Estuarine Hydrographic Surveys

Enlisting support and contributions from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, U.S. Geological Survey, river authorities, and universities, the TWDB has conducted intensive hydrographical surveys of all major Texas bays.  These studies feature synoptic measurements of water velocity, water level, and water quality data in navigation channels and other representative locations throughout a bay over several tidal cycles.  Complete hydrographic surveys provide the data necessary to calibrate hydrodynamic and salinity transport models (e.g., TxBLEND, SELFE, etc.).  Long-term data also are important for understanding how bays respond to too much or too little fresh water; therefore, TWDB funds monitoring of tidal elevation and water quality at selected sites along the coast.

Available Surveys