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59-596: The causeway carries traffic over Galveston Bay and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway . The original causeway was built in 1912 and carried both rail and auto traffic. The auto traffic was transferred to new causeways built to the west in 1939, leaving the original bridge for rail traffic. The original route was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Construction of replacement bridges for both auto routes began in 2003 with completion of

118-563: A devastating hurricane in 1900 hastened Galveston's decline, the subsequent rise of Houston as a major trade center, facilitated by the dredging of the Houston Ship Channel across the western half of the bay, ensured the bay's continued economic importance. Today, Galveston Bay is encompassed by Greater Houston , the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. The Port of Houston , which has facilities spread across

177-541: A container terminal next to the Pelican Island causeway, the only bridge connecting Pelican Island to the rest of Galveston, lost control of two barges it was pushing. One of the barges, operated by Martin Operating Partnership, then hit the bridge and two telephone poles at approximately 10:00 CDT (3:00 GMT) collapsing a portion of the bridge, causing a diesel fuel spill, and causing a temporary power outage on

236-409: A depth of 25 feet (7.6 m) in 1914. The Texas oil boom began in 1901, and by 1915 oil production by the bay was fully underway. Oil wells and refineries quickly developed throughout the area. After frozen transport became available in the 1920s, commercial fishing developed as a substantial industry, producing particularly oysters , finfish , and, later, shrimp . By the end of the 1930s,

295-543: A rapid descent. Witnesses described the plane as going into a nosedive and thunderous sounds before it crashed. Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were deployed to the scene while dive teams from the Texas Department of Public Safety , Houston , and Baytown police departments located

354-568: A significant recreation and tourism industry, especially as a result of its proximity to major population centers. Over 40% of Greater Houston residents participate annually in hiking and swimming along the bay, while 20% go fishing and 15% go boating. The five counties surrounding the bay are home to 88,000 registered pleasure crafts . Fishing expenditures (such as the purchase of fishing bait or lodging ) along Galveston Bay and Sabine Lake generate approximately $ 650 million annually. The recreational fishing industry supports over 3,000 jobs in

413-408: A substantial fishing industry . The deeper navigation channels of the bay provide suitable habitats for bottlenose dolphins , which feed on the abundant fish varieties. Additionally, the bayous, rivers, and marshes that ring the bay support their own collection of ecosystems , containing diverse wildlife and enabling freshwater farming of crawfish . The wetlands that surround the bay support

472-568: A variety of fauna. Notable terrestrial species include the American alligator and the bobcat , while bird species include the roseate spoonbill , great and snowy egret , white-faced ibis , and mottled duck . In the early 1990s, the Houston Ship Channel had the fifth highest level of toxic chemicals in the nation due to industrial discharge, with over 18.2 million pounds (8,300,000 kg) discharged between 1990 and 1994. However,

531-418: 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. The bay has played a significant role in the history of Texas . Galveston Island is home to the city of Galveston , the earliest major settlement in southeast Texas and the state's largest city toward the end of the nineteenth century. While

590-518: 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

649-560: Is bordered by three counties: Chambers , Harris , and Galveston . Significant communities around the bay include Houston , Pasadena , League City , Baytown , Texas City , Galveston , La Porte , Seabrook , and Anahuac . Galveston Bay has three outlets to the Gulf of Mexico: Bolivar Roads between Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula, San Luis Pass at the west end of Galveston Island, and Rollover Pass across Bolivar Peninsula. Many smaller bays and lakes are connected to

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708-485: Is one of the world's largest ports and serves the metropolitan area of Houston, Texas . The port is a 50-mile-long (80 km) complex of diversified public and private facilities located a few hours' sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico . Located in the fourth-largest city in the United States, it is the busiest port in the U.S. in terms of foreign tonnage and the busiest in the U.S. in terms of overall tonnage. Though originally

767-428: Is paid if the merchandise is exported directly from the zone. The following Sub Zones are a part of The Port of Houston FTZ No. 84: Despite being one of the youngest major ports in the world (the port reached its 100th birthday in 2014) it has already racked up an impressive list of firsts. Notable firsts include: In 1968 Texas historian Marilyn McAdams Sibley published The Port of Houston: A History . For

