Hurricane Ike was a stark reminder of the risk of living on barrier islands. Yet, even as the loss of human life and material damage were still being assessed, city of Galveston officials and former United States presidents were talking about rebuilding a bigger and better Galveston. The fate of Bolivar Peninsula, however, remains more problematic.

What is the future of the upper Texas coast, especially this century, and can Galveston Island sustain the unbridled development that existed prior to Hurricane Ike? The reality is that Ike is a stark reminder that the upper Texas coast is a highly unstable setting that will experience significant change with or without future storm impact. This presentation will focus on the evolution of the upper Texas coast and on those changes that are occurring today. How do natural forces regulate these changes and what role have humans played in coastal change? What should be done to maintain a sustainable coast given restricted sand supply, increasing rates of sea level rise, and potential for increasing storm impact in the future? These questions were being posed long before Ike, but city and state officials were then largely ignoring the call for a more scientific approach to coastal development. The geological community must play a greater role in preserving our coast for future generations.

Hurricane Ike, September 2008.

Figure.

Figure.

End_of_Record - Last_Page 15---------------