Posted on February 4, 2021
Project will examine present state of City’s beaches and dunes, and make recommendations for sea level rise adaptation and coastal resiliency.
Integral Consulting is to undertake an assessment of beach and dune conditions at South Padre Island in a Texas Coastal Management Program study funded[1] by the Texas General Land Office and the City of South Padre Island.
The present beach-dune system provides critical protection to the community of the City of South Padre Island from storm waves and elevated water levels. Working closely with the City’s Shoreline Department, Integral plans to evaluate potential beach and dune configurations that will maximize coastal protection, while balancing the competing needs for access, ocean views, and economic development.
Coastal regions throughout the U.S. are experiencing the impacts of increased coastal hazards from flooding, storms, and erosion as well as sealevel rise—and South Padre Island is no exception. This low-relief barrier island located near the Mexican border in southwest Texas is impacted by erosive winter storm events, and infrequent but sometimes damaging hurricanes. Relative sea level rise rates are higher than global averages due to subsidence along the Texas coastline, which exacerbates flooding from rain events and storm waves.
The City of South Padre Island is an international tourist destination, providing a full spectrum of recreational and leisure opportunities, from amusement park rides, and high rise hotel views, to sandcastle building, beach volleyball, fishing, and sailing. The Island has a solid, nature-focused ecotourism sector with turtle conservation and bird watching and is adjacent to the nearby Padre Island National Seashore.
“We are honored to have been selected for this important project that will help protect the City from future coastal hazards,” said Integral Consulting’s Project Manager Patrick Friend, Ph.D., P.G., CCP. “Our aim is to identify areas of potential weakness in the existing beach and dune configuration, and develop a set of recommendations for at least the next 10+ years that can be permitted and streamlined to increase the resiliency of the City of South Padre Island, and to enhance the natural coastal environment.”
Kristina Boburka, Shoreline Director for the City of South Padre Island, said, “The City is excited to begin work on this project with Integral Consulting, and looks forward to the much-needed results of this study so that we can better assess our management strategies with the current beach and dune conditions.”
[1]Funding for this project is 60% federal ($90,000) and 40% local ($60,000).
