A community restoration initiative

Bring life back to the resaca.

Harlingen’s resacas are part of our landscape, our history, and our future. Together, we can restore clean, connected water for people, wildlife, and the generations that follow.

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Our purpose

Protecting a unique waterway.

Harlingen, Texas
Arroyo Colorado watershed

The Harlingen Resaca Restoration Project works to restore and maintain the resacas of Harlingen, Texas. We recognize the habitat created by these waterways as a valuable community asset and an important refuge for migrating shorebirds and other wildlife.

Formed by the receding waters of the Rio Grande River, these water features are part of the Arroyo Colorado watershed and a unique ecosystem. We will work to identify practical, lasting ways to maintain water levels on an ongoing basis.

In the news

Harlingen neighbors organize for lasting restoration.

KRGV reported on the community effort that became the Harlingen Resaca Restoration Project after the resaca nearly dried up this summer. Neighbors are pursuing nonprofit status and engineering studies to identify a long-term way to sustain water, protect wildlife, and meet drainage needs.

Read the KRGV story
Why this matters

Restore the water.
Renew the community.

A healthy resaca system strengthens the Rio Grande Valley’s resilience while protecting a place that makes Harlingen unmistakably home.

01 · Water

Resilient waterways

Restore circulation and care for the water that supports our neighborhoods and natural systems.

02 · Habitat

Wildlife thrives

Healthy banks and native habitat create a living corridor for birds, fish, pollinators, and people.

03 · Community

A shared legacy

Protect a defining local resource through stewardship, education, and neighbors working together.

Our vision

A resaca system that is alive, visible, and valued.

Restoration takes a long view: understanding the conditions of each waterway, supporting sound solutions, and inviting the whole community into caring for this remarkable place.

“The resaca is not simply water beside us. It is a living thread through Harlingen.”
See the change

One resaca. Many possible futures.

Treasure Hills Resaca timeline: 1950 → 2026 → 2046 projection. The final view is a projection, showing what continued loss of water could mean.

Historic aerial view of Treasure Hills resaca, 1950
1950
Aerial view of Treasure Hills resaca, 2026
2026
What we are protecting

A living resaca.

These waterways are habitat and home: a place for birds, fish, shade, and the everyday life of our community.

Roseate spoonbill flying over the resacaBirds gathered along the resacaGreat blue heron at the water's edgeRoseate spoonbills and wading birds in habitatResaca landscapeResaca wildlifeWildlife along the resacaRoseate spoonbills gathered on the resacaTurtle resting in a hand near the resacaNight heron perched above the resacaDuck stretching its wings among aquatic plantsDuck lifting its wings in shallow resaca waterSnowy egret standing among aquatic plantsHarlingen Resaca Restoration Project artworkHarlingen Resaca Restoration Project artwork
A shared place

Years of life on the water.

A community record of the birds and wildlife that gather at Harlingen’s resacas.

Waterfowl on the resacaWaterfowl on the resacaPelicans gathered on the resacaBirds at a Harlingen resacaBirds flying above the waterBirds gathered on a resacaWading birds along the resacaWhite wading bird on the waterBirds gathered beside the resacaWaterbirds at the resacaWaterbirds across the resacaResaca water and bird habitatRoseate spoonbills at the water's edgePelican on the resacaBirds resting on the resacaDucks swimming across the waterWildlife on the water
Community in action

A Committed Community Coming Together

Neighbors gathering to listen, learn, and work together for the future of Harlingen’s resacas.

Community members gathered for a Harlingen Resaca Restoration Project meetingNeighbors listening during the community meetingCommunity members gathered to discuss resaca restorationNeighbors attending the Harlingen Resaca Restoration Project meetingCommunity members reviewing meeting materials togetherCommunity leaders presenting at a resaca restoration meeting
Get involved

Be part of the restoration.

Follow the project, share the story, and help build a healthier future for Harlingen’s resacas.

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