GALVESTON, January 26, 2000 - In the largest project of its kind in the country, a coalition of local, state and federal government agencies is constructing 4,250 acres of new salt marsh in Galveston Bay.
The new wetlands are being built with dredged materials supplied from the current deepening and widening of the Houston Ship Channel.
The
agencies, which banded together as the Beneficial Uses Group (BUG), conducted
extensive research to determine the environmental, economic and engineering
impacts of possible uses for the dredged sediments. Based on its research,
the Group developed a plan to use the soils as building materials. The
plan includes:
• Construction of 4,250 acres of salt marsh to partially restore
lost wetlands acreage.
• Construction of a six-acre bird-nesting island.
• Construction of an underwater berm to enhance habitation for fish
species.
• Restoration of two previously existing islands: Goat Island in
Buffalo Bayou and Redfish Island in Galveston Bay.
• Construction of access channels and anchorages for recreational
boaters in mid-and lower Galveston Bay.
The marsh construction project, already underway, is particularly important. Marshes are essential to the ecological system of the country. They provide habitat and nesting sites for a variety of marine life and waterfowl. They decrease pollution, help prevent erosion and flooding, and provide recreational opportunities. With the creation of marshes, and the BUG's additional efforts, the Group hopes to improve life on Galveston Bay for all its inhabitants and users.
The Beneficial Uses Group is a subcommittee of the Interagency Coordination Team (ICT), a problem-solving group responsible for the planning, engineering and post-project monitoring of the dredged materials.
Formed in 1990, the Beneficial Uses Group is composed of representatives from the Port of Houston Authority, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the Texas General Land Office.
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