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205:(LCRA) and provides water to farm a region with inadequate and unreliable rainfall. Texas produces 7% of the nation's rice, and the majority of this rice is grown along the Colorado River. Nine pumping stations provide water to the canals. The network covers up to 91,500 acres (370 km) in Colorado, Matagorda, and Wharton Counties.
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A permanent saltwater barrier across the Neches River is located downstream of confluence of Pine Island Bayou and the Neches River within one-half mile of the confluence point. The barrier, constructed between 2000 and 2003, prevents saltwater contamination during periods of low river flows. The
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A canal system had been planned in Eagle Pass since 1885, when rancher
Patrick W. Thompson drew up plans for an irrigation canal network. Construction on the project commenced in 1889. Progress was stopped due to a lack of funding after only three miles of canal were built. Construction on the
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permanent saltwater barrier project had a budgeted cost of $ 50 million with the federal government paying 75% of the cost and the LNVA responsible for the remaining 25%. The barrier, over 1,000 feet long, includes a 650 foot long overflow barrier; five forty-five foot wide
387:; and a fifty-six foot wide navigation lane regulated by two thirty foot sector gates. Temporary barriers were installed across Pine Island Bayou and the Neches River upstream of the confluence 36 times between 1940 and 2000 prior to construction of the permanent barrier.
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The
Balmorhea canal system acquires water from San Solomon Springs and transports it to nearby farms for irrigation. The water leaves the San Solomon Springs swimming pool in Balmorhea State Park in one large canal. The canal begins to divide after it leaves the park.
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counties. The LNVA system includes 400 miles of canals covering a 700 square mile area. The canals deliver fresh water to "...eight cities and water districts, 26 industries, and over 100 irrigated farms..." Water is drawn from the lower
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A large canal system is located in the lower Rio Grande valley, at the southernmost tip of Texas. The area is covered by 25 water districts, stretching three counties. The tropical climate of this area provides ideal conditions for growing
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The First Lift
Station in Mission Texas once provided water for irrigating the crops of the early Rio Grande Valley. The lift station was dedicated as a Texas Historic Landmark by the Texas Historical Commission in
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The
Phantom Lake Canal is a canal in West Texas. The canal is used for irrigating vineyards, orchards, and other crops. The excess water in the canal feeds Lake Balmorhea. (Also See Balmorhea Canals)
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project did not begin again until 1926, when Capt. W. A. Fitch pushed for construction. The canal began operation in 1932, and in the early 1970s, the main canal ran 108 miles (174 km).
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on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande. This canal runs along the Rio Grande through the city of El Paso. Downstream from El Paso, the canal begins to divide into smaller canals (including the
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in north
Beaumont with 21 large pumps delivering between 20,000 and 110,000 gallons of water a minute with a capability of delivering over one billion gallons of water a day.
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The canals in East Texas serve several purposes including delivery of water to farms throughout the area. There are many separate canals, most of them located to the East of
350:, is currently one of 23 river districts in the state. The Lower Neches Valley Authority was granted authority by the Texas legislature in 1933 to operate within
238:. The canals are often mistaken for drainage ditches, which are very common in the area. The canals can usually be identified by several characteristics:
98:) used to irrigate a great amount of the upper Rio Grande valley (El Paso and Hudspeth county water districts). The network is managed by the
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provides water for irrigation as well as industrial and municipal purposes. The system includes 75 miles of canals originating at the
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33:, though smaller systems are located throughout the state. Canals provide water to dry climates to irrigate crops.
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counties. Now they also supply municipal and industrial customers. The canals are fed by natural water from
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in certain places, both following and crossing the highway. Other major highway canal crossings include
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systems were originally built to provide irrigation for rice and sugar cane farming in
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Texas has many irrigation canals with the majority of large canal networks in the
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120:. A similar canal system exists on the Mexican side of the river, beginning in
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Although the canals are mostly located in remote areas, they can be seen from
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Usually straight with occasional turns as opposed to naturally flowing streams
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The upper valley canals are in the southern part of the Upper
Colorado Region
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region. The canal network of 1,100 miles (1,800 km) is managed by the
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The water level is above or close to ground level, and may have berms
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Rio Grande WebCam - Live view of the river near
Mission, Texas
346:. The LNVA, the second river district created by the state of
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Citrus is among the foods grown in the lower Rio Grande valley
525:"H.B. Zachery wins $ 33.8 mil. pact with the U.S. Army Corps"
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The Gulf Coast Water
Authority operates several canals. The
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Another large system of canals in Texas is located on the
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Irrigating canal, El Paso, Texas (postcard, circa 1908)
440:Maverick County Canal (Handbook of Texas Online) -
527:. San Antonio Business Journal. October 22, 2000
313:augmented with water the GCWA pumps out of the
42:El Paso area canals (upper Rio Grande valley)
8:
450:Lovitt's Rio Grande Valley Photo Gallery -
102:. The major canals in this network are the
455:Texas Irrigation District Program Webpage
445:Sabine River Authority Irrigation Page -
248:May have locks or valves to control water
435:Lower Neches Valley Authority website -
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406:John W. Simmons Gulf Coast Canal System
272:in Beaumont and the surrounding areas.
145:were among the first crops grown here.
66:system in Texas is located along the
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425:Gulf Coast Water Authority page -
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549:. Sabine River Authority of Texas
338:A large portion of the canals in
74:. The canal system begins at the
90:border; it moves water into the
505:. Lower Neches Valley Authority
342:are owned and operated by the
203:Lower Colorado River Authority
149:Lower Rio Grande valley canals
1:
344:Lower Neches Valley Authority
325:Lower Neches Valley Authority
483:. Gulf Coast Water Authority
193:(not connected to the other
404:The Sabine River Authority
185:Texas Colorado River canals
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276:Gulf Coast Water Authority
105:Riverside Canal (El Paso)
100:US Bureau of Reclamation
37:Rio Grande Valley Canals
430:LCRA Irrigation Page -
391:Sabine River Authority
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76:American Diversion Dam
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547:"Gulf Coast Division"
362:counties and eastern
317:three miles south of
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412:nine miles north of
209:Phantom Lake Canal
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582:Irrigation canals
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377:Pine Island Bayou
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226:East Texas canals
170:, and many other
132:Eagle Pass canals
27:Rio Grande Valley
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217:Balmorhea canals
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420:External links
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291:American Canal
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195:Colorado River
191:Colorado River
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117:Franklin Canal
111:American Canal
96:Franklin Canal
92:American Canal
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164:citrus fruits
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122:Ciudad Juárez
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551:. Retrieved
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410:Sabine River
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553:October 13,
531:October 12,
509:October 12,
168:watermelons
571:Categories
467:References
199:Gulf Coast
176:vegetables
114:, and the
84:New Mexico
68:Rio Grande
62:One large
31:Gulf Coast
356:Jefferson
307:Galveston
303:Fort Bend
197:) in the
126:Chihuahua
364:Chambers
319:Fulshear
299:Brazoria
236:Beaumont
29:and the
398:Source:
368:Liberty
332:Source:
283:Source:
232:Houston
78:on the
72:El Paso
503:"LNVA"
487:May 7,
481:"GCWA"
358:, and
352:Hardin
305:, and
270:US 287
268:, and
172:fruits
139:Onions
88:Mexico
360:Tyler
348:Texas
266:US 96
262:US 69
258:US 90
80:Texas
70:near
64:canal
21:1985.
555:2015
533:2015
511:2015
489:2021
375:and
366:and
293:and
254:I-10
174:and
143:figs
141:and
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