Shallow - water surface areas and shoreline distances on the Texas coast

Date

1982

Authors

Matlock, G.C.
Ferguson (Osborn), M.F.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Coastal Fisheries Branch

Abstract

The surface area of Texas bays covered by water less than or equal to 1.2 m (4 feet), (less than or equal to 1.8 m in Corpus Christi Bay system), deep was 243,000 ha (601,000 acres). Almost 25% of the area was in the lower Laguna Madre. The Galveston and Matagorda Bay systems each had about 40,000 ha (99,000 acres) of water less than or equal to 1.2 m deep. About 23,000 ha (57,000 acres) of less than or equal to 1.2 m deep water was in the San Antonio Bay, Aransas Bay and upper Laguna Madre systems. East Matagorda had about 15,000 ha (37,000 acres) less than or equal to 1.2 m deep and Corpus Christi had about 13,000 ha (32,000 acres) of water less than or equal to 1.8 m deep. The distance of shoreline in Texas was 3798.1 km (2361.3 mi) including 586.6 km (365.1 mi) of Gulf beaches. Galveston Bay system had the longest shoreline of 661.7 km (411.2 mi) followed by Matagorda with 458.3 km (284.8 mi), Aransas with 424.1 km (263.5 mi) and the lower Laguna Madre with 405.7 km (252.1 mi). San Antonio and upper Laguna Madre Bay systems each had about 360 km (224 mi) of shoreline while Corpus Christi Bay system had 275.7 km (171.3 mi) of shoreline. Sabine Lake, East Matagorda Bay and Cedar Lakes each had less than 125 km (78 mi) of shoreline.

Description

10 pgs.

Keywords

coastal zone, beaches, shallow water, shoreline distances, surface water, bays

Citation