Richard L. Watson, Ph.D., P.G.

1
Hurricane Ike Wiped Entire Towns off of the Map.
Are We Safer in Port Aransas?
Hurricane Ike 01-15 September 2008Movie prepared
by Donovan Landreneau, meteorologist, NWS
Richard L. Watson, Ph.D., P.G. Consulting
Geologist, TexasCoastGeology.com
2
Hurricane Ike Landfall Radar Sept 11-15, 2008
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Ike Tropical Storm force winds 275 miles wide!
Strong Category 2 Wind 110 mph, gusting to 130
mph
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Ikes diameter was huge!
TexasCoastGeology.com
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TexasCoastGeology.com
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TexasCoastGeology.com
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Rollover Pass, June 16, 2006
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Rollover Pass, September 15, 2008
Only one house remains!
TexasCoastGeology.com
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One house left in Gilchrist
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Last House at Gilchrist, TX
Photo from TGLO
TexasCoastGeology.com
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You have to be kidding!
TexasCoastGeology.com
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They are called mobile homes
TexasCoastGeology.com
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TexasCoastGeology.com
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The Breakers,1906 Built 1884
TexasCoastGeology.com
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The Breakers, 1998
TexasCoastGeology.com
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The Breakers before Ike
Google Earth
After 1998
Before 1998
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The Breakers after Ike
Gone
Old Foundation
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Dredging Rates
290,000 cubic yards lost to beaches each year
through Rollover Pass
2.5 million dump trucks so far
From Bales and Holley, 1989
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The General Land Office is doing a good job
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Crystal Beach before Ike, Google Earth
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Crystal Beach after Ike, Oct. 28, 2008
TexasCoastGeology.com
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This was full of houses
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Homes were here too!
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Balinese Club September 15, 2008The seawall did
its job!
TexasCoastGeology.com
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West Galveston before Ike, Google Earth
TexasCoastGeology.com
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West Galveston, Sept. 15, 2008
TexasCoastGeology.com
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This Galveston house used to have a garage!
TexasCoastGeology.com
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The ramp shows where the dune was before the
storm. New sand has been dumped to replace it.
TexasCoastGeology.com
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This is real optimism!
TexasCoastGeology.com
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This was a Galveston street
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Galveston East Jetty
30 million cubic yards lost to beaches (5 million
dump trucks)
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Road on Follets Island Sept. 15, 2008
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Road on Folletts Island
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Folletts Island homes Sept. 15, 2008
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Cross bracing is a good idea!
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Surfside homes on beach Apr. 26, 2007
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Surfside after Ike Oct. 28, 2008
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Below the vegetation line, but still have spirit!
TexasCoastGeology.com
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The Octagon, 1969
From Surfriders website
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The Octagon, 2000
From Surfriders website
From Surfriders website
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H. Ike Dune Erosion N. Padre Island
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Loader Removing Ike Sand Padre Balli Park
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Sand from Ike dumped at waters edge, Padre Balli
Park
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Removing Potential Dune Sand
Hurricane Rita Berm
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Hurricane Rita sandLost to the Natural Dune
Seawall
Thousands of dump trucks!
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Hurricane Ike berm being removed by City of Port
Aransas
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Dumping the sand from Ike berm by the water, City
of Port Aransas
TexasCoastGeology.com
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This widens beach at expense of dunesCity of
Port Aransas
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Ike sand berm pushed up against dunes, City of
Port Aransas
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Dumping Between Ridges
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Stacking Sand behind dune ridges builds the dunes
stronger, 3/6/2009
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Mid-stacking sand between dune ridges 3/6/2009
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Disposal behind foredune ridge makes dunes
stronger - April, 2008
Seaweed Sand
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Narrow beach means little future dune growth

• A wide section of dry beach needed as sand source
  for dune growth
• We no longer have a wide beach
• The foredunes will no longer grow
• Beach erosion and shoreline retreat now means
  loss of the existing foredune ridges
• The new 350 ft. setback for Nueces County was
  very wise

TexasCoastGeology.com
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Gulf Shorelines in Texas Are Retreating Because

• Long Jetties permanently trap sand, starving
  downdrift beaches and compartmentalizing the
  coast.
• Reservoirs trap river sand that previously flowed
  to the coast.
• Reservoirs reduce the maximum flood velocity of
  rivers.
• Sand is permanently lost through inlets.

TexasCoastGeology.com
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Gulf Shorelines in Texas Are Retreating Because

• River mouths have been diverted, moving the delta
  to a new location.
• Rivers have been diverted from the Gulf into the
  bays.
• The Rio Grande has been turned off.
• Groundwater extraction has caused subsidence.
• Sea level rise moves shorelines landward.

TexasCoastGeology.com
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Hurricane Carla Wind Field, 1961
Miles O. Hayes, 1967
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Dune Erosion by Carla, 1961 Dunes eroded back
200 ft on Mustang I.
Miles O. Hayes, 1967
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Hurricane Carla Inundation, 1961
Carla Surge 8-9 ft. at Port Aransas, dunes not
breached
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Hurricane Beulah Inundation 1967
Beulah surge about 8 ft., dunes not breached
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Hurricane Celia Inundation Port Aransas 1970
Celia surge at Port Aransas about 10 ft. Dunes
not breached.
TexasCoastGeology.com
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All Tropical Storms Since 1851
TexasCoastGeology.com
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Even Ike cant kill Texas spirit!
Richard L. Watson, Ph.D., P.G. Consulting
Geologist TexasCoastGeology.com [phone]
Thats All, Folks!