Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
The Texas coast (Figure 1) consists of complex and diverse ecosystems with a varying precipitation gradient. The northernmost portion of the coast, extending from Sabine Lake to Galveston Bay, is composed of salt, brackish, intermediate, and fresh marshes, with humid flatwoods inland (Moulton and others, 1997). Coastal prairies are found across the entire coast. From Galveston Bay to Corpus Christi Bay, rivers feed into large bays and estuarine ecosystems. Barrier islands and peninsulas exist along the coast from Galveston Bay to the Mexican border. The southernmost portion of the coast is composed of wind-tidal flats and the hypersaline Laguna Madre. The Laguna Madre lacks rivers and has little rainfall and restricted inlet access to the Gulf. Semiarid rangeland and irrigated agricultural land can be found inland.
Approximately 6 million people live in Texas’ coastal counties (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010; Texas GLO, 2013). Seventy percent of the state’s industry and commerce occurs within 160.9 km (100 miles) of the coast (Moulton and others, 1997). Texas ports support 1.4 million jobs and generate $6.5 billion in tax revenues (Texas GLO, 2013). Chemical and petroleum production and marine commerce thrive on the Texas coast. Agriculture, grazing, commercial and recreational fishing, and recreation and tourism are strong industries along the coast and in adjacent areas; oil and gas production, agriculture, and tourism are the state’s three largest industries.
Study Area
Publication type | Report |
---|---|
Publication Subtype | Other Government Series |
Title | Statewide summary for Texas |
Chapter | B |
Year Published | 2012 |
Language | English |
Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
Contributing office(s) | National Wetlands Research Center |
Description | 9 p. |
Larger Work Type | Report |
Larger Work Subtype | Other Government Series |
Larger Work Title | Emergent wetlands status and trends in the northern Gulf of Mexico: 1950-2010 |
Conference Title | 2013 Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) All Hands Meeting |
Conference Location | Tampa, FL |
Conference Date | June 25-27, 2013 |
Country | United States |
State | Texas |
Online Only (Y/N) | N |
Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |