Rock it like a hurricane! Please get your interactive notebook. Please read the board! Were you here for Hurricane Ike? What do you remember about it?

September 13, 2008 Ike passed over Galveston Island Killing approximately 48 people (exact # is still unknown) Causing $30 Billion dollars in damage Plus many hidden costs Damaging ecosystems and wildlife habitats Devastating our vulnerable (poor, elderly) populations much more than others Demonstrating the region’s vulnerabilities Triggering the need for surge protection The damage and deaths from hurricane surge was preventable

http://sspeed. rice. edu/sspeed/downloads/SSPEED_Interim_Report_2010 http://sspeed.rice.edu/sspeed/downloads/SSPEED_Interim_Report_2010.pdf

Why would a warmer world create more frequent and more intense hurricanes? Let’s back this up a bit . . . . .

Video Hurricanes require: 1. Warm waters 2. Evaporated water from ocean 3. Wind patterns that start to spiral inwards

Hurricanes in the northern half of the Atlantic Ocean have become stronger over the last few decades. This graph shows the Power Dissipation Index, which measures total hurricane power each year based on the number of hurricanes and their wind speed. The graph also shows how hurricane strength is related to water temperature. Source: EPA's Climate Change Indicators (2012).

Check for understanding! Why will a warmer climate cause more hurricanes?

The Houston/Galveston Region Is home to about 2 Million people and may double by 2050 Galveston Bay provides valuable ecosystem services Supports largest petrochemical complex in US Port of Houston alone generates over $118 Billion in economic activity annually Houston area Industry/Economy is much more important nationally than New Orleans where $14B is being spent on surge suppression

Regional Threats and Vulnerabilities Affected by a major storm about every 15 years Surges are channeled up the Bay Considerable infrastructure near sea level Large-scale evacuations are increasingly difficult Especially for Hurricanes that quickly increase in intensity and/or change direction The Bay’s complex ecosystems of wetlands, oyster reefs, and fisheries can be effected by major storm events

Vulnerability of the Houston Ship Channel Environmental regulations for hazardous waste, oil spill contingency planning and wastewater plants require protection to the elevation of the one- hundred year flood plain as set out in FEMA flood plain maps. Typical flood plain elevations along the HSC range from 14-15 ft. above sea level. This is significantly lower than what is needed to protect the projected 20-25 ft. surge tide in a 100 year event. Inundation Elevation (FT) 0-5 5-15 15-18 18-20 High risk elevations (low lying areas) along a section of the Houston Ship Channel http://sspeed.rice.edu/sspeed/downloads/SSPEED_Interim_Report_2010.pdf

Had It Hit Farther West Many more lives lost Billions more in damage Perryman Report – “Katrina-like” storm would cause aggregate losses to Texas economy of $73B in gross product, $61.3B in income and 863,000 jobs Perryman Report 2006 An Economy at Risk: Our Vulnerable Coast and Its Importance to the Texas Economy by the Perryman group of Waco, Texas was commissioned by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas– see info@perrymangroup.com

Source: Dr. Gordon Wells, UTA This is the surge caused by the “Design Hurricane” Carly – a category 4 moving at 8 knots that hits the Bay just right (wrong) for maximum surge up the Channel Source: Dr. Gordon Wells, UTA Possible Cat 4 Surge

Check for understanding! Name three reasons a direct hurricane hit on our area would be a huge disaster. How would damage to our area affect the rest of the nation?

Proposed Ike Dike Allows Bay shores to be natural System can be leaky - unlike New Orleans Only needs to hold maximum surge for a few hours Designed for a 10,000 yr storm Most Hurricane surges much smaller Hurricane surge barriers can employ much different designs than river levees which must work of days or even weeks or flood barriers that protect areas below sea level. If the Ike dike leaks the water will just run into Galveston Bay which would act like a very large holding pond.

The overall strategy is to keep the ocean surge out of Galveston Bay by using a coastal barrier (the Ike Dike) similar to the Dutch Delta Works Houston Ship Channel High Island Bolivar Peninsula Bolivar Roads The critical need is to stop the surge at the coast – this protects the entire Bay area 1. Protects from catastrophic overflows and 2. Doesn’t allow the ocean surge into the Bay which in turn prevents massive internal surges Galveston Island Existing Seawall Coastal Spine Intracoastal Waterway • San Luis Pass

Houston Ship Channel High Island Bolivar Peninsula The first component of the Ike Dike already exists – the Galveston Seawall Bolivar Roads The critical need is to stop the surge at the coast – this protects the entire Bay area 1. Protects from catastrophic overflows and 2. Doesn’t allow the ocean surge into the Bay which in turn prevents massive internal surges Galveston Island Existing Seawall Intracoastal Waterway • San Luis Pass

Galveston Seawall -17 foot tall fixed barrier The Galveston Seawall has done it’s job preventing catastrophic Gulf overflow But does not prevent back surge from the Bay Illustrations – building the seawall and Ike’s surge and waves being deflected by the seawall

Houston Ship Channel High Island Bolivar Peninsula The second component - Land Extensions of the protection afforded by the Seawall Bolivar Roads The critical need is to stop the surge at the coast – this protects the entire Bay area 1. Protects from catastrophic overflows and 2. Doesn’t allow the ocean surge into the Bay which in turn prevents massive internal surges Galveston Island Existing Seawall Intracoastal Waterway • San Luis Pass

Design by Billy Edge for a possible West End of Galveston Island Revetment State now considering a “natural” dune 65 ft wide and 11.5 ft high but without stone core Design by Marie Garrett, Coastal Solutions Inc and Dr. Billy Edge. Texas A&M University .

