GALVESTON — Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced that the Galveston Seawall Beach and Dune Habitat Restoration project received the “Best Restored Beaches in America for 2018 award” from the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA). The Galveston Seawall Restoration project will be recognized at the 2019 Coastal Summit Program in Washington D.C., March 12-14.

 “Our Texas beaches are a crucial part of our communities,” said Commissioner Bush. “The restoration of these beaches not only assures our coastal resiliency but restores recreation areas that thousands of Texans enjoy each year. The Texas General Land Office is honored to partner with the Galveston Park Board of Trustees. Their contribution to this project will impact not only the Galveston community, but also our great state."

Prior to 2017, the historic Galveston Seawall area had not seen a major restoration project for almost 23 years. In 1994, 710,000 yds3 of sand were placed along the seawall. This original project is recognized as the first Gulf of Mexico beach nourishment project in Texas. Fourteen years later in 2008, the impacts of Hurricane Ike resulted in an emergency placement project (approximately 500,000 yds3 in 2008/2009) to reestablish a sand beach in front of the original sections of the seawall. This was necessary to protect the untreated piles supporting those original seawall sections. These emergency actions were primarily focused on providing structural support and protection to the seawall; and had relatively nothing to do with enhancing a public beach.

Restoration of the Galveston Seawall gained national recognition because it was the very first beach project of any kind implemented on the Texas coast that exceeded 1,000,000 yds3 of sand. It is by far the largest project ever implemented in Texas.

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