The McFaddin Beach and Dune Restoration Project, implemented by the Texas General Land Office on behalf of the Deepwater Horizon Texas Trustee Implementation Group and supported by numerous state and federal stakeholders, was completed at the end of 2024. The Texas Trustees contributed $18 million to this project to restore wetlands, coastal, and nearshore habitats injured by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The project borders the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), where erosion and storm surges have scoured beaches and dunes and introduced saltwater to adjacent freshwater wetlands. The McFaddin NWR is home to the Salt Bayou ecosystem, the largest contiguous estuarine marsh complex in Texas. The area provides valuable habitat for migrating birds and other wildlife. The Refuge’s wetlands are widely recognized for hosting large numbers of waterfowl.
More than 14 miles of beaches and dunes were restored using sediments pumped from offshore borrow areas. These sediments were graded to restore beach and dune habitat elevations and to fill gaps and breaches that were allowing saltwater to flow into and degrade the Refuge’s sensitive tidal wetlands. The project also included planting more than 150,000 native dune plants. The plants will help stabilize the newly formed sand dunes, catch additional windblown sand, and restore the natural habitat functions of the sand dunes. The combined activities restored beaches and dunes to a height and depth that restores lost habitat and protects existing habitat from future degradation.
The McFaddin project demonstrates how multiple funding partners can come together to provide benefits for communities and wildlife alike. Project partners included the Coastal Erosion Prevention and Response Act program (CEPRA), Texas General Land Office Surface Damage Funds, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA), Jefferson County, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act (RESTORE).
Now that construction is complete, the Trustees will monitor the project for the next five years to ensure plants are surviving and track whether sand movements affect the beach and dune footprint.
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