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Protect The Natural Dune Seawall, Our First Line of Defense Against Hurricanes

Protect The Natural Dune Seawall, Our First Line of Defense Against Hurricanes. Richard L. Watson, Ph.D. TexasCoastGeology.com (361) 749-4152. Protect the Dune Seawall, 1970. TexasCoastGeology.com. Poor Beach Management, 2005. TexasCoastGeology.com. Pure Sand Graded from Road.

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Protect The Natural Dune Seawall, Our First Line of Defense Against Hurricanes

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  1. Protect The Natural Dune Seawall, Our First Line of Defense Against Hurricanes Richard L. Watson, Ph.D. TexasCoastGeology.com (361) 749-4152

  2. Protect the Dune Seawall, 1970 TexasCoastGeology.com

  3. Poor Beach Management, 2005 TexasCoastGeology.com

  4. Pure Sand Graded from Road TexasCoastGeology.com

  5. Removing Dune Sand TexasCoastGeology.com

  6. Lost to the Natural Dune Seawall TexasCoastGeology.com

  7. Port Aransas Beach Regulations The City of Port Aransas shall prohibit beach maintenance activities which will result in the SIGNIFICANT REDISTRIBUTION of sand or which will SIGNIFICANTLY ALTER THE BEACH PROFILE. TexasCoastGeology.com

  8. Port Aransas Beach Regulations The City of Port Aransas shall prohibit beach maintenance activities unless maintenance activities will not materially weaken dunes or dune vegetation or reduce the protective functions of the dunes. TexasCoastGeology.com

  9. State Beach Regulations Add Further Limitations All sand moved or redistributed due to beach maintenance activities shall be returned to the area between the line of vegetation and mean high tide. TexasCoastGeology.com

  10. State Beach Regulations Add Further Limitations The General Land Office encourages the removal of litter and other debris by handpicking or raking and strongly discourages the use of machines (except during peak visitation periods) which disturb the natural balance of gains and losses in the sand budget and the natural cycle of nutrients. TexasCoastGeology.com

  11. Violation of Federal Regulations The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has requested that the City of Port Aransas cease dumping sand below the Mean High Water line. To do so, the City needs a federal permit or it is in violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA). TexasCoastGeology.com

  12. New Dune Ridge in 8 Years, 2005

  13. High Dune, Wide Beach Best? • Is a high dune and a wide beach the best protection? • The most important part is the maximum volume, height and width of dunes. • Hurricane surge will quickly cross any width beach and begin eroding the dunes. • We MUST have the largest possible vegetated dune system to buy time for the storm to pass.

  14. How Should We Manage the Beach? • Put a row of bollards in the center of the present road where the trash cans are now. • Narrow the driving lane or move the present bollards seaward. • This will maintain a pedestrian beach, a driving roadway, parking, and allow the dunes to grow. • There is no downside. We maintain the full utility of the beach and get additional hurricane protection at no cost to the City TexasCoastGeology.com

  15. What about the future? • Create a procedure to evaluate future needs, including after a hurricane as well as after further dune growth. • Require that the dunes be allowed to grow. • Create a permanent beach and dune protection board staffed by local citizens and local scientists. • Recognize that our beach is our most important tourist attraction and our dunes are our most important hurricane protection. TexasCoastGeology.com

  16. Vegetated Coppice Dune TexasCoastGeology.com

  17. Protect The Natural Dune Seawall, Our First Line of Defense Against Hurricanes • Our best storm protection is a high and wide natural dune system. • Let nature build it for us, it is free. Richard L. Watson, Ph.D. TexasCoastGeology.com (361) 749-4152

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