Redfish Lake Project
Start Date: 2020
Status: Ongoing – In geotechnical investigation, permitting, and final design phase (90% plans in development)
Project Description:
The Redfish Lake Project is a critical shoreline protection and marsh restoration effort led by the Matagorda Bay Foundation to preserve one of the most ecologically valuable areas within the Carancahua Bay system. Located between Schicke Point and Keller Bay, Redfish Lake and nearby Salt Lake are known for their submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and high-water quality—resources now at risk due to severe coastal erosion and a growing breach into Redfish Bay.
The breach has already caused significant habitat loss, salinity increases in lower Carancahua Bay, and the doubling in width of the bay mouth. The Matagorda Bay shoreline at Redfish Lake is eroding at an alarming rate of 23 feet per year, and if left unaddressed, the entire bay system could be compromised.
In partnership with the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), MBF is advancing a living shoreline project to stabilize the area. The plan includes installing approximately 12,250 linear feet of breakwater material to close the breach and restore marsh habitat.
This project will safeguard critical SAV beds, protect against storm surge, and maintain the ecological integrity of both Redfish Lake and the greater Matagorda Bay system.
