Christmas Bay (Texas)

Last updated
Christmas Bay
Christmas Bay Texas map.png
Relief map of Texas.png
Red pog.svg
Christmas Bay
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Christmas Bay
Location Texas Gulf Coast
Coordinates 29°3′N95°11′W / 29.050°N 95.183°W / 29.050; -95.183 Coordinates: 29°3′N95°11′W / 29.050°N 95.183°W / 29.050; -95.183
Primary inflows Bastrop Bayou
Ocean/sea sources Gulf of Mexico
Basin  countries United States
Surface area4,173 acres (1,689 ha) [1]

Christmas Bay is a small bay located on the Texas Gulf Coast in Brazoria County, Texas, immediately southwest of West Bay, near the Galveston Bay system's southwest corner. [2] It is a minor estuary, one of a series of estuaries along the Gulf Coast of Texas, and receives the discharge from Bastrop Bayou, along with the adjacent coastal watershed. The bay is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Follet's Island and connects with it through San Luis Pass and Cold Pass. Its minor extensions are Bastrop Bay to the north and Drum Bay to the southwest. [3] The nearest city is Freeport, about 10 miles (16 km) to the southwest at the mouth of the Brazos River.

Contents

The bay has a surface area of 4,173 acres (1,689 ha) and features high water quality, vast oyster reefs, and surrounding salt marsh habitat. The area has not been significantly impacted by human activities. [2] Much of its shoreline is protected within the Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge. [1]

History

Approximately 18 thousand years ago, the coast of the Gulf of Mexico took on its current shape during the last glacial period. [4] Low global sea levels permitted the landmass of what is now Texas to stretch much farther south than it does now, and the Trinity River excavated a 170-foot-deep (52 m) canyon on its way to the ocean through what is now the Houston Ship Channel's outlet. [4] Rising sea levels filled this tiny canyon first when the glacial era ended, followed by the vast lowlands of today's Trinity Bay. [4] Between 7 and 5 thousand years ago, rapid sea-level rise moved the Gulf Coast northward to its current latitude. [4]

Ecology

This small bay is on the eastern coast of Texas near the city of Galveston. It is surrounded by the natural region of the Western Gulf coastal grasslands and marshes. [5] The plains are crossed by meandering streams that run southeast into the western Galveston Bay estuary and feature vast fresh and salty marshes. [5] The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has classified the bay as a nursery habitat area and a Coastal Preserve because it supports a greater diversity of fin-fish than any other part of the Galveston Bay estuary system. [2] The shallow-water perimeters of the preserve are home to the Texas quahog, an edible type of hard clam. [2] Waterfowl and shorebirds, both migratory and permanent, can be found in the region. [2] Waterbirds graze and nest on cordgrass stands, and huge oyster reefs may be found in the area. [2] Two endangered bird species call it home, the piping plover and brown pelican. [6] Red drum, speckled trout, black drum, and southern flounder are all common fish on the bayside. [7] This unusual and complicated mixing of waters from many sources serves as a nursery and breeding ground for a diverse range of marine life, including crabs, shrimp, oysters, and a variety of fish, resulting in a thriving commercial fishing industry. [7] The bay's channels provide ideal habitat for common bottlenose dolphins, which eat a variety of fish. [8] In addition, the bayous, rivers, and marshes that surround the bay maintain their own ecosystems, supporting a varied range of fauna and allowing freshwater crawfish farming. [9] The marshes that surround the bay are home to a diverse range of wildlife. The American alligator and the bobcat are notable terrestrial species, while the roseate spoonbill, great and snowy egrets, white-faced ibis, and mottled duck are notable avian species. [6]

Climate

The bay's climate is classed as humid subtropical. [10] Prevailing south and southeast breezes bring heat from Mexico's deserts and precipitation from the Gulf of Mexico. [10] Summer temperatures routinely surpass 90 °F (32 °C), and the humidity in the area raises the heat index even further. [10] Winters in the region are warm, with average winter highs of 60 °F (16 °C) and lows of 40 °F (4 °C). [11] Annual rainfall is considerably over 40 inches (100 cm) on average, with the area reaching well over 50 inches (130 cm) sometimes. [11] During the fall season, hurricanes are a constant concern. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estuary</span> Partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water

