1. The Galveston Bay Watershed

2. Galveston Bay is an estuary- a place where salt water and fresh water meet.
Galveston Bay is surrounded by human development. Oil refining and transport, fisheries (fish, oyster, shrimp), Import/Export (Port of Houston).
Recreation and Tourism.
Major tributaries- Trinity river, San Jacinto river, Houston Ship Channel, Clear Creek, Goose Creek.
Characteristics

3. Water pollution- petrochemical industry waste, ships dumping trash, oil spills, power plant effluent, organic pollution from urban sewage and trash, agricultural pollution from pesticides and fertilizers.
Overfishing- oystering, shrimping and fishing is regulated.
Loss of wetland habitats- 90% of coastal marshes have been lost due to development.
Human Overpopulation
Problems

4. Solutions Laws to regulate industry- Clean Water Act, Monitoring
Wetland Restoration- Marsh Bash
Regulation on the Fishing industry- length of shrimping season.
Educaton- Bay Day
Activism- Galveston Bay Foundation.
Human Population Stabilization.
Solutions

5. Irrigation- farming irrigation is the #1 use of water nationwide
Industrial use- power plants, refineries, etc.
Commercial use- hotels, stores, malls, etc.
Community use- homes
Recreational use- fishing, surfing, skiing, swimming, boating
Water Use in Texas

6. Surface water- lakes and reservoirs. Example: Lake Houston
Aquifers- large underground areas of gravel, sand and rock where water is stored. Example: Edwards Aquifer(San Antonio, Austin)
Water sources in texas