CORPUS CHRISTI SHIP CHANNEL SHORELINE EROSION STUDY CHANNEL IMPROVEMENT
Corpus Christi, Texas

The Corpus Christi Ship Channel (CCSC) provides deep-water access from the Gulf of Mexico to the Port of Corpus Christi, via Aransas Pass, through Redfish Bay and Corpus Christi Bay. As noted by local residents, the shorelines adjacent to the CCSC were experiencing significant erosion. The Port began the study to identify the causes of erosion and to determine if channel improvements would have an additional impact on the existing shoreline erosion. Coast & Harbor Engineering (CHE) performed a shoreline erosion study in association with the CCSC Improvement Project.

CHE collected bathymetric and topographic data for grid development in numerical models and the preliminary design of shore protection structures. A GIS base map was developed to categorize the shore of the four critical areas identified in the erosion study. Physical and man-made forces were studied through a desktop investigation and the major processes controlling erosion were identified for further analysis. Once the major forces causing erosion was identified, numerical modeling tools were used to determine the relative contribution of each force on shoreline erosion. Preliminary design of shoreline protection was developed for areas being affected by erosion. In addition, several areas were identified as beneficial use sites and erosion protection was developed for these sites.