Lavaca Bay
Encyclopedia
Lavaca Bay is a northwestern extension of the Matagorda Bay
system found mostly in Calhoun County
, Texas, United States. The ports of Port Lavaca
and Point Comfort
have been established on the bay, and are the main areas of human habitation. Linnville was located on the bay until its abandonment after the Great Raid of 1840
, and the major port of Indianola
was found near the confluence with the main Matagorda Bay, until the town's final destruction following the massive hurricane of 1886. Smaller communities include Olivia, Alamo Beach
and Magnolia Beach
. Lavaca Bay is approximately 82 miles (132 km) northeast of Corpus Christi
, about 121 miles (194.7 km) southwest of Houston, and 145 miles (233.4 km) southeast of San Antonio.
The bay is noted for its superfund
site, caused by mercury pollution from the heavy industry in Point Comfort (specifically Alcoa
), across the bay from the largest settlement of Port Lavaca. Although fishing has declined in recent years due to fears of contamination, the bay supports a large finfish population, and the efforts of environmental organizations and the federal government have pressured Alcoa to reduce the polluted areas.
for the sightings of Plains Bison
, which were once common near the bay and the creeks that feed it. It is believed La Salle established his Fort St. Louis colony near the bay on Garcitas Creek. The first sizable human settlement on the bay shore was at the town of New Port, established in 1831 by Irish merchant John J. Linn as part of De León's colony. The site was later renamed Linnville, and grew to a population of 200 by 1839. It was described as "a place of considerable business" in Sketches of Texas in 1840, and was used extensively during the early years of the Republic of Texas
. Future San Antonio Mayor Samuel Maverick
owned a warehouse in the town, along with many other prominent Texans. The town was destroyed during the Great Raid of 1840
, orchestrated by the Comanche
Indians, and was later abandoned.
Port Lavaca
or Labaca, developed after the abandonment of Linnville. It grew substantially following the destruction of Indianola, and became a prominent shipping location and national leader in shrimp production
. Across the bay and currently connected by Texas State Highway 35, the town of Point Comfort
is found. It was incorporated in 1953 at a citywide vote and is known for its large aluminium and petrochemical
plants built in the 1960s. The small town of Olivia, which was founded in 1892 as a Swedish Lutheran community, is located on the shores of Keller Bay. The unincorporated towns of Alamo Beach
, established around 1900, and Magnolia Beach
, founded sometime thereafter, and named for the Magnolia figs produced in the area, are found north of the remains of the ghost town of Indianola
.
as well as Garcitas Creek
and Venado Creek supply the bay with freshwater from the north. Channels have been dredged to connect the bay to the Intracoastal Waterway
, which runs to the south. On average, the bay is about 4 feet (1 m) in depth.
Unlike most of the Matagorda Bay system, Lavaca Bay has a mostly muddy bottom with large amounts of oyster reefs and spoils islands formed by the dredging of several canals. The shores are lined with grassy bluffs and a thick cover of trees. The Lavaca River enters near the Port Lavaca Causeway as it traverses Lavaca Bay from Port Lavaca to Point Comfort at the center of the bay, which is also its narrowest width. The river flows 115 miles (185.1 km) southeast from its source in northeast Gonzales County
, draining approximately 2280 square miles (5,905.2 km²) into Lavaca Bay. South of the Port Lavaca Causeway in Point Comfort, on the bay's eastern shore, a heavy industrial sector is located, which lines the coast to Cox Bay, which extends to the east. South of Cox Bay is the larger Keller Bay extension, which extends the bay to its easternmost point near Olivia. Below the extension, is a narrow peninsula, bounded by Matagorda Bay to the south, which extends west to mouth of Lavaca Bay. Across the mouth on the western shore, past the Matagorda Ship Channel, which runs through the middle of the bay to Point Comfort, the town of Magnolia Beach is found. To the northwest is the town of Alamo Beach, located on Gailinipper Point, from which a major oyster reef begins across the bay to Point Comfort. The point is located on the northeastern extreme of a headland that juts to the north, forming Chocolate Bay to the west. Port Lavaca is found north of Chocolate Bay, back at the Port Lavaca Causeway. North of the causeway is a large circular extension, forming the northern boundary of the Lavaca Bay. The northwestern extreme is formed by Garcitas Cove, fed by Garcitas Creek, which flows 48 miles (77.2 km) from its source in DeWitt County
. To the east is Venado Creek, which converges with the bay, northwest of the mouth of the Lavaca River.
