The third and final study on a proposed canal in North Beach to help alleviate drainage problems was presented to the Corpus Christi City Council at its regular meeting Tuesday, Jan. 26. The next step is for staff to consider all three studies, which were done in 2018, 2020, and 2021, and come back to the council with three different recommendations and cost estimates, City Manager Peter Zanoni said.
The $500,000 study focused on two questions:
- Can the proposed canal improve drainage?
- Can the canal serve as a navigable or recreational water body?
In December 2019, the council approved an ordinance to explore building a canal in North Beach but did not appropriate the $41.2 million estimated as the project’s cost. The vote was meant as a signal that the city is committed to the North Beach project, which could include residential and commercial development along a canal similar to the San Antonio Riverwalk.
As for the two questions studied, the easy answer to both is yes but with caveats for the first one.
According to this most recent study, done by LAN Engineering, 85 percent of the North Beach peninsula would need to be raised in elevation by 6½ feet near the beach property and along Seagull Boulevard. Existing storm sewer system also would need to be replaced and redirected to the canal. The study further pointed out that even this would not protect the area against storm surge or hurricanes.
Newly elected council member Billy Lerma of District 1, which includes North Beach, weighed in on the project.
“It’s important that we as a council look into this and let’s move forward,” he said. “To me, it’s a very viable project that’s a big undertaking. I’ve committed to the people of North Beach as their representative that we will resolve this issue one way or another.”
