The entrance to the river can be identified by two dark weatherbeaten houses, one on each side of the entrance. The house on the northeast bank is the largest. These houses show fairly prominent from offshore.

The intracoastal canal from Brazos River to Matagorda Bay enters the San Bernard about one-fourth mile above its mouth, and leaves it at Longs Bayou, one-half mile farther up.

Cedar Lakes are shallow bodies of water having a total length of about 5 miles, lying one-half mile westward of San Bernard River, and connected therewith by Longs Bayou. A channel 5 feet (1.5 m.) deep (the intracoastal waterway) has been dredged from Longs Bayou through these lakes and extending westward connects them. with Matagorda Bay. This channel through the lakes is well marked by beacons. It is subject to considerable shoaling.

PASS CAVALLO

is an entrance from the Gulf to the southwestern corner of Matagorda Bay, 108 miles southwestward from Galveston entrance. It is 114 miles wide between Matagorda Peninsula on the east and Matagorda Island on the west, and formerly was of some little commercial importance; but since the completion of the intracoastal canal it is little used.

The entrance is obstructed by a bar subject to frequent change in both location and depth, and the bar buoy can not be depended on to indicate the best water. The depths over the bar vary from 5 to 10 feet (1.5 to 3.0 m.).

The ruins of East Shoal Lighthouse and West Shoal Lighthouse are just visible above the water at the northern end of the pass and should be avoided.

Matagorda Lighthouse and the buildings of the Coast Guard station on Matagorda Island are the most prominent landmarks by which the locality can be recognized.

With northerly winds or smooth sea good anchorage may be had outside the bar in 4 to 6 fathoms (7 to 11 m.), with the lighthouse bearing about W. 12 S. (mag.). Inside the bar anchorage may be found in about 20 feet (6.1 m.) near the head of the pass. There are no licensed pilots. Vessels desiring to enter usually signal the Coast Guard station, whereupon the keeper of the station places two poles with blue flags on the range marking the best water; at night white lights take the place of the flags, the higher light being the rear one. When desired the keeper of the station will come out, if practicable to enter, and pilot a vessel in over the bar.

Matagorda Lighthouse is a black conical tower. The light is flashing white (flash 2 seconds, eclipse 18 seconds), 85 feet (26 m.) above the water, and visible 15 miles.

Matagorda Bay is an irregularly shaped body of water, 45 miles long in a general northeasterly and southwesterly direction, from 1 to 10 miles wide, and separated from the Gulf by Matagorda Peninsula. Dog Island Reef, about 20 miles from the northeastern end of the bay, divides the bay into two parts, with somewhat dissimilar characteristics. Eastward of the reef the bay is a shallow lagoon, with a greatest depth of 5 feet (1.5 m.), soft mud or silt bottom, and shows indications of being filled up rapidly. The Colorado River

empties into this part of the bay. Westward of Dog Island Reef the depths range from 5 to 13 feet (1.5 to 4.0 m.), averaging 10 or 12 feet (3.0 to 3.7 m.) over the greater part. These depths are fairly stable. A dredged cut 8 feet (2.4 m.) deep across the southerly end of Dog Island Reef connects the two parts of the bay. This cut is marked by beacons on its southeast side.

The intracoastal waterway extends through the entire length of Matagorda Bay. (See description on p. 197.) It enters the bay at its eastern end at Caney Creek and extends through a dredged cut 5 feet (1.5 m.) deep, marked on its southern side by beacons, to the cut through Dog Island Reef. Westward of the reef the depths average 5 feet (1.5 m.) or more, and there is no marked channel.

Caney Creek empties into the extreme northeastern part of Matagorda Bay, through a canal one-half mile long. It meanders through a fertile country, but is of little commercial importance at present except for occasional small cargoes of general agricultural products. A draft of 5 feet (1.5 m.) can be carried up the creek to a fixed county bridge about 25 miles above Matagorda Bay. Hawkinsville, some 15 miles up the creek, is the terminus of a railroad. Gainesmore and Cedar Lane are small settlements and post offices.

Live Oak Bay and Bayou, tributary to the eastern part of Matagorda Bay, are shallow and of no importance. On exceptionally high tides the bayou can be ascended with a draft of 3 feet (0.9 m.)

for about 15 miles.

Colorado River empties into Matagorda Bay through two mouths about 3 miles northeastward of Dog Island Reef. The mouths are obstructed by bars, on which the depth at low tide is about 1 foot (0.3 m.). Inside the bars there is a controlling depth of 8 feet (2.4 m.) for about 6 miles, and 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 m.) for 16 miles farther.

A channel 5 feet (1.5 m.) deep has been dredged from the eastern mouth of the river to a junction with the intracoastal canal. This channel is subject to shoaling and in 1924 the controlling depth was 312 feet (1.1 m.). Colorado Channel beacons Nos. 1 and 2 mark the entrance to the channel from the intracoastal canal.