826-566: Is the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United ;States , and home to one of the nation's most significant shipping centers. Houston, the nation's fourth largest city , is the economic and cultural center of the region. Important ports served by the bay include the Port of Houston , the Port of Texas City , and the Port of Galveston . The Houston Ship Channel , which connects the Port of Houston to

885-657: The Battle of San Jacinto , near the bay along the San Jacinto River . The new Republic of Texas grew rapidly and joined the United States in 1845. After the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 , residents of Galveston strongly supported secession and sided with the Confederacy as the Civil War broke out. However, separation from the Union did not last long; the city's harbor

944-748: The Bay Area , quickly became the port's most important terminal. The opening of the Bayport Terminal in 2006 further extended the port authority's reach outside the city of Houston. Approximately 215 million short tons (195 Mt) of cargo moved through the Port in 2005, most of which is petroleum related. The Port has two separate terminals dedicated to the handling of cargo containers : Barbours Cut (at Morgan's Point ), and Bayport (in Pasadena, opened in October 2006). The Barbours Cut terminal was, in fact,

1003-406: The Houston Ship Channel , and more than 150 private companies situated along Buffalo Bayou and Galveston Bay . Many petroleum corporations have built refineries along the channel where they are partially protected from the threat of major storms in the Gulf of Mexico . The petrochemical complex associated with the Port of Houston is one of the largest in the world. The original Port of Houston

1062-635: The Karankawa and Atakapan tribes, who lived throughout the Gulf Coast region. Though several Spanish expeditions charted the Gulf Coast, it was explorer José Antonio de Evia who in 1785 gave the bay and the island the name Gálvezton in honor of Spanish viceroy Bernardo de Gálvez . Louis Aury established a naval base at the harbor in 1816 to support the Mexican War of Independence . When he abandoned

1121-416: The 1930s the Port became the focus of labor conflict, with sometimes intense battles between strikers and authorities, during the 1935 Gulf Coast longshoremen's strike and the 1936 Gulf Coast maritime workers' strike among other incidents. In 1911, there was a campaign persuading voters to approve a $ 1.25 million bond to raise money for dredging the waterway. The campaign was successful and voters approved

1180-497: The 19th century Buffalo Bayou had become a major shipping channel with traffic beginning to rival Galveston. The citizens of Harris County approved creation of the modern port in 1909, believing that an inland port would better serve the region after the destructive Galveston Hurricane of 1900 . President Woodrow Wilson officially opened the port to traffic as the World Port of Houston and Buffalo Bayou on November 10, 1914. In

1239-583: The Baytown–Pasadena area. Over the past few decades, approximately 100 acres (40 ha) of the historic San Jacinto battleground has been submerged; Sylvan Beach, a popular destination in La Porte, has been severely eroded, and the once prominent Brownwood neighborhood of Baytown has been abandoned. Today, the bay is a major destination for recreational and tourist activities, including boating , ecotourism , and waterfowl hunting . Atlas Air Flight 3591

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1298-521: The Greater Houston Partnership as of 2006. The Port of Houston Authority manages Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) No. 84 , which includes many privately owned and port-owned sites located throughout Houston and Harris County, Texas. The Houston Zone offers users special benefits. For example, customs duties on imported goods entering the FTZ can be delayed until the cargo is removed from the zone. No duty

1357-483: The Gulf coastline northward to its contemporary latitude. This was quickly followed by the formation of Galveston Island (5.5 ka), a barrier island , and Bolivar Peninsula (2.5 ka), which began as a spit . Human settlement in what is now Texas began at least 10 ka following migrations into the Americas from Asia during the last ice age. The first substantial settlements in the area are believed to have been made by

1416-669: The Gulf, passes through the bay. It is a partially man-made feature created by dredging the Buffalo Bayou , the ship channel subbays, and Galveston Bay. The area has a broad industrial base including the energy, manufacturing, aeronautics, transportation, and health care sectors. The bayside communities in particular are home to the Johnson Space Center, which houses the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center , Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base , Ellington Airport (home of

1475-571: The Houston Spaceport), and a high concentration of petrochemical refineries . A large commercial fishing industry has grown around Galveston Bay, with significant production of shrimp, blue crab , eastern oyster , black drum , flounder , sheepshead , and snapper . In 2012, the commercial fish harvest in Galveston Bay amounted to 5,800,000 pounds (2,600,000 kg), with a wholesale value of roughly $ 16.4 million. Galveston Bay supports

