Since Hurricane Ike landed a direct hit on Galveston Bay and the Houston Area on September 13th, 2008, there has been discussions of a system to protect the area from storm surge. The category two Ike brought category four level surge, which decimated the Bolivar Peninsula, and places along Galveston Bay.
About six months after landfall, the idea was born to build an 'Ike Dike,' which would effectively build a system of doors and locks at the mouth of Galveston Bay, to keep large surges relatively at bay, no pun intended.
But here we sit, 15 years later, with no solution in palce. Now, with Preisdent Joe Biden's ridiculous inflation, the idea has whithered into the realm of unrealism. New projections fromt he Army Corps of Engineers put the cost at $57 billion, and a 20 year time line. Galveston County Judge Mark Henry says that the big price tag is just the surface of the problem.
"There would have to be federal funding involved...but the Feds have said there would have to be a local match in the 30 percent range," he says. "I do not know how any of the local counties could come up with 30 percent of what will likely be $60 billion or more at that point."
The new price tag is a far cry from the original projected cost of $34 billion. Henry adds that the inflation and supply chain issues has made it hard for construction within the county alone, much less on a major project like this.
But the cost is only the beginning of the delays. There would surely be some upset folks on the coast.
"There will inevitably be lawsuits...with people being unhappy it is on or going throguh their property...and those lawsuits are going to take a long time to work through the system," he says.
The probelms continue unfolding too. As mentioned, this would have to be an almost entirely government funded project.
"When is the last time a government project got done on time, and on budget? It happens, but it is rare," he says. "Something of this scale...I do not see a way it gets done both on time, and on budget."
The biggest of the hurdles thoguh has to be the local match of 30 percent. It woudl mean taxpayers in places like Brazoria, Harris, and Galveston Counties would be paying for it. But in a majority of the area, the benefit-to-cost ratio would not be worth it.
"Think of the taxpyer in Northwest Harris County...they would be expected to pay for something they would never seen any benefit from," Henry says.
The Army Corps of Engineers spent $21 million on the study and proposal for this project too, the largest in their history.
While Henry says the idea would work in theory, there is vulnerability. If storm surges topped 22 feet, there would be a possibility the barrier would be overtopped.
But, speaking as a native Houstonian who lived through Hurricane Ike, it would be wise to expect the Ike Dike to take a hike.
Photo: E+