Matagorda Bay News

A mariner was medevaced from a fishing vessel approximately two miles offshore Matagorda Bay near Port O'Connor, Texas, Sunday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard said.The Matagorda County Sheriff's Office received a request from a fishing vessel for a medevac of a 52-year-old male crewmember experiencing symptoms of a heart attack. Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders were notified and consulted with the duty flight surgeon who recommended the medevac.An Air…

Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017; FY 2017 Corps' Work Plan and Infrastructure Plan Addressed. Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) today held its annual briefing for the news media to address the President’s FY 2018 budget request, the FY 2017 Consolidated Omnibus Appropriations Act, the Corps of Engineers’ FY 2017 Work Plan, and the Administration’s infrastructure initiative. he event was held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. The full FY 2018 budget request to Congress released by the Trump Administration proposes $5.02 billion for the Corps’ Civil Works program, representing a $382 million increase above President Obama’s FY17 request, but more than $1 billion below the $6.038 billion appropriated by Congress for FY 2017.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has reopened waterways from Matagorda Bay to Galveston Bay following their closure due to Tropical Storm Bill.   The USCG informs it has lifted the Federal Safety Zone in place for small crafts, and has opened the waterways from Matagorda Bay to Galveston Bay, at 6 a.m. Wednesday.   Port Condition is back to normal as set by the Coast Guard Captain of the Port of Houston.

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) closes waterways from Matagorda Bay to Galveston Bay as Tropical Storm Bill arrives   The USCG said it continues to broadcast notification of a Federal Safety Zone in place for small crafts Tuesday on the waterways from Matagorda Bay to Galveston Bay.   This safety zone was established late Monday night and prohibits the use of small crafts and offshore transfer operations on the waterways referenced and will remain in effect until canceled by the Captain of the Port of Houston. All mariners are required to adhere to these restrictions without delay.   Due to approaching severe weather, search and rescue assets will be limited.   The Lynchburg Ferry suspended services at approximately 7:20 a.m., due to rising tide levels.

The trustees and BP have identified approximately $134 million in projects to be included in the next proposed phase of early restoration. This milestone comes five years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The 10 proposed projects would benefit sea turtles, birds and fish; increase recreational opportunities; and improve nearshore and reef habitats. It is anticipated that these projects will be included in a draft Phase IV Early Restoration Plan that will be made available for public review and comment.

The US Coast Guard informs that clean-up and response teams from the Matagorda Bay Incident Command Post are responding to sightings of oil near North Padre Island and along sporadic portions of Mustang Island in Corpus Christi. Additional sightings also include tar balls in the area, although it is not clear whether the tar balls are the result of the March 22 spill near Texas City. However, response teams from Miller Environmental, who are engaged in combatting that incident, have mobilized to contain and collect those tar balls and oil in newly impacted areas as well.

Oil spill responders from the Matagorda Incident Command Post in Port O’Connor, Texas, continue to implement their aggressive plans, Friday, intended to protect environmentally sensitive areas of the Matagorda Bay area against any impact from a portion of the oil spilled in Saturday’s ship-barge collision near Texas City, Texas. Effective at 10 a.m. today, the U.S. Coast Guard has lifted the safety zone, which had been in effect for the Matagorda Ship Channel from the sea buoy to the intersection of the ship channel with the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway…

The Captain of the Port of Houston/Galveston has opened the bay to all traffic Thursday after multiple cleanup assessments and input from the Texas Department of State Health Services. A current Broadcast Notice to Mariners instructs all boaters that the safety zone remains in affect, however all restrictions are lifted except to transit using safe distance and minimum safe speeds in the vicinity of any oil spill response or salvage operations and to avoid all areas of sheening or visible oil. If any oil is sighted, boaters should report it to the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802. While all recreational activities, including swimming is open, the DSHS does advise people not to swim in areas where they can see oil.

The Captain of the Port of Houston/Galveston opened the bay to all traffic Thursday after multiple cleanup assessments and input from the Texas Department of State Health Services. Oil is washing up on Matagorda Island. Coast Guard recruit volunteer 'Sentinels. After storms Wednesday afternoon and evening slowed cleanup efforts somewhat in the Ports of Texas City and Galveston because of safety concerns, responders quickly ramped up their operations during the first hours of daylight to resume cleaning contaminated areas, Thursday.

Oil spill responders established a Matagorda Bay Forward Branch in Port O’Connor, Texas, to coordinate protection of the environment of the Matagorda Bay area, as a portion of the oil spilled on Saturday in a ship-barge collision near Texas City, Texas, moves south along the Texas Coast. A Unified Command including the U.S Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office and Kirby Inland Marine, the owner of the vessel from which the oil was spilled, began their response efforts today implementing aggressive plans intended to protect environmentally sensitive areas against impact from the oil, based on priorities already established in the Area Contingency Plan.

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation , has delivered a new rigid-bottom, soft-sided pilot boat to the Matagorda Bay pilots in Port Lavaca, Texas. This is the shipyard’s second Resilient Class launch, following delivery of a similar RIB to the Charleston, S.C. pilots last year. The jet-driven, all-aluminum Matajet measures 43’ (13m) overall. It has a 13’10” (4.2m) beam, including the hybrid foam/air collar, and a shoal 2’5” (.75m) draft. Designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates, the deep-V hull features a steep 22-degree dead-rise at the transom that increases to a very fine entry forward. A flat chine and multiple spray-rails provide an efficient running surface and deflect spray away from the collar to produce a dryer ride and reduce collar maintenance.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) expressed its gratitude for the aggressive work of the House and Senate this week to override the President’s veto of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007. WRDA, delayed for more than seven years, is now law. It authorizes critically important projects on the inland waterways including the modernization of seven locks along the Upper Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway, and projects on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway at Bayou Sorrel, Matagorda Bay and High Island to the Brazos River. Late Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted 361 to 54 to override the veto; the Senate voted 79 to 14 to override today. “This is an historic event in the improvement of America’s waterways and for the Nation overall,” said R.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI ) commended the bipartisan approval last night by the U.S. House of Representatives of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The legislation authorizes critically important projects on the inland waterways including the modernization of seven locks along the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, and projects on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway at Bayou Sorrel and Matagorda Bay. The final vote was 381-40 to pass the WRDA conference report in the House, underscoring our Nation’s commitment to remain economically competitive. “The action taken in the House to pass WRDA should be applauded by the Nation as a whole,” said R. Barry Palmer, WCI President.

The Senate passed the hallmark water resources legislation, commonly referred to as the WRDA bill, by a vote of 91 to 4. This legislation authorizes important U.S. Army Corps of Engineers waterways and natural resources programs, including seven lock and dam modernization projects on the Upper Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway, and the Bayou Sorrel and the Matagorda Bay re-route project on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The passage of this bill by a majority of the Senate underscores the important work of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. And, the action reflects the benefits of the inland waterways system and its role in keeping the Nation economically competitive.