, Flounder
, Redfish
, Sheepshead
and Speckled trout
, however it suffers from mercury
pollution. An Alcoa
plant in Point Comfort dumped an estimated 67 pounds (30.4 kg) of mercury into the bay per day in the 1960s, affecting 64 square miles (165.8 km²). A mercury superfund
was established at the site, and the processing of oysters and blue crab in certain locations was prohibited. A study revealed that the bay's detritus
is more than ten times as contaminated as nearby Keller Bay.
The pollution issue is a main concern of citizens of Calhoun County, and has attracted demonstrations against industry in Point Comfort. However, Alcoa has worked with state and federal officials, spending $110 million to reduce the size of the superfund site, as part of a 2005 settlement. Cooperation aims to create 70 additional acres of salt marsh and 11 acres of oyster reef habitat.
Locals have estimated that the only area still affected by contamination is just offshore from the Alcoa plant. Signs warning boaters of the water's toxicity are found at the site. The stigma attached to the bay due to reports of pollution has discouraged fishing, enabling a healthy population to develop.
, Du Pont, and Formosa
, which contribute to the local economies. Despite the restrictions on the bay that prevent the production of fish and shellfish along the superfund site, seafood harvesting is a major industry. However, it is not as prominent as it was in the 1920s, when Port Lavaca led the nation in shrimp production, leading to the construction of a quick-freezing plant. Today, shrimping is only allowed south of the Port Lavaca Causeway, due to the north's classification as a nursery location. Shellfish production is allowed in Keller Bay and Lavaca Bay south of Point Comfort, but is restricted along the eastern and northern coast and Chocolate Bay, and is conditionally approved in the remaining locations, including along the shore of Port Lavaca. A small tourism industry also fuels economic growth, spurred by the Port Lavaca State Fishing Pier found alongside the Port Lavaca Causeway. The pier once served as the causeway across the bay but was replaced in the 1960s and converted into a fishing pier of 3200 feet (975.4 m), billed as the longest in the world.
Matagorda Bay
Matagorda Bay is a large estuary bay on the Texas coast, lying in Calhoun and Matagorda counties and located approximately northeast of Corpus Christi, southeast of San Antonio, southwest of Houston, and southeast of Austin. It is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Matagorda Peninsula and...
system found mostly in Calhoun County
Calhoun County, Texas
Calhoun County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, the population was 20,647. Its county seat is Port Lavaca. It is a part of the Victoria Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Texas, United States. The ports of Port Lavaca
Port Lavaca, Texas
Port Lavaca is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The population was 12,248 at the 2010 census. The County had a 3.6% growth which brought the county population to 21,381. The city itself is bringing in more business into the area. It is the county seat of Calhoun County...
and Point Comfort
Point Comfort, Texas
Point Comfort is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. It is a part of the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 781 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Point Comfort is located at...
have been established on the bay, and are the main areas of human habitation. Linnville was located on the bay until its abandonment after the Great Raid of 1840
Great Raid of 1840
The Great Raid of 1840 was the largest raid ever mounted by Native Americans on white cities in what is now the United States. It followed the Council House Fight, in which Republic of Texas officials attempted to capture and take prisoner 33 Comanche chiefs who had come to negotiate a peace...
