Marine Debris Program Tours Hurricane Harvey Supplemental Projects in Texas

MAY 6, 2019 — On April 23-24, Marine Debris Program Gulf of Mexico Regional Coordinator Caitlin Wessel visited Hurricane Harvey supplemental debris removal sites from Corpus Christi to Copano Bay, Texas. Caitlin met with groups impacted by Harvey, including the Mission Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve, Texas General Lands Office (GLO), Goose Island State Park, and the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

Two women standing in front of a collapsed structure.
Caitlin Wessel with the Mission Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve Stewardship Coordinator, Katie Swanson, in front of what use to be the Mission Aransas research pier before it was destroyed during Hurricane Harvey. Image credit: Jace Tunnell.

In 2018, the Marine Debris Program received $18 million in disaster relief funding to support the removal of marine debris in areas impacted during the 2017 hurricane season. The Texas GLO received $3.8 million to tackle eight debris removal projects addressing storm debris left in waterways and along the shoreline by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Debris targeted for removal by GLO includes a derelict oil platform; derelict well infrastructure, derelict septic tanks, 5.6 miles of geotube debris exposed by Hurricane Harvey, a pier, and over 500 acres of scattered hurricane debris including household goods, building materials, personal belongings, etc.

For further information, contact Caitlin.Wessel@noaa.gov.

Return to OR&R Weekly Report.

Last updated Tuesday, November 8, 2022 1:49pm PST