Hurricane Ike Debris Removal, Dike and Outlet Structure Construction, Galveston and Chambers Counties
Hurricane Ike, the third most destructive hurricane to hit the U.S., severely damaged much of the landscape and buildings of Galveston, Texas. Several areas along the Port Bolivar section of the Gulf Coast Intracoastal Waterway that are designated as dredged material placement areas (as well as nearby Wildlife Management Areas along the Trinity River in Wallisville) were heavily impacted by hurricane debris. Many of these placement areas were rendered unusable for dredged material placement until cleared of debris and repaired. This posed a problem because the waterway requires near constant dredging to maintain the depths required for commercial shipping craft. Similarly, Galveston Ferry landings also require regular dredging to remain operable. Without functional placement areas for dredged material, dredging operations essentially halted in the waterway, threatening the important economic lifeline for the recovering Gulf Region.
Despite complex logistics and harsh site conditions, The Conti Group, the project’s GC/CM, rapidly cleared the wide variety of debris and household hazardous waste and restored the Port Bolivar dredged material placement areas into working order. Crews also cleared debris at the marsh and swamps at the Wallisville site.