Revetments can be hidden to look natural

Protection can also be by raised highway Coastal highways could be raised 12 feet

The third component – Flood Gates Houston Ship Channel High Island Bolivar Peninsula Bolivar Roads San Luis Pass has only small boat traffic so gate design straightforward Bolivar Roads needs a more comprehensive solution Galveston Island Existing Seawall Intracoastal Waterway San Luis Pass

The Galveston Gates Galveston gates will be the costliest component of the Ike Dike and its biggest tourist attraction Must not impede navigation Must allow water circulation into the bay under normal conditions But close quickly when a hurricane approaches to provide a 17ft higher-than-sea-level barrier across Bolivar Roads Can we use existing technology?

A Bay circulation solution

Combining Gate designs, the Bolivar Roads portion of the Barrier can: - allow navigation in the Ship Channels - allow for circulation in Galveston Bay

Bolivar Roads Bolivar Roads is about 10,000 ft across – Navigation Gates will only occupy part of the opening May need to include other gates to assure proper circulation and larvae flow

But will “the Ike Dike”, suppress massive surges? All together it forms a coastal spine But will “the Ike Dike”, suppress massive surges? Houston Ship Channel High Island Bolivar Peninsula Bolivar Roads The critical need is to stop the surge at the coast – this protects the entire Bay area 1. Protects from catastrophic overflows and 2. Doesn’t allow the ocean surge into the Bay which in turn prevents massive internal surges Galveston Island Existing Seawall Intracoastal Waterway • San Luis Pass

Simulations: Ike’s Surge without an Ike Dike - The University of Texas Preliminary studies suggest that the Dike will indeed suppress surge First slide shows Ike surge will no Ike Dike – note Bolivar Galveston “wipeouts” Second slide is with Dike – note Bolivar would have been saved, Galveston not flooded – Surges less everywhere in Bay Third slide shows differences - Could do even better with strategies such as closing the Gates at low tide and opening the San Louis Pass gate when it was oblivious that the hurricane was land-falling well east of the pass Gordon Wells, Jennifer Profit, Clint Dawson

Simulations: Ike’s Surge with an Ike Dike - The University of Texas Preliminary studies suggest that the Dike will indeed suppress surge First slide shows Ike surge will no Ike Dike – note Bolivar Galveston “wipeouts” Second slide is with Dike – note Bolivar would have been saved, Galveston not flooded – Surges less everywhere in Bay Third slide shows differences - Could do even better with strategies such as closing the Gates at low tide and opening the San Louis Pass gate when it was oblivious that the hurricane was land-falling well east of the pass Gordon Wells, Jennifer Profit, Clint Dawson

Simulations: Difference in Ike’s Surge with and without an Ike Dike Preliminary studies suggest that the Dike will indeed suppress surge First slide shows Ike surge will no Ike Dike – note Bolivar Galveston “wipeouts” Second slide is with Dike – note Bolivar would have been saved, Galveston not flooded – Surges less everywhere in Bay Third slide shows differences - Could do even better with strategies such as closing the Gates at low tide and opening the San Louis Pass gate when it was oblivious that the hurricane was land-falling well east of the pass Gordon Wells, Jennifer Profit, Clint Dawson

Additional Characteristics Allows Bay shores to be natural System can be leaky - unlike New Orleans Only needs to hold maximum surge for a few hours Designed for a 10,000 yr storm Most Hurricane surges much smaller Hurricane surge barriers can employ much different designs than river levees which must work of days or even weeks or flood barriers that protect areas below sea level. If the Ike dike leaks the water will just run into Galveston Bay which would act like a very large holding pond.

The Ike Dike Provides Comprehensive Protection from Storm Surge Protects People, Properties and Industrial Base for a Nationally Important Region Reduces Vulnerability – Will Encourage Economic Development through Investment in and Commitment to the Region Costs Much Less than a Single Hurricane Recovery ($2.4 billion vs. $30 Billion for Ike/$61 Billion for straight-on hit to Galveston) Costs Less than Individually Armoring the Entire Bay Complex

The Ike Dike (continued) Prevents Surge Damage to the Bay’s Natural Resources Is More Environmentally Sound than Armoring the Entire Bay Complex Best (and Perhaps Only) Way to Protect Our Less Resilient Populations Protects Lives – Especially During Difficult Evacuations from Hurricanes that Quickly Change Path or Intensity

Check for understanding! What part of the Ike Dike already exists? Why would it be important to have gates that open and close between Galveston and Bolivar? What part of a hurricane’s impact would the Ike Dike protect us from?

What are the problems with this plan? Who opposes the plan? Power up to research! What are the problems with this plan? Who opposes the plan?

Finish for homework Who opposes the plan. Why they oppose it (what the problem is) Your source of this information