Omega Bay Marsh Restoration Project
Omega Bay is located on the west side of the I-45 corridor leading into
Galveston. The project will restore marsh that historically was present
before subsidence occurred. Approximately 400 acres of marsh have now been
converted to open water, primarily due to the withdrawal of groundwater, oil and
gas. Conversion from marsh to open water led to a dramatic decline in
habitat values for fish and wildlife. Because nearby groundwater can no longer
be extracted, subsidence rates have decreased dramatically, restoration efforts
are now possible.
The goal of this project is to restore 5 acres of small islands and terraces, which will be constructed within an area of approximately 21 acres. The construction will consist of borrowing materials from the adjacent substrate and stacking the materials to elevations that will support vegetation, the slopes will then be planted with smooth cordgrass. These constructed fringing marshes provide habitat for a variety of commercially and recreationally important finfish and shellfish, as well as provide foraging area for a variety of birds.
Construction of the project is a partnership of the Texas General Land Office, the Galveston Bay Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Newpark Shipbuilding-Brady Island, Inc. Planting of the marshes is a partnership of the Galveston Bay Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Restore America's Estuaries, the Pew Charitable Trusts, Reliant Energy, Houston-Endowment, Inc., the Fish America Foundation, Newpark Ship Building-Brady Island, Inc., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Chevron, and the Galveston Bay Estuary Program of the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.
Aerial photo taken on February 16, 2004.