An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments and are an example of an ecotone. Estuaries are subject both to marine influences such as tides, waves, and the influx of saline water, and to fluvial influences such as flows of freshwater and sediment. The mixing of seawater and freshwater provides high levels of nutrients both in the water column and in sediment, making estuaries among the most productive natural habitats in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sabine Lake</span> Estuary on the Texas–Louisiana border

Sabine Lake is a bay on the Gulf coasts of Texas and Louisiana, located approximately 90 miles (140 km) east of Houston and 160 miles (260 km) west of Baton Rouge, adjoining the city of Port Arthur. The lake is formed by the confluence of the Neches and Sabine Rivers and connects to the Gulf of Mexico through Sabine Pass. It forms part of the Texas–Louisiana border, falling within Jefferson and Orange Counties in Texas and Cameron Parish, Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galveston Bay</span> Estuary bay near Houston on the Texas Gulf Coast

Galveston Bay is a bay in the western Gulf of Mexico along the upper coast of Texas. It is the seventh-largest estuary in the United States, and the largest of seven major estuaries along the Texas Gulf Coast. It is connected to the Gulf of Mexico and is surrounded by sub-tropical marshes and prairies on the mainland. The water in the bay is a complex mixture of sea water and fresh water, which supports a wide variety of marine life. With a maximum depth of about 10 feet (3 m) and an average depth of only 6 feet (2 m), it is unusually shallow for its size.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matagorda Bay</span> Bay on the Texas coast, United States of America

Matagorda Bay is a large Gulf of Mexico bay on the Texas coast, lying in Calhoun and Matagorda counties and located approximately 80 miles (130 km) northeast of Corpus Christi, 143 miles (230 km) east-southeast of San Antonio, 108 miles (174 km) south-southwest of Houston, and 167 miles (269 km) south-southeast of Austin. It is one of seven major estuaries along the Gulf Coast of Texas and serves as the mouth of numerous streams, most notably the Lavaca and Colorado Rivers. The Texas seaport of Port Lavaca is located on the system's northwestern extension of Lavaca Bay. The city of Palacios is found on northeastern extension of Tres Palacios Bay, and Port O'Connor is located on the southwestern tip of the main bay's shore. The ghost town of Indianola, which was a major port before it was destroyed by two hurricanes in the late 19th century, is also found on the bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea Rim State Park</span> State park in Texas, United States

Sea Rim State Park is a 4,141-acre (1,676 ha) state park in southeast Texas. The park is located on the Gulf of Mexico in southern Jefferson County, south of Port Arthur and just west of Sabine Pass. The park was closed for several years due to extensive damage from Hurricanes Rita (2005) and Ike (2008). The park has recently re-opened but currently has limited resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Gulf coastal grasslands</span> Subtropical grassland ecoregion of Mexico and the United States

The Western Gulf coastal grasslands are a subtropical grassland ecoregion of the southern United States and northeastern Mexico. It is known in Louisiana as the "Cajun Prairie", Texas as "Coastal Prairie," and as the Tamaulipan pastizal in Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge</span> Refuge on the western coast of Florida, U.S.

The Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge (LSNWR) is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System. It is located in southeastern Dixie and northwestern Levy counties on the western coast of Florida, approximately fifty miles southwest of the city of Gainesville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aransas Bay</span> Bay on the Gulf Coast in Texas, United States

Aransas Bay is a bay on the Texas Gulf Coast, approximately 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Corpus Christi, and 173 miles (278 km) south of San Antonio. It is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by San José Island. Aransas Pass is the most direct navigable outlet into the Gulf of Mexico from the bay. The cities of Aransas Pass and Port Aransas are located at the southern end, and Rockport is found on the central western shore. The bay is oriented laterally northeast-southwest, and is extended by Redfish Bay to the southwest, Copano Bay to the west, Saint Charles Bay to the north, and Mesquite Bay to the northeast. Aransas Bay is part of the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black drum</span> Species of fish

