HDR has been selected by the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD) to provide engineering services for the Beaches and Dunes element of the Galveston Bay Barrier System, also known locally as the “Ike Dike”.
The project will deliver approximately 45 miles of nature-based coastal defense structure, designed to reduce storm surge risk and protect infrastructure and ecosystems.
According to HDR, the beach and dune field system will flank The Gate – an approximately 2-mile-long flood gate system between Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula – to support the area’s integrated storm surge protection strategy.
“ USACE selected a nature-based feature to prevent the envelopment of the gates, given the critical habitat and recreational value of Texas’ beaches and dunes in the Galveston Bay area ,” said Timothy Vail , area manager for HDR’s water practice. “This nature-based solution is a critical part of the comprehensive set of risk reduction measures.”
HDR also added that this element is a significant component of the landmark Coastal Texas Project, the single largest civil works project ever authorized by Congress for delivery through a partnership between USACE, GCPD and the Texas General Land Office (GLO).