Port Of Beaumont To Dredge, Add Docks

The Port of Beaumont, Texas, has applied to the Galveston Engineer District for a permit to hydraulically or mechanically dredge about 1.45 million cubic yards  of new material from the Neches River to an initial depth of 42 feet below Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) to create a ship berthing area, a turning basin and a large berthing area at a depth of 17 feet below MLLW. The purpose of the project is to build a new marine terminal with ship docks, a barge dock and tank storage on port property to accommodate the loading and unloading of bulk liquid products.

Approximately 1.1 million cubic yards will be placed in beneficial use sites. The remaining 307,199 cubic yards will be placed in either Placement Area 23, 24 or 25.

The applicant also proposes to build to ship docks and a barge dock. The two ship docks will consist of a new platform measuring 130 by 60 feet, a 20- by 80-foot ship gangway platform, six breasting dolphins, six mooring dolphins and four barge monopiles.

The new barge docks will accommodate inland barges and will consist of a new barge dock platform measuring 60 by 40 feet, an approach way, piperack supports and nine large monopiles.

The project will include roads, shoreline protection and containment levees.

In the future, the ship berth will be dredged to 48 feet below MLLW.

The port proposes to mitigate impacts by using the dredged material beneficially to aid in stabilizing and restoring the Rose City Marsh area that is being restored to marsh habitat. The planting of marsh vegetation will aid the stabilization of erosive edges and hasten marsh development and maturation. The port will place dredged materials in about 300 acres of open water and degraded marsh in this area as part of its dredged materials management plan, and to restore 25 acres of tidal marsh.