Save Our Beach

Below is the press release put out by Matagorda County today. Judge Sieferman and I had a meeting with the USACOE last week and they are not doing anything with the road. They made it clear once again that they don't care about the road or anyone that needs it. They care about one thing only and that is keeping the ICWW open for commercial traffic. Judging by the fact that the erosion is now to the road and the revetment wall is being overtopped regularly, the ICWW will be part of the Gulf of Mexico soon. This is due to decades of inaction. But I'm not an engineer, just someone that has been watching it erode 30' per year for the last 40 years.  This office has already taken steps to be ready with funding if the breakwater and replentishment projects ever happen to protect a rebuilt road. I got an estimate today that it will take ~$1.5 million to rebuild the mile of road. I already had an estimate for ~$200K to rebuild the pavillions and picnic table covers and the Port of ...

 https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/3957269/usace-closes-sargent-beach-for-public-safety/ GALVESTON, Texas -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galveston District (SWG) and Matagorda County Officials have indefinitely closed a section of federally owned property, known as Sargent Beach (West Mooring Dock Park and the Sargent Public Boat Ramp). The designated areas of the boat ramp, mooring dock, and access road (referred to as County Road 238 or West Revetment Road) along the Gulf of Mexico are now closed due to safety concerns stemming from significant erosion and compromised infrastructure caused by recent storms. The decision aligns with USACE’s mission requirements, public safety, and a shared stakeholder commitment to protect beach visitors, reduce risks, and ensure environmentally sustainable practices while potential solutions to reopening access are examined. “Our shared responsibility to protect life and safety while ensuring the Gulf Intraco...

There have been multiple articles about the same study on the beach destruction by Beryl.  The study was funded by NOAA and done by UofH.   The study, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Texas General Land Office, highlights the changes observed at Galveston, Follett's Island, Matagorda, Mustang Island, North Padre Island and Sargent Island, close to where Beryl made landfall. “Sargent Island experienced the most significant impact and is unrecognizable,” Khan said. “The flooding, overwash and scarping caused by Beryl wiped out nearly all the dunes and left the area virtually inaccessible. The findings parallel a previous study by Khan’s team on the coastal impacts of Hurricane Harvey in 2017 that revealed similar but more significant changes. “After Harvey, we found an average shoreline retreat of just over 16 meters, with certain areas near the landfall site in Rockport seeing nearly 60 meters of erosion,” Khan said. “Those values far e...