October 16, 2026 · South Padre Island · Beaches

Cameron County votes Tuesday on a staging site for South Padre Island's next beach sand project

Cameron County commissioners will consider a license on Tuesday, Oct. 20, that would let Manson Construction Co. stage equipment at Andy Bowie Park "for the South Padre Island and Andy Bowie Park beach nourishment project," according to the court's posted agenda (consent item Z, Contract No. 2026C10538). The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. at the county courthouse in Brownsville.

• The contractor: Manson, based in Seattle, won a $9,387,750 Army Corps of Engineers contract "to perform maintenance dredging of the Brazos Island Harbor entrance and jetty channel," according to the Department of War's contract announcements for Sept. 11. The work is in Port Isabel, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2027.
• Where the sand could go: the Corps' Galveston District said in May that the job would dredge about 350,000 cubic yards and place it at a nearshore feeder berm, with an option for "Beach Placement at two locations on S. Padre Island (in Lieu of Nearshore Placement)." We found no public notice yet on whether that option was picked, or on when work starts. In August, SPI's mayor said another renourishment is anticipated this fall or winter, the Port Isabel-South Padre Press reported.
• The last round: in fall 2024, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock dredged the same channel, and the city planned to place 235,500 cubic yards of sand from the northern city limits at the Hilton Garden Inn to about Beach Access 24, plus 78,500 cubic yards in Andy Bowie Park, the Port Isabel-South Padre Press reported.
• Also on Tuesday's agenda: a $58,800 partner match to the Texas General Land Office, using GOMESA funds, for phase 5 of the Adolph Thomae Park shoreline protection project; sending the Army Corps an approved jurisdictional determination for the Isla Blanca properties along SH 100; and a deadline extension plus permanent power for county Beach Access No. 3.

Why it matters here: the channel in Manson's contract is the Gulf entrance to the Port of Brownsville, and its sand has been placed on South Padre Island's beaches before. We'll post Tuesday's votes.

This morning: the city of Starbase lists no road delays or public notices, and Boca Chica Beach is open.

Sources: Cameron County Commissioners Court agenda, Oct. 20 · Department of War, Contracts for Sept. 11, 2026 · Army Corps presolicitation W912HY26BA026, SAM.gov, May 12 · Award notice W912HY26CA029, SAM.gov · Port Isabel-South Padre Press, Oct. 17, 2024 · Port Isabel-South Padre Press, Aug. 13, 2026 · City of Starbase, beach and road access (read Oct. 16) · Photo: "South Padre Island beach panorama" by Spheroidite, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; our card is shared under the same license

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