1534-505: The Port of Houston was the largest cotton port and third largest port by overall tonnage in the United States. The establishment of NASA 's Johnson Space Center near the bay in the Clear Lake Area in 1963 brought new growth. By the 1970s Houston had become one of the nation's largest cities, and its expansion connected it with the bay communities. The bay's shoreline became heavily urbanized and industrialized, leading to pollution of

1593-470: The Ship Channel, advisories recommend against the consumption of all fish and blue crab, while in the lower bay, advisories only apply to catfish . Oil spills are a routine consequence of the industrial activity around Galveston Bay, with hundreds of spills taking place in a typical year. On March 22, 2014, a barge carrying marine fuel oil collided with another ship in the Houston Ship Channel, causing

1652-622: The Texas mainland to extend significantly farther south than it does presently, and the Trinity River had carved a 170-foot (52 m) deep canyon through present-day Bolivar Roads (the exit of the Houston Ship Channel) on its way to the coast. As the glacial period came to a close, rising sea levels initially filled this narrow canyon, followed by the broad lowlands of present-day Trinity Bay. Rapid sea level rise between 7.7 and 5.5 ka shifted

1711-412: The aircraft's flight recorders. The NTSB later determined that the crash was a result of the first officer's inappropriate response to an inadvertent activation of the airplane's go-around mode, resulting in his spatial disorientation that led him to place the airplane in a steep descent from which the crew did not recover in time from. On May 15, 2024, a tugboat leaving Texas International Terminals,

1770-442: The barge and did not leak into the water. An approximate 6.5 mi (10.5 km) span of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway was shut down around the bridge in order to help crews clean up the oil spill. Galveston County officials began evacuations for the approximately 200 people who were on the island at the time of the collapse for anyone who needed to leave the island, but warned that they would be unlikely to be able to return in

1829-543: The base, it was then taken over by pirate Jean Lafitte , who temporarily transformed Galveston Island and the bay into a haven for outlaws before being ousted by the United States Navy . Following its independence from Spain, the new nation of Mexico claimed Texas as part of its territory. Settlements were established around the bay, including Galveston , Anahuac , Lynchburg , and San Jacinto. Following growing unrest, Texas revolted and gained independence in 1836 at

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1888-570: The bay area. With over 600 species of birds, Galveston Bay is a popular destination for birdwatching . This sort of ecotourism generates millions in annual revenue for Chambers County, which is home to the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge and High Island . For a complete listing, see list of cities and towns in Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land MSA Port of Houston The Port of Houston

1947-578: The bay has generally experienced improving water quality since the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972. The Houston Area Research Council (HARC) and Galveston Bay Foundation periodically release the Galveston Bay Report Card, which grades a number of metrics indicative of the health of the bay's ecosystem and waters. The 2019 report assigned a "C" grade for toxins in bay sediments, citing water and soil pollution , wildlife habitat loss, and

2006-565: The bay's inflow comes from the Trinity River, which contributes 7,500,000 acre-feet (9.3 × 10  m ) of freshwater annually. The San Jacinto River contributes another 500,000 acre-feet (620,000,000 m ). Local coastal watersheds contribute the remainder. The climate around the Bay is classified as humid subtropical ( Cfa in Köppen climate classification system ). Prevailing winds from

2065-499: The bay. In the 1970s the bay was described by U.S. Representative Robert C. Eckhardt as "the most polluted body of water in the U.S." The ship channel and Clear Lake were rated by the Galveston Bay Estuary Program as having even worse water quality. Extraction of oil and groundwater , as well as large wakes from increasing shipping in the bay, led to land subsidence and erosion along the shoreline, especially in

2124-660: The bond issuance and creation of the Harris County Houston Ship Channel Navigation District that is called Port of Houston Authority (POHA) today. Early supporters would prove to be correct; the port has grown to be one of the world's largest. By 1961, it was already among the busiest ports in the US. In 1977 the Port of Houston opened the Barbours Cut Terminal , Texas' first cargo container terminal, at Morgan's Point . This new terminal, in

