The Texas Gulf Coast shoreline is ecologically diverse and biologically productive, while also playing a major role in the country’s energy security, with Texas leading the nation in energy production, mainly from crude oil and natural gas. Other critical state and national economic generators along the Texas coast include waterborne commerce, military transportation, chemical manufacturing, commercial fishing, recreation, and tourism.
- Current real property market value on the Texas coast is $600 billion and by 2050 is expected to approach $880 billion.
To support the GLO’s mission to preserve and enhance the state’s coastal natural resources while promoting economic growth, the Commissioner directed the development of a Texas Coastal Resiliency Master Plan (Plan). The Plan is founded on the principle to create resilient coastal communities – the ability of coastal resources and infrastructure to withstand and rebound from natural and human-induced disturbances. Achieving coastal resiliency will reduce the state’s vulnerability to coastal hazards, and protect the state’s coastal assets and environments.
The Texas General Land Office adopted four principles that steered all aspects of planning activity.
- Recognize that the entire state of Texas and the nation will benefit from projects that restore, preserve, protect and manage coastal natural resource areas and coastal community assets.
- Engage in an objective course of action that considers the environmental, economic, cultural and social needs of coastal communities.
- Pursue a partnership-based approach to collaborate with coastal-related public, private and non-governmental sectors.
- Use a thorough, impartial and science-based approach to identify and assess Issues of Concern and project solutions to achieve a resilient coast.
The GLO recognizes that coastal planning is a collaborative effort that involves policy makers, technical experts and other interested parties from all levels of government, non-profit organizations, the private sector and citizens in general. To advance the implementation of the Plan, the GLO will continue to coordinate with public entities that have legislative authorities and mandates involving coastal planning, protection and restoration. These public entities include:
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers;
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency;
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;
- The U.S. Geological Survey;
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department;
- Texas Water Development Board;
- Texas Department of Transportation;
- Railroad Commission of Texas;
- Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board;
- Texas Sea Grant College Program;
- Multiple river authorities; and
- The many coastal communities within the 18 coastal counties in the Coastal Zone Management Act.
The Characterization of Texas’ Coastal Environments
This overview will describe features of the coastal landscape, highlighting the dynamic interactions that take place between the Gulf of Mexico and Texas’ bays and barrier islands. These features form the foundation for coastal ecosystems that provide a range of protective measures and supply various economic benefits to coastal communities, the state, and the nation. All of this underscores the importance of safeguarding what we value.
Features of the Coastal Landscape
Bays and Estuaries
Texas’ coastal region is characterized by eight major bay systems: Sabine Lake, Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay, San Antonio Bay, Aransas Bay, Corpus Christi Bay, Upper Laguna Madre and Lower Laguna Madre. The bay systems are bodies of water that are partially enclosed by land and are separated from the Gulf of Mexico by barrier islands and peninsulas, except for openings (passes and inlets) that allow for water to flow from the Gulf of Mexico into bays.
Barrier Islands and Peninsulas
Along the majority of the Texas coast, there is a near-continuous chain of peninsulas and barrier islands that divides the bays and estuaries from the Gulf of Mexico. Barrier islands are long, relatively narrow offshore deposits of sand and sediment that run parallel to the mainland along the coast, whereas peninsulas also run parallel to the mainland, but are still connected to the mainland. Shallow bays or lagoons divide barrier islands and peninsulas from the mainland. Barrier islands and peninsulas are predominately characterized by a Gulf-facing beach and dune system that gradually slopes down to the interior bayside shoreline, supporting various habitats such as wetlands and tidal flats. The Texas Gulf shoreline has two peninsulas and six barrier islands, including Padre Island, the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world.
Beaches and Dunes
The Gulf-facing beaches and dunes along Texas barrier islands are highly dynamic systems that provide the first line of defense against the destructive impacts of hurricanes and tropical storms on the inland development and sensitive coastal environments.
