Surveying Services at Spilman Island & Morgan's Point

As part of a major expansion on the Houston Ship Channel, AWC was hired by general contractor McCarthy Construction to provide surveying services for a large-scale infrastructure project overseen by the USACE. The work focused on Spilman Island—an artificial landmass created from dredge material—and Morgan’s Point across the Barber’s Cut Channel, both being developed into modern shipping facilities to support increased container traffic. AWC conducted detailed topographic surveys of both sites, establishing a reliable surface baseline for construction, set permanent control monuments, and provided precise coordinates and elevations to guide ongoing work. AWC also acted as a third-party verifier for subgrade rock placed on Spilman Island, certifying quantities used to stabilize the island and providing official documentation for contractor payments to the Army Corps. At Morgan’s Point, where sheet pile installation could affect nearby buildings, AWC supported vibration monitoring, recording elevations and slab conditions at sensitive structures—including a fire station and commercial buildings—and provided location data for seismic sensors placed by a partner firm. These benchmarks track movement during construction to ensure structural safety. Spanning baseline surveys, progress tracking, and safety monitoring, AWC brought precision and accountability to a federally regulated project shaping the region’s shipping infrastructure for years to come.