2183-766: The chairman of the Port Commission. The Harris County Mayors and Councils Association and the City of Pasadena each appoint one commissioner. Daily operations are overseen by an Executive Director who serves at the will of the Commission. A renovation project for the Port's Turning Basin Terminal began in 2010 and is expected to take 10 years. The Turning Basin Terminal is a multipurpose complex with open wharves and 37 docks that are used for direct discharge and loading of breakbulk, containerized, project or heavy-lift cargoes. The goal of

2242-399: The channel. In 2001, the U.S. Coast Guard had declared the old span's narrow passageway to be a hazard to navigation. It was only 105 feet (32 m) wide, whereas the replacement vertical-lift span allowed the channel to be widened to about 300 feet (91 m). In 2012, the bascule -type drawbridge on the railroad causeway was again replaced with a vertical-lift -type drawbridge, allowing

2301-408: The city of Galveston and heavily damaged communities around the bay . Growth moved inland to Houston, as fear of the risks posed by establishing businesses at Galveston limited the island's ability to compete. Texas City emerged as another important port in the area. Shipping traffic through the bay expanded dramatically after the federal government completed the dredging of the Houston Ship Channel to

2360-492: The contents of one of the barge's 168,000-US-gallon (640,000 L) tanks to leak into the bay, requiring weeks of cleanup by dozens of boats. Excessive ozone levels can occur due to industrial activities; nearby Houston is ranked among the most ozone-polluted cities in the United States. The industries located along the ship channel are a major cause of ozone pollution. Galveston Bay is located in Greater Houston , which

2419-415: The early afternoon on September 13, 12 hours after official landfall , the causeway was blocked by numerous watercraft. The original drawspan was replaced in 1987 with a new, narrower bascule span that pivoted from the island side of instead of the mainland side as the original did. The new span did not include space for a roadway, and a new service building was built on the old roadway on the island side of

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2478-441: The end of the war. Reconstruction was swift in southeast Texas. Ranching interests were major economic drivers on the mainland in the 19th century. The city of Galveston became a major U.S. commercial center for shipping cotton , leather products, cattle, and other goods produced in the growing state. Railroads were built around the shore and new communities continued to emerge. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 devastated

2537-437: The fall season. Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula are generally at the greatest risk. However, though the island and the peninsula provide some shielding, the bay shoreline still faces significant danger from storm surge. Hurricane Ike , the most economically and environmentally destructive event on the bay since 1900, struck in 2008. A proposal to build a flood barrier system to prevent against future storm surge ,

2596-491: The impacts of climate change as challenges facing the estuary. The presence of the San Jacinto Pits Superfund site in the Houston Ship Channel, which contains large amounts of dioxin , is considered a significant threat to the bay's health. The entire bay is covered by seafood consumption advisories set by the Texas Department of State Health Services , but the strictness of these standards varies by location. In

2655-403: The island. Two people were knocked off of the barge or jumped off, but they were quickly rescued. As a result of the collision, the bridge was closed. The barge, which reportedly has a capacity of 30,000 U.S. gal (110,000 L), spilled between 1,000 U.S. gal (3,800 L) and 2,000 U.S. gal (7,600 L) of oil into Galveston Bay. Some spilled oil stayed on top of

2714-421: The main system, including Christmas Bay , Moses Lake , Dickinson Bay , Clear Lake , Ash Lake, Black Duck Bay, and San Jacinto Bay. Together with its extensions, Galveston Bay forms the largest of the seven major estuaries along the Gulf Coast of Texas . The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway , an inland waterway consisting of natural watercourses and man-made canals, runs between the bay and the Gulf. A majority of

2773-764: The navigation channel through the draw span to be widened. The old bridge was sold to Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit to be installed on the Northwestern Pacific Railroad in Petaluma, California to cross the Petaluma River . The causeway was re-dedicated in honor of George Mitchell and his wife Cynthia Woods-Mitchell on Tuesday October 25, 2016, to honor their contributions to the island and City of Galveston. Galveston Bay Galveston Bay ( / ˈ ɡ æ l v ɪ s t ən / GAL -vis-tən )

