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Coastal Communities will see $25 million allotted to Texas beaches
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Texas General Land Office Commissioner Jerry Patterson walked away with an improved budget after a push at the 80th Texas Legislature in May. “This level of funding will allow some long-stalled projects to move forward,” Patterson said in a news release. “This kind of investment in the coast is worthwhile, saving both public infrastructure and tax base from slipping away into the Gulf. "
 After a struggle to find money to repair eroded beaches on South Padre Island this past winter, the Island could see funds from the GLO. The town has been applying for grants from the GLO for a beach renourishment project. “I think we can help them out by spending some of that money,” said Cate Ball, the Island’s town planner. Jim Suydam, GLO press secretary, said the increased funds will have a positive effect for the Island.
“Overall, this is good news for the Texas coast,” he said. “We know that the coast has been poorly funded by the state, and the beaches are sorely in need of it.” An extra $10 million will be distributed through the Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act. The funds are in place and the bidding and application process has begun, Suydam said.
“The GLO was project manager for the Island’s first phase of beach renourishment, which consists more of a “literature review,” Ball said. “But the second phase gets expensive.” The second phase of the renourishment project will cost approximately $800,000, she said. “A ballpark estimate of completely repairing the Island’s beaches will cost roughly $28 million, and that is banking on if we find sand,” Ball said.
Finding good sand sources is something that Suydam agrees is difficult. “One of the first things the Island needs to do is find a nearby sand source,” Suydam said, “and that is not as easy as it looks.”
The GLO hopes support from the Legislature continues for the upkeep of Texas beaches. “Every two years we have to go and beg legislation for funds,” Suydam said. “We want to change that.” In years past, the Texas parks system has taken priority in funding matters, Suydam said.
He believes that the increased publicity on the poor conditions of the Texas parks system created leverage for the parks to receive funding. “We would like for large newspapers to take notice of the conditions of the beaches as well,” Suydam said.
He said an estimated 55 million people visit Texas beaches annually and 10 million visitors attend state parks. “The sad thing is that the Texas coast historically has been neglected,” Suydam said. “And it is our top priority to rectify that.”
The GLO’s goal is to secure permanent funding for the coastal communities. Ideas have included collecting a portion of the sales tax on sporting goods for coastal management. “Over these next two years, we will be studying that idea more closely for a possibility in the 81st Legislation,” Suydam said.
By THERESA NAJERA/Island Breeze
Why invest on the Texas Gulf Coast?
Successful investors understand that real estate is a game of probabilities, not certainties, which is why you must look for converging probabilities before you buy in an area. The Texas Gulf Coast checks out on the key items to consider.
Taking action as an investor is imperative, but difficult. What elements and probabilities should you look for?
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mikead @
Wednesday, June 06, 2007 1:37 PM |
SPI’s officials lack erosion plan
Despite South Padre Island’s beach erosion problem, officials lack a plan to repair lost shoreline after a major hurricane.
“We don’t have a plan for that,” said Clifford Rowell, the town’s fire chief and assistant city manager. “Besides the renourishment projects, there is no method implemented to protect the beaches, besides the dunes that are in place.”
Mayor Robert Pinkerton Jr. agreed.
“Without a sand source, we are at a standstill,” Pinkerton said. “And we are in the process of working with the General Land Office on that.”
Officials agreed that a secure dune line will help in large- and small-scale storms this season.
“We have not planned for total devastation,” Rowell said. “Recovery for us is getting our infrastructure back up.”
This year’s hurricane season is scheduled to stir up plenty of action with an estimated seven to 10 hurricanes developing in the Atlantic Ocean, forecasters predict.
Jesse Haro of the National Weather Service in Brownsville said the El Niño occurrence for 2007 has died down, making the possibility of an active hurricane season more likely.
“With this El Nino phenomenon, it creates a wind sheer over the ocean, which makes it difficult for hurricanes to grow,” Haro said.
This year the Atlantic will not be expecting the effects of El Niño, which will heighten the amount of hurricanes developed this season, he said.
“The southern region of Texas has been lucky in past years,” Haro said. “We have not had a direct hit since 1980.”
Hurricane Beulah in 1967 was a powerful Category 5 with winds recorded on South Padre Island at 136 miles per hour. Research showed that the Island’s delicate ecosystem was considerably changed after the winds and rains of Beulah.
A more recent hurricane that hit the Laguna Madre area was Hurricane Allen in 1980. This storm was also recorded as a Category 5, causing storm surges of 12 feet in Port Mansfield.
Island residents will be faced with the threat of storm surges.
“The biggest issue the Island will have from a direct hit of a Category 2 hurricane will be the effects of storm surges,” Haro said. “This would produce a sea rise of six to eight feet, which would affect a substantial part of the Island — if not the good chunk of the bayside communities. This is why officials evacuate the Island first.”
If the Island suffered a direct hit from a Category 5 hurricane, the beaches would not only suffer erosion but structures would be severely damaged as well.
Town officials met earlier this month to raise awareness of the importance of being hurricane ready and said they are equipped to handle this year’s active storm season.
“We have always called for an evacuation at a Category 2 hurricane,” Rowell said. “And we always plan for one above [Category 3].”
Along with evacuation plans, officials are planning for recovery and damage assessment.
By THERESA NAJERA, Island Breeze |
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