Flood risk reduction for Galveston Bay: Preliminary design of a coastal barrier system

Many coastal areas around the world are densely populated and at risk from flooding, but utilize different strategies to deal with coastal hazard. This chapter summarizes how Dutch concepts for coastal flood risk reduction have been explored for Galveston Bay. Firstly, it is shown how risk-based screening methods can help to evaluate various...

Dune Based Alternative to Coastal Spine Land Barrier in Galveston Bay: Conceptual Design

Galveston Bay is an area in the Upper Texas Coast (USA) historically suffering from the impact of several large magnitude hurricanes. In 2008 hurricane Ike, one of the most devastating natural disasters in Unites States recent past, raised awareness of the flood vulnerability problem of the area and triggered the beginning of different proposals...

Evaluation of flood risk reduction strategies through combinations of interventions

Large, complex coastal regions often require a combination of interventions to lower the risk of flooding to an acceptable level. In practice, a limited number of strategies are considered and interdependencies between interventions are often simplified. This paper presents the Multiple Lines of Defence Optimization System (MODOS)‐model. This...

Quantifying Wave Attenuation by Nature-based Solutions in the Galveston Bay

The main objective of this thesis is to assess the effectiveness of Nature-based Solutions in reducing flood risk in the Galveston Bay by means of wave attenuation. The methodology to answer these questions consists of both literature review and numerical modelling. The wave height reducing capabilities of marsh vegetation, seagrass meadows and...

Delta Interventions: Design and Engineering in Urban Water Landscapes

This book presents a selection of research-by-design projects developed in the Delta Interventions Studio at the Delft University of Technology, including a short overview of all graduation projects from 2009-2015, and reflections by senior scholars. We hope this book will inspire others working on delta issues and designing interventions. The...

Building-with-Nature Solutions for Hurricane Flood Risk Reduction in Galveston Bay, Texas: Conceptual Design Study

The enormous damage caused by hurricane Ike in the year 2008 has been the main incentive for several structural flood risk reduction plans in the Houston-Galveston Bay area. One of them is the ’Ike Dike’, a large-scale coastal barrier which closes Galveston Bay to prevent penetration of hurricane surges. A momentum gain for flood risk reduction...

Delft Delta Design: The Houston Galveston Bay Region, Texas, USA

In 2008, Hurricane Ike devastated Bolivar Peninsula, narrowly missing the more heavily industrialized and populated areas in the region. In the aftermath of the hurricane, the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) Center at Rice University in Houston, and Texas A&M University in Galveston (TAMUG) led...

Framing flood risks: Using images to communicate flood risks to the public

Reconnaissance Level Studies on a Storm Surge Barrier for Flood Risk Reduction in the Houston-Galveston Bay

The Houston - Galveston area is at significant risk from hurricane induced storm surges. This paper summarizes ongoing studies on flood risk reduction for the region. Firstly, based on a simplified probabilistic hurricane surge model , the return periods of surges within the bay have been estimated. This model framework can be used to assess the...

The Bolivar Roads Surge Barrier: A conceptual design for the environmental section

In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike to the Galveston Bay Area, Texas, United States in September 2008, several proposals emerged to protect the region against future storm surges. One of them is a coastal spine called the ’Ike Dike’. A challenge for this 160 km [100 mi] long flood protection is to cross Bolivar Roads, a 2.8 km...

Hurricane Surge Risk Reduction For Galveston Bay

More than five years after Hurricane Ike devastated the Galveston Bay Area, the most critical challenge remains; reducing flood vulnerability. In response to Hurricane Ike’s disastrous impact, several structural flood risk reduction strategies have been proposed. Some advocating local solutions, others advocating system-wide coastal barriers....

Report Galveston Bay: Flood Risk Reduction Barrier

The objective of this study is to provide suitable candidate solutions for a storm surge barrier in the Bolivar Roads as part of the Ike Dike system and provide recommendations for further research.

Applying Best Practices From The Delta Works And New Orleans To Galveston Bay

This report provides a comparison of the Dutch Delta Works, New Orleans and the Ike Dike concept. The Ike Dike is a coastal barrier that, when completed, would protect the Houston-Galveston region including Galveston Bay from hurricane storm surge.

The Effects of the "Ike Dike" barriers on Galveston Bay

In 2008 Hurricane Ike flooded large parts of the barrier islands in front of the Galveston Bay near Houston, Texas. The storm surge also entered the bay through the inlets causing great damage along the bay and the port of Houston. Because of the high probability that a hurricane would strike again the “Ike Dike” was developed. The concept...