Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay | ||
---|---|---|
Primary inflows Trinity River, San Jacinto River | | |
Ocean/sea sources | Gulf of Mexico | |
Basin countries | United States | |
Max. length | 30 miles (48 km) | |
Max. width | 17 miles (27 km) | |
Surface area | 345,280 acres (139,730 ha)[1] | |
Average depth | 6 feet (1.8 m) | |
Max. depth | 10 feet (3.0 m) | |
Settlements | Houston, Pasadena, League City, Baytown, Texas City, Galveston, La Porte, Seabrook, Anahuac |
Galveston Bay (
The bay has played a significant role in the history of Texas. Galveston Island is home to the city of Galveston, the earliest major settlement in southeast Texas and the state's largest city toward the end of the nineteenth century.[4] While a devastating hurricane in 1900 hastened Galveston's decline, the subsequent rise of Houston as a major trade center, facilitated by the dredging of the Houston Ship Channel across the western half of the bay, ensured the bay's continued economic importance.[5]
Today, Galveston Bay is encompassed by Greater Houston, the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the United States.[6] The Port of Houston, which has facilities spread across the northwestern section of the bay, is the second-busiest port in the nation by overall tonnage.[7] Other major ports utilizing the bay include the Port of Texas City and the Port of Galveston. With its diverse marine life, Galveston Bay also produces more seafood than any estuary in the United States except the Chesapeake.[8]
History
The Gulf Coast gained its present configuration during the
Though several
After the election of
The
The establishment of
Extraction of oil and
Features
Galveston Bay covers approximately 600 square miles (1,600 km2), and is 30 miles (48 km) long and 17 miles (27 km) wide.[30] The bay has an average depth of 6 feet (2 m) and a maximum undredged depth of 10 feet (3 m).[30] The Galveston Bay system consists of four main bodies of water: Galveston Bay proper (upper and lower), Trinity Bay, East Bay, and West Bay.[31] The bay is bordered by three counties: Chambers, Harris, and Galveston.[32] Significant communities around the bay include Houston, Pasadena, League City, Baytown, Texas City, Galveston, La Porte, Seabrook, and Anahuac.
Galveston Bay has three outlets to the Gulf of Mexico: Bolivar Roads between Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula, San Luis Pass at the west end of Galveston Island, and Rollover Pass across Bolivar Peninsula.[1] Many smaller bays and lakes are connected to the main system, including Christmas Bay, Moses Lake, Dickinson Bay, Clear Lake, Ash Lake, Black Duck Bay, and San Jacinto Bay.[2] Together with its extensions, Galveston Bay forms the largest of the seven major estuaries along the Gulf Coast of Texas.[1] The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, an inland waterway consisting of natural watercourses and man-made canals, runs between the bay and the Gulf. A majority of the bay's inflow comes from the Trinity River, which contributes 7,500,000 acre-feet (9.3×109 m3) of freshwater annually.[2][30] The San Jacinto River contributes another 500,000 acre-feet (620,000,000 m3).[2][30] Local coastal watersheds contribute the remainder.[30]
Climate
The climate around the Bay is classified as humid subtropical (Cfa in Köppen climate classification system). Prevailing winds from the south and southeast bring heat from the deserts of Mexico and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.[33] Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90 °F (32 °C), and the area's humidity drives the heat index even higher. Winters in the area are mild, with typical January highs above 60 °F (16 °C) and lows above 40 °F (4 °C). Snowfall is generally rare. Annual rainfall averages well over 40 inches (1,000 mm), with some areas typically receiving over 50 inches (1,300 mm).[34]
Ecosystem
This unique and complex mixing of waters from different sources provides nursery and spawning grounds for many types of
The wetlands that surround the bay support a variety of fauna. Notable terrestrial species include the American alligator and the bobcat, while bird species include the roseate spoonbill, great and snowy egret, white-faced ibis, and mottled duck.[46]
Pollution
In the early 1990s, the Houston Ship Channel had the fifth highest level of toxic chemicals in the nation due to industrial discharge, with over 18.2 million pounds (8,300,000 kg) discharged between 1990 and 1994. However, the bay has generally experienced improving water quality since the passage of the
Industry
Galveston Bay is located in
The area has a broad industrial base including the energy, manufacturing, aeronautics, transportation, and health care sectors. The bayside communities in particular are home to the Johnson Space Center, which houses the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center, Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, Ellington Airport (home of the Houston Spaceport), and a high concentration of petrochemical refineries.[55]