Matagorda is a small town and post office at the mouth of Colorado River. It is headquarters for a small fleet of oystermen and has railroad communication with the interior of the State. A draft of only 1 foot (0.3 m.) can be carried to the wharves on Matagorda Bay and these have been nearly abandoned. The principal wharves are on the Colorado River which have ample depths for any vessel that can enter the river. Gasoline, fresh water, and provisions can be obtained at Matagorda and there are facilities for hauling out small vessels.

Storm warning signals are displayed here.

Gulf is a small town 412 miles eastward of Matagorda. There are extensive sulphur mines north of the town which are connected by railroad with Matagorda and the interior of the State. The tall stacks and derricks at the mines are prominent objects from offshore.

A privately dredged channel, 3 feet (0.9 m.) deep, connects the intracoastal canal with a wharf and turning basin at the sulphur mines. This channel is marked by private range lights.

60780°-2613

Trespalacios Bay is an unimportant tributary on the north side of the western part of Matagorda Bay. Five feet (1.5 m.) can be taken to within 1 mile of Palacios and 3 to 32 feet (0.9 to 1.1 m.) to Collegeport, villages on opposite sides of the bay. Trespalacios River empties into the northern extremity of Trespalacios Bay. It has a depth of 212 feet (0.8 m.) at the entrance and a controlling depth of 6 to 10 feet (1.8 to 3 m.) for about 25 miles inside. In entering Trespalacios Bay, Bird Island Channel is the one generally used. It lies about 1 mile west of Olivers Point and is marked on its easterly side by a light. Storm warnings are displayed at Palacios.

Karankawa Bay, 6 miles west of Trespalacios Bay, is a shallow unimportant body of water, navigated only by a few flat-bottom sailboats.

Lavaca Bay, an arm of Matagorda Bay at its northwestern corner, has a controlling depth of 5 feet (1.5 m.) in dredged channels across Sand Point and Gallinipper Reefs to the town of Port Lavaca on the western shore. These channels are marked by beacons on their southern sides.

Keller Bay, an arm of Lavaca Bay to the eastward, has some little traffic in cotton and cattle. Olivia is a post office near the head of the bay.

Lavaca River, emptying into Lavaca Bay near its head, is obstructed by a bar at the mouth, on which there is a depth of 2121⁄2 feet (0.8 m.). Above the mouth it has a depth of 5 feet (1.5 m.) for 10 miles, at which point it is joined by the Navidad River. Vanderbilt is a town near the junction of the two streams. It has a little traffic in cotton and 'cattle. A railroad drawbridge crosses the river at Vanderbilt. Navidad River is navigable for a distance of 5 miles above its junction with the Lavaca.

Garcitas Creek, emptying into the head of Lavaca Bay, is navigable for small boats only, and is of no commercial importance.

Port Lavaca, on the western shore of Lavaca Bay, is the headquarters for the fish and oyster industry of this section of the coast, and has considerable traffic by water with the adjacent country. It also has railroad communication with the interior of the State. There are depths of 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m.) at the ends of the wharves. Gasoline, fresh water, provisions, and some boat supplies can be obtained here, and there are facilities for hauling out small boats.

Storm warning signals are displayed here.

Port O'Connor, at the southwestern end of Matagorda Bay, is a small town having railroad communication with the interior of the State. It is the headquarters of a small oyster fleet. A recreation pier extends into the bay from the northern part of the town. The commercial docks are on the south side of the town at Barroom Bay, an arm of Espiritu Santo Bay. A health officer of the State is stationed here. Storm warnings are displayed where they are visible to shipping.

Espiritu Santo, San Antonio, Mesquite, and Aransas Bays are the names applied to a series of shallow bodies of water, extending southwesterly along the coast for a distance of 50 miles from Pass Cavallo to Aransas Pass, and separated from the Gulf by Matagorda

and St. Joseph Islands. They are filled with islands, reefs, and shoals, and are of little cominercial importance, except as forming a link in the intracoastal waterway. (See description on p. 197.)

Espiritu Santo Bay can be entered from Pass Cavallo through Big Bayou with a draft of 2 feet (0.6 m.) at low tide, and through Barroom Bay Cut with a draft of 5 feet (1.5 m.).

San Antonio Bay is separated from Espiritu Santo Bay by First Chain of Islands, through which a dredged cut affords passage for a draft of 5 feet (1.5 m.). Seadrift and Long Mott, on the shores of San Antonio Bay, and Austwell, on Hynes Bay, are small villages having railroad connections with the interior. A draft of 212 feet (0.8 m.) can be carried to these towns.

