Artificial Reef - Mustang Island

The article is in the paper that came out this morning. I read it last night and found it to be a good, well written article. I believe it's in the range of page 5,6 or 7. Go check it out everybody, write a letter to the editor, etc. whatever you can to increase exposure and show support for the article and future articles by letting the writer know you appreciate it. You can pick up the Port A South Jetty at their offices across from the Back Porch, at any service station across town, etc.

--JUSTIN

Update ARS Reef Mustang Island,

As promised I am posting up recent developments. I met today with Ken Ragan Operations Manager for Mustang Island State Park.

I had spoke to him on the phone a couple of times and we finally had a chance to get together and review the project.

As operations manager he is not the person that can authorize such a project, but I wanted to meet with him and make him aware of what we are trying to do so when Austin calls he can say he is aware of what is going on.

And Austin has in fact called. Dale Shivley the Project Manager for the OFFSHORE Reefs Programs got wind of it and asked him what he knew. Thankfully he was able to respond.

Ken is very receptive to the concept and was able to give me some information on where I could get the easiest funding. I am going to work on that immediately.

Looks like funding IS available through the GLO. TPWD may or may not have funds for this type of project. Yet to be determined.

I received another call from Juan Garcia's office today. His assistant is to confirm an appointment with he, John Hearin of ASR and I.

July 18th I am on the agenda for the Nueces County Beach Management Meeting.

So, we are inching forward.

More Information shall be posted up after I investigate funding and next weeks meeting.

Coastal Ben

Man that is incredible, it sounds like the ground swell is picking up on this....sorry I couldn't resist the pun. I have a good feeling this thing could really pick up some major steam, and that is great.

Did anyone get a chance to read the article in the South Jetty?

Ben, did you garner any good info from the July 18th meeting?

The whole meeting was about the removal of dead sea weed from the beachs. All these business people wanting it removed. so more people will frequent the beach.

The Corp of Engineers wants it left so it would build beach. That is just a Stop Gap measure, one tropical storm and it would be washed over the dunes.

Mustang Island is not removing ANY of its seaweed to mitigate erosion. Their park attendance seems to be second to maintaining beach.( which it should).So they want an alternative.

I and the ASR guy are going to Austin to meet with TPWD and Juan Garcia in August. Hopefully we get can get in front of some decision makers and gain some ground.

Coastal Ben

are you saying they should or shouldnt remove the seaweed?

Down Island , it should be left on the beach. It DOES help retain sand.

At areas that need site specific protection for both economic/recreational needs, an alternative like a reef should be employed.

Seaweed levels are out of control due to the nitrate runoff from our adjacent agricultural operations. So seaweed levels on the beach are going to reduce the recreational attractions to the beachs and subsequent economic impacts to be effected as well.

I think we need a town hall meeting in port a with the guy from ASR to review the community on the various aspects of coastal management.

I'll contact the City of Port A and if I can get a meeting while John Hearin is here, I'll get Dan at the port a south jetty to put an announcement in the paper...

CB

Coastal Ben

Coastal Ben wrote:

Down Island , it should be left on the beach. It DOES help retain sand.

At areas that need site specific protection for both economic/recreational needs, an alternative like a reef should be employed.

Seaweed levels are out of control due to the nitrate runoff from our adjacent agricultural operations. So seaweed levels on the beach are going to reduce the recreational attractions to the beachs and subsequent economic impacts to be effected as well.

I think we need a town hall meeting in port a with the guy from ASR to review the community on the various aspects of coastal management.

I'll contact the City of Port A and if I can get a meeting while John Hearin is here, I'll get Dan at the port a south jetty to put an announcement in the paper...

CB

Coastal Ben

dang your pretty down with the city folk over there on the island eh?

No No No..

I'm not down on the ' Folk" ....

I was hoping they could use some information on alternatives to removing the seaweed. Me , I would love it to be removed.

BUT, the Army Corp of Engineers will not let them move it.

REALLY, the reef would only effect a 1/2 mile section of beach.

That is not enough to substitute removal of seaweed on the entire beach.

I doubt the city would write a check for $ 1M ...for a reef regardless..

Again, the best bet is Mustang Island.

Once a reef was placed there, some other areas would follow suit.

CB

this could be a pretty stupid question. but i thought port a was mustang island?

It is, you are correct, I mean Mustang Island State Park...I guess I should make that clear on my postings..

CB

Coastal Ben wrote:

It is, you are correct, I mean Mustang Island State Park...I guess I should make that clear on my postings..

CB

oh alrght, so were exactly is that on the island?