A large commercial fishing industry has grown around Galveston Bay, with significant production of shrimp, blue crab, eastern oyster, black drum, flounder, sheepshead, and snapper.[56] In 2012, the commercial fish harvest in Galveston Bay amounted to 5,800,000 pounds (2,600,000 kg), with a wholesale value of roughly $16.4 million.[57]
Galveston Bay supports a significant recreation and tourism industry, especially as a result of its proximity to major population centers. Over 40% of Greater Houston residents participate annually in
With over 600 species of birds, Galveston Bay is a popular destination for birdwatching. This sort of ecotourism generates millions in annual revenue for Chambers County, which is home to the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge and High Island.[29]
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c "Trinity–San Jacinto Estuary (Galveston Bay)". Texas Water Development Board. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Pulich Jr., Warren (2002). "Seagrass Status and Trends in the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Galveston Bay System" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ Eubanks, Behrstock & Weeks (2006), pp. 10–11
- Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ "J.H.W. Stele to Sayers, September 11–12, 1900". Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ Lawhorn, Valerie (March 24, 2016). "Census Numbers Are Out: Greater Houston Area Has Largest Population Gain". Houston Public Media. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ Collier, Kiah (May 3, 2013). "Houston has the busiest seaport in the U.S." Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ "Galveston Bay Estuary Program EPA/State Management Conference Agreement: Introduction" (PDF). Galveston Bay Estuary Program. September 1989.
- ^ ISBN 978-1585445615.
- ISBN 978-0-613-19100-5.
- ^ Newcomb (1961), pp. 59–60
- ^ "Ethnohistory". Texas Beyond History. University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ a b c Cotham, Edward T. (July 16, 2000). "Galveston During the Civil War". Texas A&M University Institute of Nautical Archaeology. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ Rice, Harvey (December 31, 2012). "Battle of Galveston saved Texas from Union invasion". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ "Weather Events: The 1900 Galveston Hurricane". The Weather Doctor. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ "Economic Activity Associated with Commercial Fishing along the Texas Gulf Coast". Texas State University. February 2005. pp. 9–10. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ^ Ramos & Reavis (2004), p. 154
- ^ a b "Ambient Water and Sediment Quality of Galveston Bay: Present Status and Historical Trends" (PDF). Galveston Bay Estuary Program. 1991. p. 18.
- .
- U.S. Geological Survey. p. 35. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ Christian, Carol (May 11, 2009). "Restoration project on Sylvan Beach has begun". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ "Atlas Air #3591 crashed into Trinity Bay DCA19MA086". National Transportation Safety Board. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Lester, L. James; Gonzalez, L. A. (December 2011). "The State of the Bay: A Characterization of the Galveston Bay Ecosystem, Third Edition" (PDF). Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Galveston Bay Estuary Program. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "National Coastal Condition Report II" (PDF). United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2005. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ Melosi & Pratt (2007), p. 12
- ^ Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ Melosi & Pratt (2007), p. 13
- ^ "Climate pages for CLL, IAH, HOU, and GLS". National Weather Service. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ "Wide Ike and shallow coast mean strong surge". NBC News. September 12, 2008.
Houston is buffered by Galveston Island — which sits in the way of the surge — and the bay system
- Sarasota Herald Tribune.
Just north of Galveston Island, the Bolivar Peninsula shields Galveston Bay much like Lido Key and Longboat Key shield Sarasota Bay.
- ^ Berger, Eric (September 9, 2008). "Would a category 3 hurricane surge flood your home?". Houston Chronicle Blogs.
- ^ Tresaugue, Matthew (August 22, 2009). "A year after Ike: Galveston Bay still trying to recover". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ "The Ike Dike: The Proposal to Prevent Severe Storm Destruction on the Texas Gulf Coast". Rice University: SSPEED – Severe Storm Prediction, Education, and Evacuation from Disasters. Archived from the original on May 5, 2010. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
- Galveston County Daily News. Archived from the originalon July 16, 2011.
