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Texas Coastal Zone

compiled by Joyce L. Foegelle, revised 4/2001

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The Texas Coastal Zone is defined in the Bureau of Economic Geology's Environmental Geologic Atlas series as the area of land "from the inner Continental Shelf to about 40 miles inland" which includes "all estuaries and tidally influenced streams and bounding wetlands". Twenty-five percent of the population and 33% of the economic resources of the state are located along the approximately 360 miles of the Texas coast.

This site provides Texas coastal information on selected books, monographs, reports, graduate study, and maps that are available at the Walter Geology Library and other UT Libraries. This bibliography does not cite work that is appears in journals, book chapters, or conference proceedings. Besides emphasis on the Texas Coastal Zone, the criteria for selection of materials for this site is the research dealing with surface processes of the coastal zone. Publications on subsurface formations and geologic processes or those that are associated with exploration for oil and gas are not included in this list. The documents featured in this bibliography are intended to assist in preliminary research for this region of Texas. A few subject headings are provided at the end of this report under: "Sources for Further Research".

Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG) Publications

The following list features the Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG) research, guidebooks, circulars, reports, and maps that pertain to surface processes and features along the Texas coast that are available at the Geology Library.

Environmental Geologic Atlas of the Texas Coastal Zone
 A regional environmental geologic analysis series of the Texas coastline and related areas. Maps feature the physical properties, environments and biology, land use, mineral and energy resources, shoreline processes, manmade features, rainfall and evaporation, and topography and bathymetry.

  • Bay City-Freeport area, by J.H. McGowen, et al. 1976.
    G 1372 C6 E55 1976

  • Beaumont-Port Arthur area, by W.L. Fisher, et al. 1973.
    QE 168 B42 T41

  • Brownsville-Harlingen area, by L.F. Brown, Jr., et al. 1980.
    QE 168 B88 E61

  • Corpus Christi area, by L.F. Brown, Jr., et al. 1976.
    QE 168 C7 E6

  • Galveston-Houston area, by W.L. Fisher, et al. 1972.
    QE 168 G2 T4

  • Kingsville area, by L.F. Brown, Jr., et al. 1977.
    QE 168 K56 T49 1977

  • Port Lavaca area, by J.H. McGowen, et al. 1976.
    QE 168 P67 E6

Submerged Lands of Texas By W.A. White, etal. GC 383.5 S92- .
A detailed inventory of the sediments, geochemistry, benthic macroinvertebrates, and associated wetlands of the bays, estuaries, lagoons, and the inner continental shelf systems.

Bay City-Freeport area.
Beaumont-Port Arthur area.
Brownsville-Harlingen area.
Corpus Christi area.
Galveston-Houston area.
Kingsville area.
Port Lavaca area.

Guidebooks. QE 167 T4245 no.- .
GB 11. Recent sediments of southeast Texas--A field guide to the Brazos alluvial and deltaic plains and the Galveston Barrier Island complex, by H.A. Bernard, et al. 1970.

GB 17. Padre Island National Seashore--A guide to the geology, natural environments, and history of the Texas Barrier Island, by B.R. Weise and W.A. White. 1980.

GB 20. Modern depositional environments of the Texas Coast, by R.A. Morton and J.H. McGowen. 1980.

Geological Circulars. TN 24 T4 T38 no.- .
GC 70-3. Effects of Hurricane Celia--A focus on environmental geologic problems of the Texas Coastal Zone, by J.H. McGowen. 1970.

GC 71-1. Resources capability units--Their utility in land and water-use management with examples from the Texas Coastal Zone, by L.F. Brown, Jr. 1971.

GC 72-3. Evaluation of sanitary landfill sites, Texas Coastal Zone--Geologic and engineering criteria, by L.F. Brown, Jr. 1972.

GC 74-2. Shoreline changes on Galveston Island (Bolivar Roads to San Luis Pass), an analysis of historical changes of the Texas Gulf shoreline, by R.A. Morton. 1974.

