Save Our Beach

 Matagorda County Commissioners met today and went over this agenda item about the Sargent Beach project: That was unanimously passed and means that the project continues to move forward on the timeline previously mentioned.  Prior to the meeting I asked Judge McDonald about the funding for Phase 2 of the project which is the beach nourishment portion and got the following response -  Mr. Saba, We continue to work on the nourishment piece and will solve it as well. Thanks for your support of this effort. Nate   Nate McDonald County Judge ~ Matagorda County 1700 7th Street, RM 301             Phone: (979) 244-7605 Bay City, TX. 77414                       Fax: (979) 245-3697 I Short Summary of Matagorda County Commissioners Court This morning, August 16, 2021, Commissioners Court approved and Commissioner Pollard signed the USACE Application that names Rhonda Gregg-Hirsch, from Atkins Project Management, as the County's agent moving forward.  Mrs. Gregg-Hirsch can be reached at the

The below is a very detailed update from the Texas Government Land Office (GLO) on the beach nourishment project.  I am a little disappointed as we were told before that there was funding for Phase II of the project and it appears from this update funding has not been secured for Phase II - so we need the County Commissioners to start working on that funding!  Here is the short version -  Beach nourishment is pumping sand up to restore the beach The funding for Phase 1 which is the jetty and breakwaters is set and should start on time Funding for Phase 2 - which is the nourishment has not been secured yet The final permitting is almost done and should be done this month Based upon permitting, licensing, bid, turtle nesting season - construction should start March 2022 on Phase 1 Construction will only take 3-4 months so it should be done by July 2022 on Phase 1 Since there is no funding for Phase 2 - the beach nourishment - the jetty and breakwater would be it HOWEVER - " based o

So I sent notes out to the main contractor for the breakwater and jetty project, Kent Pollard, Judge McDonald and the GLO – only heard back from the main contractor (shocker).  The question was, are we are on track with the project? The answer - Yes, we re still on track. Our permit is in the decision document stage and FWS is working to finalize the Biological Opinion.  Final engineering is progressing nicely, and should be complete by Nov. as planned. The County will be working with the GLO to initiate the next phase which would be construction of the breakwaters once we have the permits and the final engineering complete. Construction should fall within about a 6 month window. (with a bit of wiggle either way). Beach nourishment follows breakwater constructions as a separate construction project. Remember that beach nourishment will go all the way up the beach from Mitchells Cut to a mile past the last house on the east end of the island.  Everyone (County, GLO, USACE, and s