572 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



and Freeport do not. This results in the discharge 

 of raw sewage from 10,000 persons. The following 

 municipalities have inadequate sewage treatment 

 facilities : 



Sewered 



Municipality: population 



Richmond 2, 000 



Brazoria 1, 000 



Pollution also is caused by brine wastes and 

 wastes from a number of industrial plants. 

 Large sulfur workings and a plant for recovering 

 chemicals from salt water are located at Freeport. 



The Brazos River once entered an estuary much 

 larger than Galveston Bay but now flows di- 

 rectly to the Gulf after having filled the estuary 

 with silt. The river carries an estimated annual 

 silt load of 35.3 million tons despite the small 

 drainage area. 



Water pollution damages to resources of the 

 area are not well defined. No shellfish areas are 

 closed because of pollution, but periodic fish losses 

 near Freeport are believed caused by discharges 

 of caustic wastes from an industry located there. 



COLORADO RIVER AREA (20) 



The Colorado River Area includes the lower- 

 most drainage of the Colorado River and the 

 part of Matagorda Bay lying northeastward from 

 Tres Palacios Bay. Matagorda at tidewater and 

 Wharton 47 miles upstream are the only sewered 

 municipalities. Economic activity is based upon 

 petroleum and agriculture, but industrial develop- 

 ment is limited, and the few existing factories are 

 scattered. Fresh water is used for domestic and 

 industrial water supplies and for irrigation. 

 Matagorda Bay is used for sport fishing, water- 

 fowl hunting, boating, and other recreation. 

 Fish and shrimp are taken commercially here and 

 off shore. 



Untreated sewage from 4,500 persons at Whar- 

 ton is the only municipal source of pollution. 

 Silt is the major caus° of pollution. Because of 

 upstream impoundments, the river now carries 

 to the Gulf a silt load acquired mainly in the 

 lower 245 miles of its course. Annual load prior 

 to 1941 was estimated at 8.9 million tons. Silt is 

 reported to have all but destroyed some six or 

 seven thousand acres of oyster reefs near Mata- 

 gorda. None of the remaining shellfish areas are 

 closed because of pollution. Like the Brazos 

 River the Colorado has formed a delta to the 



Gulf and overflows to Matagorda Bay only at 

 flood flows. 



GUADALUPE RIVER AREA (21) 



The area includes drainage of the Navidad, 

 Lavaca, Guadalupe, and San Antonio Rivers, and 

 the bay areas and coastal waters from Tres 

 Palacios Bay to Hines Bay. Victoria, El Campo, 

 and Port Lavaca are the principal cities. Cotton 

 farming and production of oil and gas, especially 

 in the coastal area, are chief economic activities. 

 A large aluminum reduction plant is located at 

 Port Lavaca. Water uses include municipal and 

 industrial water supplies, irrigation, and recrea- 

 tion. Oyster reefs of commercial importance are 

 located in Espiritu Bay and Tres Palacios Bay 

 near O'Connor. Bay areas are important for 

 sport fishing and hunting of waterfowl. Fish and 

 shrimp are taken commercially in the bays and 

 offshore waters. Palacios and Port Lavaca are 

 important shrimp landing ports. 



There are 11 municipalities with sewer systems 

 that serve a total of 40,000 persons. All of these 

 municipalities have sewage treatment facilities, 

 but facilities of the following are inadequate: 



Sewered 

 Municipality: population 



Ganado 1. 350 



Edna 3, 600 



Goliad 800 



No shellfish areas are closed to commercial 

 fishing because of pollution. Except for oil-field 

 brines, industrial wastes are not a serious problem. 

 Corrective action instigat d by the pollutioa 

 control agencies is proving quite effective in 

 reducing the effects of brine pollution. 



Lavaca Bay receives the silt loads of the 

 Lavaca and Navidad Rivers and shorter Karon- 

 Lavaca and Tres Palacios Creeks. The Lavaca, 

 alone, carries an average annual silt load of more 

 than 200,000 tons. Guadalupe and San Antonio 

 Rivers discharge silt into San Antonio Bay: the 

 Guadalupe at an average annual rate of 600,000 

 tons and the San Antonio at least 700,000 tons. 



Effects of pollution upon resources of the 

 adjacent area of the Gulf are not known. 



NUECES RIVER AREA (22) 



The Nueces River Area includes drainage of 

 Mission, Aransas, and Nueces Rivers. It fronts 

 on the Gulf between Hines Bay and Corpus 

 Christi Pass. Principal cities are Corpus Christi, 