Down by Packery

Coastal Ben wrote:

Down by Packery

oh


So ive really just skimmed this thread, but what do you say the chance of us ever getting a reef?

We have a better chance of getting one than many other areas.

That really does not answer your question, but until we get together with the people in Austin and Juan Garcia I cannot say exactly,but I am optimistic. It has the elements needed for the project to happen.

I really have not ran into any major challenges , YET..

When we get to the funding point it should more clear as to just how possible a reef will be constructed.

I have personnaly spoke to the director at TPWD and he told me they WOULD contribute funds. How much we will see. The GLO has also told me they have SOME funds to contribute. Again how much ?

Permitting should not be a problem.

All that said..Our chances..Good !

Coastal Ben wrote:

We have a better chance of getting one than many other areas.

That really does not answer your question, but until we get together with the people in Austin and Juan Garcia I cannot say exactly,but I am optimistic. It has the elements needed for the project to happen.

I really have not ran into any major challenges , YET..

When we get to the funding point it should more clear as to just how possible a reef will be constructed.

I have personnaly spoke to the director at TPWD and he told me they WOULD contribute funds. How much we will see. The GLO has also told me they have SOME funds to contribute. Again how much ?

Permitting should not be a problem.

All that said..Our chances..Good !

wow, that really cool. the more i read about this, the more stoked i get about wanting one. Good luck, and if you need any help with anything about it give me a holler. Id love to contribute.

Did anyone read the small article in the latest issue of SURFER on newsstands 08/01/07? It seems the reef project in New Zealand has sprung a leak. There is more to the story but you'll have to read it for yourself...sorry i forgot some details.

I was very impressed with ASR's commitment to keeping everyone in the know. They keep everything above the table and don't keep secrets. THey like to be 100% honest with everyone....good business practice.

It does scare me some though....we all know how things go down here...folks smell one drop of blood in the water and the project will be crucified. Another thing is that when it comes to the beach....this part of the world seems to think that someone is trying to pull a fast one. Not that we haven't been given just cause to do so at times (think beach closure to vehicle traffic). I hope we don't have any snags like this. It is a relatively minor issue, but it might as well be a tombstone if it were to happen here.

This is a neat article I found about the project online, i appologize if you have seen it:

http://www.surfermag.com/features/onlineexclusives/art_ree_fnz/index.html

There is no proposal for a no drive beach. The placement is in front of mustang island state park.

I have a meeting with Juan Garcia for August 20th.

The next step is to get Juan to approach TPWD, the Texas GLO, Corps of Engineers and ASR. We anticipate the group to meetin in Sept.

Our strategy is to get Mr. Garcia to champion the project. We expect the respective agencies involved would response in a more positive and timely manner.

This would be a feather in Mr. Garcia's cap too. If he were to get the project done bringing positive economic and ecological impact the State Park and Local economies.

I will keep everyone posted.

Coastal Ben

Sorry for how ever that read, I didn't mean this project had anything to do with the beach closure I was just refering to people's feelings about it back when that was an issue. My point in writing was to say that I was impressed that ASR was so willing to be transparent......we are a leary group down here when it comes to our beach, and they are most certainly going to need to be transparent for us to have good support on this....unlike the previous developers and their project to "improve" our area.

I hope everyone understands I am behind the project 100%. I apologize if any of that came across as me trying to undermine the progress of the process. I am super hopeful that this thing will be built, and be attracting people as soon as possible.

You are doing a wonderful job with all this Ben and I commend you for being so selfless in the process.

--JUSTIN

There was a picture recently of Juan Garcia surfing at Calwell Pier that ran in the South Jetty....did anybody see that? I didn't realize he was a surfer, that could be really helpful.

Yep...I am suppose to meet with him the 24th...We will see..

Right on C.Ben! Give 'em hell......or heaven...which ever will get the job done!

Next Month in October. A large conference is to be held in Galveston. It is the Texas Coastal Erosion Management Conference. Many of the entities that are involved in the Reef Project I.E., TPWD, Texas General Land Office, The Army Corp. Of Engineers. Plus Dr. Kerry Black is coming in from New Zeeland to attend along with John Hearin of ASR.

We are going to invite Juan Garcia to attend and he will have a chance to meet and talk up the reef project as a means of suppressing beach erosion.

As we have recently learned Juan IS a surfer and so we feel he will appreciate the benefits of the reef on several differnt levels.

More Information to Follow

Coastal Ben

Any official date this month? Any new info in general?

Lookin' forward to it

-Kevin

We met with Juan. Next he is sending a letter to several local,state and federal agencies requesting to meet and apply for funding of a feasibility study. We hope to have that completed by February. Reef construction next August.

CB