This year, Galveston Island’s most significant natural asset, the beaches, are getting a refresh.
The City of Galveston, Galveston Park Board of Trustees, the Texas General Land Office (GLO), and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are partnering on several renourishment projects in an ongoing effort to maintain and protect Galveston’s beaches. And at no additional cost to residents.
The first project is a beach nourishment project for Babe’s Beach, which begins west of 61st Street. This project starts this summer. One of the USACE’s’ roles is to dredge Galveston’s ship channel to maintain a specific depth for vessels. To support this project, USACE is transferring the Beneficial Use of Dredge Material (BUDM), or sand, to replenish this beach area. The project is funded through a variety of programs, including the GLO Coastal Erosion & Planning Response Act (CEPRA); the City of Galveston Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) 4B Sales Tax; the Resources and Federal Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States (RESTORE) Act; and Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA).
The next project, which begins in the fall, is the renourishment and dune restoration of Dellanera RV Park, located west of the Galveston Seawall, to the western property line of Dellanera Park. Hurricane Harvey caused significant beach and dune erosion in this area. The project is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and through the GLO’s Coastal Erosion & Planning Response Act program.
Additionally, the Galveston Park Board is working with the GLO to renourish the Historic Seawall beaches from 12th Street to 61st Street. This nourishment project is part of the Hurricane Harvey FEMA-funded repairs. This project is also scheduled to begin in fall 2021 and is estimated to take approximately nine months to complete.
Lastly, the Galveston Park Board is coordinating a nourishment project planned for the beaches west of Dellanera RV Park to 8-mile Road for an added 3,100 linear feet. The upcoming project is for engineering services to design the beach, resulting in the next phase of actual beach nourishment. Once the beach is designed, the construction will be 100 percent funded by the GLO. The timeline for this project is still in the works. The IDC, funded through the 4B Sales Tax, and the GLO’s Coastal Erosion & Planning Response Act fund cover the engineering project cost.
Beach nourishment projects reduce shoreline erosion and fortify the beaches. Galveston completed a three-part beach nourishment project in 2017 representing more than $44M. According to the GLO, that project was the largest beach nourishment project ever accomplished in state history.
Babe’s Beach
Location: West of 61st Street
Funding: GLO Coastal Erosion & Planning Response Act (CEPRA)
GLO Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
Resources and Federal Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States (RESTORE) Act
City of Galveston Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) 4B Sales Tax
Timeline: Summer 2021
Dellanera Beach
Location: West of Galveston Seawall to the western property line of Dellanera Park
Funding: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
GLO Coastal Erosion & Planning Response Act (CEPRA)
Timeline: Fall 2021
Historic Seawall
Location: 12th to 61st StreetsFunding:Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Timeline: Fall 2021
W. Galveston Engineering Project
Location: western property line of Dellanera RV Park to 8 Mile Road
Funding: City of Galveston Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) 4B Sales Tax GLO Coastal Erosion & Planning Response Act (CEPRA)
Timeline: TBD
About the Galveston Park Board of Trustees
The Park Board of Trustees oversees beach maintenance and tourism development on Galveston Island, including operations for beach cleaning, management of several island parks, the Galveston Island Beach Patrol, and the Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau. For more information on the Park Board of Trustees, please visit www.galvestonparkboard.org.
About the City of Galveston
The City of Galveston provides numerous essential functions for its residents, including water and sewer, emergency services, recreation, and maintaining parks and green spaces. For the beach nourishment projects, the City’s Industrial Development Corp (IDC), funded through the voter-approved 4B Sales Tax, provides matching local funds for Babe’s Beach. The 4B Sales Tax is allocated to four designated silos: beach remediation, economic development, parks and park facilities, and public infrastructure (street, sewer, and drainage). For more information on the City of Galveston, visit https://www.galvestontx.gov/.
About the US Army Corps of Engineers
Galveston District: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District plays a key role in America’s well-being by keeping waterways open for navigation and commerce along an area spanning 50,000 square miles along the Texas coast from Louisiana to Mexico. The Galveston District provides flood risk management, navigation, and emergency response support; regulatory services; environmental stewardship; and, recreation services. For more information, visit the District’s website at https://www.swg.usace.army.mil.
About the Texas General Land Office
The General Land Office manages state lands, operates the Alamo, helps Texans recovering from natural disasters, generates funding for Texas public education through the Permanent School Fund, provides benefits to Texas Veterans, and manages the vast Texas coast. Under the Coastal Erosion Planning & Response Act (CEPRA), the GLO implements erosion response projects and studies through collaboration and a matching funds partnership with federal, state, and local governments, non-profit organizations, and other potential project partners. To learn more, visit the website at https://www.glo.texas.gov/index.html.
