Facing increasing periods of drought and flooding, the ever-present threat of devastating hurricanes and a rising population with increased water demands, Texas urgently needs to make critical investments to restore, protect and enhance the health of its Gulf coastal estuaries and communities.
The long-term health and productivity of the state’s coastal estuaries depend on the continued flow of fresh water to the bays from the rivers that feed them. Healthy marsh vegetation and oyster reefs provide habitat for many species and storm protection for coastal communities, but these systems require adequate freshwater inflows to survive, particularly during times of drought.
In total, Texas is certain to receive more than $900,000 dollars that can be used for restoration as a result of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. With a competitive grants process in place, about a quarter of these funds have already been awarded or are in the process of being committed to projects that include purchasing key parcels of land, restoring nesting habitats for birds, monitoring sea turtle populations and rebuilding oyster reefs. The remaining money will become available over the next decade and a half.
Galveston Bay Oyster Reef Restoration and Enhancement
In 2008, sediment from Hurricane Ike destroyed up to 60 percent of the oyster reefs in Galveston Bay. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey’s large influx of fresh water caused oyster mortality rates in the bay ranging from 50 to 100 percent. Galveston’s East Bay was particularly badly affected by Hurricane Harvey. This project will result in on-the-ground restoration of up to 400 acres of oyster reef in Galveston Bay. This project would build off of a NRDA study identifying the best locations and sizes for reef restoration as well as a small-scale ‘source and sink’ project funded by NFWF.
Project Status:
Conceptual > Feasibility & Planning > Engineering & Design > Under Construction > Completed
Read More
Mad Island Shoreline Protection and Ecosystem Restoration
The Mad Island Marsh Preserve has experienced high erosion rates of 5 to 10 feet per year since the construction of the Gulf Coast Intracoastal Waterway. The goal of the project is to install 2.3 miles of a nearshore breakwater to reduce persistent erosion at the Mad Island Marsh Preserve. Slowing shoreline loss is critical in maintaining the salinity gradient in this estuarine system and protecting marsh integrity within the Mad Island Wildlife Management Area, in order to benefit nursery habitat for many species. This project supports part of an larger ongoing effort to protect over 6,000 acres of coastal prairie and marsh habitat at Mad Island Marsh Preserve.
Project Status:
Conceptual > Feasibility & Planning > Engineering & Design > Under Construction > Completed
Read More
Matagorda Bay Tributary Inflow Protection
Freshwater inflows to the Matagorda Bay system are continuing to decline dramatically from historical levels as more and more water is impounded and withdrawn for use upstream of the coast. Purchasing as much as 10,000 acre-feet a year of existing water rights on tributary streams to Tres Palacios Bay would improve conditions for oysters and near-shore aquatic species within the estuarine portion of the Tres Palacios River and would enhance approximately 840 acres of wetland habitat adjacent to that section of the river. The project will also benefit the ecological health of the entire Matagorda Bay estuary system by protecting these types of habitats—and the species that rely on them—during times of drought when other inflows to the system are significantly reduced.
Project Status:
Conceptual > Feasibility & Planning > Engineering & Design > Under Construction > Completed
Read More
Showing 1 - 3 of 3 results