A $22 million lagoon would bring a mile of clear, blue water to the Gulfport beach
An idea to protect the Coast during a hurricane and provide a place to swim in water as clear as at the barrier islands was presented to the Harrison County Supervisors Monday.
Kenneth Jones, owner of Gulf Coast Development & Design in Gulfport, detailed a proposal for Clearwater Gulf Coast — a mile-long lagoon from near Island View Casino west to about Broad Avenue.
This site south of Gulfport’s Westside Park was chosen because of the proximity to parking, shops and restaurants in the downtown, he said, along with Island View Casino.
It might be more advantageous to break up the project and build lagoons in two or three additional cities that have nearby restaurants, attractions and parking, he said.
Similar projects are being undertaken in Bayou La Batre in Alabama, which he said has demonstrated “amazing success” through four storms, in Key West, Florida and other locations.
The difference in South Mississippi is the project would combine Coastal resilience and tourism, he said.
How it would work
The first step would be to install rock jetties and wave breaks to decrease wave action during hurricanes and other storms, Jones said. The lagoon would be dredged to a depth of 8-10 feet and the sand would be reused.
Storm water outfalls would be combined into wetland features and along with oyster beds would clean the water.
“We’re not trying to get Caribbean water,” he said, but much clearer than the murky water in the Mississippi Sound.
Fountains, landscaping, play areas and space for beach vendors will be added, Jones said, and natural plantings close to U.S. 90 to would reduce wind-blown sand onto the highway.
He and Andy Phelan, an engineer and partner in Gulf Coast Development & Design, said they’ve met with Department of Marine Resources, the Army Corps of Engineers and others to come up with plans. They added circulation features to make sure the water flows within the lagoon.
What it would cost
The proposal he presented comes with a cost estimate of $22 million, Jones said.
Supervisor Beverly Martin commented during the presentation “$22 million for one mile — I love the idea, but it’s just expensive.”
The state is spending $1 million each on decorative “wave” structures that don’t filter the water coming into the Gulf and other projects along with millions more on other projects that Jones said don’t improve resilience.
He identified several potential sources of funding for planning and building the lagoon. The Nature Conservancy secured money for the Bayou La Batre program, he said, and other possible sources are Tidelands, GOMESA funds that come to South Mississippi from off-shore oil contracts and BP Restore Act funds that were to be dedicated to “transformational” projects for the Coast.
Supervisor Marlin Ladner said the only feasible way to pay for such a project would likely be to dedicate these types of funds on a yearly basis to repay a bond.
Jones said the county would need to sponsor the project as manager of the sand beach.
A Sports Illustrated resort proposed earlier this year at the I-10 and 110 intersection in D’Iberville comes at a price of $410 million for an 11-acre Crystal Lagoon with a sand beach, family entertainment center, hotels and restaurants.
The next step
Supervisor Connie Rockco said she and Martin will be attending the Gulf States Counties and Parishes Caucus in Corpus Christi, Texas, Sept. 22 and would present details of the plan to see if there is interest.
The meeting will give county leaders the opportunity to collaborate on possible solutions to key issues facing local governments, such as disaster resiliency.
“Lots of studies and planning must be done before anything like this can become a reality,” Jones said. “This is only an idea, but the design much be vetted by many agencies and engineers.”