2832-416: The near future. Galveston Bay covers approximately 600 square miles (1,600 km ), and is 30 miles (48 km) long and 17 miles (27 km) wide. The bay has an average depth of 6 feet (2 m) and a maximum undredged depth of 10 feet (3 m). The Galveston Bay system consists of four main bodies of water: Galveston Bay proper (upper and lower), Trinity Bay , East Bay , and West Bay . The bay

2891-422: The new northbound bridge in 2005. The construction of a new southbound bridge began in 2006, however Hurricane Ike delayed completion until November 2008. In September 2008, the causeway flooded badly before Hurricane Ike due to the tremendous storm surge created by the very wide storm. This is in contrast to a typical hurricane , which would cause the closure of the causeway due to wind before surge. As of

2950-555: The northwestern section of the bay, is the second-busiest port in the nation by overall tonnage. Other major ports utilizing the bay include the Port of Texas City and the Port of Galveston . With its diverse marine life, Galveston Bay also produces more seafood than any estuary in the United States except the Chesapeake . The Gulf Coast gained its present configuration during the most recent glacial period approximately 18 ka (thousands of years ago). Low global sea levels allowed

3009-499: The port's first terminal specifically designed for these shipments. Additional general cargo terminals include Turning Basin, Jacintoport, Woodhouse, and Care. The Port Authority offers a 90-minute free cruise aboard the M/V Sam Houston , details of which can be found on its website. Since the Houston Ship Channel is closed to recreational traffic, this is the only means by which the general public can view port operations, and thus

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3068-514: The port's terminals were primarily within the Houston city limits, the port has expanded to such a degree that today it has facilities in multiple communities in the surrounding area. In particular the port's busiest terminal, the Barbours Cut Terminal , is located in Morgan's Point . The Port of Houston is a cooperative entity consisting of both the port authority , which operates the major terminals along

3127-420: The renovation is to accommodate the increase in the transportation of steel, which increased more than 3.1 million short tons (2.8 Mt) in the first nine months of 2011, up from 1.9 million short tons (1.7 Mt) over the same period in the previous year. The Port of Houston is a major point of international trade for the United States. The following is the trade volume by world region reported by

3186-612: The so-called Ike Dike , has been considered by the state government. In August 2017, the Galveston Bay Area was struck by Hurricane Harvey and received an extraordinary amount of rainfall in a matter of days, with many locations in the bay area observing more than 30 in (760 mm) of precipitation during the storm. This unique and complex mixing of waters from different sources provides nursery and spawning grounds for many types of marine life including crabs , shrimp, oysters, and many varieties of fish, thereby supporting

3245-559: The south and southeast bring heat from the deserts of Mexico and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico . Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90 °F (32 °C), and the area's humidity drives the heat index even higher. Winters in the area are mild, with typical January highs above 60 °F (16 °C) and lows above 40 °F (4 °C). Snowfall is generally rare. Annual rainfall averages well over 40 inches (1,000 mm), with some areas typically receiving over 50 inches (1,300 mm). Hurricanes are an ever-present threat during

3304-614: The tours are highly popular. Most Volkswagen (and Audi ) automobiles sold in North America pass through the port of Houston. The Port is operated by the Port of Houston Authority, an independent political subdivision of the State of Texas governed by a seven-member commission. The City of Houston and the Harris County Commissioners Court each appoint two commissioners; these two governmental entities also jointly appoint

3363-549: Was blockaded by the federal navy starting in July 1861, followed by a full-scale occupation after the Battle of Galveston Harbor in October 1862. However, at the Battle of Galveston in January 1863, a small Confederate force managed to overwhelm the Union's naval forces in the bay and retake the island. Despite this victory, the Union continued to blockade the outlets of Galveston Bay until

3422-533: Was a scheduled domestic cargo flight under the Amazon Air banner between Miami International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. On February 23, 2019, the Boeing 767-375ER(BCF) crashed into Trinity Bay near Anahuac, Texas , killing both crew members and a passenger, at approximately 12:45  CST (18:45  UTC ). Shortly before impact the aircraft made a sharp turn south before going into

3481-511: Was located at the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou in downtown Houston by the University of Houston–Downtown . This area is called " Allen's Landing " and is now a park. It is the birthplace of the City of Houston. Shipping points grew at multiple locations on Buffalo Bayou including the port of Harrisburg (now part of Houston) and the docks on the Allen Ranch . By the end of

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