GC 75-2. Shoreline changes on Brazos Island and South Padre Island (Mansfield Channel to mouth of the Rio Grande), an analysis of historical changes of the Texas Gulf shoreline, by R.A. Morton. 1975.

GC 75-4. Shoreline changes in the vicinity of the Brazos River delta (San Luis Pass to Brown Cedar Cut), an analysis of historical changes of the Texas Gulf shoreline, by R.A. Morton. 1975.

GC 75-6. Shoreline changes between Sabine Pass and Bolivar Roads, an analysis of historical changes of the Texas Gulf shoreline, by R.A. Morton. 1975.

GC 76-4. Shoreline changes on Matagorda Island and San Jose Island (Pass Cavallo to Aransas Pass), an analysis of historical changes of the Texas Gulf shoreline, by R.A. Morton and M.J. Pieper. 1976.

GC 76-5. Regional Tertiary cross sections--Texas Gulf Coast, by D.G. Bebout, et al. 1976.

GC 76-6. Shoreline changes on Matagorda Peninsula (Brown Cedar Cut to Pass Cavallo), an analysis of historical changes of the Texas Gulf shoreline, by R.A. Morton, et al. 1976.

GC 77-1. Shoreline changes on Mustang Island and North Padre Island (Aransas Pass to Yarborough Pass)--An analysis of historical changes of the Texas Gulf shoreline, by R.A. Morton and M.J. Pieper. 1977.

GC 77-2. Shoreline changes on Central Padre Island (Yarborough Pass to Mansfield Channel)--An analysis of historical changes of the Texas Gulf shoreline, by R.A. Morton and M.J. Pieper. 1977.

GC 77-3. The Gulf shoreline of Texas: Processes, characteristics, and factors in use, by J.H.McGowen, et al. 1977.

GC 77-4. Hydrogeology of Gulf Coast aquifers, Houston-Galveston area, Texas, by C.W. Kreitler, et al. 1977.

GC 77-6. Historical shoreline changes and their causes, Texas Gulf Coast, by R.A. Morton. 1977.

GC 79-2. Geochemistry of bottom sediments, Matagorda Bay system, Texas, by J.H. McGowen, et al. 1979.

GC 80-6. Distribution and significance of coarse biogenic and clastic deposits on the Texas Inner Shelf, by R.A. Morton and C.D. Winker. 1980.

GC 84-6. Historical shoreline changes in Corpus Christi, Oso, and Nueces Bays, Texas Gulf Coast, by R.A. Morton and J.G. Paine. 1984.

GC 85-5. Beach and vegetation-line changes at Galveston Island, Texas: Erosion, deposition, and recovery from Hurricane Alicia, by R.A. Morton and J.G. Paine. 1985.

GC 86-3. Historical shoreline changes in Trinity, Galveston, West, and East Bays, Texas Gulf Coast, by J.G. Paine and R.A. Morton. 1986.

GC 87-1. Historical shoreline changes in San Antonio, Espiritu Santo, and Mesquite Bays, Texas Gulf Coast, by W.A. White and R.A. Morton. 1987.

GC 88-2. Subsidence and collapse at Texas salt domes, by W.F. Mullican, III. 1988.

GC 89-1. Shoreline and vegetation-line movement, Texas Gulf Coast, 1974 to 1982, by J.G. Paine and R.A.Morton. 1989.

GC 93-1. Historical shoreline changes in Copano, Aransas, and Redfish Bays, Texas Gulf Coast, by J.G. Paine and R.A. Morton. 1993.

GC 97-3. Gulf Shoreline Movement between Sabine Pass and the Brazos River, Texas: 1974 to 1996, by R.A. Morton. 1997.

Reports of Investigations. QE 167 T42 no.- .
RI 60. Sand resources of Texas Gulf Coast, by L.E. Garner. 1967.

RI 61. Hurricanes as geological agents: Case studies of Hurricanes Carla, 1961, and Cindy, 1963, by M.O. Hayes. 1967.

