The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is drawing up plans to reopen the sand-clogged mouth of the San Bernard River in south Brazoria County.

Since late 2005 the mouth of the 120-mile-long river has been closed by drifting sand. Instead of reaching the Gulf of Mexico directly, the river's water flows into the Intracoastal Waterway, causing very strong currents at the floodgates of the Brazos River a few miles away.

Now the Galveston corps office is evaluating plans to dig a channel between the waterway and the Gulf that will restore the original river mouth.

Studies showed that the river's mouth migrated about three miles southwest before it closed up entirely in November 2005.

The news that the corps is developing plans to reopen the river thrilled members of a group called "Friends of the River," which has campaigned to get the work done.

The group has taken federal and state officials to the sanded-over river mouth — which is reachable only by water — for inspection tours. They have hosted fundraisers, held holiday boat parades and made presentations to environmental and government groups.

"We're close enough to smell the butter on the top of the trout almondine," said Janice Edwards, who, with her husband Roy, were among the founders of the group.

Corps officials at first declined to take on the project because they had never had any jurisdiction on the San Bernard.

The unsafe conditions caused by the increased water flow in the Intracoastal gave the corps impetus to take on the project. Trains of barges traveling the waterway often have to be broken up at the floodgates and brought through the area one at a time because of the strong current. The floodgates are under the jurisdiction of the Corps of Engineers.

Earlier this year the Texas Department of Transportation obtained $300,000 from the Texas General Land Office to dig a small channel to help open the old mouth of the river.

The corps will continue to work with TxDOT and the land office, said Col. David C. Weston, Galveston District Corps commander.

"We are looking at several channel width and depth alternatives to reopen the mouth of the San Bernard River near its historical location," Weston said. "Our intent is to find an affordable solution that reduces the flow velocity through the Brazos River flood gates, mitigating the risk to commercial navigation."

Weston said no cost estimates will be available until the agency decides on a plan for the project.

He said the corps plans to let a contract for the work by the end of September 2008.

richard.stewart@chron.com