The Ike Dike A Coastal Barrier Protecting the Houston/Galveston A Coastal Barrier Region from Hurricane Storm Surge Protecting the Houston/Galveston Region from Hurricane Storm Surge
The Houston/Galveston Region Nationally-important population and economic Center Considerable infrastructure near sea level with storm surges channeled up the Bay Supports largest petrochemical complex in US Port of Houston alone generates over $178 Billion in economic activity annually Galveston Bay provides valuable ecosystem services Affected by a major storm about every 15 years Large-scale evacuations are increasingly difficult, especially for Hurricanes that quickly increase in intensity and/or change direction
Hurricane Rita killed three people. The three day mass evacuation 1932 leading up hurricane to Rita's landfall killed image 108.
Time of forming Cat 3 to landfall- 6+ hours Within 250-miles of the landfall location- 18-24 hours Center for Texas Beaches & Shores, Texas A&M University at Galveston
Chasing Ike Sheltering Community Staging Area Evacuating Area NHC Advisories Sept. 9-12 Source: Dr. Gordon Wells, UTA
If farther west, many more lives lost, much more damage
Greater New Orleans is now protected by a 133 mile parameter of levees, flood walls and gated barriers. The total cost of Greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Risk Reduction System so far is 14.5 billion dollars. The strategy is to keep massive surges from entering the system by shortening the outer protection needed by using 4 gated passages. The System was started in 2008 and achieved 100 yr surge event protection in June 2011.
The strategy is to keep the ocean surge out of Galveston Bay by using a gated coastal barrier (the Ike Dike) Houston Ship Channel High Island Bolivar Roads Existing Seawall Intracoastal Waterway Coastal Spine San Luis Pass
Deltaworks, New Orleans, Ike Dike All shorten the perimeter as much as possible All keep the surge out of internal waters All use gates to accomplish this
Houston Ship Channel High Island The first component of the Ike Dike already exists the Galveston Seawall Bolivar Roads Existing Seawall Intracoastal Waterway San Luis Pass
Houston Ship Channel High Island The second component - Land Extensions of the protection afforded by the Seawall Bolivar Roads Existing Seawall Intracoastal Waterway San Luis Pass
Revetments can be hidden to look natural
The third component Flood Gates Houston Ship Channel High Island Bolivar Roads Existing Seawall Intracoastal Waterway San Luis Pass
The Galveston Gates Must not impede navigation Must allow water circulation into the bay under normal conditions But close quickly when a hurricane approaches to provide a 17ft higher-than-sea-level barrier across Bolivar Roads Can we use existing technology?
Start of Gate Closing Texas Delegation
A Bay circulation solution
The Netherlands Storm Surge Barrier in Action
Possible New York Barrier
All together it forms a coastal spine But will the Ike Dike, suppress massive surges? Houston Ship Channel High Island Bolivar Roads Existing Seawall Intracoastal Waterway San Luis Pass
Simulations: Ike s Surge without an Ike Dike The University of Texas Gordon Wells, Jennifer Profit, Clint Dawson
Simulations: Ike s Surge with an Ike Dike The University of Texas Gordon Wells, Jennifer Profit, Clint Dawson
Simulations: Difference in Ike s Surge with and without an Ike Dike Gordon Wells, Jennifer Profit, Clint Dawson
Ike Dike Additional Characteristics 2 System can be leaky unlike New Orleans, Holland Can use Galveston Bay as a retention pond Only needs to hold maximum surge for a few hours Doesn t harm neighboring communities Doesn t lead to a race for more and higher dikes
Ike Dike Additional Characteristics 1 Stops the Surge at the coast where it s the smallest Protects strategic assets of national importance Protects Bay s Natural Resources Occupies the minimum foot print for comprehensive protection Protects every community rich or poor Entire region recovers quickly
A Coastal Spine Suppresses Surge and is Technically Feasible Economically Sound Environmentally Friendly, and Socially Just It Should Be Part of Our Surge Suppression Strategy
Research Team Economics Institute for Regional Forecasting at UH, Dr Bill Gilmer Modeling Homeland Security Center of Excellence at Jackson State, Dr Robert Whalin and Dr Ty Wamsley, USACE/ERDC Barrier Design Delft Technical University, Drs. Bas Jonkman and Mathijs van Ledden Overall Flood Risk Reduction/Project Coordination TAMUG, Drs. Sam Brody and Bill Merrell
Research Approach/Schedule Economic Study ASAP Modeling to Inform Economic Study and Barrier Design Dutch Dialogues And to Understand Galveston Bay s Roles Test Barrier Conceptual Designs Better Cost Estimates Costs/Benefits
Chemical Plants Affected (Percent U.S. Capacity Shut Down at Peak) Ethylene Steam Cracker: 58.5% RG Propylene: 30.7% Benzene: 68.5% Polyethylene: 63.0% Styrene: 85.3% Butadiene: 95.8% By Hurricane Rita Data from CMAI, Inc and expressed as percent of North American Capacity
www.tamug.edu/ikedike
La Porte Seabrook Bacliff/San Leon
Levee System Ship Channel Gate