Effects of Aligning Waterfront Housing Development Canals with Prevailing SummerWinds and Installing a Circulating Canal and Culverts

摘要

Waterfront housing developments are becoming more and more prevalent along theGulf of Mexico (Gulf) coast. With increased development, estuarine biota are adversely affected by loss of habitat and reduced water quality. In 1973, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) reviewed and recommended changes to the development plan of a waterfront subdivision called Omega Bay near Galveston, Texas. NMFS recommended that canal excavation be designed to maintain adequate oxygen levels by eliminating dead-end canal construction. The study, conducted in 1977 indicated that alignment of canals parallel to the prevailing summer winds, elimination of dead-end canals, and the intersection of an entrance canal with other canals enhanced circulation and provided adequate water quality essential for estuarine-dependent fauna.