Tell me about Galveston.

General » General Discussion

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Tell me about Galveston.

Posted: 9/21/2005 6:08:04 AM EDT

I know it got wiped out in 1900(?) and was rebuilt higher. How'd they do that?

Posted: 9/21/2005 6:18:45 AM EDT

[#1]

They didn't have welfare then, so you had to get a shovel and earn your keep.

Pumped sand in I think?

Posted: 9/21/2005 6:19:11 AM EDT

[#2]

A 20-ft high wall was built on about 10 miles of the island at the beachfront. It's called the sea wall. The island is about 30 (or more) miles long, and the seawall protects the main portion of the city. Much of the island is mostly at sea level except for a small portion closest to the sea wall. In the event of a CAT5, Galveston will still be engulfed once the surge reaches the back side of the island.

Posted: 9/21/2005 6:26:25 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
A 20-ft high wall was built on about 10 miles of the island at the beachfront. It's called the sea wall. The island is about 30 (or more) miles long, and the seawall protects the main portion of the city. Much of the island is mostly at sea level except for a small portion closest to the sea wall. In the event of a CAT5, Galveston will still be engulfed once the surge reaches the back side of the island.

OK. I gotta ask but would that 20' wall have saved them from the first storm?

Posted: 9/21/2005 6:32:29 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
A 20-ft high wall was built on about 10 miles of the island at the beachfront. It's called the sea wall. The island is about 30 (or more) miles long, and the seawall protects the main portion of the city. Much of the island is mostly at sea level except for a small portion closest to the sea wall. In the event of a CAT5, Galveston will still be engulfed once the surge reaches the back side of the island.

True, and whats gonna suck is that I have some family that live across the ferry in Bolivar and there is no sea wall there. They are about 200 yards from the beach with nothing but a man made sand dune between them and the Gulf. They are all coming up to my mom's this week but we are only about 70 miles inland. They are saying that hurricane force winds could still make it that far in.

Posted: 9/21/2005 6:35:55 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:

OK. I gotta ask but would that 20' wall have saved them from the first storm?

I don't know about the 1900 storm, but a 20 ft. high wall will take the brunt of the storm surge. There has been some recent debate as to whether the wall will help in a CAT5 hurricane with a 20-ft storm surge, because wave height can EASILY add an additional 20 or more feet to the height of the water. In this case the waves would just wash right over the wall.

Posted: 9/21/2005 6:40:00 AM EDT

[#6]

Here are a couple links to info.

www.1900storm.com/rebuilding/index.lasso

www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4840557

Dredge material is pumped into the island during the grade raising after the 1900 hurricane. Residents endured years of pumps, sludge, canals, stench and miles of catwalks during the project. Rosenberg Library

BigDozer66

Posted: 9/21/2005 6:41:27 AM EDT

[#7]

They showed a graphic of a 22' storm surge on TV this morning. That would put everything south of League City underwater. Even a 4' surge will cover most of Galveston. The west end is exposed and low. This could really alter how much of that island exists. It's essentially a giant sand bar. A big storm surge could carry a lot of it away.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Tell me about Galveston.

General » General Discussion

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us