RI 67. Facies and genesis of a hurricane-washover fan, St. Joseph Island, central Texas coast, by P.B. Andrews. 1970.

RI 69. Gum Hollow Fan Delta, Nueces Bay, Texas, by J.H. McGowen. 1971.

RI 77. Fossil vertebrates from the Late Pleistocene Ingleside fauna, San Patricio County, Texas, by E.L. Lundelius. 1972.

RI 85. Lineations and faults in the Texas Coastal Zone, by C.W. Kreitler. 1976.

RI 92. Land and water resources, historical changes, and dune criticality, Mustang and North Padre Islands, by W.A. White, et al. 1978.

RI 93. Landsat analysis of the Texas Coastal Zone, by R.J. Finley. 1979.

RI 95. Land and water resources of the Corpus Christi area, Texas, by R.S. Kier and W.A. White. 1978.

RI 103. Molluscan distribution in Copano Bay, Texas, by T.R. Calnan. 1980.

Geologic Atlas of Texas 1:250,000. G 4031 C5 S250 T4 no.- .

Beaumont sheet. GA0004.
Beeville-Bay City sheet. GA0005.
Corpus Christi sheet. GA0010.
Houston sheet. GA0018.
Laredo sheet. GA0019.
McAllen-Brownsville sheet. GA0023.
Seguin sheet. GA0030.

State Maps

  • Tectonic map of Texas. T.E. Ewing, 1990. 1:750,000. SM0001.
    G 4031 C554 1990 T4 SE Sheet

  • Geologic map of Texas. 1992. 1:500,000. SM003.
    G 4031 C51937 D3 SE Sheet

Graduate Research

An alphabetical list, by author, of graduate work on the surface processes occurring along the Texas coast. These documents are available at the Geology Library and other selected UT libraries.

Achalabhuti, Charan. 1973. Pleistocene depositional systems of central Texas Coastal Zone. (PhD, UT-Austin).
Diss 1973 A142. Geology Library.

Amdurer, Michael. 1978. Geochemistry, hydrology, and mineralogy of the Laguna Madre Flats, south Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1978 Am292. Geology Library.

Andrews, Peter B. 1967. Facies and genesis of a washover fan, St. Joseph Island, central Texas Coast. (PhD. UT-Austin).
TD1967 An27. Geology Library.

Bentley, Michael E. 1980. Hydrogeology of the Beaumont Formation (Pleistocene), Brazoria County, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1980 B446. Geology Library.

Blankenship, William D. 1953. Sedimentology of the Outer Texas Coast. (MA, UT-Austin).
T1953 B611. Geology Library.

Bridges, William E. 1959. Beach sediments of Galveston, Chambers, and Jefferson Counties, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
T1959 B764. Geology Library.

Byrne, James R. 1975. Holocene depositional history of Lavaca Bay, central Texas Gulf Coast. (PhD, UT-Austin).
Diss 1975 B9895. Geology Library.

Carew, James L. 1969. Ostracod species distribution, Harbor Island, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
T1969 C187. Geology Library.

Clague, Alistair S. 1995. Tidal analysis of tide gauge data from along the Texas Gulf Coast:
The TCOON data. (MA, UT-Austin)
Thesis 1995 C519. Geology Library.

Connally, Thomas C., Jr. 1981. A facies analysis of the modern Colorado Delta, Matagorda County, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1981 C762. Geology Library.

Davenport, Sally D. 1976. Human adjustment to the hurricane flood hazard on the Texas
Coast. (MS, UT-Austin).
THESIS 1976 D277. Architecture Library & PCL Stacks.

DeLancey, Charles Jr. 1942. A study of the sands of Live Oak Bar from Baffins Bay to Matagorda Bay, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
T1942 D373. Geology Library.

Elliott, Arthur B. 1958. Recent sediments of Corpus Christi and Nueces Bays, Nueces County, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
T1958 E158. Geology Library.

