In a timely effort to combat severe erosion threatening local infrastructure and landmarks, the Aransas County Navigation District (ACND) has completed a shoreline stabilization project along the south shore of Little Bay. The initiative, made possible through a generous donation from San Jose Cattle Co. and collaborative work with various agencies and local firms, underscores the power of cooperative community action in preserving Rockport’s coastal heritage.
In the spring and summer of 2025, San Jose Cattle Co. offered a surplus of massive concrete pilings, measuring 12 inches by 12 inches and ranging from 40 to 70 feet in length, to ACND Chairman Tommy Moore and the district. The only cost to ACND was transporting the pilings to Rockport, which was a cost-effective benefit for the community.
Little Bay, a picturesque inlet in Rockport, has faced significant erosion over the decades. The southwest end of the bay has receded by more than 25 feet in the last 20 years alone, with historical records indicating losses up to 90 feet. This ongoing erosion posed an imminent threat to ACND’s mechanical shop on Seabreeze Drive and the iconic Steve Russell statue at the bay’s southwest tip. Recognizing the urgency, ACND promptly sought and obtained necessary approvals from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Texas General Land Office by late 2025. The project involved installing approximately 1,000 feet of these pilings in two 500-foot sections along the south shoreline in two sections, designed to fortify the area against further degradation…