate 610 between Hardy Toll Road and Hirsch Road
47	East Little York / Homestead	Northeast	North of Tidwell Road and east of Hirsch Road
48	Trinity / Houston Gardens	Northeast	North of Interstate 610 between Hirsch Road and Wayside Drive
49	East Houston	Northeast	North of Highway 90 Alternate and east of East Houston Road
50	Settegast	Northeast	North of Interstate 610 between Wayside Drive and East Houston Road
51	Northside Village	North	Enclosed by Interstate 10, Interstate 45, Interstate 610, and Elysian Street
52	Kashmere Gardens	Northeast	Inside Interstate 610 west of Elysian Street and north of Liberty Road
53	El Dorado / Oates Prairie	Northeast	East of Interstate 610 between Highway 90 Alternate and Highway 90 (Crosby Freeway)
54	Hunterwood	Northeast	West of Greens Bayou and east of Highway 90
55	Greater Fifth Ward	Northeast	North of Buffalo Bayou, east of Elysian Street, south of Collingsworth Street, and west of Lockwood Drive
56	Denver Harbor / Port Houston	East	East of Lockwood Drive, south of Liberty Road, and north of Clinton Drive
57	Pleasantville Area	East	Along the western (inner) edge of Interstate 610
58	Northshore	East	North of Interstate 10, west of Interstate 610, south of Wallisville Road, and west of Greens Bayou
59	Clinton Park / Tri-Community	East	Along the eastern (outer) edge of Interstate 610 north of Buffalo Bayou and south of Interstate 10
60	Fourth Ward	West	East of Taft Street, south of Buffalo Bayou, and west of Interstate 45
61	Downtown	—	Enclosed by Interstate 45 to the south and west, Interstate 10 to the north, Interstate 69 to the east
62	Midtown	South	South of Interstate 45; north and west of Interstate 69
63	Second Ward	East	North of Harrisburg Boulevard, east of BNSF line, south of Buffalo Bayou, and west of Union Pacific line
64	Greater Eastwood	Southeast	Between Interstate 45 and Harrisburg Boulevard east of Velasco Street and west of Union Pacific line
65	Harrisburg / Manchester	Southeast	Between Brays Bayou to the west, Buffalo Bayou to the north, Sims Bayou to the east, and Texas State Highway 225 to the south
66	Museum Park (formerly Binz)	South	Between Interstate 69 and State Highway 288 north of Hermnan Park
67	Greater Third Ward	South	South of Interstate 45 and east of Interstate 69
68	Greater OST / South Union	Southeast	North of Interstate 610, east of State Highway 288, south of Old Spanish Trail, and west of BNSF line
69	Gulfgate Riverview / Pine Valley	Southeast	Triangular area bound by Interstate 45, Interstate 610, and Texas State Highway 35
70	Pecan Park	Southeast	Bound by Interstate 610 to the southeast, Interstate 45 to the southwest, Griggs Road to the northwest, and Lawndale Street to the northeast
71	Sunnyside	South	East of State Highway 288 and south of Interstate 610
72	South Park	South	South of Interstate 610 and west of Mykawa Road
73	Golfcrest / Bellfort / Reveille	Southeast	Between Interstate 610 and Sims Bayou east of Mykawa Road and west of Interstate 45
74	Park Place	Southeast	Bound by Sims Bayou, Interstate 45, Interstate 610, and State Highway 225
75	Meadowbrook / Allendale	Southeast	West of South Houston and Pasadena, south of State Highway 225, east of Sims Bayou, north of Interstate 45
76	South Acres / Crestmont Park	South	East of State Highway 288 and south of Sims Bayou
77	Minnetex	South	West of Mykawa Road and north of Beltway 8
78	Greater Hobby Area	Southeast	South of Sims Bayou, east of Mykawa Road, north of Beltway 8 and Almeda Genoa Road, and west of Interstate 45
79	Edgebrook	Southeast	South of South Houston, west of Interstate 45, north and east of Shaver Street
80	South Belt / Ellington	Southeast	Large area straddling the southeastern corner of Beltway 8 south of Almeda Genoa Road and Shaver Street
81	Clear Lake	Southeast	West of Interstate 45, south of Ellington Airport, and northwest of Clear Lake
82	Magnolia Park	East	East of Union Pacific line, south and west of Buffalo Bayou, and north of Union Pacific line to Galveston
83	MacGregor	Southeast	Along Brays Bayou south of Blodgett Street, east of Almeda Road, north of Old Spanish Trail, and west of State Highway 35
84	Spring Branch North	Northwest	East of Beltway 8, south of Clay Road, west of Campbell Road, and north of Hammerly Boulevard
85	Spring Branch Central	Northwest	Between Blalock Road and Bingle Road north of Interstate 10 and south of Clay Road
86	Spring Branch East	Northwest	Enclosed by Blalock Road, Highway 290, Interstate 610, and Interstate 10
87	Greenway / Upper Kirby	Southwest	Along Interstate 69 between Bissonnet Road and Westheimer Road
88	Lawndale / Wayside	Southeast	Northeast of Interstate 45 along Brays Bayou between Union Pacific line and Griggs Road

