Analysis and Recommendations on Protecting Waterways from Encroachment (0-6225-1)

The purpose of this project was to investigate and determine hazards to navigation (encroachments) in the Texas Portion of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) that originate from shore, and to make recommendations for mitigating these hazards in the future. The research team collected various types of data to identify encroachment hazards and understand how and where obstacles are built including incident data from the U.S. Coast Guard; survey information from vessel operators; data from physical inspection of the waterway; survey information from developers, economic development corporations, and shippers; survey information from country and local officials in all coastal counties; and information on permitting procedures data from the various federal, state, and local jurisdictions involved with shoreline development. This study concludes that the major problems caused by development of structures that encroach into the waterway are the narrowing of the channel, lack of strategic mooring or push-in (hold-up) places needed in inclement weather, and congestion caused by additional inexperienced recreational boaters. This study results in a guidebook for permitters and a guidebook for developers on the types and quantity of structures that should be permitted along the GIWW. The guidebooks should help develop and permit "smart" development with regard to navigation through better cooperation between governmental agencies on permitting development and a focus on the agglomeration, clustering, and density of development on the waterway, and increased cooperation between developers, governmental agencies, and the barge industry in maintaining the GIWW for its primary use of moving goods effectively and efficiently to promote and support Texas and U.S. commerce.