GALVESTON – A major beach restoration project is set to begin on the west end of Galveston Island, where coastal erosion has been claiming nearly seven feet of shoreline each year.
According to a press release issued by the City of Galveston, the CAP 204 West Galveston Beach Nourishment Project will use dredged material from the Galveston Ship Channel to restore 1.83 miles of beach between Sunbather Lane and 11-Mile Road. The project is being carried out in partnership with the Texas General Land Office (GLO), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the Galveston Park Board of Trustees.
“With erosion rates approaching seven feet per year on the west end, this project is essential to protecting our shoreline, homes, and infrastructure,” City Manager Brian Maxwell said in the release. “By partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Texas General Land Office, and the Park Board, we’re turning what would have been discarded dredge material into a meaningful investment in our future.”
The USACE completed a feasibility study prior to construction, which outlined the project’s scope, environmental considerations, and long-term cost. Following that study, the City signed a contract in June with USACE to move forward with construction, which will be performed by Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company. Placement of the dredged material is scheduled to begin in September 2025.
GLO Project Manager Carver Wray noted the project will place an estimated 717,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand along the shoreline.
Shoreline Change Project showing the proposed beach nourishment site. With an erosion rate of 6.86 feet a year in this area, coastal erosion has created a need for this beach renourishment project.
“These beneficial use beach renourishment projects are environmentally and economically responsible ways to use the dredged material from our routine maintenance to benefit local communities,” said Carlos Gomez, USACE Galveston District Public Affairs Chief. “They also improve eroded coastlines by adding more buffer zones to protect our coastal communities against severe storms.”
Texas Land Commissioner Dr. Dawn Buckingham emphasized the long-term importance of the effort.
“Galveston Island was my home for more than a decade, and safeguarding its beautiful beaches is a mission close to my heart,” Buckingham said. “Through our partnership with the City of Galveston and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the GLO will help dramatically reduce the erosion rate at West Galveston Beach, which threatens the beach’s recreational opportunities, wildlife habitats, and storm resilience.”
The project is identified as a Tier 1 priority under the Texas Coastal Resiliency Master Plan, and receives federal authorization through Section 204 of the 1992 Water Resources Development Act.
More information on erosion rates along the Texas coast is available through the University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology’s Texas Shoreline Change Project.
Photo credit: Kevin Rofidal, Creative Commons
KGTX 7 Galveston County 
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