The black drum, also known as the drum or drummer, is a saltwater fish similar to its cousin, the red drum. It is in the genus Pogonias. Though most specimens are generally found in the 5-30 lb (2–14 kg) range, the black drum is well known as the largest of all the drum family with some specimens reaching excesses of 90 lb (40 kg). The world record black drum was just over 113 lb (51 kg). They are often black and/or gray in color with juvenile fish having distinctive dark stripes over a gray body. Their teeth are rounded and they have powerful jaws capable of crushing oysters and other shellfish. It is recommended those over 15 lb (7 kg) should be released. Black drum are capable of producing tones between 100 Hz and 500 Hz when performing mating calls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galveston Island State Park</span> State park in Texas, United States

Galveston Island State Park is a Texas state park located on western Galveston Island in Galveston County, on the western Gulf Coast in Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge</span> National Wildlife Refuge near Anahuac, Texas

The Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is a wildlife conservation area along the coast of Texas (USA), west of the town of High Island, Texas. It borders East Bay, part of the Galveston Bay complex, behind Bolivar Peninsula at the Gulf of Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Matagorda Bay</span> Estuary bay in Matagorda County, Texas

East Matagorda Bay is a bay off Matagorda County on the Texas Gulf Coast, enclosed by the Matagorda Peninsula and the tidal flats at the mouth of the Colorado River. It is a minor estuary, one of a series of estuaries along the Gulf Coast of Texas, but it has no significant river sources, receiving only the runoff from the adjacent coastal watershed. Its only true opening to the Gulf of Mexico is through Brown Cedar Cut, near the north end of the peninsula. East Matagorda Bay was devastated by the 1942 Matagorda Hurricane, the most devastating hurricane of the 1942 Atlantic hurricane season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge</span> Bird sanctuary split between southern and eastern Brazoria and Matagorda counties, respectively

The San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge is a 45,730-acre (185.1 km2) wildlife conservation area along the coast of Texas (USA), south of the towns of Sweeny and Brazoria, Texas. It encloses a bay behind a barrier island at the Gulf of Mexico. The refuge is located in southern Brazoria and eastern Matagorda counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge</span> Wildlife conservation area in Texas

The Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge is a 44,414-acre (179.74 km2) wildlife conservation area along the coast of Texas (USA), east of the towns of Angleton and Lake Jackson, Texas. It borders Christmas Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway, separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Follet's Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Gulf Coast</span> Texas coastal boundary with Gulf of Mexico

Texas Gulf Coast is an intertidal zone which borders the coastal region of South Texas, Southeast Texas, and the Texas Coastal Bend. The Texas coastal geography boundaries the Gulf of Mexico encompassing a geographical distance relative bearing at 367 miles (591 km) of coastline according to CRS and 3,359 miles (5,406 km) of shoreline according to NOAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail</span> Birdwatching trail system along the length of the Texas Gulf Coast

The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail is a state-designated system of trails, bird sanctuaries, and nature preserves along the entire length of the Texas Gulf Coast in the United States. As the state of Texas hosts more bird species than any other state in the U.S. the trail system offers some of the most unusual opportunities for bird-watching in the world. The "trail" is actually 43 separate hiking and driving trails that include 308 birding sites. The sites themselves feature a variety of viewing opportunities with boardwalks, observation decks, and other amenities. The trails boast more than 450 bird species. The trail system is managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as part of the Great Texas Wildlife Trails which also include the Heart of Texas Wildlife Trail, the Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail, and the Prairies and Pineywoods Wildlife Trail.

<i>Strongylura marina</i> Species of fish

The Atlantic needlefish is a common demersal needlefish species common in marinas and other areas with minimal currents. Its extremely long jaw and body set this fish apart from other predators. Atlantic needlefish are found from Maine to Brazil and have been known to venture into fresh water for short periods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Bay (Texas)</span> Body of water

East Bay also known as East Galveston Bay, is the eastern extension of Galveston Bay found in Chambers County, Texas. The bay is oriented northeast to southwest, and is approximately five miles wide and twenty miles in length. It covers the area north of the entire Bolivar Peninsula, and south of mainland Texas, including the small community of Smith Point at the western extreme. The bay's one extension is Rollover Bay, which is found to the extreme east near the town of Gilchrist.

