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{{Infobox body of water |
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|name = Matagorda Bay |
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|image_bathymetry = Jensen Pt.jpg |
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|caption_bathymetry = Matagorda Bay at |
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|image = Matagorda Bay from space.jpg |
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|caption = |
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|location = Central ] ] |
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|coords = {{coord|28|33|56|N|96|12|36|W|display=inline,title|type:waterbody_source:nlwiki_scale:500000}} |
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|rivers = ], ] |
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|oceans = ] |
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|countries = ] |
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|islands = |
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|cities = ] |
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'''Matagorda Bay''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=En-us-Matagorda.ogg|ˌ|m|æ|t|ə|ˈ|g|ɔər|d|ə|}}<ref name=DictionaryMatagordaBay>{{cite web|title=Matagorda Bay|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/matagorda%20bay|website=Dictionary.com|publisher=Random House, Inc|accessdate=9 November 2014}}</ref>) is a large ] ] bay on the ] coast, lying in ] and ] counties and located approximately {{convert|80|mi|km}} northeast of ], {{convert|143|mi|km}} east-southeast of ], {{convert|108|mi|km}} south-southwest of ], and {{convert|167|mi|km}} south-southeast of ]. It is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by ] and serves as the mouth of numerous streams, most notably the ] and ]s. The Texas seaport of ] is located on the system's northwestern extension of ]. The city of ] is found on northeastern extension of ], and ] is located on the southwestern tip of the main bay's shore. The ] of ], which was a major port before it was destroyed by two hurricanes in the late 19th Century, is also found on the bay. |
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The bay's shore, especially near the Colorado River delta, provides a habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. The wildlife serves as a basis for the birding and fishing tourism, and is an essential component of the production of seafood, specifically ] and ], which are the specialties of the area. The fertile land near the bay is ideal for farming, especially for the propagation of rice. |
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==History== |
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Early European records suggest that the bay and the surrounding area went by the names ''Espíritu Santo'' and ''Costa y Bahía de San Bernardo''. Spanish explorer ]'s map from the late 1510s appears to be the first documentation of the bay. In 1685, French explorer ] established the colony of ] along the bay's shore after missing the entrance to the ].<ref name="handbook">{{cite web|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rbm28|title=Matagorda Bay|last=Leatherwood|first=Art|date=February 22, 2010|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=17 May 2010}}</ref> Half of the colonists were killed by disease, and the other half, save for five children, were killed by ]. It was afterward referred to as a "lost colony." The Indians kept the children until they were rescued by the Spanish during the ] and ] expeditions near the bay.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qbf45|title=Fort St. Louis|last=Weddle|first=Robert S.|date=February 22, 2010|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=17 May 2010}}</ref> In 1722 Spanish built a fort, ], and ] on the site of Fort Saint Louis.<ref>Craig H. Roell and Robert S. Weddle, "NUESTRA SENORA DE LORETO DE LA BAHIA PRESIDIO," ''Handbook of Texas Online'' (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/uqn11), accessed April 07, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.</ref> |
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]'s painting of La Salle's entrance into Matagorda Bay]] |
