Beach Renourishment Begins on Ike-Ravaged Galveston Island

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[December 15, 2008] - Galveston Island's seawall is about to get a much-needed facelift. Islanders and visitors will begin seeing about 50 sand hauling trucks make their way down Seawall Blvd. this week transporting the first loads of sand for Galveston’s emergency sand placement project. The project is slated to place sand on Galveston beaches from 10th Street to 61st Street.

"This project is critical for the future of Galveston's beaches," said Lou Muller, executive director for the Galveston Island Park Board. "The seawall protects the island from tidal surges and hurricane force winds."

The Seawall, which is 17 feet high, is a protective barrier for the City against the ever changing tides of the Gulf of Mexico. The Seawall began as a tremendous grade raising project and now extends 54,790 feet, one-third of Galveston's Gulf of Mexico frontage. It has served to protect the island and its residents from many storms over the past 100 years.

Not only is the project critical for the fortification of the seawall, a recent study of the more than 5 million visitors that came to Galveston in 2007 showed that the majority were there to enjoy Galveston beaches.

"Post Ike's beach nourishment project is a dawning of a new day for Galveston's beaches and will give residents and visitors alike a reason to be excited," said Jeri Kinnear, Park Board Chair. "Tourism is one industry that is rebounding as Galveston recovers and beach restoration is an important part of that recovery. The hurricane eroded several feet of beach along the 32 miles of Galveston Island taking away areas for people to enjoy."

The goal of the project is to place 400,000 to 500,000 cubic yards of beach quality sand along the seawall. Sand is collected from East Beach, Stewart Beach and dredge material excavated from ocean waters in the Gulf of Mexico. The sand collected from these specific areas will be hauled to create access ramps by means of the existing county ramps (i.e. 29th, 35th, 47th, 57th, etc…). Sand will then be dumped five feet high and 230 feet out from the Seawall onto the beach beginning at 61st Street and heading east. The movement of the placed sand will build up a sandbar for the sand to move back and forth and continuously stay on the beach.

In October the Texas General Land Office (GLO) announced an emergency sand placement project in order to protect the seawall that would cost nearly $6 million. The Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees contributed $1.5 million in support of this project.

A deadline of March 31, 2009, is set to complete the nourishment project in time for Spring Break and the Kemp Ridley sea turtle nesting season.

The Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees is a nine member volunteer board that manages Galveston Island beach parks, operates beach patrol and oversees the Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau.

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Questions & Answers

Q: How much of the beach will have new sand?
A: The nourishment process will begin at 61st Street and head east. The current permit from the GLO says we can nourish from 10th St to 103rd St. Progress depends on various factors such as funding and sea turtle nesting season.

Q: When will the nourishment process begin?
A: Contractors began building the levee November 14 and hauling of the sand will begin the week of December 15 continuing until the deadline March 31, 2009.

Q: Where is the sand for nourishment coming from?
A: Sand will first be scraped from East Beach and Stewart Beach then dredged from the Gulf of Mexico.

Q: Why are the beaches being nourished now?
A: Hurricane Ike greatly eroded some beach front areas which in turn could compromise the integrity of the seawall. Also the winter’s northern winds are the best time to dump sand because the sand can be laid further out into the shoreline of the beach.

Q: What happens to the sand once it is dumped on the beach?
A: Sand will be dumped 5ft high and 230ft out from the seawall. In the months after nourishment waves and high tides will redistribute the sand and flatten the beach. However, the sand is not lost. It will begin to form sand bars that will continuously move the sand back and forth to the beach face.

Q: Who is working on the project?
A: Contractors for HDR Shiner Moseley and the Texas GLO are working together.

Q: What can the community and Island guests expect during the projects progress?
A: There will be up to 50 trucks hauling sand from the East end of the Island to the Seawall so people can expect heavier traffic and some limited access to the beaches when dumping is taking place.

Q: What is being done to protect the Kemp Ridley sea turtles?
A: Signs are placed around the sand collection area and workers are well trained in looking out for the sea turtles and other animals or natural plant life to the Island. Further into the project it will be evaluated it “turtle watchers” need to be hired to patrol the beaches.

Q: Once the beaches have been nourished, what does this mean for beachgoers?
A. As of March 31, 2009 it is expected that the beaches on the Seawall between 45th and 61st Street will be nourished. This expands the size of the beaches out to the water and around rock groins significantly. There will be more space to relax and enjoy the sand and surf.