, and the major port of Indianola
Indianola, Texas
Indianola is a ghost town located on Matagorda Bay in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The community, once the county seat of Calhoun County, is a part of the Victoria, Texas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1875, the city had a population of 5,000, but on September 15 of that year, a...
was found near the confluence with the main Matagorda Bay, until the town's final destruction following the massive hurricane of 1886. Smaller communities include Olivia, Alamo Beach
Alamo Beach, Texas
Alamo Beach is an unincorporated community in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. It is located just north of the junction of Farm Roads 2717 and 2760, approximately two miles southeast of Port Lavaca and northwest of Magnolia Beach. The community is situated along the waterfront of Lavaca Bay....
and Magnolia Beach
Magnolia Beach, Texas
Magnolia Beach is an unincorporated community in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. It is located along the waterfront of Lavaca Bay, southeast of Alamo Beach. The community is part of the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. Lavaca Bay is approximately 82 miles (132 km) northeast of Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
, about 121 miles (194.7 km) southwest of Houston, and 145 miles (233.4 km) southeast of San Antonio.
The bay is noted for its superfund
Superfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
site, caused by mercury pollution from the heavy industry in Point Comfort (specifically Alcoa
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
), across the bay from the largest settlement of Port Lavaca. Although fishing has declined in recent years due to fears of contamination, the bay supports a large finfish population, and the efforts of environmental organizations and the federal government have pressured Alcoa to reduce the polluted areas.
History
Lavaca Bay was formed when the sea level rose following the last ice age, flooding the Lavaca River-Garcitas Creek basin. The name comes from the Spanish adaptation of the French vache or cow, given to the area by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La SalleRené-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, or Robert de LaSalle was a French explorer. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico...
for the sightings of Plains Bison
Plains Bison
The Plains Bison or Common bison is one of two subspecies/ecotypes of the American Bison, the other being the Wood Bison . Furthermore, it has been suggested that the Plains Bison consists of a northern and a southern subspecies, bringing the total to three...
, which were once common near the bay and the creeks that feed it. It is believed La Salle established his Fort St. Louis colony near the bay on Garcitas Creek. The first sizable human settlement on the bay shore was at the town of New Port, established in 1831 by Irish merchant John J. Linn as part of De León's colony. The site was later renamed Linnville, and grew to a population of 200 by 1839. It was described as "a place of considerable business" in Sketches of Texas in 1840, and was used extensively during the early years of the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
. Future San Antonio Mayor Samuel Maverick
Samuel Maverick
Samuel Augustus Maverick was a Texas lawyer, politician, land baron and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence...
owned a warehouse in the town, along with many other prominent Texans. The town was destroyed during the Great Raid of 1840
Great Raid of 1840
The Great Raid of 1840 was the largest raid ever mounted by Native Americans on white cities in what is now the United States. It followed the Council House Fight, in which Republic of Texas officials attempted to capture and take prisoner 33 Comanche chiefs who had come to negotiate a peace...
, orchestrated by the Comanche
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
Indians, and was later abandoned.
Port Lavaca
Port Lavaca, Texas
Port Lavaca is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The population was 12,248 at the 2010 census. The County had a 3.6% growth which brought the county population to 21,381. The city itself is bringing in more business into the area. It is the county seat of Calhoun County...
or Labaca, developed after the abandonment of Linnville. It grew substantially following the destruction of Indianola, and became a prominent shipping location and national leader in shrimp production
Shrimp fishery
A shrimp fishery is a fishery directed toward harvesting either shrimp or prawns. .-Commercial shrimping:...
. Across the bay and currently connected by Texas State Highway 35, the town of Point Comfort
Point Comfort, Texas
Point Comfort is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. It is a part of the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 781 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Point Comfort is located at...
is found. It was incorporated in 1953 at a citywide vote and is known for its large aluminium and petrochemical
Petrochemical
Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as corn or sugar cane....
plants built in the 1960s. The small town of Olivia, which was founded in 1892 as a Swedish Lutheran community, is located on the shores of Keller Bay. The unincorporated towns of Alamo Beach
Alamo Beach, Texas
Alamo Beach is an unincorporated community in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. It is located just north of the junction of Farm Roads 2717 and 2760, approximately two miles southeast of Port Lavaca and northwest of Magnolia Beach. The community is situated along the waterfront of Lavaca Bay....
