Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Offatts Bayou, Texas. Final environmental statement.

Date

1971

Authors

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District

Abstract

The navigation project provides for construction of a 12 x 125 ft. shallow draft channel extending from the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway into Offatts Bayou, a distance of about 2.2 miles, located in Galveston County, Texas. Material dredged from the Offatts Bayou section will be deposited on land north and west of the Galveston Municipal Airport, avoiding the marshes insofar as possible. The proposed channel is expected to improve circulation into the Bayou with probable improvement for marine life. The plan will reduce the probability of marine accidents which endanger life, property and the fishery resources in the area. Material dredged from the west Galveston Bay section will be pumped into existing unleveed open-water disposal areas. This will impair water circulation to some extent and remove some productive shallow bay bottoms, thus reducing estuarine nursery and waterfowl habitats. Although the proposed leveed disposal areas will temporarily eliminate a portion of the upland wildlife habitat, the vegetation is capable of rapid growth. Disposal on the existing areas in the bay will temporarily eradicate aquatic vegetation. Short-term, localized turbidity in the bay will result from dredging and disposal operations.

Description

31 pgs.

Keywords

ship canals, channels, navigational channels, environmental conditions, dredging, dredge spoil

Citation