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The 'Corpus Christi Bay' is located in the southern Texas Coastal Bend, in a semi-arid region. Freshwater inflow is very low and the only sources of freshwater drainage to Corpus Christi Bay include the Nueces River and Oso Bay, from Oso Creek. The recently approved re-opening of Packery Channel in the southern reaches of the bay will provide another source of exchange in the near future. The Corpus Christi Bay system includes three of seven estuaries in Texas: Aransas, Corpus Christi and upper Laguna Madre. The system is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Mustang and North Padre Islands, with water exchange taking place almost exclusively through Aransas Pass.

Contents

EPA Relation

Statistics

External links

EPA Relation

The Corpus Christi Bay system has been designated as an estuary of national significance by the Environmental Protection Agency. It is surrounded predominantly by agriculture and ranching, as well as the city of Corpus Christi and town of Ingleside which support commercial shipping. The area is home to more than 490 species of birds and 234 species of fish.

Statistics

★ Surface Area: 497 km²

★ Drainage Area: 49,700 km²

★ Average Daily FW Inflow: 34 m³/s

★ Average Depth: 3.0 m

★ Average Salinity: 22 ppt

★ Coastal Wetlands: 121 km²

★ Submerged Aquatic Vegetation: 53 km²

External links

★ http://www.texasep.org/html/wql/wql_5cst_nep.html