It’s not if, but when, a Category 5 hurricane slams into Galveston Bay in Texas causing billions in destruction, potentially halting 14% of US crude oil refining and affecting 5 million people , say experts at the Houston engineering firm Walter P Moore and Associates and Rice University. , also based there, who are involved in the development of the proposed Galveston Bay Park Plan project: a $6 billion, 22-mile effort to build a chain of islands as a barrier system against the waves of storm to protect the Houston Ship Channel and the west side of Galveston. bay
The barrier would also provide everyday benefits that would improve bay area habitat, improve water quality and provide much needed and rare public accessibility for bay recreation, said Charlie Penland, director of ‘Water P Moore infrastructures. The company is working with the university’s Center for Severe Storm Disaster Prediction, Education and Evacuation.
The proposal, first presented in 2015, calls for a gate structure similar to the one that exists at the Maeslant barrier in Rotterdam, Netherlands, to cross the channel, Penland said. In addition, there would be five more gates along the barrier where the existing canals will allow the passage of pleasure craft and drainage.
The project is part of a master plan for Galveston Bay that includes the coastal spine barrier that the US Army Corps of Engineers is now pushing through the environmental impact study phase to create the seaward barrier along Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula, Walter P Moore said in an emailed response.
“Compatible with [that]Galveston Bay Park Plan will replace planned improvements on the west side of the bay, saving [it] an estimated $2 billion, and eliminating the impact on private and commercial properties that are part of the [Corps] plan,” the statement said.
The proposal work has been funded by several entities, including Harris County, the City of Houston and the Port of Houston. In February, those responsible for the plan met with officials from the General Land Office, which is responsible for public land use, and are now preparing an environmental permit next year.
Sea levels
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Sea Level Rise 2022 Technical ReportSea levels are projected to rise 10 to 12 inches by 2050, creating a massive change in coastal flooding over the next two and a half decades. Another study from Tulane University estimates that sea levels along the southeastern and Gulf coasts of the United States have risen at “record rates” over the past twelve years, about 0.05 inches per year since 2010. Sea level rise.org Predictions also show that sea levels will rise between 12 and 27 inches from 2016 to 2050.
The next Category 5 storm in the area could financially affect the global economy, Penland said.
Ten refineries are located in the Houston area, refining about 14% of US crude oil production or 2.6 million barrels per day. The top three oil producers refine more than 1.6 million barrels per day. “Anything that touches these complexes would be devastating from a national security standpoint. The entire financial world would be adversely affected,” he said.
While still preparing for environmental studies, Penland said the Galveston Bay Park Plan would allow more room for development than the body’s plan to combat rising water levels.
“Because it comes from [university]it’s not tied to specific study guidelines that the Corps of Engineers has to follow … giving us a little more leniency in what we can consider,” Penland said. “So we’re seeing a lot more storms intense than [the Corps]. We are trying to identify ourselves [areas] that are beneficial that the Body cannot necessarily use in its calculations.”
The Corps has “very tight” guidelines on what it can build, including its cost-benefit analysis and government flood statistics, he said.
The project is currently being evaluated to determine if it should be part of the Texas Coastal Surge Protection Plan or otherwise locally funded.
The goal is for the project to start in 2030 or earlier.