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The port of ] was established on Matagorda Bay in 1831, and served as a main port for the ]. The ] destroyed the town and forced the inhabitants to flee to the nearby Labbacca, which would later become known as Port Lavaca.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hvl58|title=Linnville, Texas|last=Roell|first=Craig H.|date=February 22, 2010|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=17 May 2010}}</ref> Lavaca or ''la vaca'', Spanish for cow, was founded in the wake of the Comanche Raid in 1841. It replaced Linnville as the main port on Matagorda Bay. However, the sandbar-heavy Lavaca Bay caused some navigational problems for ships. As a result, Lavaca was surpassed by Indianola as the main port on Matagorda Bay in the 1850s, even though the sandbars were dredged later in the decade.<ref name="Lavaca">{{cite web|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hep07|title=Port Lavaca, Texas|last=Maywald|first=Lonnie Ficklen|date=March 31, 2010|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=17 May 2010}}</ref> Indianola had been founded in 1846 as a landing place for German immigrants. It rapidly developed into a major seaport, and became the second largest in the state (after ]) by the 1860s.<ref name="Indianola">{{cite web|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hvi11|title=Indianola, Texas|last=Malsch|first=Brownson|date=February 22, 2010|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=17 May 2010}}</ref> The two ports, and strategic control of Matagorda Bay in particular, became important during the ]. Control of the bay shifted between the ] and ] forces several times. The Union presence in the area ended in June 1864.<ref name="Lavaca"/> After the war, Indianola continued its growth, and had a population of 5,000 in the 1870s. A hurricane in 1875 caused massive damage to the city. It was rebuilt on a smaller scale shortly thereafter, but a second and more intense ] (the fifth most intense in U.S. history), causing even greater destruction. The following year, Indianola was completely abandoned.<ref name="Indianola"/> Although Lavaca was also significantly affected by the hurricanes, it survived as a port, and again became the largest on the bay. It continues to hold this distinction today. It was renamed Port Lavaca in the late 19th Century.<ref name="Lavaca"/> Palacios was established around 1901,<ref name="Palacios"/> and Port O'Connor was founded on the bay in 1909.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hlp41|title=Port O'Connor, Texas|last=Rubert|first=Rebecca|date=February 22, 2010|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=19 May 2010}}</ref> |
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Before 1900, ] was a free flowing extension, which formed the eastern segment of Matagorda Bay. Flooding and drainage issues caused by the ], which at the time emptied into the bay, precipitated a massive dredging campaign in the 1920s. Flooding was not remedied by the dredging, as sediment deposited in the bay and formed a ] that grew at {{convert|500|acre|km2}} a year. As a result, local citizens decided to change the course of the Colorado River in 1934 to bypass Matagorda Bay into the ], the dredging from this project causing the split and forming the isolated East Matagorda Bay.<ref name="magazine"/> In 1992, the river was diverted back to the bay.<ref name="magazine">{{cite web|url=http://www.tpwmagazine.com/archive/2006/jul/ed_5/|title=Delta Dawn|last=Holtcamp|first=Wendee|date=July 2006|work=Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine|publisher=Texas Parks and Wildlife|accessdate=17 May 2010}}</ref> |
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==Features== |
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] (yellow), ] (brown), ] (red), ] (lime), ] (orange), '''Matagorda Bay (purple)''', ] (magenta), ] (olive)]] |
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The shoreline of the bay is included in the ]. At the eastern end, near the Colorado River delta, there is a swampy terrain, with an abundance of ]s and tidal marshes. Extended coastal ]s supporting native grasses, can be found throughout the area.<ref name="clive">{{cite web|url=http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/texas/files/mad_island_fact_sheet_1008_lowres.pdf|title=Clive Runnells Family Mad Island Marsh Preserve|year=2008|work=nature.org|publisher=The Nature Conservancy|accessdate=19 May 2010}}</ref> |
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On average, the Matagorda Bay system is {{convert|2|m|ft|sp=us}} deep, and covers approximately {{convert|1093| km2|sqmi|sp=us}}. It is the third largest estuarine system in Texas behind ] and ]. The main extensions include: ], which extends westward to the mouth of the ]; ], which extends northeast to the mouth of the ] and ], which is nearly isolated from the system by the ] delta. Other inlets include Turtle Bay, ], Keller Bay, and Cox Bay.<ref name="gulf">{{cite web|url=http://www.gulfbase.org/bay/view.php?bid=matagorda|title=Matagorda Bay|work=GulfBase|publisher=Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies|accessdate=17 May 2010|location=Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924062441/http://gulfbase.org/bay/view.php?bid=matagorda|archivedate=24 September 2010|df=}}</ref> |
