Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

Summary

The Texas General Land Office and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have partnered to develop a comprehensive plan for the coastal area of Texas, that will identify and evaluate the feasibility hurricane and storm risk management and ecosystem restoration for the coastal areas of the State of Texas. The study will focus on providing for the protection, conservation, and restoration of wetlands, barrier islands, shorelines, and related lands and features that protect critical resources, habitat, and infrastructure from the impacts of coastal storms, hurricanes, erosion and subsidence.

The study will identify critical data needs and recommend a comprehensive strategy for reducing coastal storm flood risk through structural and nonstructural measures that take advantage of natural features like barrier islands and storm surge storage in wetlands. Ecosystem restoration alternatives to be considered include estuarine marsh restoration, beach and dune restoration, rookery island restoration, oyster reef restoration and seagrass bed restoration.