Maps showing textural characteristics of benthic sediments in the Corpus Christi Bay estuarine system, south Texas
Corpus Christi Bay is a heavily used estuary on the south Texas coast in the northwest Gulf of Mexico (fig. 1). The Bay is stressed by diverse activities which could substantially affect its ecosystem. Such activities include shipping, resource production (oil, gas, and construction aggregate), commercial and sport fishing, and recreation. Shipping activities alone have had a substantial impact on the bay. For example, the past maintenance of navigation channels has required extensive dredging and spoil disposal within the estuarine system. Numerous subaqueous spoil disposal sites and subaerial spoil banks are present throughout the bay (fig. 1), and the selection of future spoil disposal sites is becoming a critical local problem. As activities in the bay increase, the need for effective environmental management becomes increasingly important, and effective management necessitates a good understanding of the bay's physical characteristics. The objective of this study is to provide detailed information about the textural composition of bottom sediments within the estuarine system, information which could be used in making environmental-management decisions. Visual descriptions of bottom sediments in Corpus Christi Bay and adjacent areas have been presented by McGowen and Morton (1979). Additionally, a study of the textures of sediments on the Inner Continental Shelf adjacent to the bay has been presented by Shideler and Berryhill (1977).