GALVESTON TO BEGIN NOURISHMENT PROJECT AT BABE'S BEACH
Contact:
Matt Atwood, Press Secretary - Texas General Land Office
matthew.atwood@glo.texas.gov
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matthew.atwood@glo.texas.gov
PDF Version
GALVESTON — This summer, Galveston Island’s Babe’s Beach, west of 61st Street, is getting a new round of fresh sand. The Galveston Park Board of Trustees, the City of Galveston, the Texas General Land Office (GLO), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are partnering on Babe’s Beach in an ongoing effort to maintain and protect Galveston’s beaches--at no additional cost to residents.
The replenishment of Babe’s Beach, which begins west of 61st Street, is scheduled to start this summer. “To support this project, USACE is placing the Beneficial Use of Dredge Material (BUDM) or sand from its required dredging of Galveston’s ship channel to replenish this beach area,” said Andrew Cook, USACE Galveston District Operations Manager. “Up to 950,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand harvested from the dredging project will be used to renourish Babe’s Beach.”
Cook said the BUDM is dredged and collected into a dredging ship, which is then pumped through pipes from the dredging ship onto the beach. This beach nourishment project is expected to take several months ending in late summer.
“Working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Texas General Land Office, and the City of Galveston is a huge win for Galveston,” says Park Board Chief Executive Officer Kelly de Schaun. “This partnership gives us a more cost-effective way to replenish our biggest asset: Galveston’s beaches.”
The project is funded through a variety of programs, including the GLO Coastal Erosion & Planning Response Act (CEPRA); the City of Galveston Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) 4B Sales Tax; and Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA). Additionally, this project was paid for [in part] with federal funding from the Department of the Treasury through the State of Texas under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act).
This is the third beach nourishment project at Babe’s Beach since 2015. Most recently in 2019 USACE added approximately 490,000 cubic yards of sand to the beach.
“Beach nourishment projects not only provide a more attractive and extensive beach for residents and tourists to enjoy, and they also help protect the island against coastal erosion,” City Manager Brian Maxwell said. “We’re excited to be a part of this collaborative effort to improve Galveston beaches and thank the Galveston Park Board, GLO, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their partnership.”
Beach nourishment projects reduce shoreline erosion and fortify the beaches. Galveston completed a three-part beach nourishment project in 2017 representing more than $44M. According to the GLO, that project was the largest beach nourishment project ever accomplished in state history.
“The Texas General Land Office takes immense pride to partner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, City of Galveston, and Galveston Park Board as we focus on restoring and maintaining the Texas coast,” said Deputy Land Commissioner Mark Havens. “The Babe’s Beach renourishment is a part of the GLO’s Coastal Resiliency Master Plan, which outlines specific projects that need attention for restoration efforts. This project will simultaneously protect our coastal community and restore critical habitats along the coast.”
Babe’s Beach is the first of three beach nourishment projects planned for 2021. For more information on this project and other beach projects managed by the Galveston Park Board of Trustees, visit www.galvestonparkboard.org.
About the Galveston Park Board of Trustees
The Park Board of Trustees oversees beach maintenance and tourism development on Galveston Island, including operations for beach cleaning, management of several island parks, the Galveston Island Beach Patrol, and the Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau. For more information on the Park Board of Trustees, please visit www.galvestonparkboard.org.
About the City of Galveston
The City of Galveston provides numerous essential functions for its residents, including water and sewer, emergency services, recreation, and maintaining parks and green spaces. For the beach nourishment projects, the City’s Industrial Development Corp (IDC), funded through the voter-approved 4B Sales Tax, provides matching local funds for Babe’s Beach. The 4B Sales Tax is allocated to four designated silos: beach remediation, economic development, parks and park facilities, and public infrastructure (street, sewer, and drainage). For more information on the City of Galveston, visit
https://www.galvestontx.gov/.
About the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District plays a key role in America’s well-being by keeping waterways open for navigation and commerce along an area spanning 50,000 square miles along the Texas coast from Louisiana to Mexico. The Galveston District provides flood risk management, navigation, and emergency response support; regulatory services; environmental stewardship; and, recreation services. For more information, visit the District’s website at https://www.swg.usace.army.mil.
About the Texas General Land Office
The General Land Office manages state lands, operates the Alamo, helps Texans recovering from natural disasters, generates funding for Texas public education through the Permanent School Fund, provides benefits to Texas Veterans, and manages the vast Texas coast. Under the Coastal Erosion Planning & Response Act (CEPRA), the GLO implements erosion response projects and studies through collaboration and a matching funds partnership with federal, state, and local governments, non-profit organizations, and other potential project partners. To learn more, visit the website at https://www.glo.texas.gov/index.html.
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