Evaluation and Recommendations for Using Geotextile Tubes for Shore Protection in Texas

The Texas Gulf of Mexico shoreline is a popular location for those who enjoy the beaches and beauty of the coast. Tourism is an important industry that contributes greatly to the local and state economies. New shorefront homes add to the local tax base. However, living at the shoreline comes at a price. The Texas Gulf beaches are subjected to hurricanes and tropical storms where elevated tides and waves can remove large quantities of beach and dune sands in a matter of hours (Hayes, 1967). Long-term erosion, while not an obvious threat, continues to whittle away at the beaches too (McGowen et al, 1977). Local and state agencies are responsible for managing an eroding shoreline, and in Texas, that is not an easy task because some methods for protecting private shorefront structures and infrastructure can impede public beach access and contribute to beach erosion.