Fang, Qing. 2000. Biostratigrahic and Sequence Stratigraphic Analysis of the Yegua Formation, Houston Salt Embayment, Northern Gulf of Mexico. (MS, UT-Austin)
Diss 2000 F214. Geology Library

Fimlay Paz, Carlos Juan. 2000. Seismic interpretation of shore zone-inner shelf deposits in Corpus Christi Bay, South Texas. (MS, UT-Austin).
Thesis 2000 F489 Geology Library

Germiat, Steven J. 1988. An assessment of future coastal land loss in Galveston, Chambers, and Jefferson Counties, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1988 G317. Geology Library.

Hammond, Weldon W., Jr. 1969. Ground water resources of Matagorda County, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
T1969 H185. Geology Library.

Harwood, Peggy J. 1973. Stability and geomorphology of Pass Cavallo and its flood delta since 1856, central Texas Coast. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1973 H264. Geology Library.

Harwood, Roderick J. 1980. Community reconstruction in benthic paleoenvironments: Trophic structure in living and dead macroinvertebrate associations, Corpus Christi and Aransas Bay systems. (PhD, UT-Austin).
Diss 1980 H264. Geology Library.

Hayes, Miles O. 1965. Sedimentation of a semiarid, wave-dominated coast (south Texas) with emphasis on Hurricane effects. (PhD, UT-Austin).
TD1965 H328. Geology Library.

Herber, Jon P. 1981. Holocene sediment under Laguna Madre, Cameron County, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1981 H414. Geology Library.

Hill, David W. 1993. Land subsidence in the Big Hill and Fannett fields in Jefferson County, Texas: An analytical model. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1993 H551. Geology Library.

Hoover, Richard A. 1968. Physiography and surface sediment facies of a Recent tidal delta, Harbor Island, central Texas Coast. (PhD, UT-Austin).
TD1968 H769. Geology Library.

Hummel, Gary A. 1982. Interdune areas of the back-island dune field, north Padre Island, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1982 H883. Geology Library.

Huxoll, Vernon F. 1981. Stability adjusted wind power in the Texas coastal zone. (MS, UT-Austin).
THESIS 1981 H982. PCL Stacks.

Jones, Darrell K. 1960. Organic and inorganic carbon in the Recent sediments of the open gulf, barrier island, and bay environments, Mustang Island. (MA, UT-Austin).
T1960 J713. Geology Library.

Keen, Teri L. 1981. Energy related planning in the Texas coastal zone: Local government participation in the coastal energy impact program of 1976. (MA, UT-Austin).
THESIS 1981 K25. PCL Stacks.

Khorzad, Kaveh. 2000. Land subsidence along the Texas Gulf Coast due to oil and gas withdrawal. (MS, UT-Austin)
Thesis 2000 K528

Lohse, Edgar A. 1952. Shallow-marine sediments of the Rio Grande Delta. (PhD, UT-Austin).
TD1952 L834. Geology Library.

Marshall, James L. 1973. Industrial water use in the Texas coastal zone: Thesis. (MA, UT-Austin).
THESIS 1973 M356. PCL Stacks.

Mason, Curtis C. 1957. Sediments of Mustang Island, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
T1957 M381. Geology Library.

McGowen, Joseph H. 1969. Gum Hollow fan delta, Nueces Bay, Texas. (PhD, UT-Austin).
TD1969 M177. Geology Library.

McKibben, Lewis L. 1975. Planning and policy formulation in the Texas coastal zone: An analysis of the Matagorda Bay-Estuarine Resource Management Study. (MS, UT-Austin).
THESIS 1975 M21. PCL Stacks.

Munson, Michael G. 1975. Tidal delta facies relationships, Harbor Island, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1975 M928. Geology Library.

Nienaber, James H. 1958. Shallow marine sediments offshore from the Brazos River, Texas. (PhD, UT-Austin).
TD1958 N5551. Geology Library.

Nordquist, Ronald W. 1972. Origin, development, and facies of a young hurricane washover fan on southern St. Joseph Island, central Texas Coast. (MA, UT-Austin).
T1972 N759. Geology Library.

