Hi there Mike C,

I'm searching for documented figures on the maximum storm surges observed in Galveston's ship channel/bay at Pie r 21 and in the Gulf at the Pleasure Pier.

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/geo.shtml?location=8771341 asserts that a couple of hours before landfall, the maximum tide was 9.78 feet--this before the recording stations ceased to record.

What is your source for the peak surge at Galveston (and where in Galveston was it measured) & for Bolivar?

You quote: The "surge at Galveston was just over 12 feet, with higher peaks, but not as bad as it could have been had the storm passed just west. It appears, at least for the downtown, the seawall was a good investment as it kept things from getting too bad there. But still vast amounts of damage happened, including the destruction of the historic Balinese room and the Galveston Memorial Monument to the infamous 1900 Hurricane. Port Bolivar, across the bay east of Galveston, had a 23 ft surge."

Thanks much,

tcurtis