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Every second, approximately {{convert|150|m3|gal|sp=us}} of water flows into the bay. The exchange with the Gulf of Mexico occurs at ], Matagorda Ship Channel, Greens Bayou, the Colorado River Delta Complex and Brown Cedar Cut. As a result of the seawater exchange, the bay's salinity is 19 parts per thousand (ppt),<ref name="gulf"/> which is lower than the seawater average of 35 ppt.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marinebio.net/marinescience/02ocean/swcomposition.htm|title=Seawater Composition|last=Anderson|first=Genny|date=October 8, 2008|work=Marine Science|accessdate=9 January 2010}}</ref> This difference is caused by the large number of creeks and rivers that flow into the system, largely from the drainage basins of the Colorado and Lavaca Rivers.<ref name="gulf"/> |
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==Ecosystem== |
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A wide variety of wildlife can be found in and around Matagorda Bay. The Mad Island-Oyster Lake conservation area, located on the eastern shore of Matagorda Bay, is a habitat for over 300 species of birds including songbirds, shorebirds and waterfowl. More species of birds were found in the area than any other in the nation during the ]'s annual ] from 2000 to 2002. Other fauna located along the bay include ]s, ], ]s, ]s, ], ], ], the ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/texas/files/madislandexecsum.pdf|title=Mad Island Marsh-Oyster Lake Conservation Area Executive Summary|work=nature.org|publisher=The Nature Conservancy|accessdate=17 May 2010}}</ref> and ]s.<ref name="clive"/> |
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According to ], the following fish have been caught in the bay: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishing/sea-center-texas/flora-fauna-guide/nearshore-waters/animals-of-the-nearshore-waters/pigfish|title=Pigfish|work=Texas Parks and Whildlife |publisher= Texas Parks and Wildlife |accessdate= 28 June 2018}}</ref>, ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/action/waterecords.php?WB_code=3360|title=Water Body Records for Matagorda Bay|date=May 4, 2010|work=Texas Parks and Wildlife|publisher=Texas Parks and Wildlife Department|accessdate=15 May 2010}}</ref> The bay serves as a nursery for ], shrimp and crabs.<ref name="magazine"/> |
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==Industry== |
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]]] |
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The Matagorda Bay system is a renowned fishing location in the region, due to its status as a nutrient-rich estuary. The mainstays of the settlements on the bay include seafood processing, manufacturing, agriculture and tourism.<ref name="Lavaca"/> Commercial fishermen specialize in oyster, blue crab, and ].<ref name="gulf"/> Port Lavaca is the national leader in the processing of shrimp,<ref name="Lavaca"/> and passed four million tons of seafood through its port in 1985 alone.<ref name="handbook"/> Palacios houses the largest blue crab processing plant in the United States, and is home to the only individually quick frozen shrimp plant in Texas.<ref name="Palacios">{{cite web|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hfp01|title=Palacios, Texas|last=Griffin|first=Mary L.|date=February 22, 2010|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=18 May 2010}}</ref> ] also contributes to the local economies via tourism.<ref name="gulf"/> Tourists often flock to the Port Lavaca State Fishing Pier, which is a major point of interest for fishermen. Other activities for visitors include hunting, oyster roasts, beach combing<ref name="Lavaca"/> and birding.<ref name="Palacios"/> |
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Several manufacturing complexes have been erected along the bay, which employ local residents. The ], ], ], and ] all established plants in ].<ref name="Lavaca"/> The ] is found in nearby ].<ref name="Palacios"/> ] and ] were discovered in the bay in the 1930s.<ref name="Lavaca"/> ], ], ]s, turf, and rice grow well around the bay, especially in the fertile delta region.<ref name="Palacios"/> |
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==References== |
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{{reflist|colwidth=30em}} |
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==External links== |
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* {{Handbook of Texas|id=rbm28|name=Matagorda Bay}} |
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{{good article}} |
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