- ^ Tate, Jennifer (August 29, 2017). Storm Summary Number 15 for Tropical Storm Harvey Rainfall and Wind. Weather Prediction Center (Report). College Park, Maryland: United States Government. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
- ^ "Social Marketing: A New Approach to Enhance Public Outreach and Education about Galveston Bay". Fall 2007. Archived from the original on October 8, 2011.
- ^ "Mammals". Galveston Bay Estuary Program. Archived from the original on October 8, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
- Plainview Daily Herald. June 7, 2003. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "Wildlife". Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ "Galveston Bay Report Card 2016" (PDF). Houston Area Research Council (HARC) and Galveston Bay Foundation. 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ a b "Galveston Bay Report Card 2019" (PDF). Houston Area Research Council (HARC) and Galveston Bay Foundation. 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ Tresaugue, Matthew (April 6, 2014). "Oil spills in Galveston Bay a routine occurrence". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- Texas Tribune. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ "State of the Air 2005, National and Regional Analysis". American Lung Association. March 25, 2005. Archived from the original on May 19, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2006.
- ^ "Summary of the Issues". Citizens League for Environmental Action Now. August 1, 2004. Archived from the original on February 10, 2006. Retrieved February 17, 2006.
- ISBN 978-0-7425-5112-1.
Henry, Thomas E (2008). Next Voyage Will Be Different!. Dog Ear Publishing. p. 11.ISBN 9781598586275. - ^ "The Houston Ship Channel: A History". The Port of Houston Authority. Archived from the original on June 13, 2008. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
- ^ "Johnson Space Center". September 8, 2009.
"CHAPTER TWO: GALVESTON BAY" (PDF). Texas A&M University-Galveston: Galveston Bay Information Center (Galveston Bay Estuary Project). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2011. Retrieved September 8, 2009.... it [Galveston Bay] is at the center of the state's petrochemical industry, with 30 percent of U.S. petroleum industry and nearly 50 percent of U.S. production of ethylene and propylene occuring [sic] on its shores.
Weisman (2008), pg. 166,"The industrial megaplex that begins on the east side of Houston and continues uninterrupted to the Gulf of Mexico, 50 miles away, is the largest concentration of petroleum refineries, petrochemical companies, and storage structures on Earth." - ^ Handley, Larry; Spear, Kathryn; Taylor, Eleonor; Thatcher, Cindy (2014). "Galveston Bay" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
- Texas Tribune. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ a b Cummins, Rhonda (July 2009). "Impacts of Hurricane Ike on the Galveston Bay Fishing Community" (PDF). Texas Sea Grant Extension Program. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
References
- Antrobus, Sally (2005). Galveston Bay. ISBN 1-58544-461-8.
- Cairns, William J.; Rogers, Patrick M. (1990). Onshore impacts of offshore oil. ISBN 978-0-85334-974-7.
- Eubanks, Ted; Behrstock, Robert A.; Weeks, Ron J. (2006). ISBN 1-58544-510-X.
- Henson, Margaret Swett (1993). The history of Galveston Bay resource utilization. Galveston Bay Estuary Program. Archived from the original on December 15, 2009.
- Melosi, Martin V.; Pratt, Joseph A. (2007). Energy metropolis: an environmental history of Houston and the Gulf Coast. ISBN 978-0-8229-4335-8.
- Newcomb, William Wilmon (1961). The Indians of Texas: From Prehistoric to Modern Times. Austin, TX: ISBN 0-292-78425-2.
- Ramos, Mary G.; Reavis, Dick J. (2004). Texas. ISBN 0-676-90502-1.
External links
- Ellender to Galveston Bay, Louisiana—Texas: Intracoastal Waterway Nautical Chart National Ocean Service
- Galveston Bay to Cedar Lakes, Texas: Intracoastal Waterway Nautical Chart National Ocean Service
- See an 1853 map Preliminary chart of San Luis Pass, Texas / from a trigonometrical survey under the direction of A.D. Bache ; triangulation by James S. Williams ; topography by J.M. Wampler ; hydrography by the party under the command of H.S. Stellwagen ; engg. by E. Yeager & J.J. Knight ; redd. drng. by E. Freyhold., hosted by the Portal to Texas History.
- Galveston Island State Park
- Galveston Bay Status and Trends
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Galveston Bay