Public meetings are set to be held in Texas now that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has determined a 70-mile coastal barrier plan, dubbed the “Ike Dike,” is the best way to protect the state’s coastline from future storm surges.
The USACE developed the plan over three years in partnership with the Texas General Land Office. It could carry a billion price tag, and is modeled after a proposal put forth after Hurricane Ike devastated southeast Texas in 2008.
The barrier would include a system of levees and sea gates beginning north of High Island and running along Bolivar Peninsula and Galveston Island, and then ending at San Luis Pass. Gates that would only close when a storm surge is imminent would be constructed to accommodate navigation to the ports of Houston, Galveston and Texas City.
The USACE’s report outlines concerns about the barrier’s potential impact on wetlands and on the salinity of estuaries, which in turn could disrupt local wildlife. A final feasibility report and environmental impact study is expected in 2021; it would then be sent to Congress for funding consideration.