Restore America's Estuaries (RAE) is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit conservation organization dedicated to preserving the nation's network of estuaries through coastal protection and restoration projects which promote the richness and diversity of coastal life. Based in Arlington, VA with staff in Seattle, Colorado, and Florida, Restore America's Estuaries is an alliance of eleven community-based coastal conservation organizations that includes the American Littoral Society (ALS), Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL), Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF), North Carolina Coastal Federation (NCCF), Save The Bay – San Francisco (STB-SF), EarthCorps, Save The Bay – Narragansett Bay (STB-NB), Save the Sound (STS)-a program of Connecticut Fund for the Environment, and Tampa Bay Watch (TBW).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estuaries of Texas</span> Estuaries on the Gulf coast of Texas

The U.S. state of Texas has a series of estuaries along its coast on the Gulf of Mexico, most of them bounded by the Texas barrier islands. Estuaries are coastal bodies of water in which freshwater from rivers mixes with saltwater from the sea. Twenty-one drainage basins terminate along the Texas coastline, forming a chain of seven major and five minor estuaries: listed from southwest to northeast, these are the Rio Grande Estuary, Laguna Madre, the Nueces Estuary, the Mission–Aransas Estuary, the Guadalupe Estuary, the Colorado–Lavaca Estuary, East Matagorda Bay, the San Bernard River and Cedar Lakes Estuary, the Brazos River Estuary, Christmas Bay, the Trinity–San Jacinto Estuary, and the Sabine–Neches Estuary. Each estuary is named for its one or two chief contributing rivers, excepting Laguna Madre, East Matagorda Bay, and Christmas Bay, which have no major river sources. The estuaries are also sometimes referred to by the names of their respective primary or central water bodies, though each also includes smaller secondary bays, inlets, or other marginal water bodies.

References

  1. 1 2 "Texas GEMS — Christmas Bay Coastal Preserve". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department . Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "TPWD: Christmas Bay Paddling Trail | | Texas Paddling Trails". tpwd.texas.gov. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  3. ↑ "Christmas Bay". Texas Water Development Board. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 The formation and future of the upper Texas coast: a geologist answers questions about sand, storms, and living by the sea. 2008-09-01.
  5. 1 2 "Texas GEMS, Christmas Bay Preserve". tpwd.texas.gov. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  6. 1 2 Husak, Michael S. (June 2008). "Birdlife of Houston, Galveston, and the Upper Texas Coast. Gulf Coast Studies, Volume 10. By Ted L. Eubanks Jr., Robert A. Behrstock, and Ron J. Weeks; Foreword by Victor Emanuel. College Station (Texas): Texas A&M University Press. $45.00. xiii + 287 p. + 24 pl.; ill.; index. 1‐58544‐510‐X. 2006". The Quarterly Review of Biology. 83 (2): 228–229. doi:10.1086/590632. ISSN   0033-5770.
  7. 1 2 Carleton, Scott A.; Rio, Carlos Martinez Del; Robinson, Timothy J. (2015-06-22). "Feather isotope analysis reveals differential patterns of habitat and resource use in populations of white-winged doves". The Journal of Wildlife Management. 79 (6): 948–956. doi:10.1002/jwmg.916. ISSN   0022-541X.
  8. ↑ Brager, S.; Wursig, B.; Acevedo, A.; Henningsen, T. (1994-05-31). "Association Patterns of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Galveston Bay, Texas". Journal of Mammalogy. 75 (2): 431–437. doi:10.2307/1382564. ISSN   1545-1542. JSTOR   1382564.
  9. ↑ "Galveston Bay". wikihmong.com. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  10. 1 2 3 MELOSI, MARTIN V.; PRATT, JOSEPH A., eds. (2007-07-01). Energy Metropolis. University of Pittsburgh Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctt7zwb5m. ISBN   978-0-8229-7324-9.
  11. 1 2 3 Burt, Stephen; Burt, Tim (2019-05-30). "March". Oxford Weather and Climate since 1767. Oxford University Press. pp. 96–105. doi:10.1093/oso/9780198834632.003.0009. ISBN   978-0-19-883463-2.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.