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  • RGV Walk of Fame
    Doyle Wells

    Each year nominations are received from chambers of commerce and cities across the Rio Grande Valley for recognition in the Rio Grande Valley Walk of Fame at State Farm Arena, sponsored by the City of Hidalgo in conjunction with BorderFest.  Nominees are considered for induction based on their life achievements and significant civic contributions.

    The South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce nominated longtime chamber member and Island business owner Doyle Wells to the RGV Walk of Fame for 2019.  Wells was selected for this great honor and was recognized at the official induction ceremonies on February 27, 2019 at State Farm Arena.

    Doyle Wells is living proof that a person can grow up in the Valley, earn an education, serve in the military and become a successful family man and business entrepreneur. YOU DON’T HAVE TO LEAVE THE VALLEY TO BE SUCCESSFUL!!  In 1930, his family left Indiana and headed as far south as they could travel and ended their journey in Port Isabel, Texas.  Doyle was born 16 years later in Brownsville and was raised in Port Isabel/South Padre. He graduated from Port Isabel High School in 1964. 

    As a young man Wells acquired a strong work ethic working aside his family in a bait, tackle and fishing business. He earned his Captain’s license in 1965 and chartered at the Sea Ranch Marina. He came from humble beginnings saying “we had nothing, but we had everything” speaking of his supportive family and the vast opportunities the Valley provided.

    After four years in the U.S. Coast Guard, in 1970, Wells went to work for Solomar Lodge as a Charter Captain and Hunting Guide. In 1971, he became Ranch Operations Manager for the Harry Cullen Family for their holdings on South Padre Island.

    As a lifelong resident of the lower Rio Grande Valley, Doyle Wells has a strong pride in his South Texas heritage and is quick to promote the abundance of opportunities the Valley has available. Wells has contributed significantly to the development of our area’s tourism industry. He continues today to promote recreational and tourism development, leading by example to deliver “the best experience and the best service”. 

    1982 was the start of Wells Farm and Ranch Supply in Los Fresnos, and at the same time Wells opened Wells Stables. Then, in 1989, he opened Island Equestrian Center on South Padre Island. After moving his stables several times over the years, in 2012 Wells settled at his current location at the north end of the Island and expanded his services which now include horseback riding on the beach, zip lines, petting barn and beach events and activities limited only by your imagination. Recently Wells opened a second bayside location on Padre Blvd. where he offers go-cart racing and miniature golf.

    In the 1970’s Wells served on the volunteer fire departments for both Port Isabel and South Padre Island. Also, for much of the 1980’s Wells was a Director for the Texas International Fishing Tournament.   He was a founding Director for the South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce in 1989 and served until 2000 when he was elected as an Alderman for the Town of South Padre Island, serving two terms through 2004. While Wells was Alderman he led a group of local business leaders on a cultural exchange to establish a Sister City relationship with Catamaco, Mexico. Additionally, Wells was actively involved with South Padre Island recovery efforts following the collapse of the Queen Isabella Causeway.

    Wells was appointed in 1999 by Cameron County Commissioners to serve on the Cameron County Beach and Dunes Commission and served until 2017. Commissioners also appointed him, in 2006, to serve on the Cameron County Zoning Commission and the Board of Adjustments, where he continues to serve today.  Wells was elected to the Laguna Madre Water District where he served 2015 to 2018.

    Doyle and his wife Delores are active supporters of The Friends of Animal Rescue on South Padre Island and are loving pet owners. Doyle has served on the Regional Board for Equine Therapy, and over the years, has rescued many horses from slaughter, caring for them and returning them to a health.

    Wells also served on the Board of Directors for Sea Turtle Inc. about 1996-2000 where he worked closely with Founder Ila Loetscher to promote sea turtle conservation.

    Doyle is the son of Junior Wells and Bobby Wells. He is married to his beautiful wife Dolores Ferrentino Wells, and he has three adult children Doyle Wells IV, Brennan Wells and Kelsey Garcia.

  • Beach Maintenance

  • Beach Maintenance Procedures

    South Padre Island is committed to preserving and restoring the local beaches to maintain our quality of life and sustain the local tourism-based economy. Through the years it has received many accolades as being one of the most desirable coastal communities in the nation, including the the honor of being designated the “the most accessible beach in Texas” by Texas General Land Office Commissioner. The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) named South Padre Island one of America’s Best Restored Beaches of 2009 for the second time since 2005. The City works extremely hard to protect and maintain our beach to ensure that our citizens and visitors can continue to have memorable and enjoyable experiences.

    Preserving & Maintaining our Beach

    Grooming of the beach is basically an accommodation for uninformed beachgoers. This is perhaps understandable when an unusual amount of seaweed washes up from a storm, or if there is a large fish kill that could become a public health hazard, but a beach needs to be allowed to undergo its natural life cycle. The beach ecosystem, whether it is birds, small crustaceans, or microscopic organisms, depend on the nutrientrich environment created by decomposed seaweed. It isn't trash. It is part of the circle of life.

    In the past, the beach was raked as a means of keeping it smooth and comparatively soft to walk on and free of debris. Beach raking, which is the mechanized removal of seaweed and other natural materials from the beach, reduces the integrity of the sand root mat just below the surface that is important in slowing beach erosion.

