Posted on October 3, 2017
By Olivia Pulsinelli, Houston Business Journal
The Houston Ship Channel reopened within days of Hurricane Harvey’s tropical storms leaving the area, but work still needs to be done to address the damages left behind.
At its monthly meeting this week, the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority proactively approved an additional payment of up to $2 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Harvey-related dredging expenses, according to a press release.
“We are in desperate need of additional relief to properly dredge the channel so that it can accommodate normal commerce at its authorized depth and width,” Commission Chairman Janiece Longoria said at the meeting, per the release.
The massive flooding carried silt into the channel and deposited 10 feet of sediment in some places, Longoria said, per the release. The Transportation Institute found that the U.S. economy could lose millions of dollars per year due to a reduction in the channel’s depth, per the release.
“The floodwater coming through our system deposited tons and tons of silt into the Houston Ship Channel and throughout Galveston Bay,” Longoria said, per the release.
But instead of just returning the channel to its pre-storm depth and width, Longoria also wants to make it more efficient and more resilient for the future.
Port Houston and its hundreds of employees remained idled for several days as Harvey moved through the area and emergency responders continued to monitor the widespread flooding. The situation delayed the delivery of tons of commodities integral to the global economy. The port reopened for business on Sept. 1, beginning with truck operations.
Commerce is flowing through the ship channel, but some restrictions still remain in place, Longoria said. As of Sept. 28, Port Houston’s website lists restrictions above the Interstate 610 (Sidney Sherman) bridge and the Turning Basin upstream of City Dock 13 and City Dock 2.
Source: Houston Business Journal
