Project Summary

1. Project Identification

Name	Shamrock Island Preservation/Restoration Project
Region	Gulf of Mexico
State	Texas
Location
Date of this update	8/5/99

2. Problem(s) addressed (check one or more)

Habitat Restoration/Protection
Wetlands
River systems
Beaches/Dunes
Offshore areas
Mangroves
Assisting Species at Risk
Pollution Mitigation
Non-Point Source Pollution
Other (describe)

3. Project Description (100 words or less. Please include qualitative information, e.g. acres of habitat restored, miles of steam reopened to migration, and legislative authorization, e.g. WRDA, ISTEA, CWA/NEP, CZMA, etc.)

This project was unique in combining three key erosion response strategies;(1) a 3,600 - foot offshore geotube breakwater to protect the island's vulnerable NE side from the nine-mile fetch of Corpus Christi Bay; (2) five acres of created marsh within the protection of the geotube, providing new habitat and a buffer against storm waves that will occasionally overtop the geotube; and (3) an 80,000 cubic yard feeder beach on the windward side of the geotube to provide new tern nesting habitat, scour protection for the geotube, and a source of sand to nourish the southern end of island. Each erosion response element served the dual purpose of protecting the island while simultaneously improving nesting and feeding habitats for colonial waterbirds. The design was also cost-effective, coming well within budget. Finally, the design and construction plan met the team's key goal to build the project in the winter months – from December to March – and avoid disturbing the birds, which nest on the Island between February 15 and September 1.

4. Goals/Benefits (quantify where possible using measures of success list) Was a cost-benefit study conducted for this project? yes/no If yes, provide a summary of findings.

Protect, restore and stabilize wetlands and other habitats near and around Shamrock Island.

5. Partners (include each participant's responsibilities - funding, permitting, etc.)

• Federal

  Lead: US Army Corps of Engineers
  Others: US FWS

• Non-Federal

  State government

  Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
  Texas General Land Office

  Local government
  Private industry

  Shiner, Moseley, and Associates, Inc.
  King Fisher Marine Services, Inc.

  Public interest groups

  Nature Conservancy of Texas
  Texas Audubon Society
  Coastal Bend Bays Foundation

  Educational Facility

  Texas A&M University

  Other partnerships

6. Funding/Contributions (organization and amount)

• Cash

  Federal
  Non Federal	State government
  	Local government
  	Private industry
  	Public interest groups
  Total		$900,000

• In-Kind Services (hours, equipment, or other forms of assistance and estimated dollar value)

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• Volunteers (number of people and hours, and estimated dollar value)

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7. Legislative authorities used by each participant

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8. Value added by Coastal America Partnership including Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals achieved through this collaboration (500 words or less)

From the outset, the Shamrock Island Restoration Protection and Restoration Team recognized that the Island could be saved only through the collaboration of many parties. Shamrock Island in Corpus Christi Bay near Mustang Island is owned by The Nature Conservancy and managed under a conservation easement held by the Texas General Land Office(GLO). Because the island is a nesting area for two endangered species and a total of over 20 bird species, public interest in the fate of the island and success of the project was very high. The project objective was to protect the island's erosive shorelines and restore emergent marshes. To avoid disturbing nesting waterbirds, restoring efforts had to be conducted in the winter, during the most challenging weather conditions, and be completed before the return of the colonial waterbirds in March 1999. To succeed, the project required solid team planning, innovative and cost-effective erosion response measures, broad-based consensus, and quick action. A Shamrock Island Advisory Team was created representing all partners to assist in achieving success. Virtually every aspect of the project - from the concept and design to permitting, construction, and even project financing – was the result of innovative partnerships and cooperative efforts. In this case, the partnership did more than add value to the effort. The project simply would not have been possible without the partnership efforts. The Team partnerships produced noteworthy advantages and benefits.

9. Project Status

Initiation date
Completion date	1999
Current stage	Completed

10. Contacts

• Project Manager

  Tom Calnan
  Texas General Land Office
  1700 N. Congress Ave.
  Austin, TX 78701-1495

• Participating Agency/Organization Contacts: (e.g. volunteer groups, conservation groups, state agencies, and other federal agency contacts)

11. Any additional information/comments

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This page was last updated on Saturday, 24-Jun-2000 11:48:47 EDT
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