Investigation for shoaling reduction along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) at Caney Creek, Sargent, Texas

This US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Regional Sediment Management (RSM) initiative considered alternatives for shoaling reduction in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) in the vicinity of Caney Creek near Sargent, TX (Figure 1). Additionally, new beneficial use (BU) sites were considered along degraded islands adjacent to the GIWW with a threefold objective: increase the quality and quantity of habitat, reduce dredging cost via shorter pump distance, and reduce shoaling in the GIWW through East Matagorda Bay.

CONTRIBUTION OF MATAGORDA BAY MODEL TO DESIGN OF MATAGORDA BAY DEEP DRAFT NAVIGATION PROJECT

The area under discussion in this paper is located on the central Texas coast in the Matagorda Bay area (see Fig 1). Matagorda Bay is one of the larger coastal bays on the Texas coast and is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by a long, narrow barrier beach known as Matagorda Peninsula. The long northeast arm of the bay is divided into two separate bodies of water by the delta of the Colorado River. Natural depths of 11 to 12 feet are available over a large portion of Matagorda Bay. Lavaca and Tres Palacios Bays, arms of Matagorda Bay, have natural depths of 6 to 7 feet.