GALVESTON (Associated Press) – A year after Hurricane Ike destroyed thousands of homes in Galveston, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has announced a $135.4 million plan to fight beach erosion and defend the coast against hurricanes.
Patterson said the plan marks the biggest effort of its kind in Texas history.
Work will begin immediately on 26 projects spanning the Texas coastline. The biggest will be a more than $46 million beach renourishment that will replace sand over a six-mile stretch from the west end of Galveston’s seawall.
Other projects include $32 million to restore dunes along 20 miles of beaches that protect the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge, $18.3 million to rebuild dunes on Bolivar Peninsula and a $1 million test project on South Padre Island that will place concrete-filled tubes underwater in beaches on the north end. The tubes will slow erosion by retaining sand usually lost to waves and currents.
Patterson said the state is allocating $25 million for the effort. Matching funds from local communities and the federal government bring the total to more than $135 million.
