Houston Ship Channel Bay Aquatic Beneficial Use Site

The scope of this project includes construction of hydraulic filled earthen dikes forming a complex of four hexagonal shaped placement areas (PAs) constructed in Galveston Bay north of the existing Midbay Placement Area. The work includes hydraulically removing and placing three million cubic yards of dredged material forming a complex of four hexagonally shaped placement areas. The Bay Area Beneficial Use Site (BABUS) sites would be utilized to provide storage for O&M dredged material once the existing confined PAs have reached capacity.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District’s project will construct hydraulicly filled earthen dikes forming a complex of eight (six 325-acre and two 200-acre) hexagonal shaped placement areas built with 6 MCY of dredged material in Galveston Bay north of the existing Midbay Placement Area.  The VE study focused on refining and improving the original concept including minimizing oyster reef, increasing cell storage capacity, reducing disturbed bay bottom area, increasing beneficial reuse/habitat credits, and easing construction.  During the workshop, 124 ideas were identified to improve this project.   The opportunity for savings from the VE study were approximately 48% of the capital cost.