Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Texas (GIWW-T)
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TEXAS GULF INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY MASTER PLAN: TECHNICAL REPORT by C. James Kruse Director, Center for Ports & Waterways Texas A&M Transportation Institute David Ellis Research Scientist Texas A&M Transportation Institute Annie Protopapas Associate Research Engineer Texas A&M Transportation Institute Nicolas Norboge Assistant Research Scientist Texas A&M Transportation Institute and Brianne Glover Assistant Research Scientist Texas A&M Transportation Institute Report 0-6807-1 Project 0-6807 Project Title: Texas Gulf Intracoastal Waterway Master Plan Performed in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration Resubmitted: August 2014 TEXAS A&M TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE College Station, Texas 77843-3135 DISCLAIMER This research was performed in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official view or policies of the FHWA or TxDOT. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This project was conducted in cooperation with TxDOT and FHWA. We acknowledge the guidance and support that the following members of the TxDOT Project Monitoring Committee (PMC) provided: • Sarah Bagwell, planning and strategy director, Maritime Division (project coordinator). • Caroline Mays, freight planning branch manager, Transportation Planning & Programming Division. • Peggy Thurin, systems planning director, Transportation Planning & Programming Division. • Andrea Lofye, Federal Legislative Affairs. • Jay Bond, State Legislative Affairs. • Jennifer Moczygemba, systems section director, Rail Division. • Matthew Mahoney, waterways coordinator, Maritime Division (not a member of the PMC, but provided valuable assistance). iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Figures ............................................................................................................................. viii List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ ix Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 1 Background and Purpose ............................................................................................................ 1 Economic Importance of the GIWW-T ...................................................................................... 2 Dredging Issues ........................................................................................................................... 3 Physical Infrastructure and Safety Issues ................................................................................... 5 Intersections with Ship Channels ............................................................................................ 5 Floodgates and Locks ............................................................................................................. 5 Fleeting Areas ......................................................................................................................... 6 Mooring Areas ........................................................................................................................ 7 Encroachment ......................................................................................................................... 8 Economics and Funding Issues ................................................................................................... 8 Elevate the Priority of Economically Important GIWW-T Projects to the Corps and to Congress .............................................................................................................................. 9 Apply for Marine Highway Designation .............................................................................. 10 Apply for Federal Discretionary Grant Programs ................................................................. 11 Explore Feasibility of Florida Inland Navigation District Model for Texas......................... 11 Consider Utilizing Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Funds ..................................... 11 Explore Ending State Diesel Tax Exemptions for Certain GIWW-T Users ......................... 12 Explore Public-Private Partnership (P3) Opportunities and Monitor Possible Inland Waterway P3 Pilot Projects That Might Be Pursued in the Future ....................................... 12 Explore Utilizing Texas Rainy Day Fund for Waterway Projects ........................................ 12 Consider the Panama Canal Approach for Texas ................................................................. 13 TxDOT Legislative Obstacles .................................................................................................. 13 Performance Metrics ................................................................................................................. 14 Conclusions and Recommendations ......................................................................................... 15 Chapter 1: Introduction and Background ................................................................................ 17 Project Purpose ......................................................................................................................... 17 GIWW-T Public Stakeholders .................................................................................................. 18 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ............................................................................................. 20 Texas Department of Transportation .................................................................................... 20 U.S. Coast Guard .................................................................................................................. 21 Texas Railroad Commission ................................................................................................. 21 Texas General Land Office ................................................................................................... 22 Texas Commission on Environmental Quality ..................................................................... 22 GIWW-T Stakeholder Working Group .................................................................................... 22 Literature Review ..................................................................................................................... 23 Project Background/Importance of the GIWW-T .................................................................... 24 History ................................................................................................................................... 24 Importance ............................................................................................................................ 25 Upper Reach .......................................................................................................................... 33 v Middle Reach ........................................................................................................................ 35 Lower Reach ......................................................................................................................... 38 Future of the GIWW-T ............................................................................................................. 40 Organization of Report ............................................................................................................. 43 Chapter 2: GIWW-T Dredging ................................................................................................. 45 Background ............................................................................................................................... 45 Importance of Annual Maintenance Dredging ......................................................................... 46 Documentation of Placement Areas ......................................................................................... 47 Beneficial Uses ......................................................................................................................... 60 TxDOT’s Role in Beneficial Use Projects ............................................................................ 63 Beneficial Use Projects in the Galveston District ................................................................. 64 West Galveston Bay Interagency Recommendations ........................................................... 67 State-Managed Programs that Include Beneficial Use Projects ........................................... 70 Related Beneficial Use Initiatives ......................................................................................... 73 Chapter 3: GIWW-T-Related Infrastructure and Safety Issues ............................................ 75 Background ............................................................................................................................... 75 Intersection with Ship Channels ............................................................................................... 75 Floodgates and Locks ............................................................................................................... 79 Brazos River Floodgates ......................................................................................................