, established around 1900, and Magnolia Beach
Magnolia Beach, Texas
Magnolia Beach is an unincorporated community in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. It is located along the waterfront of Lavaca Bay, southeast of Alamo Beach. The community is part of the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, founded sometime thereafter, and named for the Magnolia figs produced in the area, are found north of the remains of the ghost town of Indianola
Indianola, Texas
Indianola is a ghost town located on Matagorda Bay in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The community, once the county seat of Calhoun County, is a part of the Victoria, Texas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1875, the city had a population of 5,000, but on September 15 of that year, a...
.
Features
Lavaca Bay is the largest extension of the Matagorda Bay system, and includes its own extensions of Chocolate Bay to the southwest, Cox Bay to the east, and Keller Bay to the southeast. The Lavaca RiverLavaca River
The Lavaca River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. It begins in the northeastern part of Gonzales County, and travels generally southeast for 115 miles until it empties into Lavaca Bay, which is a component of Matagorda Bay.-History:...
as well as Garcitas Creek
Garcitas Creek
Garcitas Creek is a river in Texas that La Salle and his men populated. They started a fort around it because it was their only source of fresh water. the fort was Fort Saint Louis, named after the current king of France...
and Venado Creek supply the bay with freshwater from the north. Channels have been dredged to connect the bay to the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
, which runs to the south. On average, the bay is about 4 feet (1 m) in depth.
Unlike most of the Matagorda Bay system, Lavaca Bay has a mostly muddy bottom with large amounts of oyster reefs and spoils islands formed by the dredging of several canals. The shores are lined with grassy bluffs and a thick cover of trees. The Lavaca River enters near the Port Lavaca Causeway as it traverses Lavaca Bay from Port Lavaca to Point Comfort at the center of the bay, which is also its narrowest width. The river flows 115 miles (185.1 km) southeast from its source in northeast Gonzales County
Gonzales County, Texas
Gonzales County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 18,628. It is named for its seat, the city of Gonzales.-History Timeline:* Paleo-Indians Hunter-gatherers, and later Coahuiltecan, Tonkawa, Karankawa...
, draining approximately 2280 square miles (5,905.2 km²) into Lavaca Bay. South of the Port Lavaca Causeway in Point Comfort, on the bay's eastern shore, a heavy industrial sector is located, which lines the coast to Cox Bay, which extends to the east. South of Cox Bay is the larger Keller Bay extension, which extends the bay to its easternmost point near Olivia. Below the extension, is a narrow peninsula, bounded by Matagorda Bay to the south, which extends west to mouth of Lavaca Bay. Across the mouth on the western shore, past the Matagorda Ship Channel, which runs through the middle of the bay to Point Comfort, the town of Magnolia Beach is found. To the northwest is the town of Alamo Beach, located on Gailinipper Point, from which a major oyster reef begins across the bay to Point Comfort. The point is located on the northeastern extreme of a headland that juts to the north, forming Chocolate Bay to the west. Port Lavaca is found north of Chocolate Bay, back at the Port Lavaca Causeway. North of the causeway is a large circular extension, forming the northern boundary of the Lavaca Bay. The northwestern extreme is formed by Garcitas Cove, fed by Garcitas Creek, which flows 48 miles (77.2 km) from its source in DeWitt County
DeWitt County, Texas
DeWitt County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 20,013. DeWitt County is named for Green DeWitt, who founded an early colony in Texas. The seat of the county is Cuero. It was founded in 1846.-Geography:...
. To the east is Venado Creek, which converges with the bay, northwest of the mouth of the Lavaca River.
