Landowners Initiative: Alternative Methods to Bulkheads and Onshore Rip-Rap for Shoreline Protection

Since the 1940's, the Galveston Bay system has lost over 20% of its marshes. Some areas have been hit even harder, such as the bayside of Galveston Island, with marsh losses upwards of 80%.... Several techniques have been implemented to reduce erosion, including bulkheads and rip-rap placed directly on the shoreline. However, these methods have not focused on restoring or enhancing the remaining wetlands. There have been some innovative efforts in Galveston Bay to deal with shoreline erosion while at the same time creating and restoring marsh. Public lands, including Anahuac and Brazoria National Wildlife Refuges, have built off-shore wave break structures from shell and/or rip-rap rather than placed directly on-shore.... The Galveston Bay Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have developed a project to assist local landowners in using this method of shoreline protection on their property. The goals of this project are to assist local landowners in constructing alternative shoreline treatments for their property by developing protocols and a guidelines packet for communities and private landowners. After field testing the techniques, a final packet will be reproduced and distributed through the Galveston Bay Foundation's participation in public events and in response to the growing number of inquiries of private landowners interested in protecting their property.