Paine, Jeffrey G. 1991. Late Quaternary depositional units, sea level, and vertical movement along the central Texas coast. (PhD, UT-Austin).
Diss 1991 P163. Geology Library.

Reid, William M. 1973. Active faults in Houston, Texas. (PhD, UT-Austin).
Diss 1973 R272. Geology Library.

Richardson, Raymond M. 1948. Sedimentation and shore processes at Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston County, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
T1948 R395. Geology Library.

Slingluff, Frank P. 1948. Sedimentation and shore processes of southwestern Galveston Island, Galveston City, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
T1948 Sl36. Geology Library.

Stern, Thomas W. 1948. Sedimentation and shore processes on the northeastern portion of Galveston Island, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
T1948 St46. Geology Library.

Suter, John R. 1980. Concentration,distribution, and behavior of heavy metals in recent sediments, Corpus Christi Ship Channel Inner Harbor. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1980 Su83. Geology Library.

Valente, Jose T. 1976. Study of the relations between subsidence drawdown and lithology in the Houston-Galveston area. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1976 V234. Geology Library.

Watson, Richard L. 1968. Origin of shell beaches, Padre Island, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
T1968 W337. Geology Library.

Watson, Richard L. 1975. The relationship between littoral drift rate and the longshore component of wave energy flux. (PhD, UT-Austin).
Diss 1975 W337. Geology Library.

Weeks, Albert W. 1941. Late Cenozoic deposits of the Texas Coastal Plain between the Brazos River and the Rio Grande. (PhD, UT-Austin).
TD1941 W418. Geology Library.

Weiner, Stephen P. 1981. Depostiton and stratification of oblique dunes, South Padre Island, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1981 W431. Geology Library.

Wilkinson, Bruce H. 1974. Matagorda Island--The evolution of a Gulf Coast barrier complex. (PhD, UT-Austin).
Diss 1974 W659. Geology Library.

Woodman, James T. 1975. Availability of groundwater, coastal bend region, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1975 W859. Geology Library.

Yeh, Edna T. 1990. Early development of dunes on north Padre Island, Texas. (MA, UT-Austin).
Thesis 1990 Y35. Geology Library.

General

At the Walter Geology Library:

A Coastal Program for Texas, by Coastal Zone Study Committee. 1975.
HT 393 T48 S392 GEOL

Current status and historical trends of selected estuarine and coastal habitats in the Corpus Christi Bay National Estuary Program study area / principal investigators, by William A. White ... (et al.). 1998.
QH 105 T4 C877 GEOL

Late Quaternary highstand and transgressive deltas of the ancestral Colorado River : eustatic and climatic controls on deposition, by Jennifer Nicolette Snow. 1998.
QE 696 S622 1998A GEOL

Natural hazards of the Texas Coastal Zone, by L.F. Brown, Jr., et al. Texas Bureau of Economic Geology. 1974.
QE 33 B7 Folio GEOL

Preliminary Gulf Coast coalbed methane prospectivity map, by Charles E. Barker ... (et al.). 2000.
G 3862 C6 H8 2000 G4 Sheet/1 GEOL Maps

Sediment distribution, bathymetry, faults, and salt diapirs on the submerged lands of Texas, by J.H. McGowen and R.A. Morton. Texas Bureau of Economic Geology. 1979.
GC 383.5 M35 GEOL

Texas Coastal Management Plan, 1990-1991, by Texas General Land Office. 1991.
HT 393 T48 T46 1991 GEOL

The Texas Coastal Management Program, by Texas General Land Office. 1975.
HT 393 T48 T486 GEOL

Texas Coastal Management Program: Report to the Governor and the 65th Legislature, by Texas General Land Office. 1976.
HT 393 T48 R473 1976

Texas Coastal Management Program: Report to the Governor and the 65th Legislature; Appendices, by Texas General Land Office. 1976.
HT 393 T48 R474 1976 GEOL

Transect of the Upper Texas Gulf Coast: Geology, Resources, Environment. 1996. (Southwestern Association of Student Geological Societies Field Trip Guide)
557.64 SO9f 1996 GEOL

