AUSTIN, Texas— Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., is happy to announce the beginning of the long-awaited federal Sargent Beach Stabilization and Beach Nourishment project led by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in partnership with the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and Matagorda County.
“As someone who grew up on the Texas Coast, ensuring these beautiful beaches are strong and resilient is one of my top priorities," said Commissioner Buckingham. "As this long overdue beach nourishment project gets started, I thank the USACE, Matagorda County and the Port for their hard work and dedication to the revitalization planning efforts following the devastation caused by multiple storms, including Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and Hurricane Beryl in 2024. I look forward to monitoring the project’s progress and creating a stronger and more resilient shoreline that can be enjoyed by the people who call it home for generations to come."
A current look at Sargent Beach in Matagorda County
The Sargent Beach area of Matagorda County has one of the highest historical erosion rates on the Texas Gulf coast. Erosion rates vary from 42.88 feet/year at the shoreline near Mitchell's Cut on the far west area of Sargent Beach to 20-23 feet/year along the "historic" section of Sargent Beach, east of FM 457. Hurricane Harvey in August 2017, plus the series of storms during the 2020 Atlantic storm season, all contributed to the significant loss of any sort of beach or sand in the area, exposing the underlying Beaumont clay and pushing the shoreline landward all the way to the USACE protectional granite revetment along the historic section of Sargent Beach.
“Watching construction commence in Sargent is a major milestone for this massive coastal project," said Rhonda Gregg Hirsch, Operations Manager, BU, Operations Division-Navigation Branch, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Galveston District. "Our resolute commitment to protect and defend the Texas Coast is evidenced by our long-standing partnership with the Texas General Land Office and investment in coastal infrastructure.”
Physical construction of the breakwaters is anticipated to begin in mid-May starting with construction of earthen access trestles used by the contractor to facilitate placement of material for construction of each breakwater.
The project will construct five (5) nearshore rock breakwaters and a rock terminal groin located on the north side of Mitchell’s Cut, along with completing approximately 1 million cubic yards of beach nourishment using beach‑quality material dredged by the USACE from the mouth of the Colorado River inlet and the adjacent sediment impoundment basin.
Equipment to be used during the Sargent Beach Stabilization and Beach Nourishment Project is now in place. The project is being led by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in partnership with the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and Matagorda County
Construction will begin with the first breakwater at the western end of the site, followed by the remaining four breakwaters, which are scheduled to be built through mid‑December 2026. Work on the terminal groin is expected to start in the second week of May and will proceed concurrently with breakwater construction, with anticipated completion in early March 2027.
Once the terminal groin is completed, the initial beach nourishment placement is planned for March 2027 along the historic section of Sargent Beach. The final phase of beach nourishment—covering the breakwater‑groin project area—is expected to be completed by late August 2027.
These efforts will stabilize the shoreline, slowing the impact of significant erosive forces in the area and preventing additional land loss. The beach nourishment component of this project will rebuild a valuable public access feature, allowing better ocean access and a place to recreate in this area of Matagorda County.
The USACE estimates the project will be complete in August 2027 and cost an estimated $86 million.
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Dr. Dawn Buckingham made history in 2022, winning a statewide election to become Texas' first female Land Commissioner. As Land Commissioner, Dr. Dawn Buckingham is committed to helping Texans after a disaster, supporting Texas energy, ensuring that every child in Texas receives a high-quality public education, serving Texas Veterans, and securing the border to keep our communities safe.