Sediment and Shoaling Processes: Bolivar Ferry Terminal, Galveston, Texas

The Bolivar Ferry Terminal Sediment and Shoaling Study aimed at understanding the cause of the ongoing shoaling and sedimentation within two existing ferry landings and determine the effects of adding a third landing with a reconfigured breakwater system. Compounding the shoaling effects was the proximity of the dredge material placement area located less than 1,000 feet south of the terminal. Already under construction (2005–2007) shoaling was an ongoing concern highlighted by the planned reconfiguration of the ferry terminal. The Galveston-Bolivar Ferry service, located in Galveston County Texas, provides transportation between Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula for local residents and tourists using up to six ferries. The Bolivar Ferry Terminal is sited within the throat of the Galveston Inlet where tidal velocities are at a maximum, increasing deposition within the supporting structures of the ferry landings. Determining the complex forces in and around the ferry terminal, for longshore transport, a hydrodynamic model was utilized to analyze and provide solutions for several short term and long term circulation issues. The placement of future dredge material and the resolve of the appropriate reconfiguration to reduce or eliminate the shoaling within the terminal were two of the primary issues.