Work on replenishing sands along North Beach should be completed by the end of April, just in time for summer. Photo by Carrie Robertson Meyer/Third Coast Photo
A makeover of North Beach sands began recently with plans to add 50,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand to one of the biggest tourist areas in Corpus Christi. Along with an influx of new sand from San Patricio County, another 20,000 cubic yards of sand that washed from south to north will be dug up and relocated to its original position.
The renourishment is a joint project of the Texas General Land Office and the city. It is funded in part by the state of Texas under the Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act. Apollo Environmental Strategies Inc. will take about nine weeks to redistribute sand from Bridgeport Street to just north of Steward Street near Surfside Park, covering 32,000 linear feet.
The need for the work became painfully evident in 2014 when a portion of the North Beach sidewalk collapsed. High tides washed away the sand underneath the mile-long walkway.
After a short recess during Spring Break, work continued and is expected to be completed by the end of this month. Periodic renourishment is necessary to mitigate erosion. The most recent makeover came in 2001 followed by modifications in 2002 and 2003 to improve sand quality.
North Beach is home to some of the most popular tourist attractions in the state: the Texas State Aquarium and the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay.
