Coastal Inlets of Texas, USA

Presently, 16 permanent inlets connect the inland coastal waterways and rivers to the Gulf of Mexico on the 560-km long coast of Texas. Processes controlling inlet stability in Texas are typically more complex than those acting on the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean coasts of the United States, where the astronomical tide dominates. The tide on the Texas coast is predominantly or fully diurnal and with small range; however, the large surface areas of most Texas bays produce large tidal prisms. Wind is strong throughout the year, either from the southeast in summer or as episodic northeasterly fronts in autumn and winter. Non-astronomical seasonal variations in water level are comparable to the tidal range of Texas bays. Creation of inlets on the Texas coast is ongoing for environmental, commercial, and recreational reasons, and this paper discusses the status and challenges posed to inlet creation, stability, and maintenance.