VOLUNTEERS PLANT GRASS AT NEWLY FORMED MARSH

On Saturday morning, August 18, 2007, 56 volunteers gathered on Bay Vista near the Isla fishing pier to plant 3000 sprigs of Spartina Grass.  The majority of the planters were from Isla Del Sol, but Terramar and Sea Isle were also represented.

From there they trudged out to the recently restored marsh area, carrying the buckets of grass to be planted.  Under the watchful and helpful eyes of Rusty Swafford, NMFS Habitat Conservation Division, and Breck Sacra, Cedar Bayou Nursery, the planters dug in—literally, using a dibble—and finished the planting in two hours.  Special thanks to Cedar Bayou Nursery for assuming half the cost of the grass.

All participants were treated to a cookout and plenty of water following the morning activity.  The home of Keith and Sue Chiles was the scene of the cookout and Marie Brocato and Gerry Castille did the cooking.  Joe Santangelo, Isla Board member, did a terrific job of pulling it all together.

Restoration Project to Preserve Marsh Land and Shoreline

August, 2007 Update

Project complete!  The Isla Del Sol canal leading to the bay has been dredged to a -6, 1100 feet of geotubes have been successfully laid and 29,000 cubic yards of dredge spoils have been pumped in to create the marsh mound islands.  Twelve  acres of marsh and shallow water sand flats have been established.  The Spartina Grass that was recently planted by 56 volunteers added the finishing touch.  The project was completed in record time by J. C. Carter, Five Star Dredging. 

A tremendous Thank You goes out to Steve Magee and his untiring efforts to see this vast undertaking through from start to near completion.  Steve was responsible for securing match money grants from the Gulf of Mexico Foundation, Fish America, and U. S. Fish and Wildlife.  In addition, he worked with GBA Engineering and pursued the permit from the Corps of Engineers. There are countless other tasks that he took care of.

When Steve sold his Isla Del Sol home in July and resigned from the Board, all project data was turned over to Board member Joe Santangelo.  Steve continues to make himself available for consultation as necessary and Joe is filing all reports necessary to complete the project.  The residents of Isla Del Sol owe these two men, and the entire Board of Directors, a huge round of applause for a job well done.

June, 2007 Update

The project is underway!   The contract between Isla Del Sol and with Five Star Dredging was signed on June 8, 2007.

1100 feet of geotubes have been placed in location and the dredging operation has started. The operation will be a 12 hour daytime operation pumping spoil behind the geotubes to build up random mounds of sand for the marsh restoration. The dredge operation should be complete in two week. The barge will be first working from the end of the fishing pier out to the bay. The last segment to be dredged will be from the fishing pier gate to the end of the fishing pier. If you have in the water fishing lights and live on Nueces across from the fishing pier, you may want to consider removing them until the completion of the dredging.

More than 35 Isla residents have signed up to help plant the Spartina Grass at the completion of the dredging.  It’s not too late to sign up.  Contact any Board member. We estimate the planting to take place in mid to late July.

So far the project is within budget and we have already received 85% of our resource grant funding and 90% of our homeowners payments to the project.

January 2007 Update on Project

Isla Del Sol has applied to the US Army Corps of Engineers for the permit.  After a public hearing, two adjacent property owners had complaints with some part of the project.  GBA, our engineering company, is writing our reply to USACOE this week.  If accepted, we should have a permit for the project in February 2007 and hopefully start construction in April-May 2007.  We will keep you informed as we progress.

August 2006 Update on Project
 

• In June, Gahagan & Bryant Associates, Inc. (GBA) was contracted by Isla Del Sol Homeowners’ Association to collect bathometric data, core samples, and project drawings required to be submitted with our application to the Corps of Engineers to get the required permits.  This work has been completed.
• In early July 2006, Coastal Surveying completed the required LSLS Survey to mark the project area and delineate Texas land from private land.  This was required by Texas General Land Office (GLO).

• The first JEM meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers was on July 26, 2006.  The meeting was attended by representatives from US Fish & Wildlife, Texas Parks & Wildlife, Texas GLO, NOAA, GBA (our contract coastal engineers) and Isla Del Sol Homeowners’ Association representative.  The meeting went well and there were no objections to the project.
• GBA applied for our Army Corps of Engineering Permit on August 22, 2006.

Isla Del Sol sent letters to Sea Isle and Terramar HOA’s to give them the details of the project.  Terramar has already said they support the project.  Steven Magee attended the Sea Isle monthly meeting on August 5, 2006 to explain the project and answer questions from their Board and attending residents.  The group responded positively and thanked Isla for their effort on the project.

The next step, after the permitting, will be to have GBA draw up the construction drawings to meet our budgeted amount of $300,000.  Isla Del Sol has received US Federal Grants from the following:

• Gulf of Mexico Foundation                           $50,000.          www.gulfmex.org
• FishAmerica Foundation                               $50,000.          www.fishamerica.org
• US Fish & Wildlife                                         $50,000.          www.fws.gov
• The balance of $150,000 will come from the Isla Del Sol Homeowners’ Association.

Please take the time to visit the websites of each organization to learn more about their mission and the other types of projects they support.  The Isla Del Sol Homeowners’ Association truly thanks the three for their generous support and funding of our project.

The channel maintenance and Marsh Restoration Project is scheduled to begin late 3rd quarter or 4th quarter 2006.  We are trying to coordinate the dredge barge arrival with another project in West Bay to keep the mobilization cost down.

www.isladelsolgalveston.com