Boggy Cut GIWW Stabilization

Project Description

This project constructed an approximate 4-mile living shoreline breakwater at Boggy Cut along the GIWW in order to: 1) create and enhance existing oyster habitat; 2) protect rapidly eroding barrier islands; 3) dampen wind-driven waves propagated across the 4-mile fetch of the bay; 4) improve conditions in the GIWW for the safe transit of commercial and recreational vessels; 5) provide additional nesting and loafing area for several bird species; 6) increase recreational fishing opportunities; 7) serve as a source of oyster larvae to supplement larvae from existing reefs; 8) reduce dredge maintenance frequency in this section of the GIWW; and 9) reduce shoreline erosion along the Big Boggy NWR. This project would serve as the catalyst for other state and federal efforts by TxDOT and the USACE to beneficially use maintenance dredged material from adjacent reaches of the GIWW to restore the eroding barrier islands back to elevations suitable for wetland or bird habitat in future project phases. Plans currently proposed by both state and federal agencies to alleviate navigation hazards and dredging costs in this area include the construction of a reef-wetlands-barrier island complex along the GIWW. This Boggy Cut GIWW Stabilization project would serve as the first phase of the larger proposed project and facilitate a phased approach that also provides immediate benefits by serving as the first line of defense and attenuating wind-driven waves. Matagorda Bay Foundation will include TxDOT and USACE in the preliminary project planning to ensure each organization can leverage its resources and capabilities to achieve the most successful overall effort. Once the Boggy Cut GIWW Stabilization project is ready to be constructed, it will be in an ideal location for cost-efficient construction because of the proximity to the GIWW and relative ease of rock delivery and access for equipment.