Surface water

Rivers

Houston, often popularly referred to as the Bayou City, is crossed by a number of slow-moving, swampy rivers, which are essential to draining the region's broad floodplains. The city was founded at the convergence of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou, a point today known as Allen's Landing.

Buffalo Bayou is the longest and largest of the bayous which flow through Houston, following a 53-mile (85 km) route from Katy through Memorial, Rice Military, Downtown, the East End, Denver Harbor, and Channelview before meeting the San Jacinto River at Galveston Bay. The broad eastern stretch of the river, known as the Houston Ship Channel, plays an essential role in the Port of Houston and is home to one of the largest petrochemical refining complexes in the United States. Buffalo Bayou's environs are also home to significant amounts of parkland, including linear parks such as Terry Hershey Park and Buffalo Bayou Park which serve as pedestrian and bicyclist corridors.

White Oak Bayou, a major tributary of the Buffalo, has its source in Jersey Village and travels 25 miles (40 km) southeast, through Inwood Forest, Oak Forest, and the Houston Heights. Brays Bayou, another major tributary to the south, originates near Mission Bend and travels 31 miles (50 km) through Alief, Sharpstown, Meyerland, Braeswood Place, the Texas Medical Center, Riverside Terrace, and the East End before meeting Buffalo Bayou at Harrisburg.

Two more significant tributaries of Buffalo Bayou flow through parts of Houston outside the Interstate 610 loop. Greens Bayou, which originates in far northwest Houston near Willowbrook, flows for 43 miles (69 km) through Greenspoint and undeveloped areas of northeastern Harris County. Sims Bayou, which has its source near Missouri City southwest of Houston, flows for 23 miles (37 km) past Almeda, Sunnyside, South Park, and Manchester.

Houston's topography is further defined by a large number of creeks and ditches. Overall, this intricate system of waterways is essential to flood control; Houston is well known as one of the most flood-prone cities in the United States. Since the mid-20th century, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, in cooperation with the city and Harris County Flood Control District, has channelized, paved, widened, and deepened extensive sections of all of the five major bayous specified above, with the notable exception of some parts of the Buffalo near Memorial. The Buffalo Bayou watershed also features two flood control reservoirs, Addicks Reservoir and Barker Reservoir, which retain large amounts of water after extreme rainfall events.

Water bodies

Houston contains few naturally-formed lakes. Lake Houston, a 11,854-acre (4,797-hectare) reservoir located approximately 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Downtown, was created by damming the San Jacinto River in the 1950s to create a dependable, long-term supply of drinking water. The lake is owned and operated by the City of Houston. Besides supplying water to the city, the lake is also a central feature of the Kingwood community and serves as a recreational destination.

Galveston Bay is a central feature of the Greater Houston metropolitan area. The bay serves an essential economic role as home of the Houston Ship Channel and a large fishing industry, and is also an important destination for recreation and coastal wildlife. The estuary extends 30 miles (48 km) inland from the coast and has a maximum width of 17 miles (27 km). Important regional communities, including Galveston and Texas City, are located along the bay. While the City of Houston proper does not adjoin the bay, its limits do extend southward to encompass the NASA Johnson Space Center and the community of Clear Lake.

Clear Lake, which gives the aforementioned community its name, is a tidal lake with brackish water located on the western side of Galveston Bay. Covering about 2,000 acres (810 hectares), the lake is fed by Clear Creek and inflow from the bay. Ultimately, the Clear Creek watershed covers an area of 250 square miles (650 km²) encompassing seventeen tributaries.