    By removing seaweed, beach erosion is stimulated. Raking has the effect of aerating the sand, causing it to dry out more quickly. The fine, dry sands are then prone to erosion, even under moderate breeze conditions. It only takes 12 mph winds to pick up and move a grain of sand. The Island typically experiences winds in excess of 12mph on a daily basis. If left unraked, the normally damp beach would provide some natural cohesion, making the beach more resistant to erosion.

    Beaches and dunes are integral parts of a dynamic environment controlled by waves, tides, currents, and wind. Throughout the year, seaweed is deposited on the beach, with heavier deposits typically in the early spring. The layers of seaweed deposited provide additional surface area to trap sand on the beach face rather than allowing it to wash back to the sea.

    The seaweed serves as a matrix or matting interspersed with the sand to help the beach resist erosion. 

    Beach raking removes driftwood, seaweed, and other debris used by organisms for shelter, especially seabirds, and may disrupt nutrient cycles and remove prey organisms from areas where wildlife forages on the beach. Other methods of beach cleaning, including but are not limited to smoothing with a blade, hand raking, burying debris under the surface of the beach all are likely to result in similar detrimental effects. Beach raking to close to the dune can destroy new seedlings establishing at the leading edge of the dune.

    For these reasons, the Shoreline Task Force (SLTF) and City Council have supported that the City of South Padre Island develop guidelines for the removal of seaweed deposits and trash on the City beaches.

    Raking Guidelines

    • Raking should take place only when there is a significant amount of natural matter to rake.
    • In order to promote growth of a continuous dune, no raking should be conducted west of the line of vegetation (LOV).
    • The accumulation of seaweed at the toe of the dune does not need to be raked and should be left in place to encourage the eastward migration of the LOV and protect growing dunes.
    • Large quantities of seaweed should be raked and placed strategically in gap locations to help build dunes. 
    • Litter should be hand-picked along the beach particularly from the seaweed line to the fore dune and disposed of properly. 

    A New Take on Sargassum

    Sargassum, a specific specie of seaweed, found on SPI have berrylike gas-filled bladders which help keep the fronds afloat to promote photosynthesis. The thick masses of Sargassum provide an environment for a distinctive and specialized group of marine animals and plants, many of which are not found elsewhere.

    If you have visited our City in the past, you know that the beaches were typically raked or groomed on a regular basis in an effort to remove any natural debris such as seaweed. (Beach raking is the mechanized removal of seaweed and other natural materials from the beach.) Seaweed on the beach is often viewed as aesthetically unappealing. While superficially appearing to be a nuisance, if we let nature take its course, Sargassum, plays a number of critical roles in the beach and dune system:

    • Beaches return to natural cycles.
    • Abates beach erosion by trapping and keeping sand in place.
    • Allows dunes to revegetate and strengthen by adding nutrients to the system used by dune vegetation. With this knowledge, the City will strive to rake the beaches only when there is a significant amount of seaweed on the beach. Any seaweed that is removed will be placed strategically at the toe of the dunes and possibly be relocated at a later time to assist with dune restoration. The City will make every effort to remove any and all non-natural material from the seaweed deposits.

    How You Can Help 

    Starting in 2008, the City of South Padre Island, South Texas Surfrider Foundation, and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley(UTRGV) began a Dune Vegetation Harvest event following Hurricane Dolly. At the first event, debris was cleared and volunteers harvested natural dune vegetation to be taken to the UTRGV greenhouse to be propagated for what would become the first dune planting that year. In 2009 and early 2010 we were able to plant a few thousand plants before the program grew. In late 2010 the City developed a more aggressive dune planting schedule with the goal of 8,000 to 10,000 plants per event. Since the first event of the year in December 2010 approximately 48,000 native plants were used to vegetate 85,000 square feet of critical dune habitat. The City will continue to develop a plant schedule. Please check our website for dates and information. 

    Innovative Solution 

    South Padre Island is currently working with the Texas General Land Office as well as professional coastal engineering firms in researching long term solutions to the beach erosion problem. A large offshore sand source has been identified 20 miles offshore. This sand source will be used if the City ever needs to rebuild the beach after a major storm. Permitting necessary to complete this project is completed. The City of South Padre Island has adopted new beach and dune maintenance programs aimed at finding a balance between a natural and maintained beach. 

    Frequently Asked Questions 

    Q. Who can make the decision of when to rake the beach?

    • Mayor
    • City Manager
    • Coastal Resources Manager

    Q. What is a significant amount of seaweed?

    • If the accumulation of seaweed impedes the public’s access to the water it should be removed

    Q: What factors are considered by the Coastal Resources Manager when deciding to rake?

    • Is there a significant amount of seaweed?
    • Is there a public health hazard?
    • Weather (Current and forecasted)
    • Tide (Predicted height and time)

    Q. Does the City still clean the beach?
    The City recognizes that the beach is our most important asset and we take great pride in keeping our beaches clean. The City always removes all non-natural debris from the beach. The City’s Public Works Department’s first priority in the morning is to empty all trash barrels and remove all non-natural debris from the beach. For the rest of the day there are three dedicated positions for beach maintenance. 

     

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