Creating a comprehensive plan for habitat recovery at Charlie’s Pasture Nature Preserve

Port Aransas Sediment Management and Habitat Restoration

The Nature Preserve at Charlie’s Pasture is the largest remaining stretch of undeveloped land within the Port Aransas city limits—a place valued not only for its natural beauty, but for its ecological importance. The preserve provides critical habitat for threatened and endangered species and supports a wide range of migratory and resident birds. That balance was disrupted when Hurricane Harvey’s storm surge swept through the area, scouring nearly 200,000 cubic yards (152,911 cubic metres) of sediment and carving four breaches between the protected tidal flats and the high‑energy waters of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. In the aftermath, approximately 30 acres (12 hectares) of wetland habitat were impacted.

In response, the City of Port Aransas reached out to our team of coastal engineers, geomorphologists, and ecologists to develop a comprehensive sediment management plan to guide both storm damage restoration and long‑term stewardship of the preserve. The effort combined data collection, volumetric analysis, habitat assessment, and restoration planning with detailed investigations of potential sediment sources. We evaluated multiple dredged material options, including sediments from adjacent federal navigation channels, federal placement areas, and privately maintained channels, to identify sustainable restoration solutions.

Since completion of the plan, the City has been awarded Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act (CEPRA) funding and has initiated engineering and permitting for restoration. Our team is leading this work under contract to the Texas General Land Office, supported by trusted partners. Texas A&M University is providing ecological design recommendations focused on accelerating recovery of algal and sand flats, supported by physical testing to better understand inundation frequencies and freshwater inputs. Site surveys and subsurface investigations informed final sediment source selection, with permitting now moving forward.

Once complete, the enacted plan will bolster the preserve’s recovery and Port Aransas’ long-term resilience.