Texas beaches and dunes also provide valuable tourism and recreation opportunities to Texas residents and visitors and are a strong driver of economic activity throughout the coastal zone. Beaches and dunes provide many economic and social benefits, including flood protection, erosion control, water catchment and purification, habitat and forage for wildlife, tourism, and recreation, and aesthetic views.
Gulf beaches and their dune systems provide natural protection for upland areas and landward structures during storms. Beaches also supply foraging and nesting habitat for wildlife, including threatened and endangered species, such as piping plovers and sea turtles. In addition, migratory birds use sand dunes and barrier islands as landing or resting areas after flying thousands of miles over the Gulf of Mexico.
Coastal Communities & Development
Texas’ greatest coastal asset is its people. The Texas coast consists of a myriad of population centers ranging in size from a major metropolis with greater than 2 million inhabitants to small, sparsely-populated coastal towns.
- Currently, 6.5 million people live in the 18 coastal counties, with projections that over 9 million will live within this area by 2050.
- These counties had a population density of 439 persons per square mile; four times greater than that of the state as a whole.
Population growth and commercial and industrial development is spurred by the unique opportunities and amenities the coast provides.
- Due to this development along the coast, property value can be used as a way to estimate the value of the built environment.
- Over $600 billion of real property was located in the 18 coastal counties, with an aggregated market value of $40.5 million per square mile.
By 2050, the real property market value within the coastal counties is expected to approach $880 billion. The development activity along the coast alters the natural environment to a built environment and, consequently, can affect ecosystems and associated natural processes.
Under the Texas Open Beaches Act, the public has the right to access Texas’ Gulf-facing beaches from the water to the line of mean high tide. The social and economic benefits that coastal communities and the state draw from Texas beaches are based on the recreational values derived from their availability and accessibility.
Coastal erosion results in the loss of property, which may reduce property values and reduce tourism in local communities. Local economies, such as Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston Island, Sargent Beach and South Padre Island, rely on the restoration of beaches and dunes to attract beach visitors, which supports tourism, recreational businesses, and employment and translates to tax revenue for local and state government budgets.
The market appeal of healthy beaches and dunes and ocean views generates extensive residential and commercial development along the coast. Leisure and hospitality services, of which tourism and recreational services are a part, employ 300,000 coastal residents earning in excess of $6 billion yearly.
Over one-quarter of all Texans working in leisure and hospitality services are employed within the state’s 18 coastal counties.
Wide beaches and continuous and robust dune systems provide the first line of defense from storm surge and low-energy waves, mitigating coastal flood damage and shoreline erosion. Healthy dune systems function as natural sand reservoirs for beach nourishment, as sand is moved from the dune to the beach and nearshore waters during storms.
Dunes provide habitat for wildlife within the beach and dune ecosystem and contribute to the overall recreational experience of beach visitors.
Example projects within this Resiliency Strategy include:
- The beach nourishment and dune restoration project on South Padre Island cost $7.2 million.
It is estimated that every dollar spent on a beach nourishment and dune restoration project will generate $1.58 for the county’s economy
and $1.98 at the state level. - The Mustang Island – North Padre Island purchase of undeveloped land project.
The Mustang Island and North Padre Island undeveloped land purchase project proposes to acquire land, development rights, and donate conservation easements to protect essential habitat on Mustang Island and North Padre Island.
- Location: Mustang Island and North Padre Island
- Estimated Project Cost: $500,000 – $1,500,000
Project Benefits:
Dedicated land use precludes development pressure that puts people at risk and avoids future losses from storm events. Preservation of multiple habitat types promotes diversity of wildlife, which contributes to ecotourism and other recreational activities. Open space land use is a preferred method to reduce risk to populations, as it prevents development in high-risk areas, and these open space locations on Mustang Island and North Padre Island promote overall resiliency. Preference will be given to areas that have willing sellers and can be adjoined to existing preserves.
These barrier islands are home to critical habitats that are deteriorating, including tidal flats, beaches, and dunes. It is far more economical to conserve coastal lands than to go through the expense of re-creating these lands in the future.
Mike Stuart, TexasBeachHomes.com