At other University Libraries:

An analysis of the capabilities of local government to promote environmentally sound land development in the Texas coastal zone, by Kathryn N. Nichols. 1979.
REPORT 1979 N517 Architecture Library

An analysis of the private land development process within the Texas coastal region, by Valinda Parker. 1979.
REPORT 1979 P229 Architecture Library

Assessing wetland regulations on Texas coastal public lands. Texas General Land Office. 1991.
LAW QH 541.5 M3 T49 1991 Law Library

Hurricanes on the Texas Coast, by W.K. Henry, et al. Texas A&M University. 1982.
QC 945 H87 1982 PCL Stacks

Model minimum hurricane-resistant building standards for the Texas Gulf Coast,
by Texas Coastal and Marine Council. 1976.
TH 9031 T482 1976 Architecture Library

A study to assess the feasibility of inland canals as an alternative to bay and river margin port and industrial development, prepared for the Texas Coastal Management Program. 1977.
HE 393.5 T4 R4 Public Affairs & PCL Stacks
TC 624 T4 R47 1977 Engineering

Tarlton Law Library:

Legal information. Comprehensive information on case law affecting use of the lands along the Texas coast can be found at the Tarlton Law Library. Some suggested sources for preliminary research are:

Southwestern Reporter, 2nd. ed. (S.W.2d.). If the case citation is known, then search this chronological format on Texas case law.

Texas Digest. If the chronology of a case is not known, use the digest's table of cases to search by case name or the descriptive word index to search by topic.

Shepard's Citation. Use to check for updates on cases.

LegalTrac and Texas Lawyer Weekly Case Summaries are good current awareness sources.

Online Resources

Texas Secretary of State webpage provides a link to the Texas Administrative Code which contains the text of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) for the Coastal Management Program and Coastal Management Program Boundary. The Texas Coastal Management Program aims to facilitate more effective use of public funds by the efficient management of coastal natural resource areas (CNRAs). This program guides the development, use, protection, and preservation of the CNRAs.

Texas General Land Office (GLO) along with the School Land Board manages the coastal lands of the State of Texas. GLO can be accessed directly at:
http://www.glo.state.tx.us

Texas GIS Information has links to a number of coastal sources.

Rio Grande Coastal Impact Monitoring Program site has information on the Lower Rio Grande Valley and water and pollution related resources.
http://www.panam.edu/dept/csl/rgcimp.html

Texas Parks and Wildlife site has information on state parks and other facilities near coastal communities.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us

USGS is a link to their web server for Texas.
http://tx.usgs.gov/

Atlantic Hurricane Tracking Data provides storm tracks of Gulf and Atlantic coast hurricanes since 1886.
http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/index.html

National Wildlife Refuges This site provides information on directions, primary wildlife, habitat, recreational opportunities, and regulations for use of the wildlife refuges in the state of Texas.
http://www.gorp.com/gorp/resource/us_nwr/tx.HTM

National Estuarine Program includes outlines of activities at Corpus Christi Bay and Galveston Bay.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/about1.htm

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides links to the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center, but these sites only have brief descriptions of the centers.
http://www.noaa.gov

References:

Recommended subject headings and keywords to use with "Texas"

bays
place names for bays or counties or islands
coastal dunes or environment or sedimentation
coastlines
estuaries
estuarine environment or sedimentation
geomorphology
inlets
inner continental shelf
marshes
shorelines
shore features
swamps
wetlands

GeoRef. Access restricted to UT students, faculty, and staff. Primary source of current research in earth science.

GeoRef Thesaurus. American Geophysical Institute. Print source for terms such as place names, coastal features, and coastal processes for GeoRef searches.
Z 695.1 G43 G46 Geology Reference

Bibliography and Index of Geology. Print equivalent of the GeoRef database/ Geology Reference

Bibliography and Index of Texas Geology. Printed index of geology research in Texas through 1985. Geology Reference

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