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TxDOT Comes to the San Bernard
Wednesday, October 10, 2007, Friends Of
the River San Bernard was privileged to
escort a delegation of federal, state
and local dignitaries to the occluded
mouth of the San Bernard River.
At 10:00 a.m., about 40 representatives
of various venues met at the Village of
River’s End.
Included were members of the Texas
Department of Transportation,
Congressman Ron Paul’s office, the Texas
General Land Office, the United States
Corps of Engineers – Galveston Branch,
the National Marine Fisheries Service,
Texas Parks and Wildlife, Brazoria
County Commissioners Donald "Dude" Payne
(Pct.1) and Mary Ruth Rhodenbaugh
(Pct.4), Brazoria County Flood Control,
Brazoria County Parks Department,
Brazoria County Shoreline Restoration
Task Force, Brazoria County Engineer’s
Office, and the San Bernard National
Wildlife Refuge.
This meeting was
initiated by TxDOT.
The TxDOT contact
stated that TxDOT
had set aside funds
to open a trial
channel across the
Wolf Island sand
spit. The proposed
channel would be 50
feet wide by 4 feet
deep at mean low
tide (MLT). Before
and after the
channel
construction,
navigational
problems at the west
gate of the Brazos
will be monitored.
If positive results
are noted, the
channel could be
expanded. The
U.S.A.C.E. Study of
2002 suggests a
channel of 400 feet
wide by 4 feet deep
MLT.
By 10:10 a.m.,
guests had been
welcomed, aerial
photos and copies of
the old Wells
Fishing Maps had
been handed out, a
short outline of
where we were going
and what to match to
the maps had been
given, the F.O.R.
boats were loaded
and off we went. The
weather was
beautiful.
The first point of
interest was the
U.S.A.C.E. spoil
dump on the
northeast corner of
the GIWW and the San
Bernard River. This
is where dredged
material could be
stored. The
abandoned "Old
Intercoastal" was
pointed out as was
the stand of Cedars
just to the east.
The surf line on the
Wells Map was only
about 50 feet past
the last Cedar tree.
Our guests were
amazed that, if this
was 1990, the boats
would be sitting in
the Gulf. It was
pointed out that the
right (west) bank of
the river was the
surf line only 12
years ago and that
the entire sand spit
to the left (east)
bank of the river to
the surf had accrued
after 1995.
The boats were
beached at the
Can You Dig It?
location. TxDOT
selected 12 of the
guests to go to the
mouth of the river
(as opened by the
October 2006 flood).
We loaded up on two
shallow-draft,
tunnel hull boats
piloted by Doyle
Caudill and Harold
Caudill. Although
the tide was about
18 inches above
normal high tide,
the boats grounded
out about 300 yards
from our
destination. We
beached them and
walked to the "new"
mouth. Standing next
to the 20 foot wide
shallow channel, our
guests circled up
and had about a 20
minute discussion on
what they had seen.
Then back to the
boats and back to
River’s End.
Shortly after noon, with members of F.O.R. leading the caravan, we went to the new F.O.R. Community Center on C.R. 510B. After a lunch (set up by other F.O.R. Members) Brazoria Mayor, Ken Corley, gave a welcome address, stressing the need to re-open the mouth of the San Bernard. This was followed by the presentation of the F.O.R. River mouth informational binders and a short explanation of the information contained therein. Pat Webb, as then President of F.O.R. gave a short follow-up talk.
F.O.R. brochures, the San Bernard River watershed brochures, F.O.R. koozies and copies of the U.S. House of Representatives Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Resolution supporting the re-opening of the San Bernard River were on each table. Most of these were gone when our guests left.
Our guests then broke into smaller groups to talk about what they had experienced on their river trip. The fact that all these agencies were in the same room discussing the same problem – the occluded San Bernard River mouth- was fantastic.
Before everything broke up about 2:00 p.m., F.O.R. Director, Ken Corley, cornered the TxDOT crew. His direct question was, "Is this project a go?" Answer - "YES".
As soon as further information becomes available, we will post it to the website.
Sure looks like our Singing River will soon be in full voice again.
F.O.R. Volunteers:
Boat Pilots: Pat Webb, Harold Caudill, Doyle Caudill, Larry Vacek, Darrell Powell, Artie Burnett, Valroy Maudlin, Bob Bailey
Parking Director: Mac Minshew
Community Center Hostesses, Cooks, and Facilitators:
Connie Webb, Judy Burnett, Gloria Powell, Jan Edwards, Ken Corley, Sharon Corley, Chaney Moore, Susan Bailey, Teresa Schlumpburger, Fred Kanter, Nancy Kanter
Moderator and Guide:
Roy Edwards
A special thanks to the F.O.R. Board of Directors, members of the Mouth Committee, and the F.O.R. membership for their help and ongoing support.
Coming soon – details of the TxDOT plan.
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One of F.O.R.'s
primary functions is to educate the public
regarding the issues concerning the San Bernard
River and it's Communities. Contact Pat Webb
pat@sanbernardriver.com to schedule a
guest speaker for your group or special event.
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FOR San Bernard
Post Office Box 93
Brazoria, TX 77422 |
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