North Deer Island
The objective of this project was to restore and protect one of the two
remaining natural islands located in Galveston Bay. The project
was completed at North Deer Island, which is located between Galveston Island
and Tiki Island. Restoration included construction of as offshore
breakwater to reduce the
erosive capabilities which effecting the
surrounding shoreline.
North Deer Island is the most heavily used colonial waterbird nesting island in Galveston Bay, with 5,000-25,000 pairs of birds, fifteen different species, nesting on the island annually. More than 50 percent of North Deer island consists of high quality salt marsh. These marshes provide habitat for a variety of avian species, as well as provide nursery habitat for commercially and recreationally harvested finfish and shellfish.
North Deer Island is a key colonial waterbird nesting island which is eroding
rapidly on the east and west sides. On the west side, there is a 4' wide
shell berm which is approximately 2' above mean sea level. The berm acts
as a barrier, separating the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from a large marsh in
the interior of the island. Should the protective barrier breach,
the interior of the island would erode rapidly. In 1998, the east side of
the island lost 20' of high quality salt marsh as a result of tropical storm
Francis.
To implement a long term solution to the erosion problems which are effecting the integrity of North Deer Island, a limestone wavebreak was constructed on the west side of the island to reduce fetch and wave energy. Doing so would reduce the wave energy and would allow suspended materials to settle behind the structure, thereby fostering accretion of intertidal marsh. On the east side of the island, concrete mats or similar materials could be placed along the edge of the marsh, a similar technique was completed at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.
Aerial photos of North Deer Island were taken February 16, 2004.
