Dredge and Fill Activitiesin Galveston Bay

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Galveston BayNational Estuary Program

GBNEP-28April 1993

Dredge and Fill Activitiesin Galveston Bay

printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink

Dredge and Fill Activitiesin Galveston Bay

George H. Ward,Principal Investigator

Center for Research in Water ResourcesThe University of Texas at Austin

The Galveston Bay National Estuary Program

Publication GBNEP-28April, 1993

in

This project has been funded in part by the United States EnvironmentalProtection Agency under assistance agreement # CE-006550-01 to the Texas WaterCommission. The contents of this document do not necessarily represent theviews of the United States Environmental Protection Agency or the Texas WaterCommission, nor do the contents of this document necessarily constitute theviews or policy of the Galveston Bay National Estuary Program ManagementConference or its members. The information presented is intended to providebackground information, including the professional opinion of the authors, forthe Management Conference deliberations in drafting of official policy in theComprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). The mention oftrade names or commercial products does not in any way constitute anendorsement or recommendation for use.

IV

Policy Committee

The Honorable Rodney Ellis, ChairTexas Senate

Mr. John HallChair,

Texas Water Commission

Mr. James BlackburnFounding Chairman,

Galveston Bay Foundation

Mr. Charles MillerPast Chairman of the Board

Greater Houston Partnership

Vice-ChairRegional Administrator, EPA Region 6

Ms. Terry HersheyVice-Chair,Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission

Mr. Charles W. JennessChair,Texas Water Development Board

Local Governments Advisory CommitteeThe Honorable Ray Holbrook, Chair

Management CommitteeMr. Myron 0. Knudson, Chair Ms. Barbara Britton, Vice-Chair

Scientific/Technical Advisory CommitteeDr. Robert McFarlane, Chair Ms. Teresa Battenfield, Vice-Chair

Citizen's Advisory Steering CommitteeMs. Sharron Stewart, Chair Mr. Ron Embry, Vice-Chair

Galveston Bay Public ForumDr. Don Bass, Chair

Program DirectorDr. Frank S. Shipley

The Galveston Bay National Estuary Program

Texans increasingly express their expectations for a clean environment in termsof entire ecosystems. Until recently, our tendency was to view environmentalproblems in isolated pieces we could understand—indeed this view wasinstitutionalized (and seemingly immortalized) in an elaborate mosaic offragmented jurisdictions. The Galveston Bay National Estuary Program(GBNEP) is a forerunner in elevating hands-on management of coastalenvironments to the level of the ecosystem; and in doing so, is encouraging anintegration of traditionally disparate institutions.

The GBNEP was established under the authority of the Water Quality Act of 1987to develop a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) forGalveston Bay. The purpose of the CCMP is to address threats to the Bayresulting from pollution, development, and overuse. To address these threats,five years of work commenced in 1990, consisting of three phases: (1)Identification of the specific problems facing the Bay; (2) A Bay-wide effort tocompile data and information to describe status, trends, and probable causesrelated to the identified problems; and (3) Creation of the CCMP itself to enhancegovernance of the Bay at the ecosystem level. The GBNEP is accomplishing thiswork through a cooperative agreement between the U.S. EPA (Region 6) and theState of Texas (administered by the Texas Water Commission).

The structure of the GBNEP reflects a strong commitment to consensus-buildingamong all Galveston Bay user groups, government agencies, and the public. TheGBNEP "Management Conference" consists of six Governor-appointedcommittees with broad representation, totaling about one hundred individuals.Meetings of these committees are also open to the public, and public participationin policy-setting and in Bay management are considered strengths of theprogram. When submitted to the Governor of Texas in late 1994, the CCMP willreflect thousands of hours of involvement (much in the form of volunteer time) byindividuals who in various ways use, enjoy, or help govern this vital coastalresource.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Page

List of Figures xi

List of Tables x vi

Preface xix

Frontispiece - Fishing map of Galveston Bay ca. 1938 xxi

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1

1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 7

2. DREDGE-AND-FILL ACTIVITIES PRIOR TO WORLD WAR II 112.1 Nineteenth Century Navigation Projects 11

2.1.1 Inlet stabilization 112.1.2 Navigation channels 11

2.2 Twentieth Century Navigation Projects 182.2.1 The Houston Ship Channel 182.2.2 Other navigation channels 202.2.3 The Dikes 29

2.3 Non-navigation projects 292.3.1 Galveston 292.3.2 Tributaries 302.3.3 The shell dredging industry 322.3.4 Closure of Turtle Bay 33

3. MODERN FEDERAL PROJECTS IN GALVESTON BAY 353.1 Compilation of USCE dredging data 35

3.1.1 The data base 353.1.2 Data processing 40

3.2 Federal dredging activity in Galveston Bay 413.3 Dredged material disposal 97

4. MODERN NON-FEDERAL DREDGE-AND-FILL ACTIVITIES INGALVESTON BAY 1034.1 Compilation of Section 404 permit data 1054.2 Section 10/404 permit activity in the Galveston Bay region 1074.3 Estimates of dredge-and-fill activities authorized by

Section 10/404 permits 126

IX

TABLE OF CONTENTS(continued)

Section Page

5. DREDGE-AND-FILL ACTIVITIES: SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION 1455.1 Physiographic alterations 145

5.1.1 Navigation channels and dredging 1465.1.2 Disposal areas 1515.1.3 Shell dredging 1555.1.4 Siltation and subsidence 157

5.2 Effects of dredge-and-fill activity 1675.2.1 Hydrographic effects of dredge-and-fill activities ....1675.2.2 Habitat effects of dredge-and-fill activities 172

5.3 Conclusions 1785.4 Recommendations 182

REFERENCES 185

APPENDIX A - SUPPORTING DATA 189

APPENDIX B - DIGITAL DATA BASE .. ..233