City of Corpus Christi Completes Desalination Bay Impact Study

City of Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, TEXAS (News Release) - The City of Corpus Christi has completed a Far Field Model study to assess the potential effects of the proposed Inner Harbor Seawater Desalination Facility on the wider Corpus Christi Bay System.
This study was commissioned by the City Manager to carefully evaluate how the facility might interact with the bay before any construction begins.

A Far Field Committee was also established to oversee the process, meeting eight times during the study to review progress and ensure ongoing input and accountability alongside City staff.
The project team developed a detailed computer model of the entire bay system that simulates water movement, mixing, and changes in salinity over time. This model builds on a similar bay-wide model created in 2023, with improvements to more accurately represent real conditions in the Inner Harbor and to account for tidal actions that help flush and mix the system.

The final report presents findings on salinity levels, water stratification (the formation of distinct layers), and how tidal movement helps disperse concentrate throughout the bay.
Spheros Environmental conducted the study in collaboration with the subconsultants Hazen and Sawyer and DSI, LLC. Spheros was selected by City staff and the Far Field Committee as the most qualified firm to complete this work.

For independent oversight, Plummer and Associates also performed a separate technical review of the report.

The complete technical report is publicly accessible at www.securingwater.corpuschristitx.gov.
Additionally, the website hosts previous reports and analyses related to the proposed facility, including the Corpus Christi Seawater Desalination Receiving Water Salinity Critical Dilutions study, the Essential Fish Habitat Assessment prepared for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the City of Corpus Christi Desalination Study Concentrate Modeling in the Inner Harbor Channel.