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Jamaica Beach leaders discuss beach restoration

A Jamaica Beach police vehicle helps block beach access, July 12, 2024, after Hurricane Beryl caused substantial damage to the West End community.

Posted on January 13, 2025

JAMAICA BEACH

Aldermen of the small island town Thursday considered a beach nourishment plan for the first time in the city’s history after Hurricane Beryl left it without dunes.

Jamaica Beach’s dunes were obliterated by the storm, leaving the town without its natural defense against storm surge, City Administrator Kendal Francis said. Jamaica Beach leaders Thursday night discussed placing ropes along the beach to naturally build a dune but didn’t make a decision at the meeting to allow city staff to review options.

The beach town of summer homes, short-term rentals and about 1,000 residents spans less than a square mile of Galveston Island’s far West End. The city’s beaches faced some of the worst erosion on the island in July during Hurricane Beryl.

“The landscape of our beach has changed dramatically,” Francis said.

Officials seemed to agree on avoiding spending city money on building a dune in favor of something that would allow the beach to naturally build a dune, like a rope barrier.

“My recommendation is we approve pulling the dune fencing now to be prepared for spring break,” Mayor Sharon Bower said. “I personally like the idea of having the rope designation that anything past this is dune restoration.”

Beach erosion in Galveston was the worst on the West End July 8 when Hurricane Beryl brought a tornado through the area that destroyed roofs, houses, trees and power lines. The storm surge brought inches of sand from the beach to yards. And trash and tree debris remained in the area for weeks.

Two weeks later, six consecutive days of rain brought even more hardship to the community. Jamaica Beach has 3,200 linear feet of beach, Francis said.

Bringing in sand for dune restoration is not out of the question, Francis said. It would be the first time the city has done so.

The suggestion of placing ropes would in turn prevent people from being able to do activities in those areas and allow nature to start restoring the dunes, according to the city.

The city doesn’t have any specific projects lined out as far as dune restoration. The point of the Thursday agenda item was to get some discussion from the council on how they would envision moving forward.

The city has set aside about $75,000 for the project, which could include improving the beach’s aesthetics by removing old fence posts and unnecessary signage along the beachfront.

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