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MATAGORDA COUNTY, Texas – Bragg’s Cut, a new small boat cut constructed between the Old Colorado River and the Diversion Channel, is scheduled to open March 1, 2012, to allow small recreational vessels an alternative to using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston district’s Colorado Locks.
According to Lockmaster Simon DeSoto, Bragg’s Cut (named after Mike Bragg a retired employee with the USACE Galveston district) creates a safe passage for small boats to travel while also alleviating traffic congestion for commercial tows along the Colorado Locks.
“Annually, there are about 35,000 small craft and recreational boaters, in addition to tows, that will benefit from this new opening," said DeSoto. "Bragg’s Cut will provide recreational boaters and other small crafts an alternative route other than the East Colorado River Lock.”
The newly-constructed cut is 1,800-feet long, 5-feet deep, and 50-feet wide and is expected to enhance navigation safety by offering a separate channel for recreational boats to travel.
The slopes and bottom is lined with articulating concrete mat to prevent erosion and is designed to reduce currents through the locks, improve tidal circulation in the bay, allow fresh water to once again flow through the lower river and increase the velocity in the jetties to help prevent shoaling.
According to Port of Bay City Chairman Mike Griffith, the cut’s dimensions, location and liner are all a result of partner agency requirements to divert less than 10 percent of the fresh water into the lower river channel. Partner agencies include the Lower Colorado River Authority, National Marine Fishery, Texas General Land Office, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Water Development Board, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston district.
“This has been a huge collaborative effort between the Port of Bay City, Texas, General Land Office and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” said Griffith. “I would like to thank everyone involved in helping this project become a reality.”
For more information about this project, call the Public Affairs Office at 409-766-3004 or visit www.swg.usace.army.mil. Find us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/GalvestonDistrict or follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/USACEgalveston.
| Date Taken: | 02.17.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 02.17.2012 17:13 |
| Story ID: | 84028 |
| Location: | MATAGORDA COUNTY, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 585 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Bragg’s Cut set to open March 1, by Isidro Reyna, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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