The Dynamic Texas Coast
One of the most productive and ecologically
distinctive shorelines in the world
Being reshaped by both natural and man-made
forces
From Mexico to Louisiana
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The Texas shoreline
has 7 barrier islands:
Follets, Galveston,
Matagorda, St.
Joseph's, Mustang,
Padre and Brazos.
367 miles of Gulf
shoreline and 3,300
miles of bay-estuarylagoon shores
Home to Cities and People
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25% of Texans live in
the 18-county coastal
region
Economics of the Texas Coast
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Fisheries, ports, tourism and abundant recreational
activities have made the Texas Coast invaluable to
the state economy
Chemical and Petroleum
Industry
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The Houston
region has one of
the largest
concentrations of
chemical plants
and oil refineries
in the world
Commercial Fishing
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$170 million annually
in shrimp, red
snapper, eastern
oyster, black drum
and other aquatic life
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Shrimp
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68% of U.S. total comes
from Gulf States
Louisiana - 106.2 million
pounds (mp)
Texas - 75.2 mp
Florida (W. Coast) - 18.5
mp
Alabama -14.4 mp
Mississippi - 16.8 mp
Recreational Fishing
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Salt water sport fishing
generates $2 billion
annually
The number of annual
saltwater fishing permits
increased over 7% from
1997 to 2004
More than 300 fish species have been identified off the
Texas coastline
Texas Ports
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16 major ports
Generate over $9 billion
in federal tax revenue
473 million tons of cargo
handled by Texas ports
in 2003
1,000 miles of channels
maintained by the Army
Corps of Engineers
Port of Houston
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Second largest port in U.S.
¾ Ranked first in the U.S in
foreign waterborne
commerce
¾ 200 million tons of cargo
and 7,057 vessels in 2005
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First port in the U.S. to
receive ISO 14001
Certification
Largest U.S. petrochemical
complex
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More than 287,000 jobs
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$30 billion in economic
impact
Tourism
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Tourists spend more than $7.5 billion annually
for beaches, bird watching, fishing, the mild
winter and colorful local history
Cruising from Galveston Bay
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One million people have
sailed from the Port of
Galveston since 2000
Cruise ships contribute
more than $445 million per
year to the Texas economy
Coral Reefs
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The Flower Garden Banks
National Marine Sanctuary
Northernmost coral reefs on
North American continent
110 miles southeast of
Galveston
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100 and 250 acres, were
designated a marine
sanctuary in 1992
Sport and scientific diving
Coastal Issues
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Erosion
Habitat loss
Non-point source pollution
Ecosystem Services
The #1 enemy : Erosion
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Some of the highest
erosion rates in the nation
United States Army Corps
of Engineers estimates
60% of the Texas shore is
eroding, 33% stable and
7% is advancing
Up to 10 feet of shoreline
loss per year
225 Texas acres of topsoil
wash into the Gulf each
year
Long-term Erosion
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Caused by sea
level rise and lack
of new sediment
Affects 64% of the
shoreline
Impacts of Erosion
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Decreases natural weather
resistance
Limits access to the beach
Negatively affects tourism
Loss of existing property
Loss of future growth
Episodic Erosion
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Caused by hurricanes
and storms
Galveston Hurricane of 1900
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Category 4
6,000 + dead
One-third of city destroyed
2005 North Atlantic Hurricane
Season
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Most hurricanes on
record
Strongest hurricane in
Gulf (Rita)
Most intense tropical
cyclone recorded in N.
Atlantic (Wilma)
Most category 5 storms
Most expensive
hurricane recovery in
U.S. history (Katrina)
Wetlands/Habitat Loss
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Wetlands support 60 –
90% of commercial
fisheries in the U.S.
Recognized for their
value to human health
and economics
Protected by the USACE
Aransas National Wildlife
Refuge in Texas is the
migration ground of most
of the world's whooping
cranes in the wild
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Padre Island National
Seashore in Texas is the
nation's longest stretch of
undeveloped beach
Rapid development is
leading to a loss of habitat
Pollution
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More than 500 tons of
trash washes ashore
each year along the
Texas coast
Significant progress has
been made to combat
point source pollution
Non-point source
pollution such as runoff
from roads, agricultural
byproducts and lawn
fertilizers, still pose a
threat
Governing the Coast
Federal Managers
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U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE)
¾ National Park Service
(NPS)
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U.S. Department of
Homeland Security
National Oceanic &
Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA)
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Department of the Interior
Federal Emergency
Management Agency
(FEMA)
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Department of
Commerce
Federal Highway
Administration (FHA)
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Department of
Transportation
State Managers
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Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)
Texas General Land Office (GLO)
Texas Coastal Management
Program
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To improve management of the state's coastal resources
and ensure long-term ecological and economic
productivity within the framework of the federal Coastal
Zone Management Program
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The TCMP is overseen by the Coastal
Coordination Council, which is
comprised of members of state agencies
and four gubernatorial appointees
Texas Beach Watch Program
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¾ Locally controlled
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health of gulf waters, to
ensure that beaches are
safe for swimmers,
surfers, sailors and
fishermen
¾ Look for signs on local
beaches
Texas Coastal 2020
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A long-term, state-wide
initiative under the GLO
to unite local, state and
federal efforts to
promote the
environmental and
economic health of the
Texas coast
Laws in place to protect the
coast
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Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972
Coastal Barrier Resources Act of 1982
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Texas Open Beaches Act
Dune Protection Act
Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act
Coastal Zone Management
Act
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Enacted in 1972 to create
a voluntary federal-state
partnership for preserving
the nation’s coastal
resources using federal
funds
The Texas Coastal
Management Plan
(TCMP) was finalized in
1997
Coastal Barrier Resources
Act
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186 protected units,
452,834 acres
Discourages
development by
prohibiting federal
insurance monies
Texas Open Beaches Act
(TOBA)
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State-owned land
extends from the line
of vegetation to the
beach and out 10.3
miles into the Gulf
Goals include: beach
maintenance,
preservation and
enhancement
Dune Protection Act
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Established a dune protection line up to 1,000 feet
landward of mean high tide
Requires a permit from the county, which must be
approved by the GLO
Coastal Erosion Planning and
Response Act (CEPRA)
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To protect, maintain
and restore erosion
afflicted beaches
Awards grants to public
and private entities that
can provide a 15%
minimum in-kind match
Monitoring the Texas Bays
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NOAA’s National Ocean
Service (NOS) collects
and distributes
observations and
predictions of water level,
temperature and currents
to ensure safe, efficient
and environmentally
sound maritime
commerce
Federal Energy Bill
¾ $60 million dollars per year for 4 years is
allocated for Texas projects beginning
2007
¾ 65% of the $240 million total will go to
state agencies and the remaining 35% to
coastal counties based on coastal
frontage, population and proximity to oil
and gas production
The Center for Texas Beaches
and Shores (CTBS)
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Established in 1993 at Texas A&M University at
Galveston to address beach erosion and
wetlands loss in Texas
Addressing erosion, seaweed, ecosystem
services and much more
http://www.tamug.edu/ctbs
References
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http://www.epa.gov/gmpo/about/facts.html
http://www.gulfbase.org
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/GG/
rrg7.html
http://www.texasports.org/
http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/film/regionalinfo
/locations/location-coast_html
http://www.dscpix.com/Oil%20Patch/Mac/OP-REFINECHEM/index.html
http://flowergarden.noaa.gov/images/Tmadracis.JPG
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http://www.texasopenbeaches.org/
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