Bay Area Edition | February 2026

Sunken boats litter Clear Lake and bays From the cover

Current situation

Status of vessels found

County boundary

Texas Coastal Zone boundaries

Reported boats since the GLO began tracking vessels in Houston-area waters in 2006

Harris County

Clear Lake resident Russel Lavigne recalls seeing a sunken sailboat in a highly tracked area of Clear Lake. All that remained visible of the boat was the mast towering above the water. “On rainy days, on cloudy days, nighttime and foggy conditions, you could barely see it, and it was a highly tracked area,” Lavigne said. Lavigne vented his frustrations on social media, where he learned that many others shared his concerns about abandoned boats, prompting him to call a public meeting. “Lo and behold, 50 people showed up to the rst meeting,” Lavigne said. Eventually, that meeting transformed into an organization called Citizens Against Derelict Dumping, which later became Dead Boats Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprot, in 2024. Collectively, Dead Boats Society raised enough money to retrieve the sailboat for $5,000, which is half of what it normally costs, thanks to partnerships with local tow boat companies. It can cost as much as $20,000 to remove boats, depending on the type of boat, Lavigne said. To date, the organization has helped remove seven boats, Lavigne said.

472

Pending Reported Eligible for removal Removed

Chambers County

GALVESTON BAY

413

146

0 100 200 300 400 500

Galveston County

48 events hosted for vessel turn-in programs 1,854 vessels safely destroyed 30,124.5 linear feet of boat

3,939 gallons of fuel recovered 23 vessels removed from Clear Lake, Galveston Bay and Trinity Bay areas in 2025

Brazoria County

GULF OF AMERICA

SOURCE: TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE, TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFECOMMUNITY IMPACT

Failure to remove these boats results in dangerous, invisible hazards for other boaters, said Phillip “Capt. Pip” Bauerlein, owner of Tugboat U.S. Clear Lake and Galveston. For example, the disintegrated remains of a 40- foot houseboat now lie underwater, completely invisible from the surface but capable of damaging other vessels that might run over it. The Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act of 1991 authorizes the Texas General Land Oce to

remove and dispose of abandoned and derelict vessels in Texas coastal waters. However, despite having the authority, it is not legally required to remove derelict vessels, according to the agency’s website. The GLO does not receive specic funding to remove and dispose of abandoned vessels, which can cost upwards of $1,500 per foot, depending on the size, type and placement of the vessel.

Breaking it down

Who handles an abandoned boat?

Agency response If statutory criteria are met, the GLO’s Oil Spill division may assume jurisdiction.

Report A boat is left unattended for at least seven days, long enough to be reported.

Ownership conrmation Texas Parks and Wildlife conrms title and registration to nd the owner and contact.

Risk assessment State agencies assess environmental risk, such as a fuel leak.

Removal A licensed contractor is tasked with removing the boat, which is then scrapped or recycled.

SOURCE: TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE, TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFECOMMUNITY IMPACT

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