large gulf_of_mexico estuary bay texas coast lying counties located approximately miles northeast miles east southeast san_antonio miles south southwest houston miles south southeast austin separated gulf_of_mexico serves mouth numerous streams notably major texas located system northwestern extension city found northeastern extension port connor located southwestern tip main bay shore ghost town major port destroyed hurricanes late 19th century found bay bay shore especially near delta provides habitat wide variety wildlife wildlife serves basis fishing tourism essential component production specifically shrimp blue crab area fertile land near bay ideal farming especially propagation rice history early european records suggest bay surrounding area went names santo spanish explorer map late appears documentation bay french explorer established colony fort louis bay shore missing entrance mississippi_river half colonists killed disease half save children killed afterward referred lost colony indians kept children rescued spanish los expeditions near bay spanish built fort site fort saint louis port established served main port destroyed town forced inhabitants flee nearby later known port spanish cow founded wake raid replaced main port heavy caused navigational problems ships result surpassed main port 1850s later decade founded landing place german immigrants rapidly developed major second largest state galveston 1860s ports strategic control particular important american civil war control bay shifted union confederate forces times union presence area ended june war continued growth population 1870s hurricane caused massive damage city rebuilt smaller scale shortly second intense hurricane landfall fifth intense history causing greater destruction following year completely abandoned significantly affected hurricanes survived port largest bay continues hold distinction today renamed late 19th century established port connor founded bay east bay free flowing extension formed eastern segment flooding drainage issues caused time emptied bay precipitated massive campaign 1920s flooding sediment deposited bay formed tidal marsh grew acres km2 year result local citizens decided change course bypass gulf_of_mexico project causing split forming isolated east bay river diverted bay features shoreline bay included texas coastal plain eastern end near delta terrain abundance wetlands tidal marshes extended coastal supporting native grasses found area average system meters deep covers approximately square kilometers largest system texas galveston bay main extensions include extends westward mouth bay extends northeast mouth nearly isolated system delta include second approximately cubic meters gal water flows bay exchange gulf_of_mexico occurs ship channel delta complex brown cedar cut result exchange bay parts thousand lower average difference caused large number creeks rivers flow system largely drainage basins colorado ecosystem wide variety wildlife found conservation area located eastern shore habitat species birds including species birds found area nation annual christmas bird count fauna located bay include white tailed deer river texas reddish white tailed hawk falcon according following fish caught bay striped bass atlantic black drum red drum southern barred herring jack gulf smooth sand spotted shark gray southern gulf bay serves nursery shrimp crabs industry system renowned fishing location region status nutrient rich estuary settlements bay include processing manufacturing agriculture tourism commercial fishermen blue crab shrimp port national leader processing shrimp passed million tons port houses largest blue crab processing plant united_states home individually quick frozen shrimp plant texas recreational fishing contributes local economies tourism tourists flock port state fishing pier major point interest fishermen activities visitors include hunting beach manufacturing complexes erected bay employ local residents established plants point comfort found nearby petroleum natural gas discovered bay 1930s cotton turf rice grow bay especially fertile delta region
Matagorda Bay