SWG-2005-00017 - Galveston Bay Foundation - Galveston County

Full Public Notice    Project Plans

The applicant proposes to extend the time of the previous permit to complete the construction of a previously authorized 3,557-linear-foot breakwater.  The applicant also proposes to include two additional forms of breakwater not previously authorized.  To date 2,520 linear feet of the breakwater has been completed.  The completed portion of the breakwater has been constructed utilizing three different techniques.  These techniques include concrete (900 linear feet), reef balls (1,280 linear feet) and ReefBLK (9,340 linear feet).  The remaining 1,037 feet are proposed to be constructed using the aforementioned techniques and two newly proposed breakwater structures.  Specifically, 100 linear feet of breakwater are proposed to be constructed using an experimental aluminum structure anchored to the bay bottom (named the Walker Breakwater), and 355 linear feet of breakwater are proposed to be constructed from bags of oyster shell to create oyster “bars” to promote natural oyster reef growth.  The remaining 602 linear feet of breakwater could be constructed utilizing any of the methods discussed above.  The purpose of this project is to reduce erosion of a wetland area by dispersing/reflecting wave energy back into  West Galveston Bay thereby enhancing Sweetwater Preserve, a tidally influenced wetland preserve on the west end of Galveston Island.