GULF OF MEXICO 



573 



Beevillc, and Robstown. With exception of the 

 vicinity of Corpus Christi, the area is sparsely 

 populated, with farming and cattle ranching the 

 chief activities. Sulfur and rock asphalt are 

 produced and processed, and oil production is 

 increasing. A large corn products refinerj' and a 

 synthetic fabrics plant are located in the Corpus 

 Christi area. Fresh water resources are used 

 extensively for municipal and industrial water 

 supplies, stock-watering, and irrigation. Oyster 

 reefs are located in Nueces, Copano, Aransas, and 

 Mesquite B&ys. The area is popular for sport 

 fishing, waterfowl hunting, and boating. Aransas 

 Pass and Rockport are important shrimp landing 

 ports. 



There are 12 sewered municipalities with a total 

 sewered population of 137,500 of which 100,000 

 are in metropolitan Corpus Christi. Although 

 all sewered municipalities provide sewage treat- 

 ment, the facilities at the following three are 

 inadequate : 



Sewered 

 Municipality: population 



Refugio 3,700 



Odem 1,200 



Ingleside 150 



Nueces Bay was closed to commercial oystering 

 about 20 years ago because of raw sewage dis- 

 charges at Corpus Christi. Improved facilities 

 for sewage treatment now in operation and 

 elimination of waterfront privies have permitted 

 resumption of oyster marketing. There are now 

 no areas closed to commercial fishing. 



Large quantities of oil-field brines are evapo- 

 rated in ponds or injected underground. Some 

 not so treated have caused pollution of Mission 

 Creek and Copano Bay. Wastes from a synthetic 

 fabrics plant at Kingsville were suspected of 

 causing a fish kill. Caustic soda from a chemical 

 plant has, on occasion, affected waters in a turning 

 basin near Corpus Christi. This problem is 

 receiving attention by the industry. The extent 

 of damage from these conditions is not known. 



LOWER RIO GRANDE AREA (23) 



The Lower Rio Grande Area is the coastal zone 

 from Corpus Christi Pass to the International 

 Boundary. It includes drainage of a number of 

 creeks, Arroyo Colorado, and the Rio Grande 

 River. The northern portion is dry, sparsely 

 populated, and utilized for cattle ranching; the 

 southern part is in the "Magic Valley" with its 



widespread irrigation, semitropical climate, and 

 tremendous agricultural development. Processing 

 of citrus fruits and vegetables is a major industry 

 along with fish and shellfish processing. Browns- 

 ville, Harlingen, Alice, and McAllen are principal 

 cities. Tourist trade is a major factor in the area's 

 economy during the winter months. Fresh water 

 resources are used extensively for irrigation. The 

 Arroyo Colorado serves as a wasteway for surplus 

 Rio Grande water, an irrigation drain, and as a 

 waste disposal canal to I^aguna Madre. About 

 200 fishing boats operate from the mouth of the 

 river. There are oyster reefs in South Bay. 

 Coastal waters are also used for sport fishing and 

 recreation. 



The 27 sewered municipalities have a total 

 cormected population of 146,300, and all have 

 treatment facilities. The facilities of 9 munici- 

 palities serving 15,300 persons are inadequate: 



Sewered 

 Municipality: population 



San Diego 1,800 



Orange Grove 550 



Aqua Dulce 100 



Bishop 2,000 



Mercedes 500 



LaFeria 1,470 



Edcouch 500 



Rio Hondo 400 



San Benito 8,000 



Only two municipalities discharge treatment 

 plant effluents to the Rio Grande, most others to 

 Arroyo Colorado. Industrial wastes come from 

 numerous fruit, vegetable, and sea food canneries 

 and quick-freeze plants, oil refineries, a chemical 

 plant, a large candy and gum factory, and castor 

 and cottonseed processing plants. 



The Arroyo Colorado, at times, is heavily 

 overloaded with sewage and industrial wastes. 

 Effects upon resources of Laguna Madre or the 

 Gulf are not known. The oyster beds in South 

 Bay are 50 miles distant from the mouth of 

 Arroyo Colorado and well protected by distance 

 from the discharged wastes. 



THE GULF COAST OF THE REPUBLIC OF MEXICO 



In general, the area draining to the Gulf is 

 sparsely populated. Land is used largely for 

 grazing, lumbering, and agriculture. The oil in- 

 dustry is the only one of significance with respect 

 to water pollution. Fishing for fin fish, shrimp, 

 and oysters are important local industries along 

 the coast. The oyster producing capacity of 



