Storm Surge of Hurricane Ike -- E. S. Levy Bldg., Galveston TX
N 29° 18.323 W 094° 47.617
15R E 325802 N 3243155
The high-water mark for Hurricane Ike's storm surge at Galveston's historic E. S. Levy Building, built in 1870.
Waymark Code: WMG468
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 01/10/2013
Views: 10
The waymark is a small plaque installed on the northeast corner of the E. S. Levy building at Market and Tremont Streets in downtown Galveston, marking the nearly 8-feet of storm surge-driven water that came through here during the landfall of Hurricane Ike on 13 Sep 2008. (Keep in mind that the water downtown was pushed over a 17 1/2-foot tall seawall -- pegging Ike's storm surge at Galveston at 22 feet.)
After Galveston was almost completely destroyed by the Great Storm of 1900, government and citizens banded together to save their island. With help from the Feberal Government's Army Corps of Engineers, sand from the Gulf of Mexico was dredged and pumped all over the island to raise the grade of Galveston by 12 feet. In addition, a 17 1/2-foot tall sea wall stretching from the easternmost point of the island westward past the city was built. Over time, the seawall was extended to protect more of the island. When the last part of the seawall was finished in 1963, it had grown to a wall of over 10 miles in length.
The residents of turn-of-the century Galveston thought that their new seawall would protect the city from the worst part of future hurricanes: the storm surge that had literally washed away their homes. The 1900 storm created huge floats of destroyed houses that terrified storm victims rode for hours as the waves, winds, and water lashed and exhausted them. Many thousands were killed or crushed by wave-borne debris. Survivors rode the floats, and saw innumerable dead and drowned bodies, includding all of the orphaned infants from St. Mary's Orphahage. See this link for other harrowing tales of that horrible night: (
visit link)
Most folks today believe that hurricane winds are the most dangerous part of the storm. The truth is that most hurricane damage and deaths are caused by the surges of seawater pushed ahead of a landfalling hurricane.
Ike was a category 2 storm when it hit on 13 Sep 2008. About 40% of Galveston's residents figured they could withstand Cat 2 winds, so they decided to ride out Ike at home.
Then came to storm surge.
Ike's storm surge easily topped the seawall and spilled into downtown Galveston. Ike's storm surge was alomst 22 feet in some places. Parts of the nearby Bolivar Peninsula were completely washed away. Even today (Jan 2013), there are hundreds of ruined buildings along Galveston's Seawall Blvd and along TX 87 on the Bolivar Peninsula, all victims of Ike's terrible storm surge. Ike damage can be seen to this day all up and down the Texas coast, from south of Galveston to Louisiana. Ike damage extends almost 50 miles or more inland in some places, a haunting reminder of nature's power.