Ecosystem
Lavaca Bay hosts a wide range of finfish including Black drumBlack drum
The Black Drum is a saltwater fish similar to its cousin, the Red Drum. It is the only species in the genus Pogonias. Though most specimens are generally found in the 5-30 lb range, the black drum is well known as the largest of all the drum family with some specimens reaching excesses of...
, Flounder
Flounder
The flounder is an ocean-dwelling flatfish species that is found in coastal lagoons and estuaries of the Northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.-Taxonomy:There are a number of geographical and taxonomical species to which flounder belong.*Western Atlantic...
, Redfish
Redfish
Redfish is a common name for several species of fish. It is most commonly applied to members of the deep-sea genus Sebastes, or the reef dwelling snappers, Lutjanus. It is also applied to the slimeheads or roughies , and the alfonsinos ....
, Sheepshead
Sheepshead
Sheepshead or Sheephead is a trick-taking card game related to the Skat family of games. It is the Americanized version of a card game that originated in Central Europe in the late 18th century under the German name Schafkopf. Although Schafkopf literally means "sheepshead", it has nothing to do...
and Speckled trout
Speckled Trout
Speckled trout may refer to:* Brook trout , a freshwater fish in the Salmonidae family* Spotted seatrout , a coastal saltwater or brackish water fish in the Sciaenidae family...
, however it suffers from mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
pollution. An Alcoa
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
plant in Point Comfort dumped an estimated 67 pounds (30.4 kg) of mercury into the bay per day in the 1960s, affecting 64 square miles (165.8 km²). A mercury superfund
Superfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
was established at the site, and the processing of oysters and blue crab in certain locations was prohibited. A study revealed that the bay's detritus
Detritus
Detritus is a biological term used to describe dead or waste organic material.Detritus may also refer to:* Detritus , a geological term used to describe the particles of rock produced by weathering...
is more than ten times as contaminated as nearby Keller Bay.
The pollution issue is a main concern of citizens of Calhoun County, and has attracted demonstrations against industry in Point Comfort. However, Alcoa has worked with state and federal officials, spending $110 million to reduce the size of the superfund site, as part of a 2005 settlement. Cooperation aims to create 70 additional acres of salt marsh and 11 acres of oyster reef habitat.
Locals have estimated that the only area still affected by contamination is just offshore from the Alcoa plant. Signs warning boaters of the water's toxicity are found at the site. The stigma attached to the bay due to reports of pollution has discouraged fishing, enabling a healthy population to develop.
Industry
Industry is heavy along the bay, with an abundance of natural gas and oil wells at all corners. Natural gas was discovered at the site in 1934, and oil was discovered the next year. Point Comfort is home to several industrial plants along the shore, including Alcoa, Union CarbideUnion Carbide
Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
, Du Pont, and Formosa
Formosa
Formosa or Ilha Formosa is a Portuguese historical name for Taiwan , literally meaning, "Beautiful Island". The term may also refer to:-Places:* Formosa Strait, another name for the Taiwan Strait...
, which contribute to the local economies. Despite the restrictions on the bay that prevent the production of fish and shellfish along the superfund site, seafood harvesting is a major industry. However, it is not as prominent as it was in the 1920s, when Port Lavaca led the nation in shrimp production, leading to the construction of a quick-freezing plant. Today, shrimping is only allowed south of the Port Lavaca Causeway, due to the north's classification as a nursery location. Shellfish production is allowed in Keller Bay and Lavaca Bay south of Point Comfort, but is restricted along the eastern and northern coast and Chocolate Bay, and is conditionally approved in the remaining locations, including along the shore of Port Lavaca. A small tourism industry also fuels economic growth, spurred by the Port Lavaca State Fishing Pier found alongside the Port Lavaca Causeway. The pier once served as the causeway across the bay but was replaced in the 1960s and converted into a fishing pier of 3200 feet (975.4 m), billed as the longest in the world.