The average erosion rate for the 367 miles of Texas coast is 4.1 feet per year.
When the Texas Coast Erodes
- Property values decrease and homes and businesses are lost
- Tourism suffers and local economies feel the impact
- Farming and fishing industries are impacted
- Ports, roads, and industrial infrastructure are at risk
- Without healthy beaches, dunes, and wetlands to protect the coast, there is day-to-day wear and the impact of major storms like Hurricane Ike is far more severe.
View long-term historical change rates of the Texas Coast
Fighting Erosion
As steward of the Texas coast, the Texas General Land Office (GLO) is leading the fight against coastal erosion by implementing coastal erosion response projects and related studies to reduce the effects of and to understand the processes of coastal erosion as it continues to threaten public beaches, natural resources, coastal development, public infrastructure, and public and private property. The GLO works with all coastal stakeholders to fight erosion where it makes economic sense to do so.
The Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act (CEPRA) program and other grant programs at the GLO implement erosion response projects and studies through collaboration and a matching funds partnership with federal, state, and local governments, non-profit organizations, and other potential project partners. Based on a cost/benefit analysis of recently executed CEPRA erosion response projects, the results determined that the state of Texas receives $4 in economic and financial benefits for every dollar of state funding invested in these projects.
The following types of projects are considered for CEPRA funding:
- beach nourishment on both Gulf of Mexico and bay beaches
- shoreline stabilization
- habitat restoration and protection
- dune restoration
- beneficial uses of dredged material for beach nourishment, habitat restoration, etc.
- coastal erosion related studies and investigations
- demonstration projects
- structure relocation and debris removal
Funding Opportunities (texas.gov)
Reports required by Texas Legislature about the CEPRA program
CEPRA report to the 88th Texas Legislature
2020 Coastwide Erosion Response Plan