Why did we choose Galveston, Texas to host ICCE 2026?
Galveston is the home of several historical and active coastal projects featuring innovative design & construction.
Coastal Texas Mega Project (project estimations are $40-$60 billion USD)
Named for the destructive 2008 hurricane that hit Galveston, the "Ike Dike" is a proposed coastal barrier that, when completed, would protect the Galveston Bay in Texas. The project would be a dramatic enhancement of the existing Galveston Seawall, complete with floodgates, which would protect more of Galveston, the Bolivar Peninsula, the Galveston Bay Area, and Houston. The barrier would extend across Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula and would provide a barrier against all Gulf surges into the bay. The "Ike Dike" would be able to withstand a 10,000-year storm.
Congress has already authorized the project but still hasn't appropriated any money for it yet.
Houston Ship Channel Expansion ($1+ billion USD)
As the local sponsor of this crucial federal waterway, Port Houston is partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expand the channel.
When complete, the "Houston Ship Channel Expansion – Project 11" – will widen the channel by 170 feet along its Galveston Bay reach, from 530 feet to 700 feet. It will also deepen some upstream segments to 46.5 feet, make other safety and efficiency improvements, and craft new environmental features.
With the help of our partners, we expedited the process to complete the work by 2026. The Port Commission awarded the first dredging contract in 2021. In addition to providing the best value, the contract award includes the use of efficient equipment expected to reduce NOx emissions 38% better than Tier 3. A portion of the work will also go to local small businesses as part of the contract. Overall, Project 11 will make the channel safer, ensuring this waterway will continue to remain the national economic treasure it is today.
Sabine to Galveston Coastal Storm Risk Management and Ecosystem Restoration ($4-5 billion USD)
The upper Texas coast has seen several major coastal storm surge events in recent years; notably Hurricane Rita in 2005 and Hurricane Ike in 2008. These, as well as other storm events, produced storm surges that inundated coastal areas causing impacts to human lives and economic damages to residents, industry and infrastructure, and waterways.
The "Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Program" is being implemented to reduce the risk of storm surge impacts in Orange, Jefferson, and Brazoria Counties, Texas. CSRM is the planning and implementation of features along the coast that are designed to reduce the risk of damage created by storm surges from hurricanes and tropical storms. CSRM measures look different depending on the location and need but are all constructed to reduce the risk of damages from coastal storms, minimize impacts to floodplains, and avoid environmentally significant areas.