HRI to Serve as Managing Partner for Texas General Land Office’s Clean Coast Texas Initiative
Dr. Michael Wetz, the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies (HRI) Chair for Coastal Ecosystem Processes, was recently awarded a $1,743,950, two-year grant from the General Land Office to serve as the managing partner for the General Land Office’s Clean Coast Texas initiative.
The Clean Coast Texas team consists of scientists, educators, engineers and communications professionals from HRI, the General Land Office, Texas A&M AgriLife’s Community Watershed Partners, Texas Sea Grant, Texas State University’s Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, and the Coastal Bend Council of Governments.
“The Texas General Land Office is committed to ensuring our coastal communities remain vibrant and resilient through our Clean Coast Texas program,” said Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D. “As a Texan who lived on the Texas coast for over a decade and now as Land Commissioner, supporting projects and infrastructure improvements that champion our coastal counties' ecosystems is not just personal — it’s vital. Partnering with results-driven organizations to ensure the prosperity of our coast and wildlife for future generations is just part of the crucial work we will continue to do. I look forward to working with Clean Coast Texas’s new managing partner, Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, to secure future victories for our coast and the people of Texas.”
Jason Pinchback, Manager of Water Resources at the Texas General Land Office added: “Clean Coast Texas empowers Texas’ coastal communities to protect or improve water quality and stormwater management by providing them with resources and technical expertise. Clean Coast Texas and its partners help to create more resilient coastal communities and economies to the changing conditions and natural hazards on the Texas coast.”
To date, the Clean Coast Texas program has built four nature-based stormwater infrastructure projects in the city of Rockport and Nueces County that allow runoff to percolate into the ground instead of flowing directly to a nearby stream, decreasing flood risk while at the same time leading to improved downstream water quality.
Clean Coast Texas is currently completing designs and engineering analysis to build a large, constructed wetland on Tule Creek in Rockport. This new facility, once built, will use the wetlands to mitigate pollutants and improve the health of Little Bay.
The Clean Coast Texas program has also partnered with multiple coastal communities to develop signage and other resources to help the public learn how to assist in keeping our coastal waters healthy and resilient. Finally, Clean Coast Texas is working with communities to adapt enhanced stormwater quality ordinances, which will result in improved water quality conditions as communities continue to grow and prosper.
The Clean Coast Texas team is excited to work towards strengthening existing partnerships with coastal communities and establishing new partnerships.
Clean Coast Texas can provide resources to communities that include technical manuals and workshops to guide sustainable stormwater and water quality management; ordinance and policy development to foster protection of water quality; grant writing support for projects that are mutually beneficial to the partner community and Clean Coast Texas; engineering design and funding support for nature-based stormwater infrastructure projects; and technical support for wastewater treatment plant operators to help improve operations at their facilities.
If you are an elected official of a coastal community or know of a community that may benefit from Clean Coast Texas’ services, please contact Ashley Bennis, the Clean Coast Texas coordinator at HRI.