Guadalupe River empties into the northerly end of San Antonio Bay through two mouths, the southerly one being generally used. A channel has been dredged to a depth of 5 feet (1.5 m.) across San Antonio Bay to the mouth of the river, where the usual depth is about 2 feet (0.6 m.), very soft bottom. This channel is no longer maintained, and in 1925 the controlling depth was only 2 feet (0.6 m.). Inside the mouth there is a controlling depth of 3 feet (0.9 m.) for about 10 miles, above which, although the depth is about 212 feet (0.8 m.) for 35 miles to Victoria, the river is usually so obstructed by snags as to render it unnavigable. Tivoli is a village with railroad communication 7 miles up the river. A railroad drawbridge crosses the river 2 miles above Tivoli.

Mesquite Bay lies between the Second and Third Chain of Islands, and is of no commercial importance except for its fish and oysters.

Aransas Bay is 15 miles in length, 3 to 4 miles in width, and with depths in the middle and near the southern end ranging from 8 to 12 feet (2.4 to 3.7 m.). Near the northern end, where it joins Mesquite Bay, it is very shallow.

Rockport, a town on the west shore of Aransas Bay, is a summer and winter resort and distributing point for merchandise. It has railroad communication with the interior of the State. A draft of 7 feet (2.1 m.) can be carried to the wharves. Gasoline, fresh water, and provisions can be obtained here. There is a shipyard and machine shop here, and facilities for hauling out small vessels. Storm warning signals are displayed here.

St. Charles Bay is an arm of Aransas Bay extending northward. It is of little commercial importance except for the traffic in agricultural products. It has a controlling depth of about 2 feet (0.6 m.).

Copano Bay is a northwesterly extension of Aransas Bay. It is encumbered with reefs, between which are several narrow sloughs or channels with depths of 7 feet (2.1 m.). Bayside is a small town on the north shore of Copano Bay near its western end, and can be reached with a draft of 6 feet (1.8 m.) Aransas River, emptying into the northwestern end of Copano Bay, is navigable only for small

boats.

ARANSAS PASS

lies 154 miles southwestward of Galveston entrance, 113 miles northward of the mouth of the Rio Grande, and is the principal approach from the Gulf of Mexico to Aransas and Corpus Christi Bays and

their numerous tributaries. It lies between St. Joseph Island on the north and Mustang Island on the south. Directly opposite the inner end of the pass is Harbor Island, which separates Aransas Bay from Corpus Christi Bay.

The entrance to Aransas Pass is obstructed by a bar, which has been improved by the construction of two jetties extending over a mile into the Gulf, and by dredging, so that a depth of 222 feet (6.8 m.) is available (1925) in a channel having a least width of 100 feet. It is marked by buoys, some of which are lighted. When completed the channel will be 600 feet wide and 25 feet (7.6 m.) deep.

Aransas Pass Lighthouse is a pyramidal brick tower on the southeasterly shore of Harbor Island. The light is fixed white, 65 feet (20 m.) above the water, and visible 12 miles.

Harbor Island Basin lies between Harbor Island and St. Joseph Island, and has a project depth of 25 feet (7.6 m.) for a width of 1,200 feet and length of 3,000 feet. This basin has not been maintained and in 1924 the controlling depth was 10 feet (3.m.).

The dredged turning basin in front of the railroad wharf on Harbor Island has a depth of 24 feet (7.3 m.) for a width of 600 feet and length of 1,650 feet.

Port Aransas, inside the entrance on the southwest side, is the headquarters of the construction force employed upon the improvement of the pass. A dredged channel 6 feet (1.8 m.) deep extends from the inner end of the pass to a turning basin in front of the wharves. This channel has a project depth of 12 feet (3.7 m.) for a width of 100 feet to a turning basin 200 feet wide. About one-half mile northwest of Port Aransas, on Harbor Island, are the terminals of a railroad which affords communication with the town of Aransas Pass. There is also daily mail-boat communication with Aransas Pass. This boat also carries passengers and freight. Port Aransas has telephone communication with Aransas Pass, where there is telegraph service.

Crude oil, cotton, and lumber are the principal items of commerce. The local commerce consists chiefly of fish, ice, and truck.

Terminal facilities. The principal terminal facilities are located on Harbor Island at the head of Aransas Pass and consisted of a single wooden steamship wharf about 1,000 feet long with a wooden shed, terminal tracks and switches, and a terminal railroad leading thence to the town of Aransas Pass, on the mainland about 612 miles distant, where it connects with the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railway. These terminal facilities are privately owned but open to all carriers on equal terms. They were practically destroyed by the hurricane of September, 1919. Necessary repairs have been made to the wharves, sheds, and storehouses to allow of their use by the vessels visiting the port. The terminal railway has been repaired and is in use and work on the rehabilitating of sidings is being done. At the inner end of the 12-foot (3.6 m.) channel leading to the town of Port Aransas the public wharf has been rebuilt by the town, and is open to general public use.

Corpus Christi Bayou forms a thoroughfare between Aransas and Corpus Christi Bays and is largely used by local fishermen and small craft drawing less than 6 feet (1.8 m.). The southern part of the bayou has been improved by dredging and is known as Morris